St Emilion Grand Cru duo w/ Beef Tenderloin and medley of whites/blush with grilled scallops
We host long time dear friends Bob & Gloria, visiting us from Delray Beach, at our vacation home in Destin, FL.
We grilled out beef tenderloin, served with haricot verts and baked potatoes, and grilled seared scallops on buttered herb toast points.
With the Caesar salad, grilled scallops and a selection of artisan cheeses, we enjoyed a medley of easy drinking casual sipping white wines and a blush.
La Crema Sonoma Chardonnay 2022
Lohr Riverstone Vineyard Chardonnay 2023
Carpenter Creek Cellars Steuben Indiana Rose’ NV
Having fun with and paying tribute to Bob’s and our Hoosier heritage, I opened this Indiana wine from an Indiana producer composed of Indiana grapes.
This is from Carpenter Creek Cellars, a farm winery housed in a quaint picturesque renovated 1919 barn midway between Chicago and Lafayette, IN.
We tasted, then acquired this label at the producer winery off I-65 in northern Indiana during one of several visits over recent years. I featured Carpenter Creek cellars, the owners and their wines in this and other blogposts - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/11/carpenter-creek-cellars-indiana.html
During our visit at that time, we tasted a half dozen of their wines and ended up buying several labels. This is a bit remarkable as they exceeded my expectations for Indiana produced wines such that we brought home nearly a case. This is a testament to the craft and handiwork of partner proprietors Ed Courtright who wanted to grow grapes in northern Indiana to supply wineries in the area, and winemaker Randy Rottler, who had dreams of starting a small winery.
This label is 100% Steuben, a Hybrid wine grape that is primarily grown in the northeastern US, particularly in the wine regions of New York State, Pennsylvania and Michigan, as well as Indiana and Ohio. The variety is particularly cold-hardy, vigorous and productive as well as being quite disease-resistant. It is known for its vibrant red color and is often used to produce rosé wines such as this.
Steuben grapes have a distinct flavor profile, with notes of strawberry, cherry, and a hint of spice. The wine made from Steuben grapes is typically medium-bodied, with a refreshing acidity and a slightly sweet finish.
This was much better two days later with a selection of artisan cheeses and crackers.
Winemaker’s notes - A gentle off dry blush wine which exhibits raspberry and strawberry notes with a citrus finish.
Blood orange colored, light bodied, moderately sweet/dry, strawberry and raspberry notes with hints of tea leaves and tangy cinnamon spice.
Turning to the main course delicious grilled tenderloin of beef, Bob brought from home a St Emilion Grand Cru Classe’ so I opened from our modest remote cellar a like AOC and vintage, for a mini-horizontal comparison tasting.
Chateau Monbousquet St Emilion Grand Cru 2020
The
Chateau Monbousquet St. Emilion estate can trace its history all the way back to 1540 when it belonged to François de Lescours, before it became the property of the well-established De Carles family where it remained for almost 150 years. The beautiful, classically styled chateau was built in 1648 by Jacques de Geres and today, is the private home of Gerard Perse and Chantal Perse along with the rest of the Perse family.
At the close of World War II, the Querre family purchased Chateau Monbousquet and set upon improving the quality of the wines. In 1993, they sold the estate to Gerard Perse and Chantal Perse for $9 million. Chateau Monbousquet was the first vineyard purchase by Gerard Perse, who later went on to acquire several more properties.
The first vintage of Chateau Monbousquet for Gerard Perse was the difficult 1997 which produced only a few barrels or somewhere between 300 and 600 bottles out of the entire harvest.
Shortly after Gerard Perse obtained Chateau Monbousquet, he began renovating the estate completely rebuilding the winemaking facilities and cellars and constructing an entirely new barrel-aging cellar.
The 32 hectare Monbousquet Saint Emilion vineyards are divided into three sections with more sand and clay in the north, and more gravel with sand in the south, and are not considered among the best in St. Emilion. They average 40 years of age and are planted to 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Some were replanted to increase the proportion of Cabernet Franc over Merlot to better match the varieties to their most appropriate soils.
Perse improved the quality of the wines, also partly by intentionally striving for lower yields thereby increasing their concentration.
In 2013, motivated by French tax laws, Gerard Perse sold a portion of Chateau Monbousquet to a large, anonymous, French, pension fund. This allowed his daughter Angelique and her husband, Henrique Da Costa to eventually take over all the Perse-owned wineries which by this time included Chateau Pavie, Chateau Bellevue Mondotte, and Chateau Pavie Decease. as well as their estates in the Cotes de Castillon appellation.
This 2020 Monbousquet is a blend of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and was aged in French oak barriques, 50% of which are new.
This release was rated 96 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 95 by James Suckling and Wine Spectator, and 91-93 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and 92 by Decanter and Wine Independent.
This is packaged in a heavier, slightly larger than normal Bordeaux bottle, more akin to more expensive ultra-premium wines.
Deep inky purple-black color, full bodied, complex but nicely balanced, concentrated bright vibrant blackberry, plum and hints of black cherry fruits with notes of cassis, chocolate, tobacco, charcoal and herbs, with plush tannins on a fragrant earthy finish.
RM 93 points.
Chateau Clos Junet St Emilion Grand Cru 2020
We tasted and acquired this wine at the Tour of Bordeaux Wine Dinner at The Wine World Wine Bar here in Destin last fall, one of the carefully selected featured wines paired with a dinner course. The dinner’s food and wine pairings were prepared in collaboration with and was currated by guest speaker Cassidy Stiebing, Regional Sales Director and Bordeaux expert from Twins, a French Bordeaux Negociant and US Distributor for the wines.
Chateau Clos Junet, located just west of the picturesque village of Saint Emilion, is owned and managed by Patrick Junet today. The family-owned and managed property has belonged to the Junet family for more than 100 years, having purchased the estate back in 1890, it has remained in the hands of Junet family since.
The diminutive 3-hectare, Clos Junet estate vineyard is planted to 65% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. They have old vines with the oldest being more than 80 years of age. The terroir is typical St Emilion limestone, chalk, sand, and clay soils.
Clearly, a more modest wine than the bigger, bolder and more present Chateau Monbousquet, this provided an interesting comparison between two wines from the same appellation and vintage. A more discerning taster, might also pick up the subtle difference in the blend with the Malbec as opposed to the Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Malbec.
This release was ted 92 points by James Suckling and 91 Points by Wine Advocate.
Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, fruity, round bright vibrant tangy red and black plum and berry fruits with notes of floral, clove spice and sweet tobacco and hints of oak on the moderate tannins laced finish.
RM 89 points.
After dinner we were treated to sumptuous tira misu and fresh berries.
