A visit to Château Branaire-Ducru

A visit to Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien Beychevelle Bordeaux

During our trip to the St-Julien Bordeaux appellation we visited Château Branaire-Ducru which lies just across the D2 Route du Medoc from Château Beychevelle on the southern edge of the St-Julien appellation on the outskirts of the village St Julien Beychevelle.

Branaire Ducru vineyards - Chateau Beychevelle in distance

Our visit and tour of the historic estate was another one of the key visits on our trip to the St Julien Appellation (AOC) in Bordeaux, Château Branaire-Ducru was one of ten Quatrièmes Crus (Fourth Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

Like Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases, Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, Gruaud Larose, Léoville-Poyferré, and adjacent Château Beychevelle, the other St Julien producers that we also visited, we hold or have consumed a selection of Château Branaire-Ducru dating back several decades to the early eighties. 

Château Branaire-Ducru was originally part of the greater estate that comprised Chateau Beychevelle and adjacent Ducru Beaucaillou. It became a separate vineyard from the Beychevelle estate after the death of Bernard de la Valette, Duke of Epernon, in the mid 17th century, when his assets were turned over to the French Crown to pay off his debts.

In 1680, Jean-Baptiste Braneyre bought the property from the Duc d’Epernon’s vast Beychevelle estate, which had been broken up on his death in 1642. His descendant, Marie Braneyre married Pierre Du Luc, and the property becomes known as Branaire Duluc.

The first winery was established in a small house that Marie de Chillaud, granddaughter of Marie and Pierre Braneyre, bought in Bourdieu, a hamlet close to Château Beychevelle. The oldest parts of the building date back to 1730.

Marie de Chillaud’s children of the Duluc family had the current Château built around 1824. It consisted of a country manor house and an orangerie in the directoire style designed by architects Rieutord and Laciotte. The chateau was expanded further in 1836. The estate was eventually sold to a relative, Gustave Ducru.

Historic Chateau Branaire Ducru

Branaire-Ducru orangerie

In 1855 it was classified as a fourth growth under the name Branaire Duluc.  Ducru, a distant relative of the Duluc family, added his name to the brand and label, and it become Château Branaire-Ducru which has remained to this day.

In 1879, Gustave died and the estate was passed to his sister, the Countessa Duluc. In 1899, the château was bequeathed to three nephews, the Marquis de Carbonnier de Marzac, Comte Ravez and Comte du Perrier de Larsan. Their aunt, the Countessa, and the three nephews are represented today by the four crowns on the Branaire-Ducru logo and label.

In 1919, Branaire was taken over by Jean-Michel Tapie who held the property until the Tari-Tapie family sold out to Patrick Maroteaux in 1988.

Patrick Maroteaux bought Branaire Ducru in 1988 from the Tapie family who owned Chateau Branaire Ducru since 1919. Prior to his arrival at Branaire Ducru, he had no prior experience in the wine business coming from a background in banking and as the president of the massive sugar company, Eurosucre. Patrick Maroteaux served as the President of the UGCB, Union of Grand Crus Bordeaux, and as the President of the Saint Julien appellation. 

We met Patrick’s son, François Xavier Maroteaux (shown above from the 2017 tour) several times at the  UGCB Annual Release Tour Tastings in Chicago. He followed in his father’s footsteps and took over the full-time responsibilities of managing the property after his passing in 2017.

We've had the pleasure of meeting Mr Maroteaux during his travels with the UGCB to America - (UGC Bordeaux' (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)), promoting their wines. We have served several St Julien producers' wines during the annual release tour over the years standing in for producers who could not attend or who were disrupted by winter weather travel disruptions. 

Branaire Ducru modern chai production facility

The French family group lead by chairman Patrick Maroteaux has invested heavily in upgrading and renovating the estate. They have planted new vineyards, built a new cuvier and ultra-modern chai and upgraded the technical operations. 

As part of efforts to upgrade the brand and quality of the grand vin flagship label, they added a second label wine, Duluc de Branaire-Ducru. Duluc is produced from the youngest vines and fruit not considered suitable for the grand vin. Like other producers across the region, the second label provides consumers earlier drinking gratification at a more affordable price point, all the while improving the value of the flagship signature label by selecting only the finest lots for the grand vin. All these efforts have resulted in improving the reputation and standing of Château Branaire-Ducru as one of the elite Bordeaux wines - classified and recognized as a Grand Cru Classe.

