Lindsay du Vin

Most of, and maybe all, the talk about the Bordeaux region of late has been focused on the ’09 Futures campaign. All it takes is a few quick scans and the average person is left with the impression that Bordeaux has become the Bentley of wines—a luxury to be enjoyed by the precious few (or not at all, but cellared away indefinitely within some investment portfolio).

Ch. de Camarsac in the Entre-deux-Mers region

When I first arrived in Bordeaux I had the opportunity to spend a day in Médoc. The idea of visiting one of Bordeaux’s, if not all of France’s, most prolific wine regions really excited me. So when I told my then-landlady about my plans, I was quite surprised with her response: “Ugh, I don’t like Médoc. The region’s ugly―everything’s flat and marshy-completely boring.” [Read more]

As I’m becoming more familiar with the “great Bordeaux chateaux” I would say that one in particular has a special meaning for me, and that is Chateau Figeac. Figeac will always remain special because it represents the first time I’ve successfully analyzed a wine in a blind tasting (and consequently got to keep an unopened bottle from the great 2000 vintage!).

I was visiting La Maison du Vin de Saint-Emilion (St. Emilion’s “House of Wine”) with my MBA class, where we attended a presentation on the regional appellations. Following the presentation, we tasted six wines in the corresponding line-up:

1. Ch. De Puisseguin Curat (2004), AOC Puisseguin Saint-Emilion
2. Ch. Cap de Merle (2004), AOC Lussac Saint-Emilion
3. Ch. Du Val d’Or (2004), AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
4. Ch. Fleur Cardinale (2004), AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
5. Ch. Les Grandes Murailles (2004), AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé
6. Blind tasting

Blind tasting??

Highly-acclaimed terroir (notice all the gravel stones; hence, the wine’s large proportion of Cabernet)

When I was studying for the WSET Intermediate certificate, we would routinely taste the wines blind. Personally, I find tasting blind both fun and beneficial in that it removes any initial biases a person may have towards a certain region or grape variety. However, it is also a very humbling experience: I’ll never forget the time I was adamant I was tasting a Chardonnay from South Africa, when in fact it came from Westport Vineyards, Massachusetts (literally 20 minutes away from where I was living!). I can’t remember why I insisted on South Africa—I guess it just seemed exotic (kudos to Westport Vineyards for making destination Chardonnay).

Anyhow, here we were in St. Emilion with a glass of red wine in front of us. The only clue we were given was that the wine was from St. Emilion (surprise, surprise!). So, I did the usual sniffing and swirling and the first thing I picked up on was this green pepper aroma—which became even more apparent in the taste. Hmm… green pepper could mean only one thing: lots of Cabernet Franc!

Unfortunately for me, at the time I could hardly name a single producer from the entire St. Emilion region (my wine budget back home did not allow for much St. Emilion). Otherwise, the only Bordeaux chateau I could think of with a predominate amount of Cabernet Franc was Cheval Blanc (would they really be serving us such expensive wine in a blind tasting?). However, the green pepper aspect was quite apparent.

Chateau Figeac: the actual "castle"

We were then asked to name the vintage. “Who thinks it’s from before 2000?” Several hands went up. “Who thinks it’s after 2000.” Several more. “Non, je crois que c’est une deux mil!” (that was me is my limited French exclaiming it was a 2000). I knew in recent time Bordeaux has seen two stellar vintages: 2005 and 2000. This wine was definitely not young enough to be a 2005. It was very well-integrated with a smooth texture and no harsh tannins. Yet, its complexity implied that it still had a lot more aging potential. Honestly, it was quite fabulous. So, I went for 2000.

“Oui, c’est une 2000.” I was right—hooray! We then were asked to name the producer. Well, like I said, I didn’t really know any producers. So, I told the person conducting the tasting that this was my first time in St. Emilion and that I really don’t know any big names. However, I do know that this wine has a lot of Cabernet Franc in it and would therefore guess Cheval Blanc—only I don’t think the Maison du Vin would be tasting a wine that costs roughly $1000 per bottle to a group of 46 students just to better familiarize them with St. Emilion.

