![]() ![]() While there might seem to be an alarming disparity between the most sought after wines (were a case might set you back as much as a deposit on a small house) and the millions of gallons of vin de table filling up the European wine lake every year, there is so much great value to be found between the two extremes. ![]() It is the country from where the vast majority of the New World's most popular "international" grapes and stylistic influences originate. Given the diverse geography, with so much of the country providing the climate and soil suitable for viticulture, it is no surprise that its produces such an extensive and varied selection of wines. Cabernet Sauvignon also plays an increasing role in Tuscany, Italy, where it is blended with native varieties such as Sangiovese to produce the Super Tuscans.Ī country viewed by many as the home of fine wine, it is almost unique in terms of how embedded food and wine is in the nations culture. It is grown extensively throughout Southern Australia, with some outstanding examples from the Terra Rossa soil of Coonawarra. Julien, and has achieved equal success in California’s Napa Valley. It is the main constituent of the Bordeaux blend in the revered communes of Pauillac, St. Cabernet Sauvignon’s success is partly due to its ability to adapt to a range of soils and climates. Maturation in small oak barrels can develop a complex range of aromas from cedar wood, cigar box and tobacco to eucalyptus and undergrowth. ![]() Common aromas include blackcurrants, mint, graphite, and forest floor, to name a few. Grown in just about every wine producing region and climate, Cabernet Sauvignon can express a huge range of aromas, from green peppers in cool climates through to dark jammy fruit in hot regions. Producer: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalandeįree Ground Shipping on this item (Free shipping does not apply on mixed items)Ĭabernet Sauvignon is one of the most prominent dark-skinned grape varieties except Merlot in terms of area under vines, but which comprises our largest selection of wines. This is a rich, opulent, stunning Pichon Lalande that is beginning to drink beautifully, yet should continue to improve for at least another 10-15 years and last 30 or more years. The Petit Verdot certainly gives the wine more of a tapenade, floral note, which I think can be interpreted by some as herbal. Dense purple in color, with loads of coffee, mocha, creme de cassis, and chocolate notes, this is a somewhat unusual blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and a whooping 10% Petit Verdot, with a little bit of Cabernet Franc. In short, I find this to be a spectacular Pichon Lalande. I do think there is a hint of bay leaf and a meatiness to it. By the early 1700s, thanks to Nicolas-Alexandre, Marquis de Ségur, Chateau Lafite wines were very popular with those wealthy enough to afford them, first in English Society (where it was a favorite of Prime Minster Robert Walpole) and later in French society.Sitting next to my former colleague, Pierre Antoine Rovani, at one of the tastings, he commented that he didn’t like the striking green note in the aromatics of this wine, which I didn’t detect at all, and a subsequent bottle at another tasting did not reveal it either. Jacques de Ségur planted the vineyard in 1680 although grapes were no doubt grown before that. The Ségur family bought the property in the 1600s. Read part one of the First Growths Series. The manor house was constructed in the 1500s and still standing today. This is an estate run by a lord and others who are effectively sharecroppers. The name Lafite comes from "la hite", a Gascon expression meaning "small hill." Records from the 14th century indicate that it was not a vineyard, but what the French call a seigneurie. The History: Records of this estate stretch as far back as 1234 when Gombaud de Lafite, abbot of the Vertheuil Monastery north of Pauillac, owned the property. ![]() This article will explore the first question in more detail. How did it get this lofty reputation? And, more importantly is, it deserved? The answer to the second question is a definite yes. Its name transcends wine, standing as a symbol of luxury. Of all Bordeaux first growths, perhaps none is as well known, both inside and outside of the wine world, as Chateau Lafite Rothschild. ![]()
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