­ the best customer care in the business Here at FINE, we believe that not only do our customers appreciate the best service in the field, but that they also need to be looked after in a very personal way. So, instead of selling only magazine subscriptions, we want to offer you more. A lot more. To be caring and supportive in all matters concerning top wines: that is our promise to you. When you become a FINE client by choosing a service package most suited to your needs from the subscription list, we will make sure that your knowledge and know-how in fine wines will quickly increase. You will stay ahead of the pack in terms of fine wines and be well informed as to how the best wines fare on the market and in the glass, as well as where to get them and how to tell fakes from the real ones. FINE WINE SUBSCRIPTION FINE WINE Subscriptions FINE CHAMPAGNE SUBSCRIPTION This package includes everything you will ever want to know about champagne and the effervescent lifestyle that surrounds it. It keeps you abreast of the world of champagne with the world's only champagne magazine, current newsletters, books and other services that are included in the package. When you want to gain access to the world of top wines and be among the first to learn about wine happenings, the most recent tasting experiences and vintage analyses, but you don't collect or invest heavily in wines, this is made just for you. This package reveals the fascinating stories behind the world's finest wines and makes sure that you stay up to date regarding top wines through the leading FINE Wine Magazine, newsletters, books and other services that are included in the package. For more information click here For more information click here FINE RARE SUBSCRIPTION If you are wine enthusiast, FINE RARE includes everything you need and more. We will make sure that you will be the first to hear about what happens in the world of fine wines, as well as telling you every week which wines are at their best right now and how their prices are developing. In addition, we will also warn you about the fakes on the market. The package consists of the leading magazines concerning fine wine: FINE the Wine Magazine and FINE Champagne Magazine, all our wine guides, The 1000 Finest Wines Ever Made book ­ which is considered to be the Michelin Guide of the wine world ­ and a unique array of other services. FINEst SUBSCRIPTION We have designed this package for wine collectors, investors and professionals. It offers the most current knowledge of the world's best wines, their drinkability today, price developments and the handling of the wines ­ all on a daily basis. The package includes everything you can imagine, including the world's only Wine Investing Magazine, FINE Champagne and Wine Magazines, books and guides, a professional tasting tool and community, the world's only FINE Wine Auction Index, and invitations to events around the world. This is a package that only the world's leading FINE Wine Media can offer you. We will ensure that you stay immersed in everything related to the top wines of the world on every single day of the week. For more information click here For more information click here T H E WO R L D 'S L E A D I N G F I N E W I N E M AG A Z I N E S n o. 1 2 3 0 L BORD CIA E E ISSUE · S UX P A T WINED E AU X SE MAD VER E L BORD DE CIA EC BOR THE s1elected SU X IS E · SP P AU 00 BE S THE WINE MAGAZINE Château Lafite 1953, Cheval Blanc 1947, Pétrus 1961, Haut-Brion 1945, Latour 1961, Mouton-Rothschild 1945, Lafleur 1947, d`Yquem 1811

F I N E W I N E M A G A Z I N E C O N T E N T PAGE 48 CHÂTEAU D'YQUEM 1811-2001 PAGE 82 CHÂTEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL 1929-1953 PAGE 62 CHÂTEAU SUDUIRAUT 1921-1928 PAGE 100 CHÂTEAU LAFITE 1864-1982 PAGE 68 CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC 1921-1990 PAGE 128 CHÂTEAU MARGAUX 1900-1996 2 FINE

F I N E W I N E M A G A Z I N E C O N T E N T PAGE 148 CHÂTEAU MOUTON-ROTHSCHILD 19451982 PAGE 138 CHÂTEAU LA MISSION HAUT-BRION 13 16 40 FINEEDITORIAL Potential in Bordeaux FINEREGION Bordeaux -- The 100 Best Wines Ever FINE100 The Gold List -- The 100 Best Bordeaux wines ever made to drink today FINETASTING Fine Tasting Notes FINEESTATE Château d'Yquem -- The Midas Touch of the Lur-Saluces Family FINEESTATE Château Suduiraut -- Sauternes elegance FINEESTATE Château Cheval Blanc -- A Thoroughbred of The Wine World FINEESTATE Château Cos d'Estournel -- Exoticism in Bordeaux FINEESTATE Château Haut-Brion -- The Wine Connoisseur's Premier Cru FINEESTATE Château Lafite -- The Secret of Eternal Youth FINEESTATE Château Lafleur-- A Bordeaux Wine in The Burgundy Style FINEESTATE Château Latour -- Desert Island Wine FINEESTATE Château Léoville-Las-Cases -- The Hottest Wiine in Bordeaux FINEESTATE Château Margaux -- A Journey Of Centuries FINEESTATE Château La Mission Haut-Brion -- A Forgotten First Growth FINEESTATE Château Mouton-Rothschild -- Art And Wine FINEESTATE Château Pétrus -- The Most Exclusive Wine in Bordeaux FINEESTATE Château Le Pin -- Success on The Smallest Scale FINENUIKKI Birth of The Kingdom of Bordeaux 46 48 62 68 82 PAGE 40 FINE 100 LIST 88 100 106 114 124 128 138 148 160 PAGE 160 CHÂTEAU PÉTRUS 1921-1998 168 176 C O N T E N T 3 FINE Content

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F I N E ­ T H E W I N E M A G A Z I N E FINEMAGAZINES 100 Pall Mall St James, London SW1Y 5HP United Kingdom WWW.FINE-MAGAZINES.COM Tel: +44 (0) 20 76648800 fax: +44 (0) 20 73213738 W r i t e r s Pekka Nuikki Editor-in-Chief Pekka Nuikki, founder and editor-in-chief of FINE Magazines, is an author and one of the leading experts on fine wines in Europe. He has published over twenty international wine and art books, among them In Vino Veritas, a book on investing in wines, Drinking History on fine wines and their vintages between 1870­1970, a book about the Château Mouton-Rothschild ­ Wine and Art 1924/1945­2003 and most recently a book about the best German white wines. Mr Nuikki is also an award-winning photographer, who has exhibited his artwork all over the world and he has worked as creative director of advertising agency group. He is also the luckiest man in the world, having hit seven hole-in-ones. Juha Lihtonen Managing Editor Juha Lihtonen is the editor of FINE ­ e Wine Magazine and its American & Scandinavian editions and manyfold Finnish sommelier champion. He was selected as the best sommelier in the Nordic countries in 2003. Mr Lihtonen has worked as a wine educator, a wine host on a radio programme, as well as the wine buyer of a major cruise line. He has written books on combining wine and food. Essi Avellan MW Contributor Essi Avellan is the editor of FINE Champagne magazine and first Master of Wine from Finland second ever from the Nordic countries. She was awarded the Lily Bollinger Medal as the best taster and the Tim Derouet Memorial Award as the best overall student in the Master of Wine examination. Ms Avellan contributes to several newspapers and wine magazines internationally. She judges at several wine competitions, such as the Decanter World Wine Awards and the Wines of Argentina Awards. Ms Avellan has been awarded the title of Dame Chevalier of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Publishing Editor Deputy Editor Copy Editor Creative Director Art Director Graphic Designer Event Manager Senior Editors Photographer Contributors Pekka Nuikki pekka.nuikki@fine-magazines.com Juha Lihtonen juha.lihtonen@fine-magazines.com Meri Kukkavaara meri@fine-magazines.com Anne Lepola anne.lepola@fine-magazines.com Craig Houston craig.houston@fine-magazines.com Teemu Timperi Jouna Stern teemu.timperi@fine-magazines.com jouna.stern@fine-magazines.com aija.sutinen@fine-magazines.com Rene Dehn rene.dehn@fine-magazines.com Charles A. Banks, Rajiv Singhal, Ralf Frentzel Pekka Nuikki Aija Sutinen Communications Director Sales Director Media Account Manager Translator Marketing Assistant Financial Manager Price Marie Ahm, Essi Avellan MW, Stuart George, Andreas Larsson, Jan-Erik Jan-Erik Paulson Paulson, Mario Sculatti, Susane Reininger, Contributor Jan-Erik Paulson is one of Europe's leading authorities on mature wines, specialising in Bordeaux and John Kapon Austria. Mr Paulson has been internationally renowned for his top tastings for over thirty years and Markku Vartiainen markku.vartiainen@fine-magazines.com for his Rare-Wine.com online shop. He is a passionate golfer and lives in Germany with his family. Paulina Hoffman paulina.hoffman@fine-magazines.com Martine Mäkijärvi martine.makijarvi@fine-magazines.com Eva Malkki Sanna Vihervaara sanna.vihervaara@fine-magazines.com Noora Mähönen noora.mahonen@fine-magazines.com Single Issue 30 including delivery Single PPDM, Password Protected Digital Magazine, 15 Edita Prima www.fine-magazines.com subs@fine-magazines.com Tel. 010 289 1000 +358-10 289 1000 Cover photograph: Pekka Nuikki ­ Château Latour, Bordeaux Andreas Larsson Contributor Andreas Larsson is the editor of FINE Exclusive and a regular FINE columnist. e 2007 Best Sommelier of the World, the best sommelier in Europe in 2004 and the best sommelier in the Nordic countries in 2002, Mr Larsson has worked as a sommelier in the best restaurants in Stockholm and won the Wine International Sommelier Challenge in 2005. He is a member of the Grand Jury Européen and has occupied many wine juror positions around the world. Mr Larsson is also a wine writer and educator. Stuart George Contributor Stuart George is an awarded English freelance wine writer, who is known for his writing for e World of Fine Wine. Mr George studied English and European Literature at e University of Warwick. He has worked as a wine merchant, travelling widely in different wine regions, before turning to wine writing. In his free time Mr George listens to music, plays guitar and follows cricket. Meri Kukkavaara Publishing Editor Meri Kukkavaara is the publisher of FINE Champagne Magazine. She is interior designer by trade, who has a wide range of interests in the field of art, as well as education. Since completing her art studies in Florence, Italy she has worked extensively with art exhibitions and antiques, while occasionally contributing to art exhibitions as a free artist. She is also an art therapist, with more than ten years experience. Ms Kukkavaara is a keen student of life and in her free time enjoys taking up courses such as drumming, Indian cooking and tango. Printing House Orders & Queries Publisher Fine Publishing Helsinki Ltd Vattuniemenkuja 4 E 00210 Helsinki, Finland www.fine-magazines.com Printed in Finland by Edita Prima FINE Magazines does not keep nor return illustrations or other materials that have been sent to us without request. The opinions of contributors or interviewees presented in this magazine do not necessarily correspond to the opinions of the publisher or editorial staff. We withhold the right to make any modifications in texts and pictures published in FINE Magazines. We reserve the right to refuse or suspend advertisements. Paper: UPM Novatech Satin © Copyright: European Fine Wine Magazine Ltd FINE ­ The American Wine Magazine ISSN 1799-2222 12 FINE

F I N E ­ T H E W I N E M A G A Z I N E 28 September 2011 YOU HAVE in your hands the first-ever special themed issue of FINE. It is dedicated to the world's most renowned wine district, Bordeaux, and to its best wines, because we love them! Having enjoyed supreme appreciation from oenophiles over several centuries, Bordeaux has produced more fine wines than any other wine region in the world. Its numerous vineyards have become legendary and gilded by history among wine lovers. This is particularly evident in the new Asian market, where wealthy wine collectors are prepared to pay astronomical prices for Bordeaux wines. In pursuit of higher profits, Bordeaux traders naturally sell most of their wines to the hot Asian market and, especially, its fastest-growing area: China. In a market that is so undeveloped in terms of its wine consumption habits, fine wines often end up being enjoyed much too young, at a time when they do not offer the best value for the prices that are paid for them ­ although this, of course, also happens in more traditional wine-drinking countries. have reached full maturity, especially as it is well-known that buyers will pay much more for bottles aged in the producers' own cellars than for ones that have been around the secondary market. This would allow estates to price their wines more profitably, even taking into account storage costs, while consumers would be spared the disappointment of opening wines that are immature or have been poorly stored. Releasing wines after maturing is not a novel idea; longer ageing on the estate has been done in Spain for over a century. A perfect example of this is Vega Sicilia, which has matured some of its wines for up to 20 years before their market release. This is also a common practice in Champagne, France, where the best producers only launch their finest champagnes after a couple of decades of cellar ageing. In general, when comparing Bordeaux wines that have reached full maturity to wines from other regions, it is difficult to find any that truly match them ­ especially their ability to retain their best qualities for decades. Knowing this, one wonders why the top Bordeaux estates did not decide to wait until maturity to release their wines decades ago. One might imagine that production quantities of several hundred thousand bottles would allow producers to launch their wines in suitably sized batches once they mature. This is, in fact, already done in Bordeaux by Château d'Yquem. In the last decade, several Bordeaux estates have invested millions into their vineyards and production facilities. Although the estates have probably not made arrangements to store their wines for longer periods in the future, their efforts in relation to production and quality mean that wines are now made with better equipment and techniques than ever before. Consumers benefit from the fact that the wines are more balanced and enjoyable at younger ages than in the past, meaning that they reach their optimal maturity within one or two decades, rather than several decades. A negative aspect of these new vintages is their price, which is often higher at market release than that of mature vintages that are already being sold. In this special issue of FINE, we help you find the one hundred best Bordeaux wines ever made that serve best today. The market is rife with bottles of diverse conditions and with assorted histories, as well as a growing number of counterfeits, but we have only included in our list wines of whose origin and condition we are 100 per cent certain. This has been a particularly enlightening and agreeable experience for us. In order to ensure our certainty, we have tasted the 100 wines on the list an average of 18 times. Therefore, we can confidently declare that the wines in our top 100 ranking truly deserve their place, thanks to their quality and ability to delight drinkers today. We wish you many delicious and enlightening moments among the top mature wines from Bordeaux! Potential in Bordeaux Our main mission here at FINE is to help consumers enjoy wines at the time when they offer the greatest enjoyment and value for money. We want to encourage our readers to open and experience the wines that are at their best today. That is why the main emphasis in our scores is given to the wines' current enjoyability, which we feel should be the factor that most determines consumers' buying habits. Our novel scoring system, which serves the consumer rather than the wine producer, has naturally attracted some criticism from producers. For example, the manager of a top estate in Bordeaux recently criticised the points we awarded to his latest top vintages. He believes that our low scores confuse consumers because they differ radically from the higher scores awarded by other critics and wine media. He was particularly concerned about our focus on awarding scores according to the wines' current enjoyability. In his view, it is the particular task of professional wine critics to determine the potential latent in new vintages, and take that into account in their scores. Naturally this is important for producers in order to sell their new vintages, but for consumers who want to enjoy wines today, potential is of secondary importance. One ought to also remember that determining potential is always a question of human prediction, however experienced the critic may be. Even the most well-respected critics often revise the scores they gave to wines when they were first launched, having tasted them again years later, after they have matured. Furthermore, how does the consumer who once paid good money for a 100-point wine that is now "only" worth 97 points from the same critic feel? They feel it in their wallet, at least. Therefore, consumers must decide whether they want to invest in wines that are not ready for enjoyment yet and whose scores are based on experts' forecasts, or in wines that can be enjoyed today at the full value of their scores. Of course, producers could work to solve this dilemma, too. They would be quite justified in waiting to launch their wines until they Juha Lihtonen Editor E D I T O R I A L 13 FINE Editorial

© C o py r i g h t C l i ve C h r i s t i a n P L C , A l l r i g h t s re s e r ve d .

