Blason D’Issan Margaux

Blason D’Issan Margaux 2022

Following the gala UGCB 2022 Vintage Release Tour 2025 Chicago tasting last week of the 2022 Bordeaux vintage release wines, which were generally outstanding, I went to Binny’s, our local beverage/wine superstore and found several labels of the new release already arrived and in stock. I picked up this wine as part of a mixed case of labels to try as I consider my acquisition plans for the vintage. 

With take-out Waygu Meatloal from our visit the other day to Entourage Restaurant in Downers Grove, I pulled this bottle to pair and taste. 

Blason D’Issan Margaux 2022

This is the second wine of Château d’Issan,  a Third Growth of the 1855 Imperial Classification. Château d’Issan is in the heart of the Margaux appellation, less than three kilometers, walking distance from the Chambres de Margaux in the middle of the village, our Bed and Breakfast where we stayed during out visit to the area in the summer of 2019. 

The Château d’Issan enclosure in the middle of the Margaux appellation, sitting midway between the village of Margaux and the Gironde River. The soil there is mainly made up of surface gravel on top of a clay subsoil, which contributes to optimal ripeness and freshness in the grapes. 

The estate is planted to  Cabernet Sauvignon 65% and Merlot 35%. 

Blason d’Issan is the ‘second wine’ of Château d’Issan, first introduced in 1995, and onwards, to enable selection amongst their vines growing in the Margaux appellation area. Fruit from their youngest vines is used to produce this wine, which represents the identity of its terroir, while offering a tasty round fruitiness, which can be enjoyed earlier. 

Second wines, while less discriminating than the grand vin, offer a broadening of the portfolio, taking advantage as an outlet for the younger, and less select grapes, and an entry level wine to introduce the brand, at a lower price point, thereby, especially in years such as this delivers high QPR - Quality Price Ratio.. 

The blend for this release is 55% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot. Blason d’Issan ‘22 was aged in barrels for 14 to 16 months, one third of which were new. Annual production is around 120,000 bottles (10,000 cases).

As I wrote in my review of the UGCB 2022 Vintage Release tasting last week, this is a top rated vintage with many extraordinary wines. As is often the case in such highly rated vintages, ‘all boats rise with the tide’, and there are many great values as the second and lesser labels of the top producers are also of high quality, even shrinking the difference between them and the top flaghip grand vins. This is reiterated by Wayne Kelly of Wine Advocate in his review of this second wine of Chateau D’Issan, Margaux. Kelly of Wine Advocate wrote, “ An attractive effort that shares some of the style and personality of the grand vin this year.”

Similarly, Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media wrote, “The 2022 Blason d'Issan is a soft, easygoing wine that shows the more charming side of the vintage off to great effect.”

Blason D’Issan Margaux 2022

This release was rated 94-95 by James Suckling, 92 by Decanter and Inside Bordeaux, and a concensus 89-91 by Wine Advocate, Wine Independant, Vinous and Jeb Dunnuck. 

Deep garnet-purple color. medium to full-bodied, a bit tightly structured, concentrated full round dark blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, notes of dark mocha chocolate, spice, dusty rose, hints of tapenade with cigar box, powdery soft, approachable tannins on a structured finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4641185

https://www.chateau-issan.com/en/

Château du Tertre Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2011

Château du Tertre Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2011

With left over grilled ribeye beefsteak from the other night, I opened this classic Left Bank Bordeaux for dinner food and wine pairing. 

Château du Tertre is a Fifth Growth property in Margaux, one of the oldest properties not just in Margaux, but in the entire Left Bank dating back to 1143. The name, “Tertre,” refers to its geography, the word tertre means, “hill,” or, “rising ground," referring to the location, a couple km inland from the Gironde River estuary, the Margaux terroirs there are the highest, with one of the most elevated gravel outcrops of the Médoc.

The estate sits in the hamlet of Arsac, where it has historically been called “beautiful Tertre d’Arsac”, just 4 km south of the Chambres de Margaux in the Margaux village centre where we stayed during our Margaux Bordeaux region tour in 2019,  just a 1/2 km south of the village perimeter. 

The footprint of the 52 hectares, 125 acres of vineyards, has not changed much since the 1855 Classification when it was designated Margaux Grand Cru Classe. The graveled, sloping soils are planted to customary Bordeaux varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with the majority of the vines planted near an ambient forest, which yields cooler temperatures and preserves the freshness of the wines.

