BORDEAUX TASTING 2017
1.
PRESENTATION Fabrice Darmaillacq Technical Director – Château Clarke
THE ROTHSCHID FAMILY
AUDACITY AS A CULTURE LIVE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, RESULTS OF AN ART OF LIVING CULTIVATED WITH PASSION, FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
T H E C O M PA G N I E V I N I C O L E A WINE MAKING SAVOIR-FAIRE 1/ To detect the potential • 1973 Baron Edmond de Rothschild bought two adjoining Crus Bourgeois – Château Clarke & Château Malmaison. • Today the vineyard is spread over 150 hectares and represents one of the biggest property of the Médoc region. • 1997 Benjamin & Ariane de Rothschild gave a tremendous new boost to the Compagnie Vinicole by exploring new terroirs in faraway destinations. • South Africa, then Argentina and finally New-Zealand. • Vines planted around the world in virgin lands are now the source of internationally famous wines.
A WINE MAKING SAVOIR-FAIRE
2/ To control the quality • Only estate wines (no brands) value for money • Only sell wines coming from our vineyards • Control of the quality from growing grapes to selling them 3 /To control our distribution • Baron Edmond and his son Benjamin decided to sell directly their wines • No negociant • Total control of the distribution
A W I N E M A K I N G S AV O I R - FA I R E B U T N O T O N LY …
H O S P I TA L I T Y • MEGEVE LUXURY SKI RESORT • High-end hotels and fine dining restaurants • A gastronomic restaurant (2 Michelin Stars) : „Le 1920’
with Chef Julien Gatillon • New 5-Star FOUR SEASONS hotel opening in december 2017
H O S P I TA L I T Y • MEGEVE LUXURY SKI RESORT
• A beautiful spa with an outdoor pool • The highest golf course in front of the Alps
N AT U R E • On 1600 hectares on land owned by the family since the end of XVIIIth century
• Baron Edmond created since 1990 a traditional cheese farm that produces a unique farmstead Brie de Meaux AOP worldwide. • Also winter black truffled Brie, Moutarde Brie de Meaux and Nepal Pepper Brie or Merle Rouge • In the purest tradition and with attention to detail.
N AT U R E • Lovely tended gardens • Creative nurseries specialized in unusual plants • Local honey production
EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD HERITAGE IN BRIEF
500
450
1 600
hectares of vines
hectares
hectares
on 6 properties, 4 of them joint-ventures abroad
in the Megève uplands
Of farmland and forest at Favières-en-Brie
3,5
2
million
hotels
bottles of wine produced a year
the 5-star Chalet and the 3-star Ferme du Golf
90% of wine operations are for export (to 80 countries)
5 restaurants The 2-star Le 1920, La Taverne, L’Idéal 1850, Le Club de l’Auberge de la Cote 2000
1,6 million litres Of milk a year, making 160 tonnes of cheese (9 varieties)
300 varieties Of rare and unusual plants
REVEAL VIDEO
2. FOCUS ON THE WINE PROPERTIES
T H E F R E N C H E S TAT E S
LEFT BANK CHÂTEAU CLARKE
MERLE BLANC DU CHÂTEAU CLARKE TECHNICAL INFO • Rare properties of the Medoc with a white wine • Since the end of the 19th century: 3 hectares.
• 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Gris, 10% Semillon, 10% Muscadelle • Handpicking, and hand selection of the grapes • Direct pressing, cold settling, 30% wine in new barrels and the rest in stainless steel tanks. (during 6 months)
TASTING PROFILE & RATINGS • This is a delightful wine, easy to drink, to enjoy along aperitif or light summer meals and salads. Serve at 12°C 〉 Lively, crispy & notes of citrus
Aromas : lemon, passion fruit, white peach, with mineral and white flowers notes.
RIGHT BANK CHÂTEAU
DES
LAURETS
CHÂTEAU DES LAURETS
• Like his father, Baron Benjamin acquired a “sleeping beauty”: an estate with a high potential. • Purchased Chateau des Laurets and Chateau de Malengin in 2003 with heavy investments in 2004. • Beautiful Chateau built in 1860, with central tower making • Total around 95 ha planted over Puisseguin Saint-Emilion and Montagne Saint-Emilion.