Branaire-Ducru has nearly 150 acres of vineyards planted with the St Julien appellation sanctioned varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Petit Verdot (3%).

The vineyards of Branaire Ducru are composed of the legendary gravelly soil of the St Julien appellation.  Although the estate is located on the southern border of the appellation, across from Château Beychevelle, several of the the vineyards are spread across the Saint-Julien appellation.

Branaire Ducru vineyards gravelly soil -
St Julien Beychevelle village in distance

The wines are matured in oak barriques (65% new). The proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can be higher than that in the vineyards - 80-85% in some years, which is one of the highest in the Médoc.

The average age of the vineyard is 35 years and they are harvested by hand.

The wine is made in the most practical method that is least disturbing to the grapes using gravity rather than pumps to move and circulate the harvested fruit and the wine. The new viticulture building has a wide range of tanks of different sizes that can be matched to the different batches based on careful selection based on the varying characteristics of the different vineyard plots. The wines are aged traditionally in barrels made from French oak. They are always fined with fresh egg whites.

The winemaking occurs in 28 stainless temperature controlled steel tanks whose size is matched to vineyard plot size, 60hl to 230hl. Blending of the batches occurs early in the year, before the end of February following the harvest.  The wines go through primary fermentation for about three weeks in the temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. About 1/3 of the production undergoes malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels. Once fermentation is complete the wines are transferred into oak barrels (50% new oak) for 18–24 months of aging.

The grand vin Château Branaire Ducru averages about 15,000 cases per year. The estate also produces about 7,000 cases of its second wine, Duluc de Branaire-Ducru.

 

Branaire-Ducru and Duluc de Branaire-Ducru wines are characteristically complex and have long ageing potential. They are best consumed five to eight years after release but can often age for several decades depending on the vintage. Every effort is made to bring out the purity of the fruit and reflect the terrior of the vineyards.

Branaire-Ducru typifies classic St Julien terroir characteristics - nicely structured, elegantly balanced - bright vibrant fruits accented by notes of cassis, mocha, minerals and floral with approachable tannins on a lingering finish.

The 2012 vintage release we were served in our tasting was rated 93-95 points by Wine Enthusiast and 90-93 points by Wine Spectator.

Branaire Ducru tank facility and production operations center.

Our hostess Cindy, a longtime member of the staff conducted our tour. She did a creative and imaginative job showing videos that she produced on her IPAD of the harvest, the grape selection and sorting, the vinification in the tanks, filling and racking the barrels, and bottling processes.

She took us through the chai, vinification building, the barrel aging room and then hosted us in the tasting room overlooking the production facility. She served us a recent vintage of both the flagship Château Branaire-Ducru from the 2012 vintage, and the second label Duluc de Branaire-Ducru from the 2014 vintage.

While Patrick Maroteaux have improved the quality of the wines, they have maintained the price point such that Branaire Ducru represents good value compared to some of the other higher priced St Julien labels. This is especially true in top rated excellent vintages where 'all boats rise with the tide' and have high quality product resulting from a great vintage. Look for Branaire Ducru for good QPR, (Quality Price Ratio) in a Grand Cru Classe Left Bank Bordeaux.

Chez Joel Authentic French Bistro Cuisine

Chez Joel Authentic Bistro Cuisine with High QPR Wine Selections

For pre-(White Sox) game dinner, we dined at one of our favorite eateries in the City (Chicago), Chez Joel on Taylor Street. As usual the service was outstanding, food was delectable and the price was agreeable.

Chez Joel is quaint, artsy, intimate, tasteful, comfortable,  authentic yet unpretentious in its French Bistro setting and faire. We love sitting outside in the adjacent courtyard but tonight we had our favorite front window, corner round table so we opted to each inside.

Fellow 'Pour Boy', Dr. Dan and I had the Duck Confit, Linda A had the strip steak with pomme frits and Linda J had the grouper.

All the entrees were excellent - well prepared, artful presentations, ample portions, served hot, and with appropriate accompaniments.

Chez Joel main dining room offers comfortable,
intimate dining.

For the starter courses, Dan had the frog legs and I had the beet salad.

From the small but carefully crafted winelist, we selected the Mason Les Alexandrins from the Northern Rhone appellation of Crozes-Hermitage which is a 100% Syrah.