The estate began to rise to prominence in the 1700's, when it was owned Pierre Mitchell of Bordeaux, known as a famous glassblower. Mitchell was known to have created the first jeroboam (a five liter bottle), and given his expertise in crafting glass bottles, it is likely that the first wines in Bordeaux were bottled at Château du Tertre.  

The Château du Tertre estate was very popular with the Dutch wine market and was acquired by Henri de Koenigswarter from the Netherlands before being taken over by the Cruse family, a famous négociant, in the 1900s.  

During the turbulent disruption of World War II, the estate fell into disrepair and its sterling reputation declined as a result. 

In 1961, the property was acquired by Philippe Gasqueton, the well-known owner of Château Calon Ségur in Saint Estèphe, who embarked on the long, intensive process of turning the estate around.  

1n 1997, Dutch businessman, Eric Albada Jelgersma bought the estate and invested in the large-scale overall restructuring, returning its former noble personality to the Chateau du Tertre. Since March 2021 the Helfrich family has taken over the property with the intent to continuing the tradition and pursuit of excellence.

The viticultural team is headed by Alexander Van Beek, who made some critical changes such as eliminating machine harvesting.  Frédéric Ardouin from Château Latour was hired as Technical Director and winemaker in 2008, and the property has been on the rise ever since with biodynamic transformation of the viticulture and rebuilding of the production facilities with new technology. Château du Tertre wines are known to be versatile, able to be enjoyed younger with one to two hours decanting and show improvement with 10 years of bottle age. 

 

Château du Tertre Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2011

 

This release was awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast and Jane Anson of Decanter.com, 91 points by James Suckling, 90 points by Wine Spectator, and 88 points by Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate.

 

Dense dark garnet purple colored, medium bodied, floral notes with black berry fruits with notes of anise, black tea, earth and leather with supple tannins and well behaved acidity on the finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1362619 

http://chateaudutertre.fr/en/home/

 

https://twitter.com/tertre_gcc 

 

@Tertre_gcc

Restaurant Le Savoie Marqaux

Restaurant Le Savoie Marqaux

Our first night in Margaux, Bordeaux, we walked a few blocks from the Chambres de Margaux, our B-n-B residence, to the Restaurant Le Savoie in the Margaux village centre on the main D2 Route du Medoc. It is the fine dining establishment in the village.

Savoie offers outdoor seating, indoor seating, or a solarium setting behind the restaurant in a courtyard setting. We opted to sit in between in the solarium tent like setting in the courtyard outside the dining room.

The restaurant offers a range of menu options for either the " Bistrot " lunch or the evening " Le Savoie " gourmand dinner.

The bistro lunch options:
Formulas (lunch and dinner) / Set menus lunchtime and evening

1 Entrance / 1 Starter	€ 16
1 Dish / 1 Dish	€ 19
1 Dessert / 1 Dessert	€ 10
1 Starter + 1 Dish / 1 Starter + 1 Dish	$ 29
1 Course + 1 dessert / 1 Dish + 1 Dessert	€ 26

The dinner options:

Starter + 1 fish + 1 meat + 1 dessert	€ 76
1 starter + 1 fish or 1 meat + dessert	€ 56
1 entry + 1 dish	€ 46
1 course + 1 dessert	€ 38

I had the Beef filet tournedos Rossini, foie gras ice cream, truffle macaroon and cep.

Linda had the sea scallops.

 

After dinner we had the plate of refined cheese "Jean Yves Bordier.

There is a wine bar and respectable wine list that offers 170 wine references including 35 grands crus classés. While the restaurant is sited in Margaux, the winelist favors local Margaux producers.

Having just visited Château Leoville Las Cases earlier in the day up in St Julien, we opted for the Las Cases selection, Clos du Marquis, Saint Julien, 2006.

For the dessert course we had the berry sorbet.

From the wine list we ordered a Sauternes dessert wine, Château Roumieu 2015.

 

www.lesavoie.net
 

Chambres de Margaux

Chambres de Margaux

During our recent trip to the Medoc we stayed in the village of Margaux at the Chambres de Margaux, owned and operated by Dominic and Nathalie Sauze.

It’s a delightful and charming Airbnb bed and breakfast, cottage. Our bedroom was comfortable and had a modern private bath with shower.