F U R N I T U R E F O R L U X U R Y H O M E S O F T H E W O R L D · W W W. C L I V E . C O M

RDEAUX BO The 100 Best Wines Ever T op wines from the Bordeaux region all have one thing in common ­ their unique character is revealed only through the passage of time, after a long period of maturation in the bottle. Unfortunately, Bordeauxs are seldom served at the peak of their maturity. An overwhelming majority of Bordeaux's finest vintages are opened far too early. It's heart-breaking to see a sommelier in a restaurant opening a 2005 Château Latour. Where the slow-maturing Latour is concerned, even the legendary 1961 demands hours of decanting to be enjoyed at its prime today. When discussing the finest vintages and wines which are at their optimal drinkability right now, the focus should be on Bordeauxs with decades-old vintages. Gate to Latour 16 FINE

BORDEAUX 17 FINE Region

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever The greatness of Bordeaux wines cannot be truly appreciated until you taste a mature one. When we say mature, we mean red wines approximately 20­60 years old. Some require even longer maturation, such as the Cheval Blanc 1921 ­ or the Château Lafite 1870, which turned out to be one of the most energising wine experiences we have been fortunate enough to enjoy. In a class of their own are the Sauternes, whose wines from the first half of the nineteenth century gave us the most pleasure. Even Bordeaux's dry whites mature beautifully. One of our best tastings of a dry white wine was the 66-year-old Château Haut-Brion Blanc from 1945. However, in most cases the finest dry whites will ideally have a maturity of 5­25 years. The world of mature wines is captivating. The nuance and complex, integrated flavour achieved through a long maturation produce a harmonious taste sensation that is rarely found in juvenile wines. When drinking wines that are decades old, the sensory experience is further enhanced by the numerous historical events that the bottles have gone through and which seem to be expressed in the wine ­ or at least in your imagination. The wine world is huge. There are nearly two hundred thousand vineyards globally, with many times that number of wine brands and dozens of wineproducing countries. Even in Bordeaux there are nearly twenty thousand vineyards. For the consumer, this has a dual effect: on the one hand the endless selection and wide price range mean that there is something for everyone, but on the other, how is one to pick out from the packed shelves of the wine merchant a bottle that is truly high in quality and worth its price? In France the problem has been solved through classification. The first to classify its wines was the most famous region, Bordeaux. In 1855, Paris hosted the World Exposition, and Napoleon III, Emperor of France, wanted to show off the best of the country's wines there. The choice of wines for the exhibition and the creation of a clear and functional classification system were given over to a syndicate formed of wine merchants and agents. After lengthy discussion and many disputes, they decided to use as the main criterion for the classification the price that had been paid for the wines on the market. The figures and documents used in the process dated from as far back as one hundred years, so the more expensive a wine had historically been, the higher its classification would be. The final list consisted of five quality levels or growth classes, which encompassed a total of 61 wineries. The wines within each class were seen as equivalent to each other in quality. The 1855 classification did not directly apply to the calibre of the wine or the soil itself, but was granted to the name of the estate. This means that when, for example, a Second Growth estate buys land from an unclassified estate, these unclassified vineyards automatically rise to the status of Second Growth without any change to their actual quality. Many have considered this to be the greatest shortcoming of the classification system. Although the 1855 quality classification was not intended to be permanent, it is still going strong. Many of the estates are still in the correct class according to today's criteria, but many should change upwards or downwards ­ unsurprisingly, given the last classification was done over 150 years ago. Today's consumers find the boundaries blurred between many of the growth 18 FINE

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classes. This is mainly due to pricing, which is no longer done according to the classification. Naturally it is best for consumers if wines are priced according to their current quality rather than their historic reputation. The Bordeaux classification was the model for similar ventures in Sauternes (1855), Graves (1959) and Saint-Émilion (1955). The latter one stands apart, however, because it is mainly based on the quality of the wines, and evaluated by a committee appointed to the task at a single tasting every ten years. The quality of wine depends on many factors and events. We believe the main quality factor to be the terroir. The birth of a good wine ­ especially a good vintage wine ­ relies heavily on the vineyard's geographical location and the local weather conditions that year ­ which may vary even from one plot to the next. Even the best winemaker cannot create a brilliant vintage without favourable weather conditions for the vines and grapes. Also, as in all things, knowledge of the past is essential in order to plan a better future; often, long-term success is based on knowing and understanding history and drawing the right conclusions from it. In Bordeaux, many top wine producers have spent centuries fine-tuning and refining their wines and winemaking methods to their peaks, which has unquestionably resulted in excellent wines known to all consumers. The system by which a new generation proudly applies the skills obtained from its predecessors and then passes them on to the next, is classic and admirable. The 100 best Bordeaux wines ever made In choosing the all-time top wines from Bordeaux, the most important criterion by far for us was the quality of the wine. We believe it is also the only one that really matters to the ordinary consumer. Even the best marketing campaign or award-winning history cannot turn a bad wine into a good one. Unlike many other rankings, we did not want to base our list of the 100 best Bordeaux wines on a single tasting. Instead, we took into account all our tastings of Bordeauxs since the beginning of the millennium. At best, the selected wines have been tasted more than one hundred times; even at worst, at least three. This has given us a comprehensive view of the development and constancy of the wines, and removed errors caused by poorly stored or counterfeit bottles. Although we have mostly tasted wines from the twentieth century, we have also opened hundreds of bottles from the nineteenth. Most of the vintages from the twenty-first century were tasted in the last two years, usually at the source (i.e. on the producer's premises). No other wine medium has tasted mature Bordeaux wines as comprehensively in this century. Pétrus, there is only one alternative: estate-made and estate-bottled Pétrus. If you want to purchase a Château Pétrus that is beginning to mature enough to drink, say a 1959 vintage, the situation gets more complicated. There are Pétrus wines on the market that do not carry the familiar and reliable label, and whose contents were not blended, let alone bottled, at the Pétrus estate. The labels of these strange-looking Pétruses carry names such as Van der Meulen, Lafitte or Hannappier in large lettering. The same labels also show that the wine has been blended and bottled in places like Belgium, the Netherlands or Sweden. The prices of these wines vary widely. This strange phenomenon is typical not only of Pétrus, because there are also British Lafites, Dutch Cheval Blancs, German Moutons and Belgian Latours. Should you then dare to buy a Belgian Pétrus? Yes, because it may be even better and less expensive than the original French one! Bolshevist activity Up until the late 1960s, many Grand Cru estates used to sell all or part of their harvest in barrels to wholesale wine merchants, who then bottled the wines. They also stuck labels on the bottles carrying their own information. This practice dates back to the eighteenth century, and as late as the nineteenth century, estate bottling was such a rare occurrence that the merchant's name was often mentioned first on the labels of even the bestknown estates, and the estate name in small letters afterwards. It was not until the early twentieth century that the largest and most prestigious estates started to bottle Château or négociantlabelled In the last decade or so, we have tasted thousands of mature Bordeaux vintages. Most of them were not bottled at the vineyard or equipped with official labels. When a wine investor or collector wants to complement his or her cellar with a bottle of the most recent vintage of Château 20 FINE

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever their wines on-site. After the First World War, wine production was still a very unscientific activity; the wine trade was dominated by large wholesalers instead of the estates, which made the ownership of a top-class estate in Bordeaux rather unprofitable. The most noted promoter of estate bottling was Baron Philippe de Rothschild. When he boldly bottled his entire 1924 vintage of Mouton-Rothschild himself, it was an unprecedented act. To underscore his position, the baron used works of the Cubist poster artist Carlu on his labels, which was called "Bolshevist activity" by Maurice Healy. Encouraged by Rothschild's example, Latour, Lafite, Haut-Brion and d'Yquem started to bottle their own wines. Many top estates such as Château Pétrus and Château Margaux, however, let the wholesalers bottle their wines until the late 60s. Rich merchants, poor estates The quality of wholesaler-bottled wine might vary a lot in comparison with estate-bottled wines, depending on who actually bottled it. The truth is that this system allowed unscrupulous merchants to increase their profits through blending unauthentic, cheaper wine into the bottles. On the other hand, several estates are guilty of this as well. Fortunately, you very rarely encounter such bottles on the wine market. The flipside of the coin is that there was a large group of wine merchants whose bottles were not only as good as estate bottlings, but often even better. There are understandable reasons for this. The largest wholesalers with the best reputation tasted the wines barrel by barrel at the estate and then bought the best barrels. If necessary, they also blended the contents to guarantee even quality. Wholesale merchants had always made more money from the wines than the growers, which allowed them to invest more in first-class cellars. As significant operators in the market, the wholesalers also had excellent contacts with bottle and cork manufacturers, who offered them their best products to guarantee the quality and preservation of the wines. The wholesalers also bottled the wines at the optimal moment, whereas estates often bottled when their other work at the estate allowed it. For example, the Château Latour 1961 bottling took a whole year at the estate. The new roles When estate bottling was made legally mandatory for Grand Cru Classé wines in 1969, two centuries of wholesaler domination seemed to have come to an end. The first half of the 1970s was a nightmare for wine wholesalers. They had made unsuccessful purchases and overloaded their warehouses with poor-quality 1972 and 1973 wines for which they could not find buyers. At the same time, the credibility of the merchants suffered because of a great wine scandal. Cruse, one of the largest and most reputed wholesalers, had bottled and marketed large quantities of AC Bordeaux classified red wine with the Cruse label. It proved to be quite ordinary unclassified table wine. When Cruse's forgery was revealed, the BORDEAUX 21 FINE Estate

scandal erupted and the credibility of wholesalers was destroyed. The wholesalers also quickly lost their grip over the Bordeaux estates. Pricing, as well as bottling, shifted into the hands of the estates. Not even the good-quality year of 1975 changed the situation, because it was commercially poor and the wholesalers were very cautious with their purchases. Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Lafite made a bold decision and bypassed the wholesalers altogether. They sold a part of their wines in batches directly to collectors and investors through Christie's auction house in London. This was considered a daring move and the final blow to wholesalers. There was no return to the previous situation, even if the wholesalers still sell three-quarters of Bordeaux wines. Many wholesalers or négociants folded because of financial difficulties in 1974 and 1975. The best and the most reliable The largest and most traditional wholesalers were naturally the most reliable, as a good reputation was a matter of honour and the cornerstone of a successful business. The bestknown are A&R Barrière, Van der Meulen (VDM), Barton & Guestier, De Luze & Fils, Sichel, Berry Brothers, Avery's, Cuvelier & Fils, Hannappier, Calvet, Lafitte, Grafe-Lecocq, Charles Bardin and Sander's, to name just a few. Because wholesaler bottlings are often up to 20­40% cheaper than estate bottlings in the secondary market, they are good value for money. It is worth remembering, however, to make sure that all the external factors that affect the quality of the wine are in order. The price should also be in the correct proportion to estate-bottled wines. One should always pay attention to the origin of the wine, because there are Woods of Margaux 22 FINE

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Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever lots of counterfeits. Only a few wholesalers used corks and capsules with vintage and estate information, in addition to their own data. That is why so-called easy counterfeits, bottles with changed labels, are being offered. 1928 and 1961, and Margaux 1900 bottles. We do not recommend wholesalerbottled wines as investments except in special cases, because one can never be quite sure about their origin or authenticity. Uncertainty usually elicits healthy mistrust in wine investors as realising these wines may take a long time. On the other hand, the best wines from the best wholesalers can easily be recommended for enjoyment, because nine out of ten will reward the buyer, and not only through price. As a rule, excellent wines We have bought hundreds of wholesaler-bottled wines over the years, mostly to be enjoyed at dinners and tastings. Fortunately enough, we have not encountered major disappointments or many forgeries. Our best memories are from Van der Meulen Château d'Yquem 1921 (100p), De Luze & Fils Château Lafite 1811 (97p) and 1900 (95p), Sichel & Fils Château CalonSégur 1928 (96p), Van Der Meulen Château Pétrus 1947 (98p), Berry Brothers, Château Palmer 1961 (97p), Sichel & Co. Château Cheval Blanc 1953 (93p), Barton & Guestier Château Margaux 1959 (95p), Lafitte & Co. Château Pétrus 1959 (98p) and Van der Meulen Romanée-Conti 1923 (98p). vintage has been one of the biggest price climbers on the market in recent years, while there were already irregularities in the quality of Lafite before 1962. At that time, Lafite used to bottle its vintages itself, barrel by barrel, whenever there was time away from the other tasks on the estate. This stretched out the bottling over one whole year, which caused huge differences between the different bottles' qualities and structures. The best Lafite vintages prior to the 1960s are 1953 and 1959. The top vintage of 1945 is qualitatively very varied for Black holes in the Bordeaux sky Although the classified estates in Bordeaux are generally considered to be highly uniform producers and sure buys from one year to the next, many of them ­ even the best ones ­ have had several substandard phases lasting years and, in some cases, decades. Fake bottles We have come across more than one hundred counterfeit Bordeaux bottles. One has to be particularly careful with Lafleur 1947 and Cheval 1947 wines bottled by Van der Meulen. We believe that only one in four of the Lafleur 1947s we have tasted, regardless of who it was bottled by, have been genuine. The same applies to Van der Meulen Château d'Yquem 1921. We also believe that half of the Pétrus 1921, 1947 and 1961 bottles we have tasted have been fake. In addition to these, we have come across counterfeits among Haut-Brion 1945, Mouton 1945, Lafite 1953 and 1982, La Mission 1955, Latour The higher you climb, the harder you fall Château Lafite is perhaps the bestknown Bordeaux estate, at least in China. Unfortunately it is also known for a highly varied success rate in producing wines that match its reputation. The estate experienced a notable downswing in quality especially between 1963 and 1982. Even in good harvest years such as 1964, 1966, 1970 and 1975, it produced wines that were not even close to the level expected of a first growth. This is reflected in the low auction prices for those wines. Quality began to improve again from 1976, with the 1976 Lafite considered one of the best of the year. The 1982 24 FINE

Lafite and will often cause disappointment, as will the 1961 vintage. 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009. Dry spell at Margaux As Lafite, Château Margaux experienced a major dip in its quality between 1962 and 1979. The owners at the time, the Ginestet family, underwent many internal conflicts that ate up much of the family's wealth, so it was impossible for them to make proper investments in the estate. The long downturn was not reversed until the Mentzelopoulos family acquired the estate in the late 1970s. This led to a series of top vintages: 1982, 1983, Small headaches at Latour and Pétrus Many other big names also suffered temporary downswings during the last century. Château Latour experienced theirs in 1976­1985, with the exception, of course, of the monumental 1982. Château Lynch-Bages's downturn occurred between 1971 and 1981, although they too had an exception: the fine 1975. Château Figeac produced excellent wines between 1940 and 1960 ­ such as the brilliant 1945, 1950, 1955 and 1959 ­ but experienced a brief decline in 1976­1981. Château Montrose, known for its good performance even through bad years, had a temporary glitch in 1978­1985. Even Château Pétrus, which is known as an unparalleled producer, has had problematic periods, although they have been brief. The house's wines from 1972­1981 are lighter and feebler than usual, with the exception, naturally, of the powerful and masculine 1975. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou has remained fairly constant from one decade to the next, with the only temporary dip taking place from 1984 to 1989. ­ Raoul Blondin ­ staying the same between 1940 and 1990. In spite of this, the quality of the house's wines has fluctuated widely over the years. Even though the estate has produced some truly legendary wines, such as the 1945, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1986 and 2000, in between these its quality has swung back and forth much too much for many experts. Michel Bettane says Mouton has "weakened like Samson under Delilah", and that it only manages to produce one excellent wine per decade, otherwise it merely causes great disappointment and frustration. Especially in 1963­1981, the quality of Mouton's wines was far removed from its best days and nowhere near the first growth level classification the estate achieved in 1973. Ausone's saviour Saint-Émilion's historically bestknown estate, Château Ausone, which made highly intelligent, regal wines, experienced a sharp downswing in the 1900s. Although the house had made long-lasting, full-bodied wines throughout the nineteenth century, and even at the start of the twentieth, it suddenly entered a "black period" in the 1920s, which would last until 1975. In 1976, the young, ambitious and gifted winemaker Pascal Delbeck took over responsibility for the estate's wines and managed to bring about a dramatic shift in quality. The alteration was such that Robert Parker himself changed his opinion of Ausone wines and has praised them generously in recent times, awarding them several 100-point scores. When we last visited Ausone, the estate looked as if it had been hit by an earthquake: the main Undeserved rise through the ranks? One estate that has caused us concern, even grey hairs, in tastings is Château Mouton-Rothschild. This is particularly strange considering the estate has been run by the same owners for the last 59 years, with even the winemaker BORDEAUX 25 FINE Estate

A view over Margaux building was being completely overhauled and the new underground wine cellars (known as the most modern cellars in Saint-Émilion) were still being completed. Now that the ownership of Ausone has changed, Pascal has focused on its neighbour, Belair, whose quality he wants to bring back to what it once was. Belair is now one of the most promising producers in Saint-Émilion. Château Calon-Ségur is an estate that produced some truly brilliant wines in the first half of the last century. The château's top vintages ­ 1924 and 1928 (considered by many experts to be the top wines of these vintages), 1934, 1945, the superb 1947, and 1955 ­ are often valued even higher than many first growths from the same years. The estate's terroir is considered to be one of the most promising in Bordeaux, so it is a shame that between 1963 and 1995 it produced passable wines only in 1970, 1975 and 1982. Calon-Ségur's older vintages have long been among our favourites, and it has been particularly nice to observe the sharp improvement in the estate's quality since 1995. Château Léoville-Barton was for a long time like a slumbering Sleeping Beauty. Led by the late Ronald Barton, the estate kept producing bland and light wines from one decade to the next: only the 1945, 1948 and 1959 vintages were exceptional. Instead of quality, the house focused on volume up until the mid-1980s. Then, as if sent by heaven, Ronald's nephew Anthony Barton took an interest in the estate and overtook responsibility for winemaking. He questioned everything that had been done until then, and proceeded to renew and modernise the entire winemaking process. Truly great wines began to appear from 1990 onwards, and in the twenty-first century Léoville-Barton's vintages have been preferred by some to their famous neighbour, the leading second growth estate Léoville-Las-Cases. Château Léoville-Poyferré is perhaps the Bordeaux estate to have suffered from the longest dry spell. With the exception of the brilliant 1929 vintage, the house failed to produce anything but forgettable wines, even in top years. The 80-year "curse" was only lifted in 1982 and 1983, and now the château's wines are at the standard that is expected of its terroir. Château Rauzan-Ségla made many unforgettable wines at the beginning of the last century, especially in 1918, 1924 26 FINE