The Chez Joel winelist is small and limited but the selections are carefully chosen such that they represent excellent values and appropriate accompaniments to the menu at good moderate price-points. The winelist offers such reasonable values, that we don't feel pressed to BYOB as we do in so many establishments.

Artful presentation of Linda's Grouper

Maison Les Alexandrins Crozes-Hermitage 2017

While not as elegant, concentrated, complex or intense as some of the recent Syrahs featured in these pages, this is a fraction of their price. A fun and fitting comparison that holds its own very nicely against the pair of Croze-Hermitages we tasted in Paris last week (and the second one). 

Crozes Hermitage is the biggest vineyard among the Northern Rhône appellations with 3200 acres. It is spread over 11 different communes situated in the department of La Drôme on the left bank of the Rhône River.

Deep purple ruby colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant black berry and black cherry fruits, notes of smoky, spices and hints of black pepper, nice balance of acidity, turning to smooth silky tannins on a long finish. An outstanding QPR, high quality to price ratio wine.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=3286227

Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck - 90 pts
Reviewed by: The Wine Advocate - 90-92 pts

http://lesalexandrins.com/en/

Chateau Mangot St Emilion Grand Cru 2014

For the entree course we selected this label which ideal with the steak and duck courses. We've had this wine before from the winelist at Chez Joel over the years, in several vintages. It consistently represents great value in a quality appropriate selection at a fair and moderate price-point.

This cru, is from the St Emilion Grand Cru appellation, crafted  from the Estate's 4 terroirs spread between the foot of the slopes, slopes, terraces and plateaux. It is a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the 21 different plots that of the Estate vineyards.

Bright garnet colored, medium bodied, tangy black berry and black currant and plum fruits, spice, floral and notes of anise and cedar, dry with cloying tannins on the long finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=2533218

https://www.chateaumangot.fr/en/

After dinner we had the sorbet, almond gateaux and cappucinos we had from the BTG (by the glass) winelist selections, the Late Harvest Semillon, Château Haut Sarthes, Sauterne, Bordeaux, an ideal combination.
 As can be expected at Chez Joel, a wonderful, relaxing fun wine and dine evening.

http://chezjoelbistro.com/

OTBN 2019 - Open That Bottle Night

OTBN 2019 - Open That Bottle Night

The last Saturday night in February is the night set aside for OTBN - Open That Bottle Night.

This marks the 20th Anniversary of the annual wine event that started at the Milenium. The event was invented by Wall Street Journal “Tastings” columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher.

Open That Bottle Night has become a world-wide celebration for wine lovers and regular  friends and family to share memories and use the occasion to finally drink that bottle of wine that has been set aside for an occasion that has not come, that was otherwise simply too special to open. So, on this special night set aside for such an occasion, pull and pop that bottle lest it ages beyond suitability.

As is customary, we hosted the gala OTBN with our Pour Boys wine group. Bill and Beth returned from South Carolina for the occasion, Terry and Lyle and friend John, Dr Dan and Linda, Linda and I, and we were joined by son Ryan, and Pat and Rodger, visiting from Indy.

As is custom, Linda prepared her classic beef tenderloin accompanied by haricot verts, scalloped potatoes, grilled carrots and brussel sprouts.

Prior to dinner we served shrimp cocktail, and a broad selection of artisan cheeses shown left, sans John's legendary 21 year old vintage sharp cheddar which had not yet arrived when this early evening photo was taken.

After dinner deserts consisted of Linda's chocolate cake, Dan's chocolate cake, and Terry's legendary orange cake.

Our wine flight selection started with vintage Champagne, a selection of whites and a broad selection of red wines - Sonoma Carignane, a selection of Napa Cabernets, Bordeaux, and a vintage port for the desert course.

We followed our usual Pour Boys wine flight ritual of tasting the various wines and setting the tasting order of the flight from lighter to heavier.

Much of the fun is the ceremonial opening and  tasting of the wines to determine the appropriate tasting order for the evening, aligned to the comparative courses and accompaniments.

The flight is listed below in tasting order.

The wines:

Billecort Salmon Champagne 2002

Porter Creek Chardonnay

Porter Creek Carignane

True Myth Paso Robles Cabernet 

Smith Haut Lafite 2003

Rubissow-Sargent Les Trompettes 1999

Arns Napa Valley Cabernet 2000

Arns Napa Valley Cabernet 2001

Troplong Mondot Grand Cru Classe St Emilion 2011

Cos d'Estournel St Estephe 2000

Freemark Abbey Josephine 2009

Fonseco Vintage Port 1992

The evening started with this vintage champagne that John procured for the occasion.

Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" NFB Brut Champagne 2002

This is a classic selection considered one of the greatest wines of a great vintage. It was awarded 98 points by Decanter magazine and James Suckling, 96 points from Wine Enthusiast, and 95 points by Robert Parker and Wine Spectator.

This is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (from premier and grand crus of the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne) and 40% Chardonnay (from the Côte des Blancs), with 20% vinified in oak barrels.

I'll be the first to admit, as primarily a red wine drinker, I do not have the discriminating palate for white wines or white sparkling wines. Hence, I defer to the accolades of the pundits which for this wine were notable:

"A very composed Champagne with plenty of still fresh lemon and white cherry fruits on offer. There's impressive clarity, power and richness here. The nose has candied peach, strawberry, white cherry and grilled nuts. Very flavorsome palate with pastry flavors adding savory notes to the stone fruits and citrus. Still so young and powerful!" James Suckling

"With its ripe fruits, rich texture and layers of toast, this is a great wine. It shows the quality of the great 2002 vintage brilliantly. It’s complex and concentrated with an array of mature fruit flavors that combine to a structured whole." Wine Enthusiast

""Billecart-Salmon's recent release of the 2002 Millésime Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is an amazing wine for lovers of matured, pure and spicy Champagnes. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

It opens with a deep, rich, intense, pure and chalky bouquet with ripe, yellow-fleshed stone fruits, citrus fruits and beautiful bottle maturity.  Wine Spectator

The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart comes across as rich, powerful and opulent. This is a distinctly vinous, almost shockingly raw, visceral Champagne from Billecart-Salmon. There is no shortage of volume or intensity, that is for sure. Wine & Spirits 
 
The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas-François ... looks likely to be one of the top recent vintages of this bottling. The wine offers up scents of green apple, quince, stony minerality, fresh pineapple, a touch of nutmeg and bread dough ...deep, full-bodied, crisp and quite tightly-knit, with a good core of fruit, fine mousse and very good grip on the focused and long finish.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1575570


Dan and Linda brought a Porter Creek Carignane which we all discovered and acquired during our visit there when we stopped into Porter Creek vineyards and winery during our tour of the backroads of the Russian River Valley back in 2017. Ironically, the tasting room wine director was from our native alma mater city Bloomington, Indiana, so it was fitting opening for us and visiting Hoosiers Pat and Rodger.
 
Porter Creek "Old Vine" Mendocino County Carignane  2015 

This is from Alex Davis, Winemaker, Vineyard Manager, Business manager, Owner and reluctant “boss” at Porter Creek Vineyards. He started his wine career at Sonoma Cutrer where he met Monsieur Feuillat, director of the Oenologie program at the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon France. Monsieur Feuillat connected Alex with Christophe Roumier, considered one of the greatest winemakers in Burgundy. Alex studied and worked there learning from the master.

At the Université de Bourgogne, Alex studied Viticulture and Enology and worked the harvest in Burgundy working the Chardonnay with the Michelot-Mestre families in Meursault.

In Dijon, Alex met Philippe Guigal from the northern Rhone Valley, and worked a harvest season with his family at Domain E. Guigal as their first foreign intern.

In France Alex learned the craft working with Burgundian and Rhone varietals. Carignane is a red varietal from the Rhone Valley that was widely planted in California during the late 1800’s though the mid- 1900’s, mostly by Italian immigrants. Some of those old vineyards are still producing including the source for this label from a vineyard up in Mendocino County planted in 1939, hence the "Old Vine" designation on the label.

Garnet colored, medium bodied, fruits of black cherry black currants and plums with hints of spice, pepper, tree bark and smoke.

To augment our Porter Creek tasting I pulled their Chardonnay that we also acquired during that visit. 

https://portercreekvineyards.com/

True Myth Paso Robles Cabernet 2016

Pat Rodger brought this bottle which was the feature wine at the regular eatery from their recent trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Garnet colored, medium bodied, black and blue berry fruits, notes of mocha, expresso and hint of graphite and smoke on the bright lively acidic finish.

http://www.truemythwinery.com/cabernet-sauvignon/

Jeb Dunnuck's review of this wine: "The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon was brought up in a mix of French and American oak and is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah, 3% of Petite Sirah and Malbec, and 1% Petite Verdot. It sports a ruby color as well as notes of currants, spice-box and cedar, medium-bodied richness, polished tannin and solid balance/elegance. Drink it over the coming 3-5 years. (JebDunnuck.com)"


Chateau Smith Haut Lafite Pessac-Leognan 2003

Lyle brought this from his cellar.  This received 93 points from James Suckling, 92 points Wine Spectator, 91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer. 

