Showing posts with label Domaine de Chevalier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Domaine de Chevalier. Show all posts

Friday, September 2, 2022

Chez Joël Authentic French Bistro Cuisine with High QPR Wine Selections

Chez Joël Authentic French Bistro Cuisine with High QPR Wine Selections

Back home from our road trip, Friday night dinner, we were treated to dinner with son Sean and d-in-law Michelle to celebrate their new home down the street from our in the Hobson Road corridor. 

We dined at one of our favorite eateries in the City (Chicago), Chez Joël on Taylor Street. As usual the service was outstanding, food was delectable and the price was agreeable.

Chez Joël is quaint, artsy, intimate, tasteful, comfortable,  authentic yet unpretentious in its French Bistro setting and faire. We had a perfect lat summer evening sitting outside in the adjacent courtyard.

I had my oft-time usual fare, the Duck Confit, Linda had the salmon, Sean the daily special Blue Fish, and Michelle had the lamb, Michelle's cousin Ola had the Coq au vin. 

Chez Joel Patio

Chez Joel Confit Duck

Chez Joel Lamb

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

With the starters and seafood entrees we had a selection of WBTG (Wine By The Glass) offerings from the winelist, the Sauvignon Blanc, Daniel Olivier, Montravel, Bergerac and this California Chardonnay.

Bishop's Peak Tally Vineyards San Luis Obispo Chardonnay 2020

Bishop's Peak is the second label of wines are crafted by Talley Vineyards to capture the unique diversity of the greater Central Coast region. The goal with the Bishop's Peak Chardonnay is to produce wine that reflects the distinct aroma and flavor of cool climate chardonnay in the purest way possible. Consequently no new oak barrels are used for fermentation or aging. Produced from Chardonnay grapes grown sustainably in coastal San Luis Obispo County, predominantly in stainless steel with some neutral French oak barrels.

Vinous rated this 91 points reflecting high QPR in this entry level label. 

Straw colored, medium bodied, notes of pear and peach fruits with hints of lemon, floral with bitter citrus tones. 

RM 89 points.

For the main courses we ordered from the winelist this Northern Rhone red that we know well having enjoyed earlier vintage releases it on several occasions from the winelist at another one of our favorite French Bistro's Suzzettes' Creperie in suburban Wheaton

Repeating that earlier blogpost the notes about Domaine Chevalier and brother and sister team of Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier, tonight we tasted the newer, later 2020 vintage of this label.

Marlène & Nicolas Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes Hermitage 2020

Once part of the cave co-operative at Tain-Hermitage, since 2008 the family vineyards of Domaine Chevalier are gradually being reclaimed by the brother and sister team of Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier. Nicolas tends the vineyards and crafts each cuvee, while Marlène handles all of the sales and marketing for Domaine Chevalier.

Following his formal agricultural studies in France, Nicolas spent four years honing his winemaking skills on estates in Australia, California and South Africa. After completing studies in agronomy and enology in France, he headed to South Australia’s Clare Valley where he mastered various techniques for fermenting Shiraz (Syrah). He then worked with Kendall Jackson in California crafting white winemaking skills. To further his post-graduate wine studies, he spent 2002 in South Africa working at legendary three-hundred-year-old Boschendal estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, a winery renowned for its superb Syrah-based wines.

Marlène and Nicolas Chevalier farm three small vineyards at their meticulously tended family property comprising 3 1/2 acres in Crozes-Hermitage from which they produce on average 500 cases of red and white Rhône wines in tiny lots which are highly allocated. Their wines are found only in a couple of importer direct wine clubs and renowned restaurants in North American.

This is from Crozes, the village adjacent the more prestigious appellation that shares part of its name, but operates in Hermitage’s shadow. The Crozes-Hermitage appellation area extends about 10 miles (16 km) both north and south of Tain and Hermitage itself and is known to produce more approachable wines than its higher profile neighbor. By 2017, almost 4,200 acres (1,700 ha) of vines had been planted among the local cherry and apricot orchards. Unlike Hermitage, land in Crozes-Hermitage is relatively affordable and available providing an opportunity for enthusiastic newcomers, as well as a number of local growers, who want to bottle the fruit of their own labors, rather than send their production to the Cave de Tain co-op, the case of this wine too.  