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever A glance of Bordeaux decades ­ 1940s to 2000s The 1940s ­ From tribulation to triumph Seen from the perspective of Bordeaux winemakers, the 1940s can be considered a bittersweet decade. Even though Nazi-occupied Bordeaux was mostly spared the havoc wrought by the war, life under occupation was uncertain and mingled with fear and oppression. Where the horrors of war left bitter memories, nature gave Bordeaux perhaps its finest decade ever ­ at least when considering legendary wines. This was the decade that produced two of the most highly renowned wines: the Mouton-Rothschild 1945 and the Cheval Blanc 1947. In addition to this, the Moueix family put the Pomerol region on the map in 1945, when it was granted exclusive rights to sell Pétrus. During the first half of the 1940s, wine was produced in the middle of the war. Even though the occupying force set the terms for selling wine, they still respected the winemakers' work by paying for the wine they ordered, instead of simply confiscating it. This had a positive influence on the winemakers' desire to produce wine during wartime. And even though wartime vintages are not very highly acclaimed, they were in actual fact comparatively good, in terms of both red and white wines. Unfortunately, few have stood the test of time after decades in storage. The growing season in 1943 got off to a rip-roaring start, with the flowering already over at the beginning of June. and 1929. A long dry spell lasting nearly five decades was sparked by the recession of the 1930s, and in that period the quality of Rauzan-Ségla's wines was far from that required by its second growth classification. It did not regain the necessary standard until 1986, although it has only been able to match it in the best years. Diligence will be rewarded There are very few wine producers who have managed to maintain a steady quality, even through bad years. One of the most reliable top producers is Château La Mission Haut-Brion from Graves, while Château Lafleur from Pomerol has also created many surprises with exceptionally generous and well-balanced wines from poor harvests ­ not to mention their great wines in good years. Château Palmer in Margaux has made excellent wines consistently since 1959, and Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste has done very well in the last century. Similarly, Trotanoy and Cheval Blanc have maintained a very uniform quality level over the decades. Now, in the twenty-first century, these "black holes" in the Bordeaux sky are history. The future of the region looks promising. Thanks to climate change and large-scale investments into vineyards and cellars, the region has been able to produce excellent wines even from poorer harvests, and there are truly unique wines to watch out for in future from great harvest years such as 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009. This was followed by a dry, hot summer, which generally ensures excellent conditions. The relatively small crop was harvested in perfect weather, yielding a crop of truly outstanding quality. The year turned out even better for the Pomerol and Saint-Émilion regions. Médoc wines are characteristically very tannic, but they all too often lack intensity and nuance, and due to the small yield these wines are now extremely hard to come by. All the horrors of the war and vintages faded when nature bestowed upon Bordeaux winemakers the most legendary vintage of the century ­ the 1945 ­ just as the war drew to a close. After this, the favourable weather conditions prevalent at the end of the decade produced the stunning 1947 and 1949 vintages. The years either side, 1946 and 1948, were good, but they were completely overshadowed by the great vintages surrounding them. At that time, demand for Bordeaux wines was, compared to today, low, with only a fraction of the wines from the gap years being exported to the leading British market. Still, especially in 1948, extraordinarily fine wines were produced, such as the Château Léoville-Barton 1948, which is one of the brightest stars of the vintage, while also being perhaps the finest wine ever produced by the estate. Producing firm, robust and edgy wines, 1948 endowed the Léoville-Barton, traditionally known for its refined taste, with a dash of masculinity and, in turn, an exceptional dimension. This vintage of the century, 1945, already showed signs of greatness at the beginning of the harvest. The growing season started early, but a harsh frost in BORDEAUX 27 FINE Estate

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May took a large percentage of the crop. After the frost, the situation improved and conditions just got better and better. The small crop ripened early, thus allowing the harvest to begin on 10 September. The red wines are majestic and have matured at an exceptionally slow pace due to the heavy tannic structure, and have only just become eminently drinkable. The vintage turned out even better on the left bank. The wine of this particular vintage is indubitably the Mouton-Rothschild, although the Château d'Yquem challenges the Mouton with its brilliance. Where the 1945 represents sophistication, nuance and classic character, the 1947 is all about richness, robustness and succulence. Spring was delayed that year, which meant a late start to the growing season. Summer warmed up towards the autumn and the abundant sunshine ripened the grapes very quickly: daytime temperatures ranged between 35°C and 38°C. The crop was finally harvested in nearly tropical conditions, when a thunderstorm ravaged Bordeaux on 1920 September. Fortunately a large percentage of the grapes had already been harvested. The grapes were unusually hot during picking and volatile acids caused problems for many vineyards during fermentation. The end result was an absolutely extraordinary vintage, which turned out to be magnificent, particularly on the right bank and in Sauternes. Even when young, these reds were exceptionally drinkable. Their life cycle, on the other hand, has been surprisingly varied. The Pomerol and Saint-Émilion wines have proven superior to Médocs and Graveses, although, the supreme wine of this vintage is most certainly the Château Cheval Blanc, which, in terms of Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte BORDEAUX 29 FINE Region

mouthfeel, is perhaps the greatest wine of the entire twentieth century. Why the Cheval Blanc was such an unparalleled success that year is something of a mystery. Unlike what happened to so many others, the Cheval Blanc didn't suffer from excess volatile acids, and everything from vineyard microclimate to production has been offered as an explanation to this strange quirk of events. Because the weather was unusually warm, there were no damp morning mists at the vineyards, which restricted the conditions conducive to the formation of natural yeasts that increase volatility. The heat might have also killed the natural yeasts, as the quantity was generally less than normal. Fermentation was done in small concrete tanks, which provided effective insulation against the outside heat and kept temperatures sufficiently low, thus preventing the formation of volatile acids. Another very interesting aspect of the Cheval Blanc's production was its 5­10-year maturation in old barrels; this was due to the fact that new oak barrels were not available following the depression and war years. In all its glory, the 1947 Cheval Blanc caricatures modern winemaking as an incredible example of the pinnacles that can be reached with no help from technology. In addition to the Cheval, the Pétrus and Lafleur are vintage gems. The decade culminated with the hot year of 1949, when Bordeaux was hit by an unprecedented dry spell. Cold, rainy Château d'Yquem weather had hindered flowering, which resulted in an exceptionally uneven pollination and caused coulure. This, in turn, made for a record small crop. With the arrival of summer, Bordeaux was subjected to a heat wave the likes of which it had never seen before ­ temperatures as high as 43°C were recorded at Médoc. Early September brought massive thunderstorms followed by a period of ideal weather, which lasted until the harvest at the end of the month. The already small crop was further reduced, but it produced a fantastically juicy wine that was extremely delicious at a young age. The wines themselves have more backbone and are more elegant than the 1947 vintage. However, the both vintages are missing the concentration 30 FINE

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever which is found in the 1945. MoutonRothschild, and Lafleur, however, are challenging even the best 1945s and 1947s, with their ample body and balance. The dry white wines produced were also outstanding, even though they tend not to be very drinkable anymore. Conversely, the Sauternes grapes picked at the end of a record dry October produced unique, noble rot wines. precisely two hundred years before ­ in 1766 ­ that Christie's held the very first wine auction in the world. The timing couldn't have been better. The market was on the rise and those who invested their money in wines at that time would later see a manifold return on their investment. Bordeaux's finest wines were by then already the main attraction: and are still today, accounting for some 70 per cent of all wine transactions. In terms of vintages, the 1960s are generally considered to be weaker than previous decades: the decade only saw one outstanding year ­ 1961. This was, together with the 1945, one of the most legendary vintages to come out of Bordeaux. In addition to the 1961, other good vintages were the 1962, 1964 and 1966, all of which produced excellent wines. 1967 was the exception in Sauternes, where one of its finest vintages of the century was produced. 1961 was to become the decade's, and indeed one of the century's, most adored Bordeaux red wine vintages. Despite a frost in March, the growing season started on time and well. The frost combined with weak pollination caused by poor weather reduced the yield significantly. Rains in July gave way to drier weather in August, while September bathed Bordeaux in beautiful sunshine. The grapes were small, thick-skinned and extremely concentrated, much as they were in 1928 and 1945. However, unlike these earlier vintages, the wineries now had at their disposal new technologies and equipment, which made it possible for the wines to be produced with greater subtlety and thus avoiding such The 1960s ­ A new era The 1960s ushered in an era of technological advances. Steel tanks and temperature control were new phenomena. Latour followed the lead of La Mission-Haut-Brion and installed stainless steel tanks at the winery in 1964, while new vines were planted and irrigation systems installed in the vineyards. Changes were also made in the structure of the wine trade, as château bottling became mandatory in 1969. The long-standing use of négociants had come to an end. During the 1960s the popularity of Bordeaux had also increased and interest in Bordeaux wines expanded beyond the borders of the dominant British market. The new market situation made British merchants work hard to ensure that the wines would remain affordable in the future. As a result, companies even purchased entire châteaux, such as Harvey's of Bristol and the Pearson Group acquired Château Latour. 1966 also saw the advent of an institution that had a significant impact on Bordeaux's wine trade. Michael Broadbent MW resurrected the Wine Department at Christie's, which had been closed for decades. It had been problems as excessive tannic extraction. On the whole, excellent wines, both red and white, were produced in Bordeaux. Even though the vintage was red, very good dry whites and Sauternes were also produced. The reds are eminently drinkable right now, although the legendary Château Latour will just get better with age. Some of the more incredible drinking experiences were delivered by Château Pétrus, Château Palmer, Haut-Brion, La Mission-Haut-Brion and Château Margaux. These wines all share an uncommon elegance and balance, not to mention a massive rise in price in recent years. This is also one of those rare years during which négociant bottling is qualitatively almost on a par with château bottling, even if the price points are not. Although 1962 was also a fabulous year, it fell irretrievably into the shadow of 1961. The cold winter, with its biting frosts, ensured that the vines would get a much-needed rest after their hard work in 1961. The growing season started three weeks late, although by the time, flowering finally occurred in mid-June the weather had improved. Towards autumn the weather warmed up measurably, with the resulting dryness eventually having a negative impact on the vines. The few abundant harvests of September came just in time to rescue the grapes from withering on the vine. The harvest, which brought in the largest crop of the 1950s and 1960s, did not begin until 1 October, and few believed that the vintage would be as good as it became ­ an excellent vintage for dry whites, reds and Sauternes. Where Sauternes are concerned, the 1962 was a consid- BORDEAUX 31 FINE Estate

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever erably better year than the 1961. The best reds belonged to Cheval Blanc, Pétrus, Lafleur and Mouton-Rothschild. A common characteristic of the finest 1962 wines today is their serene, balanced aspect. Generally, the wines are not showing as rich and complex , but are rather elegant and vivid. The benefits of the 1962s include their excellent availability and affordable price. We recommend that even the finest 1962s should not be decanted for more than an hour. For many, the 1964 vintage conjures up images of a truly unique year. This was certainly the case in Burgundy, but not so in Bordeaux, even though the French Minister of Agriculture declared it to be the vintage of the century in latter. He made his declaration before the autumn rains began to fall. The vintage was, on any scale, a very good one, and quite reminiscent of the 1962, whose large crops produced excellent wines. The mild, wet winter was followed by a warm spring. Conditions were ideal during flowering and the weather stayed dry and hot throughout the summer. The grapes ripened beautifully all the way until 8 October, when three weeks of extremely heavy rain pushed into Bordeaux, causing the greatest damage in Médoc ­ primarily at Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. Luckily, some of the producers, including Château Latour, had managed to bring their entire harvests in before the rains. One of the less fortunate was Château Lynch-Bages, which finally brought its harvest in on 24 October. This vintage, however, favoured the right bank's Merlot-driven wines, which ripened well before the rains. There are very few drinkable wines, anymore from this time left. Once again, the Cheval Blanc and Pétrus rise above the others ­ in price as well as quality. An interesting development in 1964 was Moueix's acquisition of shares in Pétrus. 1966 is an outstanding year for very classic and delicate wines, although the year started out as anything but promising. The major rainfall that started at the end of June continued into July, but the hot start to August dried the soil and the weather gradually improved toward autumn, until it was nearly perfect for the harvest. These wines share a truly classic, graceful and high-quality character so typical of Bordeaux wines that it makes them elegant and well balanced. If carefully stored, many of the best wines may still mature, but the following rule of thumb should be observed: drink or sell them off immediately. In our opinion, this is one of the finest vintages that can be purchased today, as many of them are still drinking very well. Nearly all the AOC wines are still in excellent condition, and the top examples, such as the Palmer, Latour, Haut-Brion, Lafleur and Pétrus, are excellent. There is a wide selection of nicely priced first, second and third growth wines on the market. For example, Cos d'Estournel, Calon-Ségur and Lynch-Bages offer an exceptional price-to-quality ratio. When serving we consider a one-hour decanting period sufficient. Price trends for this vintage no longer show any significant upward movement ­ the increase in price over the past ten years has been around 55 per cent. The rise in price will continue alongside the maturation of top wines until perhaps 2015, when any wines still surviving should be removed from the cellar and sold or drunk. The last good year of the 1960s was 1967, which turned out to be the exclusive pride of Sauternes. Although the Sauternes could still mature for another few decades, the wine is already in an extremely delicious condition. Curiously many consider this Château d'Yquem to be one of the finest Yquems of all time. The only reds from this vintage worth mentioning are the 1967 Château Pétrus, Lafleur and La Mission-Haut-Brion. 1980s ­ The runway for success The 1980s constituted glorious decade. Nature cherished the Bordeaux appellations and the decade yielded good to excellent vintages excluding 1980, 1984 and 1987. The last time the weather treated Bordeaux this well was in the 1920s. The 1980s also brought about great investment in winemaking facilities and vineyards. New technology and know-how were introduced to the châteaux, and this became a golden era for the oenologists that were students of the revolutionary legend Émile Peynaud. The slump of the 1970s was left behind and the improving financial circumstances also contributed, bringing new customers. The decade also created a new phenomenon that profoundly changed the world of wine forever: "parkerisation". Wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr., who established the magazine The Wine Advocate in 1978, became the most important person to influence wine production in Bordeaux, and indeed 32 FINE

Château Lafite BORDEAUX 33 FINE Region

the whole world. His guide to the Bordeaux scene was the young oenologist and student of Peynaud, Michel Rolland. While Peynaud was preaching in the name of terroir, Rolland focused on winemaking, and it was he who introduced the modern fruit-driven style to the new winemaking techniques in Bordeaux, fulfilling the appeal of his influential friend Parker. Together these two gentlemen escorted Bordeaux into the new era ­ a move welcomed by new customers with new palates from the Far East, Europe and the United States. Unlike the 1970s, the 1980 vintage ensured a poor beginning for this decade. The cold spring postponed flowering until the end of June, which turned out cold and wet, while the summer was otherwise moderate and mixed. Then the sunny and warm month of September made for late ripening, and the rainy and cold circumstances in October lowered the final quality of the vintage. Neither the reds nor the dry whites succeeded that well, performing instead rather modestly. Pétrus and Margaux were the exceptions, which both succeeded very well. The best wine of the vintage was Yquem, which is surprisingly concentrated. The small but high-quality vintage of 1981 has been overshadowed by the superb 1982. The warm and dry weather started from the flowering and kept up until September when the occasional rain fell. Harvesting was completed in good conditions during the beginning of October. Generally speaking, the reds produced were elegant, moderately light-bodied and delicate in all appellations. The dry whites were of moderate quality and the Sauternes were actually better than the following year. Although this is often regarded as a modest year, a few good wines saw daylight, including Margaux and Cheval Blanc. The 1982 vintage is one of the most legendary for wine connoisseurs. It was not only the wine year of the decade, but also one of the century's best together with the 1961, 1945, 1928 and 1900 vintages. An early and even flowering was followed by hot and dry weather for the whole summer. Some areas faced storms in July but otherwise the vintage continued under perfect weather conditions, resulting in a large crop of exceptional quality. The whites did moderately well, including the Sauternes, which missed the richness from the botrytis. In Saint-Émilion and Pomerol the wines bore a resemblance to the full-bodied 1947 vintage. If 1981 was forgotten after 1982, the 1983 was completely overshadowed by its predecessor, despite the harvest being large and of high quality everywhere in Bordeaux. Too much humidity brought about by heavy rains impeded production in many places, although in Margaux, some of the wines were even better than in 1982. For example, Château Margaux announced that their 1983 surpassed the 1982. The 1983 was also one of the best-ever Palmers. The best wine of the vintage was, however, Le Pin ­ no doubt about it. It is a real bargain at 850 euros a bottle, when compared with Le Pin 1982 at 4500 euros. Cheval Blanc also succeeded fabulously, while Yquem began a new ascent that year and Graves was hit by a hail storm yielding a small crop that is basically non-existent by now. The year 1985 brought a tremendous vintage. A very cold winter was followed by an extremely hot summer. Favourable harvesting conditions yielded a high quantity and high quality 34 FINE

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever crop, particularly in Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, where the grape sugars were measured higher than in 1982. Margaux and Graves were superb on the left bank; L'Evangile, La Conseillante and Certain de May are all great examples from the right bank. To summarise the tasting experiences of this vintage, there is one wine above all others: Château Lafleur. Surprisingly enough, the Haut-Brion Blanc, produced in less than 1000 bottles, is generally considered the best wine of the vintage. Regarding the value of the top whites from Graves, they are about BORDEAUX 35 FINE Estate