Well, he said I had a very good analysis, which meant I won the tasting. Wow… I was speechless. It was like winning a Miss America competition, but instead of a cheesy crown I was awarded an unopened bottle of the wine in question: 2000 Chateau Figeac.

This whole event happened last October. However, just yesterday I was back in St. Emilion and happened to be passing by Chateau Figeac. I guess my friend who was driving heard me let out a small sigh because he asked if I wanted to stop for a few minutes. So, we did and what you see here are several images I took of the property and its famed terroir.

Incidentally, Chateau Figeac averages 35% Cabernet Franc (the rest is approximately 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot). The only Bordeaux wine I know of with a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc is Cheval Blanc (57% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec) and Ausone (50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot).

The bottle I won became a Christmas gift for my family and was eagerly consumed on Christmas day. Here’s my review for this wine on Cork’d.com (funny, while there was still green pepper, the second time around I picked up more olive flavors—proof that good wine is always evolving, and never boring!)

I’d say most wine regions are beautiful, but St.-Émilion is downright stunning. I felt like Dorothy waking up in Oz as we entered the countryside. Being autumn, the vineyards were gold in color, the sky was deep blue, and the strong morning sun further illuminated the scene. The town of St.-Émilion is everything you’d expect from a former medieval village (cobblestone walkways, hanging trellises, outdoor cafes). Today, it devotes itself to wine and wine tourism, where there is literally a wine shop on every corner—sometimes right next to one another.

St. Emilion town and countryside.

I was touring St.-Émilion with my MBA class at the Bordeaux International Wine Institute. Our day began with a visit to the Maison du Vin de St.-Émilion and a presentation on the different appellations followed by a wine tasting.  Here are a few highlights we learned about the St.-Émilion wine region, which includes the appellations St-Émilion, St.-Émilion Grand Cru, Lussac St.-Émilion, and Puisseguin St.-Émilion:

• St.-Émilion is today the only wine region to be a World Heritage site: The region was UNESCO protected in 1999.
• Many small producers: The area distinguishes itself from the rest of Bordeaux with lots averaging just 5-6 hectars (more like in Burgundy).
• Large export market: St.-Émilion is among the largest exporting regions in Bordeaux, with 41% of its wines sold outside of France (the avg. for Bordeaux exports is just 12%).
• Main grape varieties: Merlot (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)—you will also find scattered amounts of Malbec and Carménère, which may become more popular as global climate change persists.
• First wine classification in 1954: St.-Émilion’s wines are classified either as Grands Crus Classés or the more prestigious Premiers Grands Crus Classés (which is further divided into A and B catagories); The system is re-evaluated every 10 years.

A view from inside the limestone caves of Clos Flourtet, used primarily for wine storage.

In the afternoon we visited Clos Fourtet, followed by Chateau Angélus. Both of these producers are Premiers Grands Crus Classés producing first and second label red wines.

Don’t get lost in the caves!

The most impressing aspect of Clos Fourtet is its underground cellars, a vast network of caves used to store wine. While touring the cellars, I felt like I was walking through the catacombs of Egypt—there were tunnels everywhere! These caves are constructed of limestone bedrock, which is almost white in color and gives off a very nice glow. I asked our guide if they hold many events in their cellars. Her response was that they’ll stage an occasional tasting, but have to be very careful that the guests don’t wander off in the caves because they may never come back!

Bond drinks Bordeaux

I always knew James Bond was a fan of Bollinger Champagne, but it wasn’t until I entered Chateau Angélus that I learned the latest 007, Daniel Craig, also drinks red Bordeaux—1982 Chateau Angélus to be precise. In the most recent Casino Royale film (during the scene where he first meets Vesper Lynd while traveling by train to Montenegro) Bond orders a bottle of ’82 Ch. Angélus, which is visibly placed between them on the table.

Several bottles of '03 Ch. Angelus---ready for tasting!

Well, I can’t disagree with 007′s taste in wine—I was fortunate enough to try the 2003 Ch. Angélus and, wow, this wine is amazing! It is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The color was deep garnet with a nose of black pepper, red cherry and truffle. Overall, a full-bodied wine with flavors of mushroom and sour cherry. However, it is the mouthfeel that distinguishes this wine: a sensation as smooth as velvet, luscious beyond belief—absolutely incredible!