Nicolas works with several distinct parcels for their wines: La Motte, Marius, Petite Pend, Les Pends and namesake source for this label, Les Voleyses. These vineyards have clay and limestone soils with excellent exposure, known to produce ripe, high quality grapes with great aromatic character and freshness. The Domaine Chevalier site has been producing grapes for notable wines gaining high praise and critical acclaim for more than three centuries.

Like the 2018 vintage we tasted earlier, the 2020 vintage was also top rated in the Northern Rhône. This represents a great value, high QPR (quality price ratio) wine.
 
Importer notes for the 2018 release: The 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes-Hermitage sports a brilliant purple robe and a captivating aroma redolent with the scents of blackberry, plum, violets, and exotic spices. Sensuous and seductive in the mouth, the 2018 Les Voleyses graces the palate with a silky texture and pure floral, fruit, and forest floor flavors that have aptly been described as hedonism in a glass. Moreover, the 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses is juicy and harmonious to the finish, as it makes an exit with joyful panache.
 
The Voleyses Cuvée is 100% Syrah made from younger vine fruit and aged in stainless steel.
 
Tonight's tasting was totally consistent with our earlier experiences with this label.

Deep inky purple colored medium-full bodied, full round layers of blackberry and plum fruits, notes of black tea, spice and leather overtake the fruits, turning to soft chewy textured tannins on a medium finish. 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4133858

The 2018 release - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3495672

Earlier vintage release blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/intimate-dinner-suzettes-creperie.html

With the dessert course Sean had the Tawney Port and I had another wine we know well from previous visits here as well as from our home cellar, this WBTG Sauterne offering. 

Château Suduiraut Lions de Suduiraut Sauterne 2016

This is the second wine of a well known prestigious Bordeaux Grand Cru. 

Resembling its flagship first label big brother this was delicious and a perfect perfect accompaniment to the Creme Brulee and Chocolate Lava Cake. 

The history of Château Suduiraut began in 1580 with the marriage of Nicole d’Allard and Léonard de Suduiraut. Classified as a Premier Cru Classé (First Growth) in Sauternes in 1855, it has always been known as a superb property (its neighbor is Château d’Yquem). 

In the 1990’s, the estate was sold to French financial insurance conglomerate AXA, who invested in the Château making significant investments in its vineyards and winemaking facilities. This eventually translated into a dramatic increase in the quality of the wines.

The Suduiraut vineyards span 92 hectares consisting of gravel, sand, limestone and clay soils on sloping hillsides. They are planted to 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is fermented in French oak barrels and aged on its lees in 50% new French oak for 18-24 months. Lions de Suduiraut, their third label, is produced from almost nearly 100% Semilon. This release was a blend of  93% Semillon and 7% Sauvignon Blanc. 

It was aged 50% in new barrels and 50% from barrels of one vintage, for 16 to 18 months

Dark golden, weak tea colored, medium bodied, sprites of sweet honey, apricot with note of peach and glints of pear, citrus and notes of lychee, stone fruit on a tongue coating unctuous finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3417749

https://www.suduiraut.com/

As usual and to be expected at Chez Joel, a wonderful, relaxing fun wine and dine evening.

http://chezjoelbistro.com/

 

 


Thursday, January 24, 2019

UGCB 2016 Release Tour Chicago

UGCB North American 2016 Vintage Release Tour Chicago

The UGC Bordeaux' (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)), annual release tour visited Chicago this week unveiling/showcasing their 2016 vintage release wines. The Union is the association of 134 of the top premier estates from the most prestigious Bordeaux appellations. This year's North American tour visited New York, Toronto, Chicago, LA and San Francisco.
 
As in previous years, our 'Pour Boys' wine group helped host the event in Chicago at the Drake Hotel in the elegant grand ballroom (shown below). We work with the Balzac team preparing the room, checking in trade registrants, and standing in for producers pouring their wines. As has happened several times in recent years, several producer's were delayed in travel and we were called in to service to pour wines, hence our moniker, 'Pour Boys'.


Close to a hundred producers were represented at the event that was attended by over five hundred members of the trade, media and industry.

This annual roadshow is a marathon trek across North America by the producers and their representatives offering wine professionals and eonphiles the chance to meet the Bordeaux principles, winemakers and commercial directors. 