Bordeaux ­ The 100 Best Wines Ever three times the price of the reds. Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is another good example of the high quality of the white Graves. The Sauternes also did well that year. The 1986 vintage was the largest since the Second World War. It started in poor weather and a cold and wet spring delayed the bud-break. After this setback the weather improved to the level of 1985 with a hot and dry summer lasting until the harvest. The quality remained high despite the quantity being large. The heavy rains in the latter part of September caused difficulties for producers, and dry whites as well as the thin-skinned Merlots, were diluted. The thickskinned Cabernet Sauvignon handled the rains and humidity better. While 1985 was superb in the right bank, especially in Pomerol, 1986 was great in the left bank, particularly in Médoc. The best experiences have been Yquem, Margaux, Mouton and Léoville-Las-Cases. Generally speaking, the vintage produced firm, powerful and tannic red wines. The wines still have the potential for longer maturation, but for buying a wine that is enjoyable now, Lafite-Rothschild is a good choice. Pétrus was surprisingly modest. 1989 was the hottest year since 1949 and produced an excellent harvest. The heat encouraged an early growth three weeks ahead of the norm. The hot and dry summer ripened the grapes rapidly and harvesting took place at the end of August ­ the earliest harvest since 1893. Médoc produced the year's most successful wines, which are even more powerful in character than the 1990 vintage. The Graves wines are elegant and lighter in style than their 1990 counterparts. For Merlot, this was a top year that produced extremely concentrated wines in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The best wines of the year were Haut-Brion,La Mission Haut-Brion and Pétrus. Pichon Longueville Baron also showed signs of improvement for the uneven bunches of very small Cabernet grapes had a high skin-tofruit ratio, making the wine more concentrated but very tannic. As a result of these conditions, the right bank produced a more attractive vintage than the left. In Médoc, the northern appellations succeeded well and Margaux has had the most quality sags. The Graves wines are in general flexible and elegant, whilst the Saint-Émilion and Pomerol offerings are more refined and delicious than the "muscle" vintage of 1989. The Pétrus is the wine of the year. Other excellent wines are Cheval Blanc, Margaux, Haut-Brion, Latour and Pichon-Baron. This year also turned out to be glorious for Montrose. Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton-Rothschild were generally disappointing for such a great vintage. The white wines, dry and sweet, were excellent: the sugar levels in the Sauternes were at their highest level since 1929 and Yquem had a superb vintage. The new millennium, with tremendous vintages such as 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009 has put Bordeaux firmly back in the limelight. The wines are more concentrated, more extracted and delicately riper than ever before. At the same time the prices have skyrocketed leaving no more speculation for making profits in the short term, as was possible with the 1980s' dream vintages. However, the markets are still booming for the Bordeaux first growths. the first time. All in all, this vintage is one of the best investments, as the wines have a consistent quality and their prices have remained reasonable. 1990 started the decade well, thus continuing the run of great vintages since 1988. The early budding, encouraged by a mild winter, however, was threatened by the cold and icy temperatures of the spring. This caused prolonged flowering with an uneven berry set and provided a challenge for the Cabernets at the end of the season. The rains in April stocked the reserves for the dry and hot summer, ensuring that the ripening would progress perfectly. The Merlot fared well while 36 FINE

Scenery in Pauillac In the last 30 years, Bordeaux has undergone a substantial change in winemaking. Modern equipment and developing know-how have guaranteed a more consistent level of quality. The next challenge will be handling the climate change brought on by global warming, which has already given hints of its effects in Bordeaux. It is impossible to say how Bordeaux wines will change in the next 3o years, but we can only hope that their most characteristic feature, the elegant, aristocratic nature highlighted by the unique terroir, will never fade. > The articles in this special issue are by Pekka Nuikki, Juha Lihtonen and Jan-Erik Paulson. All photographs are by Pekka Nuikki. Bordeaux is probably the best-known wine region in France.and accounts for one third of the finest French wines (AOC, crus bourgeois, crus classés). A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, although in good vintages, this total can exceed 900 million ­ ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world. 88 per cent of the wine produced in Bordeaux is red (usually referred to as claret), with notable sweet white wines such as Chateau d'Yquem, dry whites, rosé and sparkling wines (Crémant de Bordeaux) making up the remainder. Bordeaux wine is made by 10 000 producers, or châteaux, from the grapes of 13 000 grape growers, and there are 57 appellations of Bordeaux wine. Bordeaux is near the Atlantic coast, in the southwest of France. The Bordeaux wine region covers Gironde, an administrative department (also a river) of the Aquitaine region. Bordeaux wine takes its name from the region's main city, however, you cannot find vineyards in the city itself, as the vineyards start at its boundaries. The Bordeaux wine region spreads 60 miles around the city on the biggest estuary in Europe along three rivers (Gironde, Garonne, Dordogne), creating the appropriate setting for wine. The climate in Bordeaux is generally temperate, with a short winter and a high degree of humidity generated by the close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. Red Bordeaux is excellent with beef, lamb, grilled veal, game such as pheasant, and poultry such as grilled turkey. The dry whites are perfect as an aperitif and go very well with seafood and chicken. Sweet wines are generally served with a dessert; connoisseurs appreciate the Sauternes as an aperitif or with foie gras. BORDEAUX 37 FINE Region

"Le Dom aine Les Cr ayères" one of the most Today, more than ever before, Le Domaine Les Crayères reaffirms the desire and determination to be a living celebration of Champagne ­ the region, the beverage, and the lifestyle it embodies ­ both for Reims and for the world. What we have to offer is unique: our five-star hotel «Le Château», our gourmet restaurant «Le Parc», our new brasserie «Le Jardin», our superb setting so close to the city centre, in the very midst of Champagne and its consummate, celebrated beverage... Member of Relais & Châteaux Member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde Email: contact@lescrayeres.com www.lescrayeres.com

Philippe Mille brings out the natural best of les Crayères' at the gourmet restaurant «Le Parc» and the brasserie «Le Jardin»... At his side, the wine and champagne expertise of Head Sommelier Philippe Jamesse. b e a u t i f u l va c at i o n r e s o rt s i n t h e w o r l d . REIMS - CHA MPAGNE - FRANCE Domaine Les Crayères - 64 boulevard Henry Vasnier - 51100 REIMS - Tel : +33. (0) 3.26.24.90.00 - Fax : +33. (0)3.26.24.90.01

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100 points 1­17 BORDEAUX 41 FINE Estate

99 points 18­31 42 FINE

98 points 32­64 BORDEAUX 43 FINE Estate

97 points 65­100 44 FINE

The world's most exclusive wine tastings "My favorite was the totally glorious Ch Lafleur 1950 - well worth flying to Switzerland for." Jancis Robinson July 7th 2011, Hotel Schweizerhof, Bern, Switzerland Upcoming event November 5th 2011, Hong Kong Tasting will include: Ch Petrus 1945 Ch Lafleur 1947 Ch Lafite 1953 SOLD OUT Don't miss out on future events. Write to: events@vinovisitas.ch. Powered by FINE Magazines

How to read FINE's tasting notes: We open and taste more fine and rare wines than any other wine media in the world. As these wines are so special, we firmly believe that they deserve to be presented in the best possible manner, and in a way that will serve our readers well. This is why our tasting notes include lot more information than just a basic description of each wine. The topics we cover in our tasting notes other than colour, nose, taste and finish are: The given price is a six-month average paid in auctions run by major auction houses throughout Europe, the USA and Asia (FINE Wine Index) A short description of the wine Mentions if the wine is worthy of its price based on its rarity and our tasting experience How many times we have tasted the wine and the most recent tasting Recommends the length of time each wine should be decanted before serving How long the wine lasts having been poured into the glass The year we believe each wine will reach its optimum drinkability The perfect dish to accompany each wine Calculates the risk of encountering counterfeit bottles. This is an estimate based on the FINE editorial team's experience Shares specific information about the wine or vintage, which will add value to the tasting experience Suggest an option to the wine evaluated, which maybe a better investment Wraps up our opinion about the wine In our wine evaluations, the most significant factor is the scoring system. We score wines according the pleasure they deliver today, not according to their potential. Our purpose is to make sure you enjoy the wines when they are at their optimum, in order to ensure the wines not only deliver the greatest pleasure but also their value. As one of FINE's fundamental values is to support excellence, we have made the decision to not publish wines that receive 79 points or below. We use a 100-point evaluation system, where the wines have been divided into the following categories: 99­100 A wine with the wow-effect. Sheer perfection to all senses by every parameter of wine quality. A true gift from nature. 95­98 An outstanding wine that offers an unforgettable tasting experience with its perfect structure, complexity and personality. 90­94 86­89 80­85 50­79 An excellent wine, that stands out by balance, intensity, complexity and character. A good wine with balance and complexity. An average, though well-made wine. Nose and palate are somewhat one-dimensional and impersonal. A modest and straightforward wine lacking life and harmony. This wine is excluded from appearing in FINE Tasting Notes. 46 FINE

97p 1982 Château Ausone The Best Château Ausone Vintages to drink today Average auction 765 / 2011 price: Colour: Sound, clear, dark, deep Nose: Open, seductive, dried fruits, herbs, tea, earthy, tobacco, broad Palate: Smooth, forceful, well-balanced, fruity, 98p 1947 Château Ausone sweet, aromatic, appetizing, complex Average auction 811 / 2011 price: Colour: Healthy, bright, deep Nose: Sweet, open, fresh, hot, exotic, vanilla, amaretto, nuts, citrus, apricot, caramel multi-layered, intense, broad, fruity Palate: Well-balanced, sweet, plump, silky, Finish: Vigorous, smooth, long, refreshing In a nutshell: Overwhelming Buy or not: One of the best 1947s, but also one of the cheapest 1 hour 1 hour Now Rabbit ragout Low Production was only around 12,000 bottles Cheval Blanc 1950 For snobs with sense Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: Or try this: Final verdict: 6 times, last in 2010 from the Saint-Émilion appellation, one of only two wines, along with Château Cheval Blanc, to be ranked as a Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Ausone takes its name from Decimus Magnus Ausonius (310­395 CE), a statesman and poet from Bordeaux who owned about 100 acres of vineyard, and it is believed by some that Château Ausone stands upon the foundations of his villa. Placed on the western edge of the 11th century village of SaintÉmilion, with elevated vineyards facing south on steep terraces in an ideal location. Ausone was one of a few wineries who escaped the terrible frost of 1956 ­ unlike neighbours like Cheval Blanc who lost several years' vintages and in some cases suffered destruction of vines. The property had been owned for generations by a partnership of the Dubois-Challon family and the Vauthier family. In the mid 1990s, the Vauthier family gained sole ownership of Château Ausone. Alain Vauthier controls all aspects of the winemaking. He began using Michel Rolland as the consulting winemaker, beginning with the 1995 vintage. Finish: Rich, broad, passionate, long In a nutshell: Finesse Buy or not: Good, but buy 1947 instead Tasted: 9 times, last in 2010 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2020 Food pairing: Braised veal shanks Fake factor: None existing Inside Information: Château Ausone is a Bordeaux wine Or try this: Cheval Blanc 1982 Final verdict: Sound choice The Best Château L'Eglise Clinet & Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Vintages to drink today 97p 1947 Château L'Eglise Clinet 98p 1945 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 470 / 2011 Bright, full, sound Clean, pure, dense, generous Elegant, harmonious, fresh, ripe, aromatic, voluptuous, spicy Positive, long, flavourful Classic 1945 Bordeaux Very good price-value ratio 9 times, last in 2009 1 hour 1 hour Now to 2020 Roasted beef None The vineyards cover 55 hectares of the Pauillac commune: Cabernet Sauvignon 75%, Merlot 25%, planted at a density of 10000 vines/ha, and with an average age of 40 years. Average auction 2754 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, dark and clean Nose: Sound, sweet, leathery, black black fruits, lush, refined currants, chocolate, black truffles Palate: Medium-bodied, elegant, intense Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Elegant, aristocratic, broad Concentrated charmer with style Hard to find 13 times, last in 2009 1 hour 1 hour Now Medium-rare Porter House Steak Huge ­ beware of "too good to be true ­ condition" the non-château bottlings Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate: Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: 1985 and 1987, the Merlot plants (85%) and the Cabernet Franc plants (15%) have reached an average age of 40 years. Château bottling rarely exceeds 1500 cases The famous vintage 1921 is supposed to be even better, but we haven't found any genuine bottles in years ­ there are lots of fake magnums around with real labels but 70 years younger wine. Inside Information: Spared by the recent frosts of 1956, Or try this: Calon-Ségur 1945 Final verdict: If you don't have any Mouton 1945 left, try this one and you will be positively surprised. Or try this: Ausone 1947 Final verdict: Real rarity with big pleasure factor TA S T I N G N OT E S 47 F I N E Ta s t i n g

The midaS To u c h o f T h e L u r -S a Lu c e S fa m i Ly s the morning September sun rises, a cloud of fog drifts across the cold waters of the Ciron. It sweeps swiftly over the vineyards and settles on the slopes. As the rays touch the hills, its warmth cuts a swathe through the veil and the outlines of pickers become discernable between the vines. The experienced walk with a stoop and gather the most raisined, mouldcovered grapes, often one at a time. The first pick of the Château d'Yquem 1896 vintage has begun. A 48 FINE

The harvest of the 1896 vintage started at the order of Amade de Lur-Saluces on 21 September, when the sun was still warm, and continued for the next five days. The careful first pick produced a dozen barrels of very concentrated wine. After two rainy days, the second pick commenced. The good weather lasted for only a day, but the result was an excellent 15 barrels. The pickers returned to the grapes affected by noble rot for a third time one week later, when the changing weather gave warning of approaching rain. The knowledge of what was to come increased the speed of the pickers, and the harvest rose to 24 barrels a day. Unrelenting rain arrived three days later and put an end to the picking for a week, allowing the workers a well-deserved rest. The fourth pick was disturbed by scattered showers, but the result was still 200 barrels in four days, considered an excellent achievement. On the other hand, alcohol content dropped to 14 degrees. The fifth and last pick yielded another 300 barrels in seven days in extremely poor conditions; the potential alcohol content dropped under ten degrees and this batch could not be used for the main wine. All in all, 826 barrels (22hl/ha) were harvested in varying weather conditions, but only the first quarter met Yquem's strict requirements. Protected by kings Château d'Yquem's first harvest took place three hundred years earlier, in 1593, when Jacques de Sauvage purchased the estate from the crown. When Francoise de Sauvage and Louis-Amede de Lur-Saluces, King Louis XV's godson, married in 1785, Yquem C H ÂT E A U D ' YQ U E M 49 FINE Estate

became part of the property of the historic and traditional Lur-Saluces family, while at the same time, the vineyard received approval and protection from the French royal family. Today, the vineyard comprises 457 acres, which is approximately the same as two hundred years ago. The man who ran the winery for more than thirty years, Alexandre de Lur-Saluces, now retired, says that his winemaking philosophy goes back centuries: "The most important thing is to respect nature, just the way my grandfather and his predecessors did hundreds of years ago. We cannot produce great wines without the help of Mother Nature. Every harvest is, in a way, an individual adventure with its individual surprises. We wish to extend this thinking in order to respect the people who love the wine that comes from our vineyards, and the people who work on the fields. Our wines will stay the same in the future as they were a century ago. The tools have changed, but not our way of making wine." 50 FINE

One above the rest When the Bordeaux region wines were classified in 1855, only Château d'Yquem received a classification of its own ­ Premier Grand Cru Classé ­ which was higher than anybody else. Even though the estate could use that classification on its labels, it does not. Today, the estate produces the best wine in its area, and in the opinion of some experts, the best in Bordeaux. Its location on the highest spot in Sauternes has created a unique micro-climate that varies greatly from year to year. This requires an extremely careful and precise winemaking process, and during poor years, the estate does not produce anything at all: "The climatic conditions during the growth period, and the harvest period in particular, when we wait for noble rot to affect the grapes, give our wines their unique personality. This natural process is entirely dependent on weather. We can only decide when and how to harvest," said Alexandre de Lur-Saluces. In difficult years, harvesting may take between eight and ten weeks. The grapes are still harvested by hand and only when they are completely covered by noble rot, not before. Often, as many as ten picks are needed during one harvest; if the grapes are not perfectly ripe, they are left unpicked. Even after winemaking and barrel maturation the wine may be rejected if it does not develop as expected. This happened, for example, in 1978 and 1979, when more than half of the wine was rejected, and occasionally the entire vintage is eliminated: nine vintages of Yquem are completely absent from the 20th century: 1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1952, 1964, 1972, 1974 and 1992. "Most people think that taking care of a world-famous estate like Château d'Yquem does not require any effort. Just like other companies, changing C H ÂT E A U D ' YQ U E M 51 FINE Estate

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world markets affect us too, not to speak of the weather. The year 1974 was one of the most difficult in my time. That depressing year we were not able to produce a single bottle of Yquem and managed to sell only four cases of our other vintages," Alexandre de Lur-Saluces reminisced. The fortunate yesteryears Harvest per hectare is exceptionally small, at just nine hectolitres, which means that the grapes of one vine yield only a single glass of wine. When the time comes to harvest, the Yquem staff swells by some 140 additional people, divided into four teams. They pick over 100 hectares of grapes, selecting only ones that have reached an ideal, botrytised condition. Since the Botrytis Cinerea affects each bunch of grapes in a different way, all the fruit must be harvested in separate waves of picking. On average, the harvest will take five to six of these waves over six weeks. Despite the large cultivation area, the estate's average annual production is only 90 000 bottles. According to Alexandre de Lur-Saluces, the winery has had a few good years recently: "Many of those wines will retain their excellent properties far into the next century. The year 2001 seems to be really fine. The wines of that vintage have the potential to develop into some of the best and I am very glad about how this young wine tastes. The year 2000 was perfect in every respect up until the beginning of the harvest. The rain started during our second pick and brought the picking to a standstill. After we had waited for two weeks for the rain to stop, the situation began to look hopeless. Finally we had to send the pickers out without their baskets just to take the grapes off the vines and throw them away. That is why we were able to produce only 30 000 bottles instead of the normal 90 000. The 1999 Yquem will also be a classic. We were happy with the conditions during harvest, and the wine is becoming very high quality. C H ÂT E A U D ' YQ U E M 53 FINE Estate

