This column presents all the donations made for the 2018 edition by “chateaux” and domains, everywhere in France and abroad when the selection of the tasting will be done. These wines were served at lunch or offered to the participating teams according to their ranking at the blind tasting test.

Château de Meursault, Beaune Grèves, 1^er cru « les 3 Journaux », 2015

The Château de Meursault is ideally located on the road of Grands Crus, 8 kilometers from Beaune and 40 minutes from Dijon, capital of the Dukes of Burgundy. The Château de Meursault was built in the 11th century and the place began to produce wine in 1666.  The property covers 10 hectares and is the owner of ten different climates. The vineyard stretches along the Côte de Beaune from Aloxe-Corton in the north to Puligny-Montrachet in the south, passing through the famous village of Meursault. Château de Meursault has the double distinction of being a vineyard in Burgundy and carrying the name of the same designation. The bottle of Château de Meursault is produced according to a specific model drawn in the 18th century. Only the wines of Château de Meursault and Château de Marsannay are bottled in this unique model. This terroir takes its name « Les Trois Journaux » from the soil that forms a set made of small limestone and sandy soils.

Grape viariety: 100% Pinot noir

Tasting notes: The nose is aromatic, racy and offers minerality and a fine generosity. Raspberries, red berries and delicate violet hints are associated with a hint of blackberry and subtle aromas of tobacco, cedar, pepper and a touch of sweet spices. The mouth is fruity, mineral, juicy, sweet, gourmet, racy and offers a fine freshness, and also a nice structure, with roundness and power, a nice acid frame, a good precision and a nice grain. The tannins are well led with a good persistence.

Château Ormes de Pez, St-Estephe, 2013

The Château Ormes de Pez is a bourgeois vintage from the Saint-Estèphe vineyard. Located in the hamlet of Pez, the name comes from the old French word meaning “peace”. The castle dates from the 18th century and was restored as well as the winery in the early 1980s.With an area of 35 hectares, the wine offers a complex taste thanks to the soil, with Garonne gravel. Harvesting is manual and sorting is done selectively directly in the vineyard. This beautiful Saint-Estèphe vintage is known for its consistent quality from one vintage to the next, thanks to the expertise of Nicolas Labenne and the Château Lynch-Bages technical team belonging to the same owner, Jean-Michel Cazes. The 35 hectares of vines are composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, with a complement of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, on a predominantly clay-limestone terroir.

Grapes Varieties: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Tasting notes: With a dark red robe, the wines of the Château Ormes de Pez express blackberry, spices and cedar notes. On the palate, the wine is voluminous, fleshy and unctuous. His structure and subtibility are made by the power of the tannins which give a precise and elegant bourgeois vintage.

Chateau Chasse Spleen, Moulis-en-Médoc, 2010

The Vineyard of Chasse Spleen had been created too tardily to be part of the Ranking of 1855 but it was classified Exceptional Grand Cru of the area of Moulis-en-Médoc in 1932. Cultivated in a traditional way, the vines are harvested by hand and the vinification are carried in stainless tanks or cement tanks depending to the batches. The maceration last approximately a month then the wine ageing during 12 to 18 months in barrel which are 40% new each year.

Grapes Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot Wine

Tasting notes: Its dress is of a dark, limpid major red and brilliance. Its nose reveals notes of fresh rose and black pepper. The attack is very frank and clear. Its mouth bulky and tight around a felted and polished tannin  This year is a very beautiful balance between the beautiful crunching fruit and the timbered side marked still a little. Its final is long around the topic of black cherry.

Domaine Pierre et Bertrand Couly, Chinon, « La Haute Olive » 2016

Pierre and Bertrand Couly work around 20 hectares in the Chinon appellation. They are from a long line of wine producers going back to the 15th century on the maternal side of Bertrand’s family (Farou). Pierre and Bertrand Couly have chosen to turn towards a sustainable viticulture. They have received the label HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) for their cultivation choices by allowing the preservation of biodiversity. Pierre and Bertrand Couly aim to present to you the variations of the terroirs of the appellation throughout the different vintages that they produce each year. La Haute-Olive is the name of the plant of vines. It shows how the terroir is important for Bertrand Couly, the winemaker. He thinks than a wine is made in the vineyard and we put the finishing touch to the wine.

