France, Graves
Wine is being produced throughout France and has been done for over 2,500 years with certain Châteaux dating their history back to Roman times, around 6th Century BC. Ranking second in the world in per-capita consumption and first in total production quantity. More-so than the overall quantity of wine is the quantity of truly great wines coming out of France makes the nation the envy of wine-making nations worldwide.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
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The wines are aged in an average of 20% new, French oak barrels for 12 to 14 months before bottling. Chateau Ferrande can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting. Young vintages can be decanted for about 1 hour. This allows the wine ... Learn MoreChateau Ferrande Graves Bordeaux 2015$39.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Chateau La Tour Blanche is best served at 14 degrees Celsius. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. "The 2016 La Tour Blanche has a typically rich bouquet with clear honey, orange blossom and a touch of ... Learn MoreChateau La Tour Blanche 2016 (Bonded - En Primeur)$75.99 Per itemOut of stock -
A great wine from the finest terroir, awarded an incredible 99 points from wine critic James Suckling. "The 2016 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey has a perfumed, minerally bouquet that is taut and focused, beautifully defined and very precise. The palate is very well ... Learn MoreChateau Lafaurie Peyraguey 2016 (Bonded - En Primeur)$95.99 Per itemOut of stock -
This vintage is a blend of 94% Semillon and 6% Sauvignon Blanc, and has 130 g/L residual sugar. Rich and sweet, yet impeccably balanced. "The 2019 is a gorgeous and totally compelling wine." - Antonio Galloni Suduiraut's winemaker Pierre Pascaud has produced a ... Learn MoreChateau Suduiraut 2019 (En Primeur - Delivery 2022)$120.00 Per itemOut of stock -
Château Coutet is a Premier Cru Classé (French: First Growth) sweet wine from the Sauternes-Barsac appellation located in Barsac, in the southern part of France’s Bordeaux vineyards. Château Coutet is one of the oldest Sauternes producing vineyards. ... Learn MoreChateau Coutet Sauternes 2000 500Ml$160.00 Per itemOut of stock -
Named after its most famous owner, Pope Clement V, Chateau Pape Clement in Pessac Leognan makes both red and white wine from their 32.5 hectare vineyard. Vineyards for the red wine is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, while the soils ... Learn MoreChateau Pape Clement 2018 (En Primeur)$199.00 Per itemOut of stock -
The first harvests took at Château Pape Clément place in 1252. Was implemented in the XIIth century by Bertrand de Goth, younger of a noble family from Bordeaux region. Archbishop of Bordeaux, Bertrand de Got became Pope in 1305 under ... Learn MoreChateau Pape Clement 2015$215.00 Per itemOut of stock -
The 2016 Haut Bailly is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. "It has a classic bouquet that is certainly less opulent and extravagant than recent vintages. This is more controlled and focused, beautifully delineated with blackberry, ... Learn MoreChateau Haut-Bailly 2016$299.00 Per itemOut of stock -
In 2001 winemaker Pierre Pascaud has produced a quite extraordinary wine that is a real contender for 'wine of the vintage'. With an elegant honeyed nose, this seductive, creamy, opulent wine explodes on the palate with layers upon layers of complex ... Learn MoreChateau Suduiraut 2001$349.00 Per itemOut of stock -
After a mild, very dry winter, the growing season got off to a strong start thanks to abnormally high temperatures in spring. In fact, the months of April and May were the warmest in over a century! As a result, ... Learn MoreChateau D'Yquem 'Y' 2013$425.00 Per itemOut of stock -
A wine of profound intensity and full-bodied power, yet stunningly elegant, and never heavy or massive, it builds incrementally on the palate. Dense purple to the rim, it exhibits a precise, nuanced nose of mulberries, black cherries, black currants, graphite, ... Learn MoreChateau Haut-Bailly 2009$850.00 Per itemOut of stock -
The 2016 La Mission Haut Brion is a blend of 57.5% Merlot and 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. "It has a clean and precise, quite understated bouquet with fine mineralité, cold stone aromas infusing the black fruit. This has incredible precision, perhaps even more pixelated ... Learn MoreChateau La Mission Haut-Brion 2016$850.00 Per itemOut of stock -
100 points from Wine Spectator. "This is incredible on the nose, showing coffee cake, blackberry, floral, coffee bean and vanilla bean, with Chinese spices. A very complex, full-bodied red, with seamless, hyperpolished tannins that caress every millimeter of the palate. Lasts ... Learn MoreChateau Haut Brion 2005$2,100.00 Per itemOut of stock -
A monumental wine, this historic La Mission-Haut-Brion was the last vintage made by the descendants of the Woltner family, who had owned this estate for decades prior to selling it to their neighbors, the Dillon family (the American owners of ... Learn MoreChateau La Mission Haut Brion 1982 Double Magnum$26,950.00 Per itemOut of stock
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