Archives des #cultwine - Baghera/Blog

Vosne-Romanée | The Côte de Nuits’ brightest star

Julie Carpentier — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 13:34:42 +0000

The small village of Vosne-Romanée is the Côte de Nuits’ brightest star, producing the finest and most expensive Pinot Noir wines in the world.

Located north of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Vosne-Romanée is one of the most celebrated villages of Burgundy, producing world-famous wines such as Romanée-Conti or Richebourg. History recounts that during the 1st century BC, the Gauls from the village of Vaona were drafted to serve in the army of Caesar for a period of 20 years. As a reward, the Emperor granted them vineyards, some of which were named “Romanée” by the latter generations. Between the 6th and 15th centuries, the monks of the Bourgogne winegrowing region patiently developed methods for vine cultivation. Their authentic savoir-faire has been handed down from generation to generation to the winegrowers of today, gaining immortality to Vosne-Romanée as a wine legend.

Vosne-Romanée wine is produced in the village of Vosne-Romanée as well as in the neighbouring village of Flagey-Échézeaux. Both boast no fewer than eight Grand Cru vineyards. Vosne-Romanée itself has six Grand Cru vineyards, La Tâche of 6,0620 ha, La Grande Rue of 1,65 ha, La Romanée of 0,85 hectares, Romanée-Conti of 1,8140 ha, Romanée-Saint-Vivant of 8,37 hectares and Richebourg of 7,68 hectares, and Flagey-Échézeaux has two further, Échézeaux of 35,26 hectares and Grands-Échézeaux of 8,84 hectares. Romanée-Conti and La Tâche are monopolies of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Grande Rue is a monopoly of Domaine Lamarche while La Romanée is a monopoly of Comte Liger-Belair.

The plots growing the communal appellation lie either at the top of the slope or at its foot on either side of the Grand Cru Climats and in some cases reaching the same altitude. The soils are chalky marl with excellent drainage and exposure ideally suited to the Pinot Noir grapes. Vosne-Romanée wines have built their legendary status on an extraordinary intensity of fruit which manages to combine power and delicacy, one of the finest expression of Pinot Noir in the world.

The powerfully tannic but nevertheless perfectly spicy, opulent, and meaty Vosne-Romanée Grands et Premiers Crus are unparalleled journeys into velvet and distinction. Needless to say, these wines are on top of any serious wine collector’s dream list. So don’t miss the opportunity to acquire some of these sublime mythical Grands and Premiers Crus of Vosne-Romanée in our next Wine o’ Clock auction “Hooked on Burgundy”.

Wine o’clock “Hooked on Burgundy”
November 21st, 2017

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L’article Vosne-Romanée | The Côte de Nuits’ brightest star est apparu en premier sur Baghera/Blog.

Mouton Rothschild 2000

Julie Carpentier — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 12:58:53 +0000

In the (millenium) ram’s shoes
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The foundation of Chateau Mouton Rothschild can be dated back to 1853, when Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, an English member of the Rothschild family, purchased a property in Pauillac called Château Brane-Mouton and renamed it Château Mouton Rothschild.

In 1922 Baron Philippe, then only twenty, decided to take over the running of the estate. At his death, the property is passed on to Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, maintaining the family’s estates at the highest level (it is under her management in 1973 that the newest of the 1st Growths will be awarded the status of “First Growth”).

“Sought-after great work-of-art-bottles”
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One of the original features of Château Mouton Rothschild: each year since 1945, label is being illustrated with an artwork by a leading painter, specially created for the vintage. The most significant signatures in contemporary art, from Dali to Bacon, have blended their names with Château Mouton Rothschild. In celebration of the new millennium, Baroness Philippine decided to break with tradition. The little “Augsburg Ram”, a silver-gilt drinking vessel created around 1590 by a German master goldsmith and kept in the Museum of Wine in Art at Mouton, will be the only subject of this millennium bottle. The ram being historically recognised as the symbol of Château Mouton Rothschild, the tutelary figure is enamelled in relief in scintillating gold on a black heavy-glassed bottle.

Mouton Rothschild 2000 – beside its “work of art” status, is to be added on to the legendary vintages list of the estate. This top-flight Mouton, full- bodied, with soft and beautiful ripe tannins is a brilliant achievement, with anticipated maturity expected around 2020. It is unquestionably a majestic wine for a celebration!

This Wine o’clock is a rare opportunity to acquire rare formats of the iconic Mouton 2000 in imperial, magnums and bottles. So, succumb to these highly collectible and sought-after great artwork-bottles!

View lots 2, 3 and 4

“Drinking Sir?” Wine o’clock
Tuesday 25th October at 2pm

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L’article Mouton Rothschild 2000 est apparu en premier sur Baghera/Blog.

Massandra masterclass | Tasting notes

Julie Carpentier — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 12:38:46 +0000

12 different cuvées of Massandra wines from 1948 to 1929
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Geneva, September 20th 2016

MASSANDRA PORTO BLANC SUROG 1947 (****)

Light-pale amber colour with gold tinges. Noble, racy and complex aromas on the nose: herbal tea, camphor, exotic wood, carambola, nuts. Evolving in the glass, it almost smells salty. On the palate, it round, full-bodied. Alcohol (quite present) here Alcohol reinforces the perfect balance between sugar and advantageous acidity. White fruit notes develops in the mouth, and finished on fresh walnuts on a never-ending finish. Delicate and surprisingly long.

MASSANDRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON WHITE PORT 1936 (****)

Light-pale amber colour with gold tinges, watery rim. Fragrant plum, spices, Sichan pepper on the nose, despite a “dusty” scent, disturbing at first. The attack on the palate is medium-sweet, the sugar is delicate despite this still-present default component (problem with cork or cask – hard to tell). Fine length, pleasure isn’t that of the previous wine.

MASSANDRA PEDRO KRIMSKI (*****)

Light amber colour, clear and vibrant. Fine tertiary aromas: leather, toffee, cinnamon. It expresses very well indeed its Pedro Ximenez nature! The palate is lush: prune flesh, currant, candied sugar. And an amazing fragrance of cold tea, followed by an extraordinary perfume of tobacco leaves that will never escape the glass, for the delight of all. Glycerol give its fine chew to this incredible nectar. A cult wine.

MASSANDRA TOKAY NECTAR ALUSCHTA 1938 (****)

Superb mahogany colour. On the nose, it gives the impression of a lacy texture. Elegant perfumes of fine ageing: prominent mocha and prune flesh. On the palate, great sweetness at first then alcohol comes and counterbalances very skilfully the whole wine. Astonishing density on the palate: candied fruits, herbs (kind of reminds me of Bison grass). Very long, despite a finish that maybe lacks of acidity.

MASSANDRA MUSCAT ROSE 1946 (*****)

Vibrant light amber colour. On the nose, a wide array of elegant and noble aromas: fresh noble wood (hawthorn), Mirabelle jam, candied angelica sticks… Its feels like gently floating thanks to this incredible desert wine (as stated on the label). This wine shows great balance, it is delicate and complex at the same time, sugar and acidity are in faultless harmony. An outstanding wine, that still can age a few more decades.

MASSANDRA MUSCAT ROSE ALUPKA 1940 (****)

Vibrant rich amber colour. Its “Cognac” nose (surprise) leads to fine perfumes: rosewood, plums, cold tae. Complexity here is astonishing. ON the palate, the first chock is the sharp acidity that gently blossoms on caramel and crème brûlée notes. Glycerol here is perfectly integrated and plays harmoniously its role on the overall impression. Power (more tannins than the previous wine) would make me imagine in this wine a masculine version of the Muscat Rosé 1946 tasted a few minutes ago. Its has the length of an exceptional wine!

MASSANDRA MUSCAT ROSE GURSUF 1939 (****)

Vibrant light amber colour. White fruits are set together with iodine. On the palate, impressive roundness imparted by the glycerol. There is a plethora of aromas: caramel, dried apricots, spices such cardamom along with this still present iodine impression. Important density of the wine, great length.

MASSANDRA MUSCAT NOIR TAVRIDA 1948 (****)

Vibrant rich amber colour, slightly dull. On the nose, a wide array of noble scents: candied sugar, orange peels compete with the aromas felt on the palate at the first sip: ginger, apricot flesh, candied sugar (again). Balance (glycerol/sugar) is achieved, despite a rather dry finish due to the presence of oak tannins. A great wine, although the expected pleasure isn’t quite the same compared to the previous Muscat Rosé 1939.

MASSANDRA MUSCAT NOIR TAVRIDA 1938 (*****)

Fine mahogany colour, almost transparent. This huge vintage has a few surprises in store. The nose is extraordinary: bread, pain d’épices, Rum and Bourbon vanilla. The palate is a chock: acidity is superb. The balance sugar-glycerol-alcohol is so perfect that it is hard to believe. All is so smooth, so easy and inspiring that many of us had in mind the comparison with the great Pomerol 1947: will-o’-the-wisp (in hot year) and that doesn’t really fall into the scope. In `2 words: baroque and exuberant, and nevertheless a cult wine.

MASSANDRA MUSCAT BLANC KASTEL 1947 (*****)

Light amber colour. Noble, racy and pure aromas of orange peels, Bourbon vanilla and Antilles’ rhum arrangé. Fine attack on the palate, attractive balance between the main components sugar & acidity. The alcohol provides a superb density to the wine. The finish is very long and the overall impression is extremely pleasant: it is hard to believe this old lady is almost 70 years old.

MASSANDRA MUSCAT BLANC SELECTION 1944 (*****)

Crystalline mahogany rim, very limpid. From this stage, a parallel with very old Yquem is our mind: acacia honey, lime, tobacco, botrytised notes of candied citruses and dried apricots. An exceptional freshness in the mouth imparts to this wine an incredible youth. A cult wine, really extraordinary.

MASSANDRA PINOT GRIS AI DANIL 1929 (***)

Intense and profound mahogany colour. The nose quite clearly falls under the acetate category, unfortunately. High acidity and high volatile acidity. The nose is about diverted alcohol. The bottle surely is faulty.

In collaboration with Dominique Fornage, Ecole Nobilis
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Next tasting: Krug vintage – 40 years (October 25th)

L’article Massandra masterclass | Tasting notes est apparu en premier sur Baghera/Blog.