This is another wine of which we hold numerous vintages of along with fellow Pessac Leognan Domain Chevalier and that we've tasted at several of the UGCB events.

Garnet colored, medium full bodied, blackberry and plum fruits with notes of tobacco, earth spice and cassis.

This was more balanced and flavorful than my earlier tasting notes for this label back in 2013 when this was ten years old and I wrote;

"Full bodied, dark garnet colored, this was full bodied, a bit tight and firm with black berry and black currant fruits, lead pencil, licorice, cigar box, herbs and cedar. This comes across with a bit of a woody almost slight green grassy taste that I can't get over. This was consistent with other tastings and other vintages of this wine. My experience isn't consistent with other's tastings and ratings." RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17964


Rubissow-Sargent Napa Valley Mt Veeder Les Trompettes 1999

We tasted and acquired vintages of this wine with Bill and Beth during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience visit to the estate and winery high atop Mt Veeder back in 2011. We were hosted by and had the pleasure to meet founder and proprietor George Rubissow. This label dates back to the early days and the partnership between George and winemaker Tony Sargent. The fruit was grown on the estate high atop Mt Veeder in southwest Napa Valley and the wine was produced at the winery down in Berkeley.

Bill brought this vintage label from his cellar. At eighteen years old, this was drinking well and showing no diminution from age, albeit not likely to improve with any further aging.

This is a blend of 65% Cabernet Franc, and 35% Merlot.

Winemaker Notes for this wine: "A Proprietary Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Very limited production. The name Trompettes refers to the 2 trumpets on our label which are heralds of excellence representing the partnership of our two families, the Rubissows & the Sargents. The figure’s knees evoke Mt. Veeder’s two peaks. The contoured lines suggest the rows of steep vineyard whichblanket the mountain.'

"This is an extraordinary vintage of Trompettes. The 99 shows layer upon layer of black cherry,chocolate, mint and spice flavors. The nose displays the consistent Trompettes complex aromas of ripe plum, bay, briar and earth, Smooth tannins and bright acidity provide the framework for the exceptionally long finish.'

"In 1999 we harvested most all the Cabernet Franc and Merlot vineyards in the middle of the night! The goal was to deliver night-cooled fruit to the winery for early morning crushing, thus avoiding ‘cooking’ the grapes in the baking-hot Napa Valley sun."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=98061

https://www.rubissowwines.com/


Arns Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 and 2001

Ryan came by and brought this Arns 2000, so I pulled a 2001 vintage release as a mini-vertical comparison tasting.

Very fitting for tasting since Bill and Beth were with us when we visited the Arn's estate during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2013. 

Arns is a very small family-run winery just outside of St. Helena. They specialize in high-quality, estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Sandi Belcher and John Arns have been making wine in the Napa Valley for over 25 years.

Rodger and Ryan

From the winery: "Arns Winery is located on the hillside east of the historic City of St. Helena, California, in the heart of the Napa Valley.

The 160-acre parcel sits at an elevation of 800 feet above the valley floor and below the Howell Mountain Appellation. The soil for the ten acre all-Cabernet vineyard is red aiken loam, which was planted in the mid-to-late 1960s. 
Arn's wines represent selections from ten different blocks, with clones from Bordeaux and the Napa Valley. The vines consist of up to 2,900 plants/acre trained in a vertical shoot positioning."

Tannins softer than I anticipated; medium in body, but with finesse like a Julia Roberts, not to old, not too young, just a touch of attitude and refined. Not real big on the fruit either. balanced.

92 points Wine Enthusiast 
 
Incredibly aromatic and redolent of black cherry, black currant, plum, chocolate, coffee, spice, vanilla, toast, herb and anise. Rich, lush, long and elegant on the palate with corresponding flavors that don’t disappoint. A full-bodied expression of great Cabernet.  (11/2003)

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1013715

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3223745

2001

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1065990

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2444884


Château Troplong Mondot 2011

Dan brought this right bank Bordeaux that we tasted during the producer's release unveiling at the UGC Bordeaux US Release Tasting Events in Chicago. Robert Parker cited this as one of the "superstars of the vintage". This is a blend was 89% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.