`The year 1998 is yet another classic. These four years were almost perfect as far as weather conditions are concerned. The differentiating factor is the variable weather during the harvest. The 1997 vintage has not yet fully cryptically: "It depends so much on the situation and how sensitive my taste is. I like old Sauternes wines, especially when they defy time, such as wines that are older than fifty years. Personally, I like the 1945, 1947 and 1949 vintages. The 1967 vintage is famous, as are 1975, 1983, 1988, 1989 and 1990. The next ones are still too young and not yet mature. Many of my friends have a liking for 1967, some for 1928, 1929 and 1900, or 1893. I must confess that my greatest taste experience comes from the 1847 Yquem." The new Midas In May 2004 LVMH luxury goods company became the main shareholder of the glorious estate. The new host of the estate, likes to point out that: "Château d'Yquem must actually be smelt, tasted and appreciated to understand its magic. In doing so, one realises that this wine is and will always remain a mystery." Pierre Lurton in charge of Yquem is something else again. "I am now responsible for perpetuating the legend of an extraordinary wine and the ultimate sensory pleasure it procures. My mission is to continue Yquem's glorious history and maintain its values. However, Yquem's timelessness and wonderful aromatic complexity motivate me to seek even more exuberance, passion and sensuality ­ as long as this great wine's purity remains intact," confirms Lurton. > Pierre Lurton opened, just like the 1996, but it has the potential to develop into a really great wine in the next few decades. Harvesting took us two months and we did seven picks. We had seven different wines that are now slowly harmonising and blending into one." The count's favourites The history of Château d'Yquem is filled with great vintages, and they have appeared regularly since the 18th century. The oldest and perhaps best Yquem we have tasted was from 1811. When we asked the count what his own favourite was, he answered 54 FINE

C H ÂT E A U D ' YQ U E M 55 FINE Estate

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The famous Jefferson bottles The best Château d'Yquem Vintages to drink today 100p 1811 Château dYquem 100p 1819 Château dYquem Average auction 37500 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, golden, deep, healthy Nose: Rich, sound, striking, honeyed, sweet, crème brûlée, cream Average auction 17400 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, mature, golden, amber, light powdery sediment Nose: Open, sound, clean, outstanding, Palate: Full-bodied, complex, intense, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Endless, exciting, vibrant Enchanting Still a few bottles on sale 2 times, last in 2004 10 minutes 30 minutes Now No food ­ please No one knows ­ yet Palate: Full-bodied, thick, pure, intense, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Endless, pure, round, flavourful We are wordless Impossible to buy with money 3 times, last in 1996 30 minutes 2 hours Now Food? No way Should be high smooth, multi-layered, ripe, focused, distinctive, WOW! honey, apricot, peach, figs, caramel, nutty charming, creamy, harmonious, very sweet still vintages are years during which an astronomical event, generally involving a "Great Comet", occurs prior to harvest. Throughout the history of wine, winemakers have attributed successful vintages and ideal weather conditions to the unexplained effects caused by the comets. Some of the most heralded vintages in the last couple of centuries--such as 1811, 1826, 1839, 1845, 1852, 1858, 1861, 1985 and 1989--have coincided with a notable appearance of a comet. Inside information: 1811 is the "year of the Comet".Comet Inside information: On the very same day the harvest started at Château dYquem, Allan Pinkerton founded his famous detective agency. Or try this: Royal Tokaji 1690 Final verdict: Entirely superior Or try this: Space travel Final verdict: This is the mother of all "liquid gold" wines C H ÂT E A U D ' YQ U E M 57 FINE Estate

The best Château d'Yquem Vintages to drink today 98p 1847 Château dYquem 97p 1896 Château dYquem Average auction 26500 / 2011 price: Colour: Amber-gold, healthy, clear Nose: Spacious, sound, sweet, caramel, Palate: Fat, well-balanced, concentrated, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Endless, rich, intense, soft Pure gold Gold plated price 5 times, last in 2008 20 minutes 30 minutes Now No food Quite high ­ check the cork and capsule carefully honey, exotic fruits, white chocolate, vanilla, plum fragrant, life-preserving acidity, silky Average auction 2500 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, clear, healthy Nose: Open, intoxicating, caramel, overripe exotic fruit, honey Palate: Creamy, full, soft, gentle, multilayered, pure, complex, nicely balanced, youthful Silky, lingering, long Surprisingly fresh and gentle Under 3000 ­ oh, yes! 8 times, last in 2010 45 minutes 1 hour Now Forget food Quit high The hottest vintage since 2003. Maserati 3500GT 1966 Delicious and at a bargain price for 1800s Yquem. the greatest vintage in the history of Sauternes and Yquem. It gained great glory and publicity when the Russian Grand Duke Constantine, brother of Tsar Alexander II, visited Bordeaux in 1859 and placed an order for 1200 bottles of the 1847 Château d'Yquem with the highest price ever recorded at the time ­ 20 000 gold franc. Inside information This great vintage could be named as Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: Or try this: Yquem 1967 Final verdict: Worth every penny 97p 1900 Château dYquem 100p 1921 Château dYquem Average auction 4752 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, goldish, intense Nose: Dense, complex, spice, honey, acidity, charmer, luscious Endless Another great 1900 Fair price 8 times, last in 2010 1 hour 3 hours Now to 2015 butterscotch, burnt sugar, walnut Average auction 4811 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, golden Nose: Fresh, open, pure, vivid, honeyed, vanilla, coffee, cream, chocolate, strawberries layered, lively, firm, WOW! Palate: Nicely balanced, complex, fresh Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Palate: Creamy, thick, great balance, multiFinish: Still continues In a nutshell: Yquem at its best and most genuine Buy or not: Always, but only château bottlings Tasted: 27 times, last in 6/2011 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 4 hours When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: A dessert itself Fake factor: Huge ­ buy only château-bottlings. Almost every other bottle we have tasted has been fake or very bad fake ­ VDM bottles are a particularly risky business. Wine for meditation, not for food Huge ­ beware of the big 3-litre bottles Inside information: This was a great vintage for Yquem, and it is easy to imagine that 100 years ago this 1900 showed the same promise as the famous 2001 does today. Holding well, but we still recommend a few years' cellaring for this beauty. Or try this: Château Rieussec 1937 Final verdict: Everything has fallen into place beautifully Inside information: The harvest of 1921 took 39 days to pick and was the last vintage that the Yquem owner Comte de Lur-Saluces sold in cask. Or try this: Yoga Final verdict: With luck, the best Yquem you will ever taste. 58 FINE

97p 1928 Château d'Yquem 100p 1937 Château dYquem Average auction 2650 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium-intense, gold to amber Nose: Fragrant, charming, apricots, crème brûlée, a touch of herbs apricot marmelade Glorious nectar Absolutely yes 2 times, last time in 2007 45 minutes 2 hours Now to 2020 Fried foie gras Moderately high The Long growing season yielded complex wines. Harvest started on September 24 and finished on November 8. Average auction 2650 / 2011 price: Colour: Clear, bright, deep, golden Nose: Open, luscious, caramel, pineapple, coffee, spice honey, dried apricot, toasted bread gentle, aristocratic, balanced, compound, fresh, creamy Spicy, long intense Greatest wine from 1937 vintage With love 6 times, last in 2011/3 2 hours 4 hours Now to 2025 Caramelised Haven't seen or heard The 1937 was a very good vintage in Sauternes. Dry but not very hot year. Picking lasted thirty-three days without any rain, started on 21st September and ended on 6th November. Palate: Sweet, very refined, vivid, energetic, Finish: Refined, silky and long-lasting In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Palate: Flourishing, rich, fat, passionate, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Château d'Yquem 1934 Final verdict: A grand wine with a great future ahead Or try this: Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1945 Final verdict: Difficult to resist ­ and why should we? 100p 1945 Château dYquem 98p 1959 Château dYquem Average auction 2650 / 2011 price: Colour: Pure gold, clear, bright Nose: Charming, mature, full, creamy, candied apricots, toffee, marzipan Average auction 1540 / 2011 price: Colour: Golden dark, deep, clear Nose: Open, honeyed, roasted nuts, pine, caramel budding, candied orange luxurious, detailed, complex Lavish, stretched, plump Well made, perfect today Under 2000 ­ a bargain 15 times, last in 3/2011 2 hours 3 hours Now to 2025 Roquefort Papillon None Ygrec (French for `Y'), was introduced in 1959 as a instinctive response to the declining popularity of sweet wines. Palate: Lively, multi-layered, fat, rich, creamy texture, elegant, sophisticated, balanced Finish: Refined, smooth, fascinating, extended Palate: Well-balanced, lively, refined, Ending: Finish: In a nutshell: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: In a nutshell: As sweet as the Victory Buy or not: For victory Tasted: 12 times, last in 3/2011 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 4 hours When to drink: Now to 2020 Food pairing: Gorgonzola Fake factor: None Inside information: In 1945 the Sauternes wine area was Inside information: Château d'Yquem's dry white wine, tormented by a severe cold spell that continued until late spring. In April the weather warmed up rapidly and the short spring that followed was warm and dry. The first vines bloomed at Yquem as early as May 15 (as in 1990). The particularly dry and hot summer months led to an early harvest. The dryness of the year is well exemplified by the minimal September rainfall of 13 mm (the average at Yquem being 72 mm). The harvest could now commence on September 10, and it continued uninterrupted for the next six weeks. However, Sundays would be kept as rest days due to the perfect harvest weather. When the harvest was completed, there were 440 casks of new wine in the cool cellars of Yquem. Or try this: Château Sigalas-Rabaut 1921 Final verdict: Profound Or try this: Château Filhot 1890 Final verdict: Bentley with golden wheels C H ÂT E A U D ' YQ U E M 59 FINE Estate The best Château d'Yquem Vintages to drink today

The best Château d'Yquem Vintages to drink today 98p 1990 Château d'Yquem Average auction 380 / 2011 price: Colour: Intense, golden yellow Nose: Elegant, concentrated, preserved apricots, honeyed, bee wax Palate: Sweet, vivid acidity, fresh fruitiness, apricot marmelade, orange peel, vanilla, toastiness Finish: Very intense, toasty and lingering In a nutshell: Rich wine with great finesse Buy or not: Yes, one of the best value for money Yquems 99p 1967 Château dYquem Average auction 1120 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, bright, golden Nose: Forceful, fresh, exotic fruit, apricot, fig, toffee, melon Palate: Concentrated, solid mouthfeel, harmonious structure, fresh acidity, refined, sweetness, balanced Finish: Round, fresh, prolonged In a nutshell: Captivating wine Buy or not: The price is still pretty decent Tasted: 14 times, last in 3/2011 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 3 hours When to drink: Now to 2045 Food pairing: Brie de Meaux Fake factor: None Inside information: The vintage 1967 of Château Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: 19 times, last in 2010 2.5 hours 3 hours Now to 2040 Fresh foie gras Moderate A typical year in Sauternes ­ excessive heat through the summer, rapid infection of noble rot on vines after the August rains, high concentration in September thanks to drying and warming winds. Sugar levels were extraordinary high. Or try this: Château d'Yquem 1988 Final verdict: One of the best 1990s Bordeaux has on offer dYquem remains in history as the first Yquem of Comte Alexandre de Lur Saluces. He could not have wished for a better time ­ the year was most successful in Sauternes. A cool spring delayed the flowering, but a hot and exceptionally dry summer hastened the growth so much that not even a cold and stormy September could unmake it. The following October then provided ideal climate conditions for a superb vintage. Just before the harvest began the sun came out and the twelve passages at Yquem, between September 26 and October 26, were carried out under favorable weather. Altogether the harvest gave 409 barrels under variable weather conditions. An exceptionally large portion of this high-quality vintage's grapes, over 90%, were selected for the production of Yquem itself. 96p 2001 Château dYquem Average auction 560 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, intense yellow Nose: Rich, complex, honeyed, spicy, vanilla, toasty Palate: Luscious, concentrated, fresh and Finish: Pronounced, concentrated and focused firm, intense fruit, toasty with vanilla and clove Or try this: Château Coutet 1967 Final verdict: Best 1967 on the market In a nutshell: An unleashed charmer Buy or not: Yes. If you find a wine at this level that drinks well already, will improve for next 30 to 40 years and also has potential as an investment, it can considered a find. 12 times, last in 2010 5 hours 4 hours Now to 2050 Vanilla pannacotta Low of the greatest vintages in a hundred years `Nouvelle Vague' 2001 (Austria) Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: The best vintage since 1990 and one Or try this: Kracher TBA No. 6 Grande Cuvée Final verdict: The wine that has all the potential to become one of the greatest Yquems ever 60 FINE

MESURE ET DÉMESURE TONDA 1950 Rose gold Ultra-thin automatic movement Alligator Hermès strap Made in Switzerland www.parmigiani.ch

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Ch eau Suduiraut ât Sauternes elegance he road vanishes from sight as we dive into thick fog. In a moment the bright sunny weather has changed into a gloomy and thick haze. The car's thermometer falls from 14 to 4 degrees Celsius. We have arrived in Sauternes. According to the GPS we still have half an hour to go to our destination; amid the heavy fog, we rely entirely on its navigation system. T True to form, in half an hour the polite woman's voice asks us to turn onto a side road that leads into a forest. After a few hundred metres we have reached our destination. The morning sun's rays pierce through the fog and a large monastery-like castle comes into view. We have finally arrived at one of the greatest estates in Sauternes: Château Suduiraut. C H ÂT E A U S U D U I R A U T 63 FINE Estate

In front of the expansive castle stands a large bearded man: the Technical Director of Château Suduiraut, Pierre Montégut. Having greeted us, the relaxed and unpretentious Montégut proposes that we take a turn about the gardens before entering the cellars. As we walk, he unravels the 400-year history of the estate for us. The estate as it now stands has its roots in the early 1600s, when Count Blaise de Suduiraut, grandson of the estate's founder Leonard de Suduiraut, commissioned the construction of the fabulous castle and gardens. The count turned to the designer of the park of the Palace of Versailles, André Le Nôtre, requesting a design for a stunning château setting. Le Nôtre turned Suduiraut's estate into the most beautiful in Sauternes. The count passed the estate on to his daughter, and she to her cousin Joseph du Roy. The du Roys were at the helm for three generations, after which the heirless Louis-Guillaume du Roy left the estate in his will to its steward, Nicolas Guillot. Guillot carried out major developments at the estate. In 1831 he significantly expanded the lands by buying up the neighbouring Castelnau. Led by Guillot and his descendants, Château Suduiraut came into great esteem. In the 1855 Bordeaux classifica- tion, it was named as one of the Premier Crus of Sauternes and Barsac. In 1875 the estate ended up in the hands of Emile and Lucie Petit de Forest, who further increased the reputation of its wines, receiving great acclaim in several competitions and exhibitions. Before his death in 1899, engineer Emile Petit de Forest managed to revive the plots ravaged by phylloxera through extensive replanting and his widow was able to continue the successful production of Suduiraut wines until her own death in 1929. That event was the start of Château Suduiraut's decline. The couple's daughter, Isabelle Petit de Forest, and her husband were unable to maintain the high quality of the wines and Suduiraut's reputation plummeted. Finally, the 1930s' recession and the Second World War forced them to sell the estate to a successful industrial tycoon, Leopold-François Fonquernie, in 1940. Fonquernie made large-scale investments into the estate in order to restore its historic reputation, but it took him over forty years to manage it. There were no major changes in wine quality until Pierre Pascaud was hired as the estate's manager, and it was he who focused on improving production methods. He changed the old barrels that lay in the cellars, partly gave up the use of large cement vats and concentrated on being more selective in his winemaking. Quality improved, and by the 1980s, Suduiraut's wines were again valued around the world. In 1992 the estate changed hands again when the French insurance giant AXA Millésime bought it from Fonquernie's daughters. Pierre Pascaud continued working there until his retirement in 1995. Pascaud's son Alain followed in his father's footsteps and was in charge of winemaking on the estate until succumbing to an illness that led to his eventual death. Since 2004, wine production has been under the management of Loire-born winemaker Pierre Montégut. Montégut is excited about his job and the fact that AXA Millésime allows him to observe how the company's other estates ­ Pichon-Baron in Pauillac, Quinta do Noval in Portugal and Disznókö in Tokaji, Hungary ­ are led. "AXA has offered Suduiraut a unique opportunity to develop the quality its wines," Montégut says. He emphasises that along with economic investments, an important aid has been the interaction with the winemakers of the other estates that are owned by the company and the active participation of the company's Managing Director, 64 FINE