There is another suite that provides for two adjoining bedrooms for a family. 

The facility offers wifi that was suitable for general correspondence email and messages but not for streaming or any high speed data requirements. 

Dominque and Natalie are delightful, friendly, hospitable, fastidious and attentive to the slightest detail to make the Chambres de Margaux welcoming and comfortable. 

 Each morning we were served a wonderful extensive breakfast that included from a selection of eggs, French Toast, patisserie, fresh fruit, fresh yogurts, an assortment of cheeses and homemade breads and jams, with coffee and juice. We were served in the garden terrace and in the kitchen.

One evening we brought back a picnic of cheeses, breads, fruit and wine that we enjoyed in the garden into the evening. They were very accommodating and supportive.

The inn is adjacent to Chateau Lascombes and a short walk to other wine producers including Marque de Termes and Chateau Palmer, and is also a short walk to fine dining restaurant and wine bar Restaurant Le Savoie.

Dominique and Natalie were eager to assist with dining recommendations and reservations. As guest of Chambres de Margaux we were served Champagne at Saint Julien fine dining restaurant in Beychevelle-St-Julien village.

We highly recommend  Chambres de Margaux and will look forward to returning on our next trip to the region.

UGC Bordeaux 2015 Release Tour unveils stellar vintage

UGC Bordeaux 2015 Release Tour unveils stellar vintage

The UGC Bordeaux' (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)) annual release tour visited America to showcase their latest vintage release of their wines this week. Following stops in Toronto, Washington DC and Boston, they held their grand tastings at two spectacular elegant settings, Cipriani on 42nd in NYC and the Drake Hotel, Chicago. Once again, our 'Pour Boys' wine group helped host the event in Chicago at the Drake Hotel in the elegant grand ballroom (shown below).  Following the tasting, we attended a gala dinner at remarkable Schwa Restaurant.

Pour Boys, Rick, Lyle, Dan, Ernie

This was the seventh Bordeaux release event that wine buddies Dr Dan, Ernie and Lyle (shown right) 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 the producers to get to Chicago for the event which started our standing in for them, hence we coined the name the 'Pour' Boys.

Cipriani on 42nd, NYC

Close to 100 producers, winemakers and their commercial representatives presented their wines on the tour which was attended by nearly 800 members of the trade and press. Following the trade event in the afternoon, each evening a public tasting was hosted by a leading local wine merchant.

The interest in and enthusiasm for the 2015 was apparent by the attendees as this promises to be the best release since 2010. Several producers compared this vintage to a combination of the best of 2005 and 2010. As the saying goes, 'all boats rise with the tide', a spectacular vintage such as this affects the wines from the high end to the secondary labels. This provides great opportunities for consumers as it promises quality wines at lower price points as well as in the ultra-premium more expensive levels. As with highly rated, highly anticipated vintages, prices are also higher accordingly.

Drake Hotel, Chicago

Following several more modest and a few lackluster vintages, 2015 promises great potential, and 2016 is expected to be even better!

The quality of the vintage shone through with high quality representations from appellations across the region from the left bank to the right bank. Unlike recent years which were more hit and miss, our representative collection of benchmark wines that we collect, all showed exceedingly well. There were a few lackluster labels and disappointments, but they were far fewer in number than recent years.

I found the Margaux, Pauillac and the Sauternes appellations to be especially impressive. Particular highlight standouts from the vintage that impressed me were Canon, Clinet, the Pichons (Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Pichon Baron), Lynch Bages, Brane Cantenac, Cantenac Brown, Lascombs, Giscours, and many of the Sauternes including Coutet, Lafaurie Peyraguay, Bastor Lamontagne and Suideraut. The St Juliens, normally one of my favorite appellations seemed generally more moderate and even keeled but lacking expressive standouts.

Some of the standouts were:

The 2015 Chateau Canon was the best in memory and I've collected and held this wine going back to the 1983 vintage. A blend of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc this presented a smooth polished structure, an intense bouquet with bright vibrant pure fruits black berry and raspberry fruits accented by notes of floral and mineral.

The 2015 Brane-Cantenac was as good as any I remember, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carmenère, presented blackberry fruits, hints of raspberry and tones of tobacco leaf and hints of cedar.