As I've written in previous years, we appreciate the investment in time and effort expended by the producers and winemakers to visit Chicago. It provides a wonderful opportunity to meet them firsthand and discuss their perspectives on their brand, approach to crafting their style, their history, businesses, and their vintages including, of course, the current release.


Céline Villars-FOUBET, Owner, 

( Moulis-en-Médoc )
As a collector and holder of a significant collection of Bordeaux wines dating back four decades, I hold as many as a dozen vintages or more of some of these labels. Meeting the owners, family members, producer / winemaker / representative is a great privilege and offers a collector the chance to learn more about their investment and wines. As such, I tend to focus on and taste those wines that I know well and of which my wine buddies and I have holdings.

This was the ninth Bordeaux release event that I and my wine buddies assisted the team at Balzac Communications to work the event, helping with set up, logistics, and standing in to pour wine for any featured producers that were not able to attend in person. Earlier UGCB and related events are featured in earlier unwindwine blogposts


Again this year as in several earlier years, winter storms delayed or disrupted travel prohibiting some of the ambassadors to get to Chicago for the event, calling us to duty standing in, performing our duties as 'pour' boys.

This year's 2016 vintage was spectacular with several of the producer's having been awarded 100 points by the critics. I stood in for the Pauillac producers whose arrival was delayed by flight disruptions coming in from Toronto. It was a great honor to pour some of my absolute favorite wines: Chateau Lynch Bages, Chateau Longueville Baron, Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, Grand Puy Lacoste and Grand Puy Ducasse. I also served Chateau Les Ormes de Pez. 

The Pichon Lalande and Lynch Bages were spectacular, both standouts of the tasting. There were so many great wines in this vintage release. As is the case in a great vintage, all boats rise with the tide. Great wines are tremendous, but in a great vintage, the lesser second and even third labels are also wonderful. These often provide substantial QPR - quality price ratio, especially when the premier first labels often escalate in price due to demand for such a vintage. 

These vintages offer great opportunities for folks to stock their cellars in super wines at great values since they can fill in with the second and third labels at substantial discounts to the first premier flagship label of the brand.  

Coralie Bernard,
Domaine De Chevalier
The event is sponsored by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, (UGCB) under the leadership of President Olivier Bernard. It is hosted and orchestrated by Balzac Communications, boutique wine marketing and communications consultancy firm in Napa, under the leadership of Mike Wangbickler, President. Attending this year too was Paul Wagner, founder and President Emeritus of Balzac. Paul is a founding member of the Academy of Wine Communications and a leading member of the American Wine Society. It was great to see Paul enjoying his passion and remaining engaged whilst in retirement. 

The afternoon session is for the benefit of the press and trade and wine professionals. As is customary in Chicago, Binny's Beverage Depot, the wine superstore offers tickets to the evening session, open to their valued customers and the public. This year, over four hundred collectors and vinophiles registered for the event.

Scene's from this years' vintage release tasting.  

David Launay, Sales Director,
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse

Céline Villars-FOUBET, Owner, 
Céline Villars-FOUBET, Owner, 

( Moulis-en-Médoc )
Chateau Chasse-Spleen has been managed by women for the past thirty years: Jacques Merlaut’s daughter, Bernadette Villars, starting in 1976, followed by her daughter, Claire, beginning in 1992, and now her sister, Céline, shown above.

Fellow 'Pour Boy' Ernie Summers

Christine Lurton-de Caix, Marketing
Manager for Château La Louvière
( Pessac-Léognan )
The always dapper Count Stephan von Neipperg,
Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, sans his signature scarf.
Representing eight centuries of family winegrowing tradition, Count Stephan von Neipperg (above) has succeeded in promoting Château Canon-La-Gaffelière to Premier Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Émilion status.

Dany Rolland, wife of legendary winemaker Michel Rolland, co-founder of Rolland Collection family business, including Bordeaux laboratory specializing in wine analysis in the Right Bank town of Libourne.
Lise Latrille, Sales and Marketing Director,
  Château Prieuré-Lichine

 Ronan Laborde, Owner,


( Pomerol )
Loic Chanfreau, Chateau Fonreaud,
Sophie Solnicki-Thierry, Chateau Forcas-Hosten

Anne-Francoise Quié, family owner of
Châteaux Rauzan-Gassie
David Suire, Commercial Director
Rick serving Pichon Longueville Baron


Wednesday, January 25, 2017

UGCB 2014 Release Tour Chicago

UGCB 2014 Release Tour Chicago

The UGC Bordeaux' (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)) annual release tour traversed America this week showcasing their 2014 vintage release wines. The tour visited Miami, New York, Chicago, LA and San Francisco.