Château Suduiraut­ Sauternes elegance Christian Seely, in developing the business. "Indeed, the company is like a large family business", Montégut adds. Today Château Suduiraut has vineyards that spread out over a 92-hectare area in Preignac and Sauternes. The soil is dominated by gravel and a mix of clay and sand. According to Montégut, Preignac's soil gives the wines their high acidity and mineral content and also a unique mint-like aroma. The Sauternes regions, on the other hand, contain more clay, in turn guaranteeing the wines' rich colour and magnificent structure. In the vineyards, almost only Sémillon is cultivated, with Sauvignon Blanc forming only 10 per cent of the blend. The annual production of some 100 000 bottles is divided into three different wines: the lusciously rich and concentrated Château Suduiraut, the lighter, sweet and mineral Castelnau de Suduiraut, and a crisp, dry white wine called "S" de Suduiraut. Montégut emphasises the fact that in all of the wines the focus is on crispness rather than sweetness. "Every year I strive to produce a Sauternes whose aftertaste would emphasise freshness," he says. He explains that when the grapes have been picked, they are pressed and fermented with the aid of natural yeasts. The fermentation takes place at a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. At this temperature, according to Montégut, the generation of volatile acids is minimised and the wine's aroma is preserved. The fermentation is finalised in oak barrels, of which half are new. The exception is the ripe vintage of 2005, when Montégut used 65 per cent new oak barrels in the production of Suduiraut. After fermenting for some 10 to 15 days, 14 per cent of the alcohol has formed and the wine is pumped into tanks where the yeasts are killed by cooling the wine to between one and six degrees Celsius. The wine is then lowered back into the oak barrels to mature. It is brightened at three-month intervals by moving it from one barrel to another. Finally, the wine is filtered by separating it from the sediment and crystallised wine acids. Sulphur is added to the wine, and it is bottled. The bottles are stored for 12­24 months before their release to the market. At that time, the amount of free sulphur in the wine is only 290­310 milligrams. Montégut should be happy with the quality of his wines. They are elegant, clean, seductively lively and concentrated. In the twenty-first century the AXA team has renovated the estate, creating perfect conditions for winemaking; now it is only the weather that determines when the château can produce legendary wines. In the last decade, conditions have been ideal in 2001 and 2009, and those wines are truly promising. Time will tell whether these vintages will mature to be as great as the estate's best-ever vintages of 1921 and 1928. > The Best Château Suduiraut Vintages to drink today 97p 1928 Château Suduiraut 98p 1921 Château Suduiraut Average auction 480 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, golden Nose: Very rich, honeyed, apricots, peaches, burnt sugar Average auction 628 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, golden Nose: Complex, rich borytis character, honey and vanilla flavours preserved apricots, honeyed, spicy Palate: Sweet, crisp, creamy texture, gently spicy, glycerol-like botrytis character Charming nectar If you find one under 500 2 times, last in 2009 1 hour 3 hours Now Fried and caramellised foie gras Moderately A great vintage that is shadowed by 1929 Château Gilette 1921 A dessert in itself Palate: Sweet, vivid acidity, broad texture with Finish: Intense, mineral with tropical fruits In a nutshell: Exotic seduction Buy or not: Great year and four times cheaper than Yquem 1921 ­ and no fakes around 3 times, last in 2003 1 hour 3 hours Now to 2015 No food, just enjoy with good company Moderate Considered the Sauternes vintage of the century Château d'Yquem 1921 An amazingly youthful wine that still shows the capability to age Finish: Long, vivid and broad with a fine In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Or try this: Final verdict: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Or try this: Final verdict: C H ÂT E A U S U D U I R A U T 65 FINE Estate

The Best Château Calon-Ségur Vintages 98p 1928 Château Calon-Ségur 97p 1945 Château Calon-Ségur Average auction 712 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, youthful, clear Nose: Open, sound, intense, classic, black Palate: Vigorous, well-balanced, muscular, full, concentrated, tannic, chunky Powerful, meaty, big, dry Amazing Perfect buy 18 times, last in 3/2011 1 hour 1 hour Now to 2020 Roasted lamb chops None Calon-Ségur's most famous vintage DRC Richebourg 1929 One of the stars of 1928 Average auction 480 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, healthy, promising, young at heart cherry, blueberry, pure, coffee, truffles Nose: Pure, vigorous, intense, easter tobacco, chocolate, forest floor, cassis, plum fruit extract, firm, soft tannins, muscular Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: Or try this: Final verdict: Palate: Very full, ripe, well-balanced, good Finish: Long, warm, direct, sumptuous In a nutshell: Classic 1945 Buy or not: Yes Tasted: 11 times, last time 2003 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2020 Food pairing: Grilled veal Fake factor: None Inside Information: In the 17th century Nicolas-Alexandre, marquis de Ségur, became the owner of Chateau Calon when he was already owner of Chateau Latour and Chateau Lafite. He said: "I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon." The wine's label still includes a drawing of a heart around the chateau's name. Or try this: Château Léoville-Las-Cases 1945 Final verdict: A sure bet 97p 1947 Château Calon-Ségur 97p 1989 Château Clinet Average auction 610 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, deep, mature Nose: Open, sound, intense, fruity, earthy, muscular Average auction 525 / 2011 price: Colour: Youthful, bright, deep Nose: Expressive, pure, fresh, mint, herbs, spicy, tobacco leaf, vanilla, truffles moderate weight, liquorice, sweet fruit, dry tannins Palate: Nicely balanced, glittering, loaded, ripe, hefty, fresh, forward, intense Palate: Well-balanced, fleshy, good structure, Finish: Multi-layered, forward, clean In a nutshell: Bombshell Buy or not: Worth testing Tasted: 6 times, last time 2010 Decanting time: 3 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2030 Food pairing: Fried duck brest Fake factor: None Inside Information: varieties planted ­ 85%, Cabernet- that produced some truly brilliant wines in the last century. The château's top vintages ­1928, 1934, 1945 and 1955 (considered by many experts to be the top wines of these vintages), are often valued even higher than many first growths from the same years. The estate's terroir is considered to be one of the most promising in Bordeaux. Finish: Multi-layered, long, soft, stylish In a nutshell: A surprisingly good St-Estèphe 1947 Buy or not: At these low prices, any day! Tasted: 27 times, last time 2010 Decanting time: 1 hour Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2020 Food pairing: Roasted beef Fake factor: None Inside Information: Château Calon-Ségur is an estate Sauvignon 10%, Cabernet Franc 5%. The average age of the vines is 40 for years. The Clinet 1989 vintage is 100% Merlot and was kept 24 months in new barrels. Production was only 2000 cases. Or try this: Château Pavie 1947 Final verdict: Worth discovering Or try this: Lafleur 1990 Final verdict: Massive Attack 66 FINE

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CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC ­ A THOROUGHBRED OF THE WINE WORLD D espite the icy wind and lashing rain, a large group of villagers had gathered on the narrow streets of Saint-Emilion to receive Henry IV, King of France. He was expected to stop at the village on his way from Paris to his birthplace of Pau. The weather conditions and the long journey were taxing, however, and the exhausted horses in the King's retinue had to be replaced. The King's famous pedantry threatened to ruin the expedition, as he would only accept a white horse for his steed. Luckily, one was found: the only white horse in the area lived in the stables of a small inn five kilometres from the centre of Saint-Emilion. The owner of the inn gave the horse to the King as a present, and so the journey could continue through the village. The horse became legendary as the white steed of King Henry IV, and was immortalised in many paintings and sculptures. The origins of the story are difficult to trace, but it is probably no coincidence that 250 years later, those stables became the site of a vineyard named Cheval Blanc ­ White Horse. Today, the white steed carries a new king: Pierre Lurton, who is adorned with the golden crown of Château d'Yquem. 68 FINE

C H ÂT E A U C H E VA L B L A N C 69 FINE Estate

Pierre Lurton

Pierre Lurton's fate was decided many generations ago. It is said that only in the mafia are family bonds stronger than in the wine industry. The wine world is dominated by many families with histories that stretch back hundreds of years. In the Bordeaux region alone there are several dynasties that control many vineyards and large wine wholesalers. However, only a handful of families still run the same wineries they did in the early nineteenth century; almost all the estates in Bordeaux changed owners during the 1900s. Global financial crises, wars and a series of poor vintages, especially in the 1930s, fuelled changes in ownership. Many family businesses that were established as wine wholesalers enjoyed greater financial stability than plain winegrowers did. In bad times, some of them managed to buy estates that had fallen into financial difficulties, often for a bargain. Many of today's most prosperous wine families are descended from large banking or wine merchant families, whose wealth allowed them to transition into the winegrowing business. The Lurton family is one of the most renowned and largest of such families. The Lurtons arrived in Bordeaux in the late 1800s. They acquired their first vineyard, Château Brane-Cantenac in Margaux, in the 1930s. The then head of the family, François Lurton, also acquired a significant stake in the celebrated Château Margaux. He later traded that for the Clos Fourtet winery in Saint-Emilion. Although Pierre Lurton's great-uncles André and Lucien only had access to limited capital, they confidently bought more than a dozen vineyards in the years following the Second World War. Many of the estates were in poor condition, deeply scarred by the War, the economic crisis and the devastating frosts of 1956. Therefore they were sold cheaply, and, to André and Lucien's great fortune, later turned out to be real goldmines. André Lurton, who owned six estates, had seven children. His brother Lucien had around ten estates and as many descendants. The cousins grew directly into the family's wine business, and soon there was talk of a Lurton family empire, so powerful were they in Bordeaux. Today the family controls more than twenty-five châteaux in the region. Madame Félicité de Carle-Trajet signed an agreement to hand over 16.3 hectares of gravelly land to the Ducasse family. As a widow, she paid a high price for her late husband's mistakes. On the brink of bankruptcy, she was forced to give up their once magnificent wine estate piece by piece. It was now in a terrible state, with many buildings collapsed and several other corn varieties being cultivated there besides wine. In the early 1800s, Figeac was the most renowned vineyard in Bordeaux, together with Haut-Brion. The poor widow would scarcely have been comforted by the knowledge that her actions would give rise to a new success story, with Ducasse and his sons-in-law as the pioneers. Ducasse began by having a castle built on the land, and later extended the plot by a further 15.4 hectares. After this, the estate's muddy, gravelly and waterlogged soil was dried to improve the quality of its wines. Ducasse continued to sell his wines under the Figeac name until 1853, when the first bottles of Cheval Blanc were launched on the market. Son-in-law Jean Laussac-Fourcaud continued Ducasse's praiseworthy efforts in quality development. He can be credited for instance with planting Cabernet Franc in the vineyards in 1870, which has since become an essential part of the Cheval Blanc identity. Having later changed his name to Fourcaud-Laussac, Jean became internationally recognised at the London and Paris fairs of 1862 and 1867. The diplomas received at those fairs still have pride of place on the Cheval Blanc label. Despite this acknowledgement, it would take another fifty years for Cheval Blanc to become truly world-famous. Jean Laussac-Fourcaud can be credited for instance with planting Cabernet Franc in the vineyards in 1870. Pierre, the son of Dominique Lurton, is today the most renowned member of the family, and for good reason. He manages the world famous estates Château Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yquem. Pierre took over the reins of the Château Cheval Blanc estate and wines in 1991. He describes his demanding task as follows: "All the Lurtons are in the wine business, and they have spread out around the world. I am related to most of my business partners. I have long worked in close contact with my father and my uncle, and they have taught me diplomacy and care above all, because our family tree is very complex. Although I deal with my relatives, I have to be very tactful." Cheval Blanc before Lurton In 1832, the prospects were poor for the Figeac vineyard in Saint-Emilion. C H ÂT E A U C H E VA L B L A N C 71 FINE Estate Château Cheval Blanc ­ A Thoroughbred Of The Wine World

"Although my job involves all of the duties included in managing the vineyards, I feel I am a winemaker above all." 72 FINE

C H ÂT E A U C H E VA L B L A N C 73 FINE Estate

"My main aim for the near future is to maintain the Cheval Blanc character and style" A star is born Although Cheval Blanc had received recognition at international fairs, it was by no means among the most esteemed wines in Bordeaux. The famous classification of 1855 had mercilessly left all the right-bank estates in the shadow of Médoc, Graves and Sauternes. After the ownership changes and a later infestation of phylloxera, Figeac was but a shadow of its former self. Belair and the historic Ausone, which had once again shot to fame, were the only prominent wineries on the right bank. The 1921 vintage changed everything, however. The estate only produces approximately thirty-five hectolitres per hectare. The extremely hot year produced two legendary wines: Château d'Yquem and Cheval Blanc, both of which trumped all other Bordeaux wines. With this vintage, Cheval Blanc rose to the vanguard of great Bordeaux wines and achieved star status, especially on the British market, where its breakthrough was down to one man in particular. Wine Director Michael Broadbent of Christie's declared Cheval Blanc the best red wine of 1921. An exception without compare Since 1921, Cheval Blanc has asserted itself as one of the most eminent Saint-Emilion wines. However, it is much more than that; it is the only top wine from Bordeaux that uses a majority of Cabernet Franc grapes in its blend, and as such it is also the most prestigious Cabernet Franc wine in the world. The Cheval Blanc wines are exceptional in that their character is more reminiscent of Pomerol than Saint-Emilion. In the light of these factors, Cheval Blanc is truly an exception without compare among Bordeaux reds. This was noted by the world's 74 FINE

seventh-richest man and owner of the LVMH holding company, Bernard Arnault, together with his Belgian business partner, Baron Albert Frère. In 1998, they acquired the vineyard for around 155 million euros from the Fourcaud-Laussac family, in whose ownership it had been since 1832. Now Arnault owns both of the wineries responsible for those legendary 1921 vintages, Château Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yquem. He has put his right-hand man Pierre Lurton in charge of the operations of both. Lurton has mixed feelings about the price trend. be made by closely following instructions from a manual. Naturally the winemaking operations in the cellar are important, but the character and personality of the wine come from the terroir. The terroir consists of the combined effects of the soil, the local climate and the vines," Lurton says. Multilayered Behind Cheval Blanc's unique character and blend lies a multilayered soil base in which Cabernet Franc thrives better than anywhere else. The 41-hectare estate is located on a gravelly plain on the northwestern edge of Saint-Emilion, and flanks the legendary region of Pomerol. Its closest neighbours are L'Evangile and Le Conseillante, while Pétrus is just a stone's throw away. The earth comprises three different ground types. On the surface are sand and gravel, which are low-nutrient materials. Below these, at a depth of 80­90 cm, is ferrous clay. In some parts of the vineyards, there is still a multilayered gravelly soil stratum beneath this. The large number of stones on the surface of the earth trap warmth and thus guarantee the ideal ripening of the grapes, even in cooler weather. "At Cheval Blanc, it is a combination of gravelly topsoil and the use of later grape varieties such as the tannin-rich Cabernet Franc rather than the early-ripening Merlot. Just over one half of the cultivated area on the Cheval Blanc estate grows Cabernet Franc, while a bit less has Merlot. In addition, around one per cent of the acreage consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. "My main aim for the near future is to maintain the Cheval Blanc character and style while increasing its quality by limiting the harvest and further specifying the choice of grapes," Lurton says. Quality assurance at Cheval Blanc is maintained by restricting yields to the low quantity of 35 hl/ha. This is achieved thanks to the older-than-average 33-year-old vines, with minimal use of natural fertilisers and by grafting the vines onto low-yield Riparia rootstock. Yields are kept low using the Guyot Simple single-cane vine training system, in which the number of flowers is lower than average. In very sunny and warm crop years, the vines must be thinned out in order to maintain quality. Lurton has also made development efforts in the production process. Fermentation takes place at a temperature of 30­32 degrees Celsius and the temperature is allowed to fall naturally without artificial regulation towards the end of the fermentation process. During the initial stages of fermentation, Lurton uses the pumping-over method for both colour extraction and in order to prevent reductive aromas from building up. After fermentation, skin extraction continues for three weeks before pressing. The extraction time is based on the amount of extraction agents formed in the grapes, and is decided after tasting by a jury. The jury includes former management members from the estate, who have solid experience of various vintages of Cheval over the decades. A new king The first thing you notice about Pierre Lurton is his unruly, boyish presence that exudes energy. This energy is essential, because in addition to Cheval Blanc and Yquem, he produces other wines, including Cheval des Andes, which are made from Malbec grapes at his Bodega Terrazas de los Andes in Argentina. Lurton still considers his most important task to be supervising operations on the estates and working in the wine cellar: "Although my job involves all of the duties included in managing the vineyards, I feel I am a winemaker above all." The Cheval Blanc estate employs five senior oenologists who look after approximately 6000 cases of Cheval Blanc and 2500 cases of the estate's number two wine, Petit Cheval, produced each year. Lurton stresses the importance of the soil and explains that the operations in the cellar are simply fine-tuning. "Cheval Blanc does not follow trends or bow to fly-by-night wine gurus. Cheval Blanc is timeless, produced using traditional craftsmanship. We believe that it is not enough for a truly great wine to be excellent; it must also have a personality that makes it unique. This means that a brilliant wine cannot "They will think I have gone somewhat crazy" heavy, clay-based soil deeper down. The gravel content gives the wine its refined nature, whereas the clay provides its `full-bodiedness' and velvety tannins. The great Cheval Blanc is born out of the combination of these two soil types," Lurton explains. The warmth of the soil ripens the grapes relatively early. This supports C H ÂT E A U C H E VA L B L A N C 75 FINE Estate

