Family celebration gathering features latest Bordeaux Releases and some limited production No-Cal labels
The family gathered at Alec and Vivianna’s after the Church Dedication Service for daughter/grand-daughter Millie.
They served beef tenderloin, salmon, mixed green salad and wide assortment of artisan cheeses, chips and dips and snacks. My absolute favorite, which was a perfect pairing with the vibrant Bordeaux, besides the tenderloin, was an authentic aged English Stilton cheese!
I took for the occasion two labels of the recently released 2022 vintage Bordeaux, just acquired as part of an assorted mix case, following the UGCB 2022 Vintage Release Tour 2025 Chicago tasting this week.
Selection of mixed case 2022 release Bordeaux
I tasted several of the new vintage release wines reported on the spectacular outcomes and was eager to try and share some of the new labels with son’s and fellow collectors.
The first label I chose to share was WOTN by one of the top merchant’s representatives from the results published and distributed to patrons last week - Domaine Chevalier. Its also a label with which we have much affinity and history.
The other label was one I found to provide leading QPR - Quality Price Ratio, based on the highest rating from CT’ers and the affordable price-point - Chateau Tronquoy.
In addition to these two labels, Alec opened a unique, interesting red blend from Sonoma County, from a large format magnum - Tesoro Red Blend.
The other label Alec shared was another unique limited production Red Blend from Napa Valley Howell Mountain - Trio from Bravante Vineyards.
Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan 2022
We’ve been collecting this wine for several decades going back to the eighties. We’ve met producer Olivier Bernard at many UGCB and other tasting events over the last two decades.
A highlight of our meetings with Bernard was attending a special Darioush - Domain Chevalier wine dinner at Everest in Chicago. The gala Darioush - Domaine de Chevalier Gala Winemaker dinner at Everest Restaurant in Chicago back in the summer of 2004 was a fabulous private dinner hosted by Darius & Shaptar Kaledi of Darioush Winery and Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier, celebrating their collaboration. Chef Joho prepared a special dinner featuring and complementing their wines poured by Darioush winemaker Steve McDevitt.
I chose this label also because it represents two generations of wine production and collecting - with next generation Hugo Bernard of Domaine Chevalier, and our son Ryan. We first met Hugo when Ryan joined me for the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Chicago back in 2015. In addition to Ryan and me attending together, that year marked the rare attendance by both Bernard and son Hugo, as part of partially passing the baton to the next generation.
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| With Bernard at UGCB in 2015 |
Last week, Hugo was pouring tonight’s wine at this year’s event - UGCB 2022 Vintage Release Tour 2025 Comes to Chicago.
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As Olivier says about the estate, “Domaine de Chevalier is located in a clearing in the middle of a forest that protects the vines from extremes of temperature. In fact Chevalier is a sort of secret garden, far from the limelight. This is something of a paradox for such an excellent wine, among the greatest in Bordeaux.
Only a great terroir can produce a great wine... I often start out with these words when speaking about Domaine de Chevalier. They convey our fundamental philosophy, not only with regard to viticulture, but also the spirit that pervades the estate and the men and women who work here. They improve their already considerable skills year after year on behalf of that which is most essential to a fine wine; in my opinion balance.”
This may represent the greatest vintage release of this label in decades, perhaps the best under the ‘reign’ of Bernard.
This year’s extraordinary blockbuster release was awarded 98-99 points by James Suckling, 96-98 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 95-97 points by Vinous, 96 points by Joan Anson, 94-96 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and 95 points by Decanter.
While this amazing wine should reward aging for decades, it’s approachable and delicious today for early, instant gratification, which seems to be the case with many releases of this vintage.
Serve this at proper temperature (eight to ten degrees below room temperature, and let it open and settle for an hour beforehand.
This vintage release is a traditional left Bank Bordeaux blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Bright deep ruby purple colored, medium full bodied, structured, layered, concentrated, powerful and vibrant yet silky smooth, polished and approachable, rich ripe black and red berry fruits accented by brilliant aromatics, crème de cassis, truffle, graphite, smoke, tobacco, and damp earth, with silky mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish.
RM 95 points.
Chateau Tronquoy St-Estèphe 2022
Folks may know this by its historic traditional Tronquoy-Lalande name, this is the first vintage without the 'Lalande' part of the name.
Negociant Justerini and Brooks profiles the producer and estate. “The wine growing estate is one of the oldest in the Saint-Estèphe region, originally built for the Tronquoy family in the 18th century. It saw many owners until 1968 when it was bought by Jean and Arlette Textier and run for 40 years.”
“Martin and Olivier Bouygues purchased the property in 2006 with a vision to bring it into the modern era. They started a large-scale renovation including the construction of a great barrel hall and a new vat house. Today, the estate has become the latest success story to emanate from Saint-Estèphe.”
Negociant Justerini and Brooks profiles the producer and estate. “The wine growing estate is one of the oldest in the Saint-Estèphe region, originally built for the Tronquoy family in the 18th century. It saw many owners until 1968 when it was bought by Jean and Arlette Textier and run for 40 years.”
“Martin and Olivier Bouygues purchased the property in 2006 with a vision to bring it into the modern era. They started a large-scale renovation including the construction of a great barrel hall and a new vat house. Today, the estate has become the latest success story to emanate from Saint-Estèphe.”
This St Estephe property is owned by the Bouygues family and run by the team at Montrose.
Located in the heart of the Saint-Estèphe appellation, just south of the village, Château Tronquoy has a vineyard spanning 74 acres.
We drove through the village and the surrounding estates and vineyards during our tour of the area during our visit in 2019.
This release was rated 94-96 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 93-95 by Neal Martin of Vinous, 93 points by Jane Anson of Inside Bordeaux, 92-93 points by James Suckling, Wine Advocate gave it 89-91 points, but a blockbuster 95+ by Cellartrackers who typically are more moderate than the pundits in their assessment.
Neal Martin of Vinous wrote, “This is an outstanding Saint-Estèphe determined not to lie in the shadow of its sibling Montrose. One of the spiciest Tronquoy-Lalandes for some time, with a peacock's tail on the finish.”
One pundit wrote “Some wines are for that special occasion, but Tronquoy 2022 is your new everyday friend.” Another wrote, “The 2022 Tronquoy is a gorgeous wine, one of the best in recent memory.”
This release is a traditional Left Bank Bordeaux blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon (usually the blend is mainly Merlot), 35% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot.
This release is a traditional Left Bank Bordeaux blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon (usually the blend is mainly Merlot), 35% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot.
The 2022 Tronquoy-Lalande comes in a new bottle design with a wax capsule.
Dark garnet purple colored, full bodied, firm structured,, intense, concentrated, complex yet balanced and approachable, super ripe blackberry, black currant and black cherry fruits with spicy cinnamon, cassis, allspice, licorice, bitter dark chocolate and dried herbs on the well behaved fine tannin laced finish.
RM 95 points.
More to follow … I write about the Bravante Vineyards Trio Howell Mtn Red in this follow on post, and Muscardini Cellars Tesoro Proprietary Red Blend in this separate follow on post.
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