This received 95 points from  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast, and 92 points from Wine Spectator.

This was opaque blue/purple, nearly black color, medium full bodied and featured black raspberries, blackberries accented by note of licorice, camphor, what Parker and Jeff Dannuck call 'forest floor' and hints of leather, tobacco leaf and touch of peppar.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1366830


Cos d'Estournel St Estephe 2000 

John brought this notable producer, Cos d'Estournel Left Bank Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, from the classic 2000 vintage.

This was rated 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points Wine Enthusiast, 93 points James Suckling and 92 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied with ripe tannins, this had firm but approachable structure with dense black berry fruits, notes of graphite, expresso, leather, tobacco leaf and hints of dark mocha with a supple finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2753




Josephine Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Red Wine 2009

Bill brought this classic Jospehine, the flagship of the legendary Freemark Abbey portfolio.

We've had much fun tasting Freemark Abbey cabernets spanning the last three decades together, culminating in our visit to the library cellar at the historic Estate with Wine Director Barry Dodds during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2009 (shown right).

This is the signature Freemark Abbey wine, named for Josephine Tychson the founder and matriarch who built and operated the original cellar on the estate back in 1886. She cultivated the land and became the first female winemaker on record in Napa Valley. She sold the property to Antonio Forni who constructed the historic winery in 1887 using stones from nearby Glass Mountain. That winery is the one that still stands to this day at the site on Highway 29 just north of the town of St Helena on the route to Calistoga.

Josephine is blended from the most select grapes from the range of Freemark Abbey vineyard sites - the Ahern Vineyard, Van Z Vineyard and Estate Freemark Abbey Vineyards in St. Helena, and the York Creek and Yverdon Vineyards from nearby Spring Mountain.

Bill's tasting notes for this evening: "Deep garnet color in the glass. Full of bright cherry, raspberry and a hint of cola on the palate. Full bodied with a medium finish. We struggled to sequence this in an OTBN lineup consisting of a couple of Napa cabernets and several classified Bordeaux. We ended up positioning this just before a 2000 Cos d’Estournel at the end of the lineup. Despite the length of the drinking window on Josephine, I think this is better when consumed earlier."

He gave it 92 points. 

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1550331

Fonseco Vintage Port 1992

We finished the evening with this classic vintage port that Lyle brought from his cellar, which has become somewhat of the custom of our OTBN events when he brings a such a wine.

This selection from this classic vintage was rated 97 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. It got 94 points from Wine Spectator.

Dark inky black/purple in color, full bodied, rich, thick, unctuously-textured, concentrated jammy black fruits with earthy fig notes and tones of licorice, chocolate, and spices.

RM 92 points. 







Other celebrations ...

Pour Boys OTBN 2019 - Open That Bottle Night

Pour Boys OTBN 2018 - Open That Bottle Night

Pour Boys OTBN 2016 - Open That Bottle Night 

Pour Boys OTBN 2015 - Open That Bottle Night -  Bordeaux Anchors OTBN 2015

Pour Boys OTBN 2013 - Open That Bottle Night 2013

Pour Boys OTBN 2012 - Open That Bottle Night

Also see our feature from  ...

Pour Boys OTBN 2011 - Open That Bottle Night.

Château Poujeaux Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel Moulis en Médoc Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2000

Château Poujeaux Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, AOC Moulis en Médoc, Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2000

Cousin Anna stopped in, traveling enroute to reporting to military duty in California, so we held an impromptu family reunion for the occasion, including sis Dr Pat who came up from Indy for the occasion. Son Ryan pulled from the cellar this Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux, Château Poujeaux, to accompany Linda's homemade lasagna for the family dinner.

Good grief! No wonder folks find 'old world' (ie. French, Italian) wines mystifying. The complexity of labels and branding can be overwhelming, even for the oenophile (there we go again, aka wine geek). This complexity is due to a combination of magnitude (9000 producers with 300000 acres in Bordeaux vs 300 and 25000 in Napa) 600 different grape varietals in Italy, complexity (AOC - 57 appellations in Bordeaux vs 17 in Napa), and history (centuries vs decades), all exacerbated by difference of (foreign) language. This label is an example of history adding to the complexity and mystery of foreign labels.