The 2015 Clinet. a blend of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, was smooth, elegant and polished, presenting perfumed bouquet turning to black fruit, notes of menthol, creosote with silky smooth soft tannins.

With Chateau Canon

The 2015 Clos Fourtet, a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc presented full, bright floral bouquet with notes highlighting the black fruits turning to tones of cassis, dark mocha and menthol mint with a pure elegant polished structure.

The 2015 Suduiraut was intense, thick, unctuous with apricot nectar and notes of honey on a tongue puckering finish.

The 2015 Domaine de Chevalier,, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot was also the best in memory since I first discovered this label in 1994, presenting a full bouquet smooth blackberry fruit and hints of pepper.

Margaux Reeder, Bastor-Lamontagne

The 2015 Giscours is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot showing bright vibrant black currant and black cherry fruits turning to notes of spice, menthol, cedar and smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.

The 2015 Pichon-Longueville Baron was complex concentrated with a firm structured backbone but was polished and smooth with hints of menthol, mint and firm but approachable tannins.

The 2015 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was as good as any I can remember, complex, firmly structured but a symphony of smooth polished well integrated flavors with the black fruits accented with refined notes of graphite, tobacco, leather and silky smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

Ryan and Rick w/ Pichon Baron

 The public tastings and host merchants were:

• Thu. 18 January Toronto - LCBO
  Washington - Calvert Woodley
• Fri. 19 January St John's - NLC (2013 & 2014 vintage)
  Boston - Gordon's Wines
• Sat. 20 January Montréal - SAQ
• Mon. 22 January New-York - Sotheby's
• Tue. 23 January Chicago - Binny's
• Wed. 24 January Denver - Applejack
• Thu. 25 January San Francisco - K&L
• Fri. 26 January Los Angeles - Wally's
   

Lois Vallette with special engraved
bottle packaging of Lafaurie-Peyraguay

 http://www.cipriani.com/events/?loc=ny-42nd-street

Vincent Marie Antoinette Lacombes Margaux at Hemmingway's Bistro Oak Park

Vincent Marie Antoinette and Lacombes Margaux at Hemmingway's Bistro Oak Park

We dined at Hemingway's Bistro in Oak Park with daughter Erin and Son-in-law Johnnie. We love Hemingway's with its authentic classic French dining experience, reminiscent of a small French village bistro.

Pre dinner, I ordered one of my favorite wine pairing dishes, the Foie Gras du jour, and we also had their Baked Imported Brie with apricot preserves and honey.  For our dinner entrees, I ordered the Five Spice Duck Breast with mango beurre blanc, Johnnie ordered the Bouillabaisse Royale, Linda ordered the Tuna, and Erin ordered the Softshell Crab (entrees pictured below).

For the wine course I brought BYOB Chateau Lascombes Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2006 and from the wine list we ordered Vincent Marie Antoinette Puilly Fusse 2014.

Jean-Jacques Vincent Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvée Marie-Antoinette Vincent 2014 

To accompany the white fish, the baked brie and salad course we ordered this Vincent Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvée white Burgundy from the wine list.

This was crisp clean with nice balance of citrus and acidity with notes of citrus and lemon peel, hints of green apple and spice.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=2201818



Château Lascombes Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2006 

Dominique Befve, Lascombes GM
and fellow 'pour-boy' Bill C

We've enjoyed meeting Château Lascombes GM Dominique Befve (left) a regular participant at the annual UGC annual North American tour of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGC) where the producers introduce their latest vintage release to the US market.  Lascombes was a highlight in some of the recent tour tastings. 

I brought this 2006 release to commemorate Eric and Johnnies' tenth wedding anniversary last year.

Lascombes is typically ready to drink after five to eight years yet can be held for several decades depending on the vintage. At ten years this is probably at its prime and will not improve further with ageing. This was a perfect accompaniment to the Foie Gras.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied,  complex but nicely integrated bright vibrant black cherry, blackberry, and black currant fruits, smooth balanced nicely with tones of smoke, anise, leather, tobacco and black tea.

The composition of the Grand vin Chateau Lascombes '06 is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon  and 5% Petit Verdot. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=358745

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/01/union-des-grands-crus-de-bordeaux-ugc.html

http://www.chateau-lascombes.com/

http://www.hemmingwaysbistro.com/

Softshell Crab

Bouillabaisse

Tuna Filet

Five Spice Duck Breast