Grape Variety: 100% cabernet Franc

Winemaking: The vineyard is located on a hillside facing south, which give a full maturity. It’s an exceptional terroir of pure degraded limestone soil almost chalk. The soil is shallow and the roots are directly in the rock.  Vinification in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats, there is no ageing in cask to preserve the expression of the terroir. Natural yeast are used and there is no add of tannin, yeast or bacteria.

Tasting note: Superb and complex bouquet combining original floral notes (peony, violet) with fruity aromas (black fruit). Elegant and silky tannins. Serve with any grilled or roasted meat (beef and veal).

Domaine pierre et Bertrand Couly, Chinon, « les blancs closeaux », 2017

Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc

Winemaking: The vineyard is located on a perfect association between Clay and limestone, which gives a mineral dimension to the wine. . Hand harvested at full ripeness. Pneunatic pressing. Vinification with agitation on the lees (bâtonnage) in thermo-regulated stainless steel vat. There is no ageing in cask to preserve the expression of the terroir. Natural yeast are used and there is no add of tannin, yeast or bacteria.

Tasting notes: The Chinon white wine reveals the delicate aromas of chenin blanc preserving freshness. Aromas of white flower, acacia flowers with notes of honey. This wine will reveal its minerality over time.  This dry white wine will match with both river or sea fish and will surprise you with asparagus or regional goat cheese.

Bouvet Ladubay, Saumur-Champigny, « Rubis »

At the age of 23, Etienne Bouvet bought 8 kilometers of underground galleries in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent with his wife Celestine Ladubay. They used the galleries as cellars to create a winery named Bouvet Ladubay, after their names. In 1932, the winery was purchased by Justin-Marcel Monmousseau. His son, Jean Monmousseau, succeeded him in 1946. After the Second World War, Justin-Marcel not only restored the stability of the House, but also built the export business and its high-quality image. It is in the 1950s, just after the Centenary of the House, that the exceptional Bouvet Ladubay wines’ notoriety was restored. In 1972, Patrice Monmousseau, the grandson of Justin-Marcel, succeeded his father, Jean.In order to open up new horizons for the House, Patrice Monmousseau reached an agreement with Claude Taittinger for the purchase of the Bouvet Ladubay by the Taittinger Group. With the complete confidence of Claude Taittinger, Patrice Monmousseau kept total control of the direction of the House which allowed the winery to preserve its family spirit.

Grape variety: Grape 100% cabernet Franc .

Tasting notes: Bright and shimmering cherry red colour. Peony pink froth. Delightful aromas of ripe red berry fruits. The fine tannins are well balanced by a refreshing sparkle and the Demi-Sec dosage.

Chateau Canadel, Bandol, Rosé 2016

The vines grow on Limestone and clay soils. Vineyard cultivated in terraces  on the steep slopes of a natural cirque, facing south. 2016 started with a relatively mild winter. The first leaves appeared very early, but Spring was particularly cool which slowed-down the vines growth. The flowering happened in great conditions with a good grape output. As the drought continues we decided to remove some grapes of the over-charged vines in order to save a high qualitative potential. Summer was dry and windy, got hotter and hotter, which accelerated the grapes maturity. The happened started really early, from the 25th of August to the 14th of September. Despite the water scarcity, the vines resisted, drawing in the deeper clayey soils, while regulating their vegetative growth. The grapes that were harvested are small, perfectly sane and concentrated, with a good acidity.

Grape variety: 50% Mourvèdre, 40% Cinsault, 10% Grenache

Tasting notes: The Wine is bright pink in color, with orange hues. It has delicate aromas of vine peach, clementine and tropical fruits with an ample and elegant mouthfeel ,revealing peach and spicy aromas, with a slight salty hint. The aftertaste is lingering and intense, both fresh and voluptuous at the same time.