For pressing, Lurton's team has, after numerous tests, found old-fashioned hydraulic presses to be preferable to the pneumatic alternatives. They found that their wine tasted better before blending when it came from a pneumatic press rather than a hydraulic press, yet after blending, the hydraulically pressed wine was surprisingly of much higher quality. After blending, the wine matures in French oak barrels, of which only some are new; this is to ensure that that the oak does not overshadow the terroir. We love oak In the cellar, several rows of piled-up barriques stand on the ochre-coloured floor. They contain everything that will go into the 2008 vintage of Cheval Blanc. "Our technique is very traditional, even old-fashioned," explains winemaker Pierre Olivier Clouet almost apologetically. The young winemaker studied agriculture in Normandy, after which he qualified in winemaking from the esteemed Ecole du Vin in Bordeaux. He was recruited as an oenologist by Cheval Blanc immediately after graduation, which is a remarkable achievement. "The vineyards are divided into 32 plots whose aromas vary significantly due to the different soil compositions," he says. "The grapes from each plot are fermented separately in their own tanks, and the oenologists do not decide which plot's wine to use for the Cheval Blanc blend, and in what proportions, until after the winemaking process." The estate only produces approximately thirty-five hectolitres per hectare, so the vines must be cut during the summer to restrict the crop. The wine matures in new French oak barrels for 20 months, in order to develop its characteristic structure and tannins. "We love oak," Clouet confesses. "During fermentation and ageing, wine samples are only pumped out once or twice, and even that is done very carefully to prevent oxidation." This handcrafted process has its price, but the end product is worth it. It makes the wines more intense and complex. The blend is made after two months of barrel ageing, as a team effort between the oenologists and Managing Director Lurton. "There are no guidelines for the proportions of grape varieties in the wine. Nor is the quantity of finished wine decided in advance. At the end, all that matters is that the wine is a typical Cheval Blanc," Clouet says. After this, the cuvée is aged in wooden barrels for another year. Once the label is afixed, the price of the bottle can exceed 400 euros, depending on the vintage. The subscription price for 2006 was 480 euros, while the price for the 2007 vintage is already around 500 euros. Lurton has mixed feelings about the price trend. "Price inflation has been a "The building will meld into the surrounding landscape, but it will stand out as something completely new and previously unseen in this region," problem for the most renowned wines. Of course I understand you have to pay for a quality wine. Cheval Blanc, for example, is clearly a luxury product ­ very expensive and rare. However, it is not my aim to produce a wine that is objectified and used as a bargaining chip by investors. We produce wine for people to drink; it's that simple. I do understand that the price is an inevitable consequence of the quality and desirability of our wines, but we will not change our style just to receive better scores from critics. Many critics seem to like our style of winemaking, and this naturally leads to our products being traded in auctions," Lurton says. Lingering aftertaste Cheval Blanc is a name that awakens the interest of any wine enthusiast, and has done for 80 years. It has enjoyed many legendary vintages, the best so far being 1921, 1947, 1950 and 1982. The Cheval Blanc brand also became widely known to the public thanks to the Alexander Payne film Sideways in 2004, which portrayed Cheval Blanc 1961 as the most precious wine in the universe. In the real wine world, however, that title belongs to the legendary Cheval Blanc 1947, which the world's well-known wine critics place at the top of the world's best wines ever produced, together with Margaux 1900 and Mouton Rothschild 1945. Pierre Lurton describes Cheval Blanc: "Cheval Blanc is a strong but not aggressive, mellow, silky, faultlessly elegant and sophisticated wine based on the essence of Cabernet Franc and coloured by Merlot. It is reminiscent of a Pomerol rather than a Saint-Emilion. Its crispness and cashmere-soft tannins make it age beautifully, and it only becomes more rich in nuances over time." 76 FINE

Château Cheval Blanc ­ A Thoroughbred Of The Wine World Technical Director Ken Van Leeuwen, who is in charge of the vineyards, goes on: "Although this wine is very attractive already when young, it has incredible development potential. The reason is probably the location next door to Pomerol. The fabulous, long and extremely refined aftertaste is the result of successfully ripened Cabernet grapes. The ultimate ambition in our entire winemaking process is to bring out these characteristics in the Cheval Blanc wines without any artificial tricks that might affect their character." The symbol of a new Bordeaux Throughout our interview, the Cheval Blanc estate is enveloped by a strong, cool wind. It makes the vine leaves and tablecloths flutter day and night. This climate keeps the grapes dry and healthy. The estate's pale main building, dating from 1860, has narrow turrets and white shutters, and even includes its own little chapel. The buildings look much larger in real life than in photographs. Between the main building and the refined orangery are wooden chairs and light-coloured garden umbrellas. Behind the vineyards you can discern Château Figeac in Pomerol, whereas the roof that is visible behind the estate belongs to Château Pétrus. Perfectly manicured lawns and meticulously pruned orange trees, rose bushes and shrubs are surrounded by paths and courtyards covered in pale gravel that crunches underfoot. Alongside the road to Château Cheval Blanc stands a battered sign onto which C H ÂT E A U C H E VA L B L A N C 77 FINE Estate

someone long ago painted the name of this resplendent château. Following the sign, you arrive at the building's security gate, which can only be opened with a code or by a security guard for those who have made a prior appointment. We arrived as agreed and now sit upstairs in Lurton's office, which is decked out in light-coloured wood, enjoying the fantastic view from the windows. On the large desk there are folders, magazines and photocopies. From a plastic pocket in one of the folders, Lurton extracts a plan for renovating the image of Saint-Emilion. He intends to build a new cellar for Cheval Blanc. "They will think I have gone somewhat crazy," he says and tosses his head towards the surrounding estates that bathe in the evening sun. The building known as the chai, in which Clouet and his colleagues make the wines, is slated for demolition, in order to make way for a building the likes of which has not yet been seen in these parts. It has been designed by Parisian top architect Christian de Portzamparc, whose handiwork includes the new home of the Rio de Janeiro Philharmonic Orchestra, Cidade de Musica Hall, Luxembourgs La Philharmonie Hall and, as it happens, a skyscraper owned by the LVMH Group in Manhattan. He also designed the French Embassy on Berlin's Pariser Platz, so he is certainly not short of references. The question is how do you get such a renowned architect to design you a wine cellar? "Portzamparc's cellar isn't intended as a simple wine cellar; it is the `symbol of a new Bordeaux'," Lurton says solemnly. The two floors of the modern cellar is placed within an artificial hillock. The top floor holds steel vats for vinification, while the bottom floor contains the oak barrels, which are visible from above through a glass floor. Lurton hashed out all the details of the building ­ for example grape delivery and unloading, as well as the use of gravity rather than pumps ­ in numerous meetings with Portzamparc's designers. The structure contains storage for old vintages and a tasting facility. Clearly visible from afar, this "symbol of the new Bordeaux" looks like a concrete ramp rising towards the skies. From its midpoint, the ramp twists around itself in a spiral. At the top edge there is a roof terrace from where guests can enjoy a breathtaking view of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. At the intersection point of the spiral there is a terrace intended for private use by customers, where wine and food can be served directly from underground facilities. "The building melds into the surrounding landscape, but it stands out as something completely new and previously unseen in this region," Lurton says. Such audacious architecture has indeed not yet been witnessed in Bordeaux; similar structures have thus far mainly been erected in Spain and on the other side of the ocean. The cost of the 7000-square-metre building and its surrounding parkland is around 10 million euros. "A completely ordinary, well-equipped cellar would cost almost as much," Lurton says. The park and the viewing platform are accessible for tourists interested in winemaking, and that makes this the first top-rated wine estate that opens its doors, at least partly, to the wider public. Even if the visitors cannot afford to buy the estate's wines, they can peer into the cellar from above and witness it being produced. This will help to lift the veil off the legend ­ a legend that has unquestionably maintained its status as a fine wine for more than 150 years. > 78 FINE

99p 1921 Château Cheval Blanc 100p 1947 Château Cheval Blanc Average auction 6450 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, moderately intense, brick red Nose: Earthy, leathery, ripe strawberries, a bit wild and volatile Average auction 4800 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, very dark, mature, promising Nose: Sound, open, chocolaty, leathery, Palate: Rich, exciting, full-bodied, perfect Palate: Medium-bodied, vivid, mellow tannins, warming alcohol, silky port-like, sweet, rich, mocha, spices, pepper balance, feminine, smooth tannins, Wau thrilling Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Long, silky smooth finish Very much Pauillac in style If you are 100 years old today ­ buy! 3 times, last in 1/2011 15 minutes 30 minutes Now Roasted duck breast with cranberry sauce Finish: Super long, silky, flavourful, lingering, In a nutshell: Cant live without it Buy or not: A sure bet Tasted: 62 times, last in 8/2011 Decanting time: 1.5 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: The less food the better wine is Fake factor: Very high ­ especially among VDM and other Fake factor: Very low Inside Only a few château-bottlings around. information: This is the vintage with which Cheval Blanc made its reputitation negociant bottlings. Also quite a few fake magnums and bigger size fakes are around. Be very careful. Or try this: Pétrus 1921 Final verdict: What took them so long Inside information: The Cheval Blanc 1947 has been tasted by us on more than 60 occasions, but it has scored a faultless 100 points only 31 times. Its track record falls below the Latour 1961s and Mouton 1945s, mostly because there are so many variable négociant bottlings available. And regrettably, there are also quite a few frauds around. Or try this: Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 Final verdict: A perfect, out-of-this-world experience 98p 1950 Château Cheval Blanc 97p 1952 Château Cheval Blanc Average auction 1150 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, clear brick red Nose: Powerful, sound, elegant, ripe dark Palate: Concentrated, rich, opulent, fullFinish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Beautiful, refined, long Classic St.-Emilion Absolutely yes 28 times, last in 1/2011 30 minutes 1 hour Now to 2020 Grilled T-Bone steak with green peppers fruits, dark chocolate, coffee, spices, truffles, rich, mint bodied, great balance, fleshy, velvety, complex Average auction 1110 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, dark-red, healthy Nose: Elegant, sound, elegant, cedar, vanilla, white chocolate, coffee bodied, sweet, multi-layered Balanced, delicious, eternal As good as Pétrus 1952 Yes 18 times, last in 3/2011 1.5 hours 1 hour Now to 2020 Beef Welliington Beware of fake VDM-bottlings Palate: Harmonious, balanced, rich, mediumFinish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Fake factor: Medium Inside The 1950 is an underrated vintage in information: Bordeaux, and in many cases rightly so. This was, however, an excellent vintage in Pomerol, St. Emilion and parts of Graves. Inside information: This must be the best price-quality ratio Cheval Blanc that can be found. The vintage was very good overall in Bordeaux but especially on the Right Bank. A warm spring and hot summer from June until the end of August ensured good vegetative growth. Only the cold September ruined the dreams of outstanding quality. Or try this: Cheval Blanc 1953 Final verdict: Thoroughly okay! Or try this: Pétrus 1950 Final verdict: Very hard to resist now, but should easily last through to 2020, at least. C H ÂT E A U C H E VA L B L A N C 79 FINE Estate The Best Cheval Blanc Vintages

The Best Cheval Blanc Vintages 98p 1982 Château Cheval Blanc 99p 1990 Château Cheval Blanc Average auction 970 / 2011 price: Colour: Intensive, bright red Nose: Charming, complex, chocolate, mocha, ripe blackcurrants, butterscotch, truffles, caramel, cinnamon Average auction 1090 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, dark, tile-red Nose: Powerful, complex, caramel, vanilla, truffles, exotic fruits, mint, mineral scents toasty, multi-layered, exotic Supercar! Buy half-bottles for everyday use 36 times, last in 2010 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2030 Grilled fillet of lamb None Yields below 40 hl/ha; average natural alcohol content was 13.6% Dominus 1992 Unstoppable Palate: Fleshy, opulent, concentrated, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: Rounded, long, wide, intense Long awaited Cheval hit! In cases 12 times, last in 7/2011 2.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2040 Grillled lamb chops None Palate: Full-bodied, well-balanced, pure, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: Warm, long, savoury, thrilling fresh, vivid acidity, ripe, firm tannins, harmonious balance The birth year of Pierre Lurton's first child Hermitage La Chapelle 1978 Cheval at its hardcore best 80 FINE

82 FINE

Cos d'Estournel H Â T E AU C Exoticism in Bordeaux here are two common misconceptions about Château Cos d'Estournel. Firstly, about the estate's most famous building, which is perhaps the most unusual and most photographed building in Médoc: it is not actually the château, but the chai, where the wine is made. It has never been the home of the estate's owners. Secondly, about pronunciation: Cos is pronounced phonetically, including the s. This is typical of the area, and also applies to other names such as Pétrus and Climens. T C H ÂT E A U C O S D ' E S TO U R N E L 83 FINE Estate

Château Cos d'Estournel ­ 2 Cru Classé Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe Cos d'Estournel is a fairly young estate by Bordeaux standards. LouisGaspard d'Estournel inherited it from his father, Guy d'Estournel de Maniban, in 1791, but did not make wine the main crop until the early nineteenth century. First he expanded the areas under cultivation and then, in 1811, he decided to focus on improving wine production. Therefore it was no surprise that the estate received no significant mention in the early classification of the region by Lawton, and it was not until 1800 that the estate was listed as a third growth by André Simon, with a similar ranking in a subsequent Lawton ranking. So it was in 1811 that d'Estournel first considered how to refine his château. The success and reputation of the neighbouring Château Lafite-Rothschild as a fine wine producer made him wonder whether his estate could reach the same heights. Comparisons of soil quality, slope gradients and riverine proximity revealed hidden possibilities. However, d'Estournel was forced to sell his land in that same year due to financial troubles. To his good fortune, he managed to buy it back a decade later. Thanks to new capital and with assiduous application, d'Estournel tripled his cultivated area within a few decades, among other things, by buying the neighbouring estate of Cos Labory, whose best vineyards were later appended to Cos d'Estournel's. The Far Eastern trade in thoroughbred horses was d'Estournel's other passion and he imported Arabian horses into 84 FINE

Château Cos d'Estournel ­ Exoticism in Bordeaux France. In doing so, he realised that it could be a good idea to sell his wines to his existing foreign contacts. Thus his two businesses were joined, but unfortunately most of his potential customers were Muslims, so the attempt failed. The unsold wine barrels were returned to Bordeaux, and during the journey something happened that would help to further the reputation of the estate's wines. At that time, Bordeaux wines were completely different from what they are today. The grapes were picked early and the different ripenesses were all used together for the same wine, without removing the stems. The wines made in this way were astringent and acidic, and not at their best when young. Having travelled to the Far East and back, the wine barrels had been exposed to heat and constant movement. This had sped up the maturation process and the wines tasted much better than those stored in Bordeaux. The Cos wines became so popular that d'Estournel began to send further barrels to India and back before bottling. He added labels that he personally signed, which said "dispatched by me" (expédie par moi). That also earned him the nickname of the "Maharajah of St.-Estèphe". In those days, bottles of Cos d'Estournel graced the tables of Tsar Nicolas I of Russia, Queen Victoria of England and, naturally, Emperor Napoleon III of France. Indeed, d'Estournel excelled at cultivating a sense of exoticism, understanding early about the uniqueness of wine as a consumable and seeing the importance of dreams and imagination in the tasting experience. the Taillan Group. Another ownership change followed in 2000, with Michel Reybier the buyer. Reybier, who made his fortune from the French sausage company Justin Bridou and from Aoste hams, currently owns three luxury hotels, including Geneva's La Réserve. The estate is still managed by Bruno Prats's son Jean-Guillaume, however, who took over when his father retired in 1998. Bruno Prats did many things to improve the estate's operations and winemaking quality. During his time, Cos rose from a good second cru classification to a super second. Prats began picking the grapes a little later, selected them more carefully, kept a closer eye on wine fermentation, and aimed to remove the vin de presse. This made the wine softer and more elegant. Wines from Saint-Estèphe are usually full-bodied and richly fruity in nature, but also fairly rural, astringent and acidic, especially at a young age. Cos is different mainly due to the soil, which contains more gravel and less clay than the rest of the region. Cos wines have more Merlot grapes than most Médoc wines, at around 40 per cent. This results in a smoother and more sophisticated wine that still has the required strength. Cos wines are closer in style to St.-Julien than Pauillac, although the latter is in geographic proximity. Cos wines can be enjoyed very young, but they also age very well. One of the best bottles of Cos I have tasted was from 1929. Cos is located on a plain on the border with Pauillac, separated from Château Lafite Rothschild by the river Jalle du Château Cos d'Estournel: pride of Bruno Prats D'Estournel invested most of his funds into expanding his vineyards and building exotic cellars and storage spaces. Today, the cellars are pictured on the wine labels. His fantasy-filled creation, with its Chinese pagodas and arched vaults, was clearly inspired by his interest in the Far East. If d'Estournel was planning at some point to build a château, he never did, because he ran out of money again and was forced to sell Cos for the second time in 1852. He would die the following year, at the age of 91. The new owner, a British banker named Charles Cecil Martyn, was hardly interested in winemaking. He hired Jérome Chiapella, owner of Château La Mission Haut-Brion, to care for the estate. This raised the reputation and quality of the estate's wines, and in the 1855 Bordeaux classification the estate was placed on a par with its much older counterparts, Rauzan, Pichon and Léoville, when it was classed as a second growth. After this, Cos was sold to M. Errazu, who sold it on to the Holstein family, owners at the time of Château Montrose. The success story of Cos d'Estournel then really began in 1917, when the estate was acquired by Ferdinand Ginestet. This was Ginestet's first vineyard, to be joined later by Château Margaux and Petit Village. The estates were divided in 1970, and Cos ended up in the hands of the Prats family through the marriage of Ferdinand Ginestet's daughter. Bruno Prats continued at the helm of Cos until 1998, when it was acquired by C H ÂT E A U C O S D ' E S TO U R N E L 85 FINE Estate