Once again, our 'Pour Boys' wine group helped host the event in Chicago at the Drake Hotel in the elegant grand ballroom (shown left). 

Close to one hundred producers were represented at the event that was attended by over three hundred members of the trade, media and industry.

This annual roadshow is a marathon trek across America by the producers and their representatives offering Americans the chance to meet the Bordeaux principles, winemakers and commercial directors. We appreciate the investment in time and effort expended by the winemakers to visit Chicago. It provides a wonderful opportunity to meet them firsthand and discuss their perspectives on their brand, approach to crafting their style, their history, businesses, and their vintages.

As a collector and holder of a significant collection of Bordeaux wines dating back four decades, I hold as many as a dozen vintages or more of some of these labels. Meeting the producer / winemaker / representative is a great privilege and offers one a chance to learn more about their investment and wines. As such, I tend to focus on and taste those wines that I know well and of which my wine buddies and I have holdings.

This was the seventh Bordeaux release event that wine buddies Dr Dan and Lyle accompanied me to assist the team at Balzac Communications to host the event, helping with set up, logistics and then standing in to pour wine for any featured producers that were not able to attend in person. Earlier UGCB and related events are featured in earlier unwindwine blogposts. More than once, winter storms delayed or disrupted travel prohibiting some of them to get to Chicago for the event which started our standing in, hence we coined the name the 'pour' boys.


The 2014 vintage showed well in all the wines tasted, generally showing the best of recent years dating back to the highly acclaimed 2010. Following a couple lackluster vintages and quantities of high quality 2009 and '10 in the market, prices for the 2014's should provide reasonable values. They showed well on release and promise to provide early gratification in their youth without holding for several years to reveal pleasant quality drinking.

Some of my observations and highlights of the tasting:

The Margaux appellation was well represented and its wines showed very well with highlights from Brane Cantenac, Cantenac Brown, Lascombes, Desmirails and Dauzac. I loved their full complex fruits, nice balance and structure.

Chateau Brane Cantenac, represented by Marie Hélène Dussech, Commercial Director (shown above right) was a standout showing a delightful pronounced floral accent layer. Chateau Dauzac was represented by me, your's truly, standing in for the commercial representative.

Cantenac Brown, represented by technical director José Sanfins (shown left), was highlighted by sweet ripe berry fruits.


Returning to Chicago again and representing Lascombes was director Dominique Befve (left) who has headed up the estate since 2001. Previously he served ten years as technical director of Châteaux Lafite Rothschild and Duhart-Milon, after a stint at L’Evangile in Pomerol.

Chateau Desmirails represented by Director Denis Lurton (below) showed some distinctive exotic accent notes of black truffles and mushrooms.

All these wines were memorable and are worth exploring further. I gave all of these wines 92 or + points.



The Paulliac appellation showed well with strong representation from Phelan Segur, Pichon Baron and Clerc Milon.

St Julien seemed to be more subdued with offerings from Chateaus Leoville Barton, Gruaud Larose, Beyechevelle and LaGrange being nicely balanced but a bit tight and closed calling for some time reveal their character and profile. Leoville Poyferre seemed to show a slightly softer more approachable profile.

Chateau Domaine Chevalier was represented by proprietor next generation Hugo Bernard (above left). This was the best feature release from that property in recent memory.

There was a strong showing across the board from Sauterne. Standout highlights included Suideraut showing a pleasant firmness with soft smoke and nut tones, Lefaurie Peyraguey and Haut Peyraguey which both showed nice highlights of citrus and sweet ripe orange and apricot notes.

More to come ...