Many are aware of the famous 1855 classification that categorized French Bordeaux wines into different levels based on reputation, historic consistency of quality of product. Never mind they referred to them as 'Growths' - first growth, second growth, third and so on ... which was their level based on reputation, not age of vines or any such thing.

But there were many producers not included in this classification. So in 2003, the Cru Bourgeois classification was created to recognize some of the châteaux from the Médoc, (the area of the left bank or southwest side of the Gironde River that bisects the Bordeaux growing region), from those that were not included in the 1855 Classification of Crus Classés, or Classed Growths.

Generally, the Cru Bourgeois classification is a level below Cru Classé, but still of respectable, high quality. Some say that there is some overlap in quality between the Classed Growths and the Cru Bourgeois, but the Classed Growths are generally viewed as being the better wines.

The Cru Bourgeois list was initially drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, selecting 444 estates for the classification. The words Cru Bourgeois were widely used on labels by the châteaux so listed, but the classification was never officially ratified. In 2000, there was a major revision of the classification, dividing it into three tiers. This new classification was finalized in 2003 and reduced the number of châteaux listed to 247. Excluding so many producers created great acrimony and controversy, resulting in legal wrangling such that the 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification was nullified by the French court in 2007, and all use of the term was banned.

The 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification, annulled in 2007, classified 247 properties in three tiers: Exceptionnel (9 properties), Supérieurs (87 properties) and straight Bourgeois (151 properties). Those Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels are the the most widely known and recognized due to their notoriety. with their level commanding a higher pricepoint and being more likely to be exported to foreign markets including the US. This is both cause and effect.

While the new Cru Bourgeois classification was being prepared, six out of nine of the former Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel decided to remain outside the new one-tier classification. Instead, they formed a group named Les Exceptionnels, primarily to collaborate in joint promotion such as common marketing events. Château Poujeaux is a member of this group, along with other better known chateaux, also likely to be found in the US market, such as Château Chasse-Spleen, Château Les Ormes-de-Pez, Château de Pez, Château Potensac, and Château Siran.

The Cru Bourgeois label was reintroduced in 2010, but in a significantly revised form, consisting of only one level, awarded annually as a mark of quality, but to wines rather than to châteaux. The designation was based on an assessment of both production methods and the finished product. Any property in the Médoc was eligible to apply for the list which was updated and published approximately 2 years after the vintage, so the 2008 list was published in 2010, and the 2009 list was published in 2011 and so on. The 2009 list includes 246 wines. 
 
So it is with this one sub-region of Bordeaux, the Cru Bourgeois classification.

Château Poujeaux thus lies in the wine-producing district of Moulis-en-Médoc, a commune (village) in the wine-producing area of Médoc. The commune produces wine with a good reputation which benefits from the appellation of Moulis, which is one of six communal appellations of the Haut-Médoc vineyards.

It is one of the most highly regarded wines within Moulis, alongside Château Chasse-Spleen. As explained above, Château Poujeaux was one of just nine to be placed in the highest category of the 2003 classification of Cru Bourgeois wines, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels. The property was owned by the Theil family until early 2008, when it was bought by Philippe Cuvelier, who is also owner of Clos Fourtet. Jean Thiel is cited on this label.

Château Poujeaux' vineyards cover 52 hectares (130 acres) and produces about 25,000 cases of wine per year. The grape varieties used are the typical classic Bordeaux varietals in 'left bank' proportions, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. As is customary in the region, they also produce a second wine branded under the second label name La Salle de Poujeaux.

Interesting, that while being a rather large producer with broad distribution, they have a modest, one-page website in text only, in French only.

The 2000 vintage of Bordeaux was high quality, highly rated vintage and promises to be long-lived. At seventeen years, this is in its prime drinking window, it could continue to improve further with age and should still have a decade or more of life left at this level. As in the greater Bordeaux, this is a top rated vintage and is one of the better releases from this secondary producer. As in such top vintages, all boats rise with the tide, and as such this is a high QPR wine, more affordable than many higher rated labels from the vintage, but of  close to equivalent quality.

This was bright dark brick red colour with hues of purple, medium bodied with moderately complex concentrated blackberry fruits accented by a layer of leather with hints of truffle, herbs, and cassis, nice approachable acidity and supple round tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2575

http://www.chateaupoujeaux.com/