CHÂTEAU DES LAURETS VINEYARDS • • • • • • •
Total AOC Puisseguin Saint-Emilion: 50 ha Area : around 95 ha total in one piece 40 ha 80% Merlot – 20% Cab. Franc Soil: clay and limestone Average age of the vines : 25/30 years Vineyard management: green cover between rows, substainable vine growing method • Plantation density : 5500 plants/ha Chart legend:
CHÂTEAU DES LAURETS 〉 A pleasure wine, round, supple and fruity TECHNICAL INFO • 40 ha: Puisseguin Saint-Emilion • A clay and limestone soil
• 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet franc • Cold maceration • One month maceration in stainless steel tanks and wooden vats
• Micro-oxygenation in tanks and malo-lactic fermentation in new french oak • Aged 1/3 new barrels, 1/3 2nd year barrel, 1/3 in stainless steel for 14 months
CHÂTEAU DES LAURETS
TASTING PROFILE & RATINGS • 2010: James Suckling, 93 pts
• 2010: Wine Spectator, 90 pts • 2012: Sakura Tasting Japan, DOUBLE GOLD “Bold, ripe and almost flashy, showing good drive and vivacity, with fresh acidity pumping the boysenberry, steeped plum and raspberry fruit along while a roasted apple wood note fills in the finish.”
• 2012: Sélection Mondiale des Vins du Canada, GOLD • 2015: Robert Parker, 91-93 pts • 2016 : James Suckling, 90-91 pts
Aromas : Cherry, blackberry, vanilla, caramel, cocoa beans, white pepper, balsamic …
LES LAURETS TECHNICAL INFO • 4 ha: Puisseguin Saint-Emilion • A clay and limestone soil • 100% Merlot • Hand picked and hand sorted • Cold maceration • Maceration in wooden vats • Micro-oxygenation in tanks and malo-lactic
fermentation in new french oak • Aged 100% new barrels for 16 months
LES LAURETS
〉 Soft, elegant, subtle & smooth
TASTING PROFILE & RATINGS • Tastes like St. Emilion, with super velvety tannins and a plummy, berry and cherry character. Full and very round. • 2010 : James Suckling 92-93 pts • 2016 : James Suckling 91-92 pts
Aromas : Smoky notes, coffee, cocoa, blackcurrant, blackberry, liquorice, sweet spice
LEFT BANK CHÂTEAU CLARKE
C H AT E A U C L A R K E
HISTORY • 12th century, Cistercian monks planted the first vines • In 1771, the estate was bought by an Irish knight called Tobie Clarke and has been named after him.
• In 1932, classification as a Cru bourgeois supérieur. • Bought by Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1973 • Replanted between 1974 and 1978 (beginning of the revival)
C H AT E A U C L A R K E VINEYARDS • Appellation : Listrac-Médoc AOC
• Area : 55 hectares (3 hectares in whites) • A clay and limestone soil (offers cool temperature and good water retention capacity: perfect for Merlot - unusual soil for the left bank) • Average age of the vines : 30 years • Vineyard management: green cover between rows, substainable vine growing method
• Reds: 70% Merlot – 30% Cab. Sauvignon Whites: 70% Sauv. blanc – 10% Sauv. Gris - 10% Sémillon – 10% Muscadelle • Plantation density : 6600 plants/ha
Haut-Médoc Listrac Moulis Bordeaux white
C H AT E A U C L A R K E 〉 Complex and elegant
TECHNICAL INFO • Manual harvest in small boxes • Double manual selection before and after destemming • Cold maceration and maceration in wooden vats • Extraction by winding and shedding • Vinification in wooden vats • Malolactic fermentation in new barrels • Blend: 70% Merlot 30% Cabernet Sauvignon • Aging 60% new barrels the rest in one year barrel for 16 months.
Fabrice Darmaillacq Head Winemaker Château Clarke
C H AT E A U C L A R K E TASTING PROFILE & RATINGS • Full body, round, soft with complexity: Merlot on clay soil
• Dark berries, sweet plum, liquorice, smoky aromas, chocolate, cigar box. • Powerful and elegance: Masculine wine • High proportion of Merlot • 2007 Sakura Japan Awards GOLD • 2008 La Revue des Vins de France 17.5 pts
• 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards (2013) Regional trophy • 2010 James Suckling 92-93 pts “Intense and ultra-powerful. Full and dense. Chewy tannins. Long finish. Muscular”
• 2010 Robert Parker 90-92 pts • 2011 Jane Anson 91-92 pts • 2015 Robert Parker‟s Wine Advocate 92 pts • 2016 James Suckling 91-92 pts
Aromas : Dark berries, sweet plum, liquorice, smoky aromas, cigar box, leather, black cherry