Ronan Laborde
Director Chateau Clinet
Denis Lurton -
Chateau Desmirails
With David Launay of Chateau
Grand Puy Lacoste













Linda M - Pour Boy Dr Dan
Pamela Wittman - Phelan Segur
Lefaurie-Peyraguey

4 Bordeaux Wine – Great vintage for the Cabernet Sauvignon based wines of the Medoc. The wines are especially strong the further north you go, with Pauillac and St. Estephe producing really good wine, followed by St. Julien and Margaux. The wines are soft, ripe and display silky tannins with good concentration. Due to their forward style, while age worthy, many of the wines will be fun to drink early. The vintage is mixed in St. Emilion and moderate in Pomerol, with many wines possessing a slightly dilute character. It’s a good vintage for dry, white Bordeaux wine, in a bright, acidic style. Sauternes and Barsac was also successful. Drink or hold. 92 Pts
Read more at:http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/bordeaux-wine-buying-guide-tasting-notes-ratings/bordeaux-wine-vintage-chart/
2014 Bordeaux Wine – Great vintage for the Cabernet Sauvignon based wines of the Medoc. The wines are especially strong the further north you go, with Pauillac and St. Estephe producing really good wine, followed by St. Julien and Margaux. The wines are soft, ripe and display silky tannins with good concentration. Due to their forward style, while age worthy, many of the wines will be fun to drink early. The vintage is mixed in St. Emilion and moderate in Pomerol, with many wines possessing a slightly dilute character. It’s a good vintage for dry, white Bordeaux wine, in a bright, acidic style. Sauternes and Barsac was also successful. Drink or hold. 92 Pts
Read more at:http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/bordeaux-wine-buying-guide-tasting-notes-ratings/bordeaux-wine-vintage-chart/

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Chicago

Bordeaux Producers 2010 Release Tasting Chicago
Olivier Bernard -
Domaine Chevalier

The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, currently on their United States Tour, came to Chicago this week. We attended their 2010 vintage release tasting held at the Drake Hotel in the grand ballroom. The UGCB, established in 1973, representing over 130 producers, developed and conducts wine-tasting programmes in France and abroad to educate about and promote the reputation and image of the Grands Crus of Bordeaux. This provides an special opportunity to meet the people involved in producing and/or promoting some of our favorite wines. For me, this was extra special to share my passion and this experience with son Ryan, who is developing a keen interest and discriminating palet for fine wine. For those that traveled so far to share with us their artwork, we say Merci et Bienvenue.

From January 18-26 the tour visits San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Washington in the US, and then on to Toronto and Montreal in Canada.

About 125 different producers served their wine to the trade during the day and then to a public tasting in the evening event sponsored by Binny's Beverage Depot, the leading wine merchant with over twenty-five stores throughout Chicagoland. Similar tastings were held in San Francisco, hosted by K&L Wines, in LA by Wally's, New York by Zachy's and in Washington hosted by Pearsons.

Our wine group consisted of Dr Dan, Ernie S., Lyle F, #1 son Ryan, Mike S., Mark C and myself. As has become our custom with the Grand Tour and other such gala tasting events, I picked the top wines I wanted to taste ahead of time and then we focused on those twenty-five or so selected wines during the evening. In truth, the evening would have been a success and I would have been happy to taste about ten select targeted wines.


Lyle, Dan with David Launay
Gruaud Larose Winemaker
For Dan, Ernie and me, the targeted twenty wines represent several of our favorite wines that we hold in our cellars that we collect and hence are most likely to purchase in this vintage release. They also represent wines we know well so that we can appreciate the new release against a historical understanding of the wines going back in some cases forty years to the 1970 vintage release or even earlier.

For Ryan, and his friends Mark and Mike, this gathering of a hundred different producers showing one horizontal release, was an excellent opportunity to experience and learn the styles and nuances of terrior of several different Bordeaux appellations and numerous leading producers from across the Bordeaux region.


Indeed, thirteen different appellations were represented with more than a dozen different producers representing Margaux, St Emilion and  Pessac-Leognan. There were at least ten producers from our favorites, St Julien and Pauillac, and another ten from Sauterne & Barsac. Any one of these would represent a horizontal tasting treat worthy of an evening in their own right.

David Launay - Gruaud
Larose Winemaker
The target wines mentioned above are represented by a half dozen different vintages in our cellars in many cases, and by more than a dozen different releases for several, and in some cases, as many as two dozen vintages. One such wine that we hold in abundance is Gruaud Larose which we still hold going back to the 1978 vintage including the years 1981, '82, '83, '85, '86, '88 through '1990 and into the nineties and the new millennium.We also still hold large format bottles of Gruaud Larose 1985 and 1990 for son's Sean and Alec's birthyears. (More on that below). So it was an honor and great fun to meet their winemaker David Launey and taste the new release in his presence. Being so familiar with this wine, we instantly recognized and commented on the change in style, to a vibrant, expressive and especially approachable wine at this young age. Much to the delight of the winemaker, David explained how they changed their technique in recent years to focus on the fruit resulting in a more approachable wine when young, for earlier drinking gratification.

A highlight of the evening was to see Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier and current President of the UGCB.   We've presented his wine at several of our wine group's gatherings including the grand tasting last summer, so we're all familiar with this wineWe were fortunate and honored to attend the gala Darioush - Domaine de Chevalier Gala Wine Dinner, a fabulous private dinner hosted by Olivier Berrnard and Darius & Shaptar Kaledi of Darioush Winery at Everest Restaurant in Chicago in the summer of 2004. It was fun to reminisce with him about that evening with him.  

Olivier Bernard with Ernie, Dan
and Ryan

Olivier shared a fascinating exposition  about the significant investment a producer makes in quality corks, and on the importance of  properly determining the 'top' and 'bottom' of the cork, thereby inserting the grain of the cork correctly so the proper end is 'wet', exposed to the wine, and the appropriate opposing end is left 'dry', exposed to the air. 

Another highlight was to taste Chateau Figeac St Emilion with son Ryan. This was one of his signature wines that we collected for his birthyear, 1982, which we've tasted together on many occasions including his wedding banquet. .We still hold this selection including large format bottles which we continue to enjoy on special occasions. Our large bottle collection of our kid's birthyear wines was featured in the Collecting section of Wine Spectator Magazine back in June, 2001. 

Ryan with Emeline Borie
of Grand Puy Lacoste
It was great fun and an honor to meet several other winemakers and executives of many of our favorite wines, including Nicolas Santier of Chateau Pichon Baron to get his perspective on the 1985 vintage large format Imperial we're still holding in our cellar to commemorate son Sean's birthyear. We had similar discussions about our cellar holdings dating back to the 80's with Gabriel Vialard Technical Director, Winemaker at Chateau Haut Bailly, Veronique Dausse, Managing Director Chateau Phelan Segur, Emeline Borie, who shares ownership and management duties at Grand Puy Lacoste with her father François-Xavier Borie co-owner and winemaker, and Figeac.

It was fun to see a strong showing from Chateau Coutet. Ernie got to share our recent tasting experience when he brought a 1959 vintage bottle to our autumn tasting dinner at Dr Dan's.  

Canon-Le-Gaffeliere
St Emilion Grand Cru
Perennial favorite wines that were excellent, showing exceedingly well and met or exceeded already high expectations were Pichon Lalande and Pichon Baron, from Pauillac, Gruaud Larose from St Julien, and Figeac from St Emilion. The surprise new discovery of the evening was Chateau Clinet from Pomerol. Special honorable mention also goes out to Canon-Le-Gaffeliere St Emilion Grand Cru. Ernie and Dan both also liked and purchased the Lynch Bages Pauillac.

Highlighted wines were standouts with exceptional wines of the evening shown with ..

Select tasting notes and observations to come. Meanwhile ... 

The wines we tasted are listed below with highlights in bold:

Margaux
Ernie & Dan with Lea Zuger of
Malescot St Exupery












Pauillac
Ryan with Veronique Dausse,
Managing Director, 
Chateau Phelan Segur












Pessac-Léognan
Gabriel Vialard Technical Director,
Winemaker, Chateau Haut Bailly












Pomerol

Chateau Clinet -
Moniqe Montepini
discovery of the evening!















Saint Estephe

Rick with Nicolas Santier
of Chateau Pichon Baron













Saint Julien
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Chateau Giuraud














Sauternes et Barsac

No shows? Two producers we specifically targeted and sought out that either were not in attendance or we did not find them - Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol and Chateau Larmande St Emilion. I have fond vivid memories of a case of Chateau La Conseillante 1983 that we enjoyed in the 1980's (before the internet and keeping blog posts or on-line tasting notes). We now realize we drank it too soon, or at the very least, should have saved a couple bottles to enjoy much later in the drinking window. I also remember first trying Chateau Larmande from that era as well. We are currently enjoying the 2005 vintage immensely which is drinking very nicely already. I'll strive to restrain myself and keep a few of these bottles for more mature drinking as we watch this wine age.   
  
Rick & Binny's Doug Jeffirs













Rick & Binny's Bill  Newton












More to come ...