Breuil. The plain rises to an altitude of just over twenty metres. In the Mosel or Douro regions that would be a mere hillock, but in Médoc this is a huge altitude difference. The estate is named after this plain; the old Gascon word caux is an abbreviation of the phrase colline de cailloux, meaning a hill of pebbles. The pebbly hill helps to drain water away in rainy seasons, and thanks to the proximity of the river, the temperature on the estate remains mild. This is probably why Cos often does well in so-called bad wine years. A lot of things have been happening at Cos in a very brief interval. A very good second wine, Les Pagodes de Cos, was introduced, being produced from the best plots, mainly from vines younger than twenty years old. In the past, wine that was not deemed good enough for the Grand Vin was blended with the product of the neighbouring Château Marbuzet, which was also the home of Bruno Prats. There is now even a third wine called A l'Éléphant. Totally new cellars, already completed, are also pushing the envelope of originality. The new cellars, rumoured to have cost over thirty million euros were designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, selected by Cos for his proven ability to integrate contemporary design into historic buildings. Wilmotte's ultra-modern cellars have 72 isothermal cone-shaped vats of varying sizes and a vat elevator for taking gravity-led winemaking one step further than anyone else in Bordeaux; this is a cellar operated entirely by gravity. To sustain the image of opulence and exoticism, Cos also hired celebrity interior designer Jacques Garcia to give his exaggerated touch to the reception rooms. In recent years, Cos has become one of the most beloved wines from Bordeaux by adding a touch of modernism, exotic charm and softness to its robust St.-Estèphe character while still being true to its origins. A wonderful and mind-blowing combination. > 86 FINE

The Best Château Cos dEstournel Vintages 97p 1929 Château Cos dEstournel Average auction 377 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, brownish, deep Nose: Sound, clean, complex, spicy, sweet, dark chocolate Palate: Great balance, good acidity, elegant, medium bodied, focused Smooth, pure, round Not the biggest 1929 but the loveliest Definitely ­ if it is in good condition 5 times, last in 2010 30 minute 1 hour Now Grilled beef skewers None One of the great nines: 1899, 1929, 1949, 1959, 1989, 2009 Cos 2009 vintage in 2080 Not many people knows how good this is ­ drink today! Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: 97p 1953 Château Cos dEstournel Average auction 310 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, dark, healthy Nose: Pure, elegant, stylish, leather, smoked meat, vanilla, exotic spices Palate: Beautiful balance, sensitive, full- bodied, fruity, silky tannins, multilayered Finish: Silky, very long, balanced, powerful In a nutshell: The most elegant Cos dEstournel Buy or not: Bordeaux 1953 has an excellent drinkability ­ price ratio 8 times, last in 2011 1.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2020 Fried filet of deer None The 1953 Bordeaux harvest began September 28, making it the latest Bordeaux harvest start date of the decade Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Mouton 1953 Final verdict: Lovely to drink today C H ÂT E A U C O S D ' E S TO U R N E L 87 FINE Estate

The Wine Connoisseur's Premier Cru wine supplier once asked me as to what wine estate I would own if I could choose from absolutely any estate in the world. I immediately replied Château Haut-Brion. One reason would be the estate's fine buildings, while another would be its location, which is close to Bordeaux. However, the main reason would be the wines that it produces. A The wines of Haut-Brion are elegant and perfectly balanced. They have their own distinctive personality. They are soft, warm and graceful, but require intense concentration to be fully understood. Their complexity and minerality do not immediately come across to the inexperienced taster. That was why Haut-Brion was the least expensive Premier Cru for many years. This is no longer the case, however. Some vintages ­ 1989 for example ­ are the most expensive of all. 88 FINE

C H ÂT E A U H A U T B R I O N 89 FINE Estate

Jean de Pontac lived for 101 years and, therefore, was living proof of the favourable effects of good Bordeaux on one's health, longevity and progeny. He had 15 children. 90 FINE

The Wine Connoisseur's Premier Cru Haut-Brion is normally drinkable before other Premier Cru wines, but this does not mean that it ages less well than the rest. On the contrary, it has a very long ageing potential. Haut-Brion once again shows that a wine's perfect balance is a more crucial factor in good ageing than its intensity or concentration. was the first to pay attention to the fact that the properties of the soil and vintage were more obviously evident in an aged wine than in a young one. At that time, young wines were very often preferred. Bordeaux wines were very popular in England, which was the main market for them. Claret (or clairet) was the generic name for these wines, owing to their pale, rosé-like colour and style. They were usually sold under the name of the region or commune in which they had been produced like Médoc, Graves and Pauillac. Haut-Brion, however, was the first wine to be sold under its own name. Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary on 10 April 1663: "To the Royal Tavern...there I drank a sort of French wine called Ho-Bryan, which hath a good and most particular taste that I never before encountered..." ground, lying open most to the west. It is nothing but pure white sand, mixed with a little gravel. One would imagine it scarcely fit to bear anything. There is an ensemble of elements in the soil on the property of Monsieur de Pontac near Bordeaux such that the wine produced resembles no other." In May 1707, new, highly regarded French claret from the growers Laffite, Margouze and Latour, and 200 barrels of new French `O'Brian' claret, were sold directly from the vessel Liberty, which had arrived from the port of Bordeaux. These four wines, all to achieve Premier Cru status in 1855, were thus regarded as outstanding some 150 years before the Official Classification. In the mid-18th century it was normal to bottle wine on an estate as and when the orders came in. According to the cellar records, 13 barrels of the vintage 1764 were bottled and sold in 1769, and the same vintage was bottled once again nine years later. At the time it was common practice to rack the casks twice a year and top them up with the young vintage. Thomas Jefferson, the US Ambassador to France and later on President, visited Haut-Brion in 1787 and commented in his diary on the soil there, adding that there were four first rate wine estates ­ Château Margaux, Château Latour Ségur, Château Haut-Brion and Château La Fite. This A long life and 15 children Château Haut-Brion is thought to be the first wine from the Bordeaux region that was sold under the name of the estate rather than the general name of the wine-growing region. It was Jean de Pontac, born in 1488, who began wine production on the estate. He married one Jeanne de Bellon, whose dowry included the `Aubrion' lands in the village of Péssac. Jean de Pontac lived for 101 years and, therefore, was living proof of the favourable effects of good Bordeaux on one's health, longevity and progeny. He had 15 children. His fourth son, Arnauld II de Pontac, later inherited a large portion of the land, before Jean de Pontac's great-grandson, Arnauld III de Pontac, inherited Haut-Brion in 1649. He later became the first President of the Parliament of Bordeaux and the city's most wealthy resident. Pontac showed a keen interest in winemaking. He developed the quality of his wines while they matured in oak barrels by topping them up and separating the lees by transferring clear wine from one barrel to another. He Esteemed praise In 1666, Francois-Auguste de Pontac, Arnaud III's son, opened a tavern in London and named it the Pontacs Head. It soon became established as London's most important and fashionable restaurant. The cook was from the Pontacs' house in Bordeaux and the wine was obviously from Haut-Brion. John Locke, the famous English philosopher, visited the place and wrote: "The wine of Pontac, so revered in England, is made on a little rise of C H ÂT E A U H A U T B R I O N 91 FINE Estate

is one of his entries: "Haut-Brion is a wine of first rank and seems to please the American palate more than all the others that I have been able to taste in France. Over the years, Haut-Brion was handed down from one generation to the next, until it was sold at a fair price to Napoleon's Foreign Minister, Talleyrand, in 1801. However, he was not interested in making wine and sold the estate just four years later. Thereafter, Haut-Brion was owned by a succession of bankers up until 1836, when it was bought by Eugène Larrieu. The Larrieu family owned the estate until 1922. Odd one out When in 1855 the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce was asked to rank the wines of the Gironde for the Paris World's Fair Committee, Haut-Brion was judged to be one of the four Premier Crus among the 62 estates featured. It was also the only wine outside the Médoc region included in the classification. It is a common fallacy that only Médoc wines were to have been included in the classification and that Haut-Brion only made it onto the list because of its recognised importance. The fact is, that after careful consideration, no other wine estate outside Médoc, apart from Haut-Brion, was believed to produce quality wine worthy of inclusion. château for the American banker, Clarence Dillon. Cheval Blanc was up for sale at the time and they all went off to St-Emilion to look over the property. However, they got lost in a thick fog that had blanketed the area and had to return to Bordeaux. Then, they heard a rumour that the owner of Haut-Brion, Monsieur Gibert, might be keen to sell his estate. Daniel Lawton visited him in the hospital to find out more. Gibert said he had offered Haut-Brion to the City of Bordeaux as a gift, on the condition that the estate would be kept as it was and would not be turned into a construction site. The City had turned down the generous offer, as reasoning that they did not expect to ever be able to run it profitably. Therefore, Haut-Brion was sold to Clarence Dillon in 1935, and it is still owned by the family to this day. Clarence's granddaughter, the Duchesse de Mouchy, is the current president of Domaine Clarence Dillon. Her son, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, is becoming increasingly involved in its management in his capacity as vice president. Indeed the same family has managed the estate for generations. Georges Delmas arrived at Haut-Brion in 1921, his son, Jean-Bernard, inherited the position of the director of the estate in 1961, and now his son, Jean-Philippe, has that very responsibility. which is perfect for wine growing. Just over half of the 40 hectares are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, a quarter with Merlot and a fifth with Cabernet Franc. In 1961, Haut-Brion began using stainless steel fermentation vats, the first of Bordeaux's highly regarded estates to do so. In 1977, an ambitious project was started to try to see what vines were best suited to which plots, as the trial planting of various clones commenced. The wines of Haut Brion are elegant, perfectly balanced wines with a very characteristic personality. They are soft, warm and attractive but also demand concentration to be fully appreciated. There is a complexity that is not immediately obvious to the inexperienced palate ­ this led to Haut Brion being the least expensive Premier Cru for many years. This has now been rectified and in some vintages, like 1989, it is now the most expensive. Along with Latour, Haut-Brion has proved the most consistent in terms of the quality of the Premier Cru wines during the last 100 years. Even the sceptics have always been convinced of its Premier Cru status. That status, however, has never been taken for granted either. Haut-Brion's owners invested and continually strived to improve the quality of the wine, down to the most minute detail. They also tactfully managed to make the wine's style more enjoyable when young, thanks to its concentrated fruitiness. The concentration has been achieved in the vineyards by limiting harvests without relying on modern technology. Although the style has subtly changed, Haut-Brion's greatness still appears to lie in its perfect balance, which remains in the wine even after decades of storage and that is the very essence of Haut-Brion and its noble character. It is also what makes Haut-Brion the wine connoisseur's Premier Cru. > At the time, Bordeaux was also going through hard times on account of disease: oidium mould in 1852, phylloxera in 1875 and mildew in 1881. The economic hardship that resulted meant some estates were sold and, in fact, Haut-Brion itself was eventually sold in 1922 to André Gibert, a retired banker. Pioneering Haut-Brion is located in the The odysseys of dillon The late Hugues Lawton, a member of commune of Péssac, five kilometres from the centre of Bordeaux. The city has gradually surrounded Haut-Brion and its neighbouring property on the other side of the road, the Château La Mission Haut-Brion, which has been owned by Domaine Clarence Dillon since 1983. The vineyards are on a small elevation approximately 27 metres above sea level. The land consists partly of a very old layer of gravel, an influential négociant family, told me a true story about how his father, Daniel, had been asked to look for a 92 FINE

98p 1929 Château Haut-Brion Blanc 98p 1985 Château Haut-Brion Blanc Average auction 1211 / 2011 price: Colour: Rich, deep, golden, healthy Nose: Open, sound, exotic, vanilla, amaretto, nuts, complex Average auction 545 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, deep, golden Nose: Open, exotic, complex, buttery, melon, nuts Palate: Full-bodied, well-balanced, multidimensional, lively, mature, crisp, vivid, lots of citrus, apricot, silky tannins, good acidity Fabulous, intense, long White beauty Sorry ­ impossible to find 5 times, last in 2010 30 minutes 1 hour Now Sole Meunière None Great white wine vintage Vega Sicilia Unico Blanco 1925 We were thrilled Palate: Full-bodied, nicely balanced, multi-layered, lively, dry, crisp, vivid, honeyed fruits, breezy Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: Finish: Beautifully harmonious, long In a nutshell: Can Bordeaux white dry wine get any better? Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: Go for it if you are able to find it 5 times, last in 2009 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2025 Warm-smoked salmon None Average production only 450­650 cases DRC Montrachet 1978 Excellent definition and very fine 98p 1929 Château Haut-Brion 100p 1945 Château Haut-Brion Average auction 1540 / 2011 price: Colour: Black, deep, dense Nose: Sound, clean, exotic, ripe fruit, smoke, cigar, roasted coffee grains, cherries powerful mature, creamy, fresh, white truffles, quite tannic, concentrated, huge personality Aromatic, intense, rich, long Black king Whenever we see one 20 times, last in 10/2011 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2020 Aged cheddar None An exceptional year at Haut-Brion Latour 1929 Huge value Average auction 2700 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, bright Nose: Open, clean, exotic, ripe fruit, roasted herbs, tobacco, sweet, chocolate, walnuts, perfumed Palate: Full-bodied, well-balanced, intense, Palate: Thick, well-balanced, passionate, firm, fresh, pure, enormous concentration, masses of fruits Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: bottles under 1000 euros and without original labels on the market. We tasted two of those recently and they had nothing to do with Haut-Brion 1945. Finish: Flavourful, fat, intense, broad, long In a nutshell: Astonishing Buy or not: With furthermost recommendations Tasted: 23 times, last in 2010 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: No food, please! Fake factor: Quite big ­ there are now around 300­500 Inside information: A warm spring caused an early vegetal growth of vines. However, freezing cold May destroyed 80% of the crop. Or try this: Pétrus 1961 Final verdict: The best Haut-Brion ever! C H ÂT E A U H A U T B R I O N 93 FINE Estate The Best Château Haut-Brion Vintages to drink today

The best Château Haut-Brion Vintages to drink today 98p 1959 Château Haut-Brion 97p 1961 Château Haut-Brion Average auction 1390 / 2011 price: Colour: Brick-red, healthy, deep Nose: Wide open, clean, ripe fruit, violets, smoke, earthiness Average auction 2040 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, garnet, healthy Nose: Intense, open, sweet black fruits, oriental spices, toasty Palate: Concentrated, well-balanced, full, firm, fresh, intense, mellow, soft tannins harmonious Great value 19 times, last in 4/2011 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2025 Elk ragout with forest mushrooms None Very short harvest: 24 September to 3 November Palate: Vigour, fresh, well-balanced, complex, fine-grained tannins, aromatic Round, intense, extensive Predictable but not brilliant As good as you expected 27 times, last in 2/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Smoked duck brest with truffle tagliatelle Finish: Dense, leathery, very long, In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Spect secret: Couldn't be much better Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: None Spect secret: Driest summer on record at Haut Brion Or try this: CVNE Imperial 1958 Final verdict: One of our favourite "every day wines" Or try this: Penfolds Grange 1962 Final verdict: As solid and dependable as a middleaged secretary 99p 1989 Château Haut-Brion Average auction 1760 / 2011 price: Colour: Intense, ruby with brown tints Nose: Close, complex, toasty, jammy fruit, spicy oak, minerals, vanilla Palate: Thick, rich, low acidity, voluptuous texture, great balance, opulent fruitiness, fragrance Finish: Extensively long, intense, amazing In a nutshell: Will be the perfect wine in ten years Buy or not: Buy now before the prices really go up Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Spect secret: 33 times, last in 8/2011 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2035 Tenderloin of venison grand veneur None The harvest started at the end of August Or try this: Harlan Estate 1991 Final verdict: The samurai of wines 94 FINE

The Best Château L'Evangile Vintages to drink today 99p 1947 Château L'Evangile 97p 1961 Château L'Evangile Average auction 2155 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, youngish, healthy Nose: Seductive, classic, superb, chocolaty, cedar, ripe fruits, butter, caramel, coffee Average auction 2210 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, youthful Nose: Complex, fragrant, open, vigorous, Palate: Well-balanced, dazzling, silky, full, fat structure, multi-layered, wellintegrated, sweet fruit Elegant, rich, solid, long Emotional wine Yes 5 times, last in 2009 1.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2015 Beef chop suey None fresh, blackcurrant, cedar, peppery, white chocolate, sweet Palate: Full-bodied, rich, delicious, sweet, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: well-balanced, silky, great structure, multi-layered Long, prosperous, graceful, lingering Perfect harmony You don't have to ask ­ naturally yes 11 times, last in 2010 1 hour 1 hour When to drink: Now Food Pairing: Grilled dove teriyaki Fake factor: Should be high, but we haven't seen any very strategic position. It is surrounded to the north by the vineyards of Château Pétrus, and to the South by the vineyards of Cheval Blanc. Inside Information: The Château L'Evangile occupies a Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food Pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: The grape varieties are Merlot (80%), and Bouchet, the local name of Cabernet Franc (20%) Or try this: Lafleur 1947 Final verdict: L'Evangile 1947 can bring tears to your eyes Or try this: Pétrus 1966 Final verdict: Try before you die The Best Château Latour-à-Pomerol Vintages to drink today 97p 1950 Château Latour-à-Pomerol 98p 1961 Château Latour-à-Pomerol Average auction 2360 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, dark, deep Nose: Healthy, sweet, ripe black fruits, cedar wood, coffee, chocolate, truffles, spicy, smoky great balance, intense, hot, determined Average auction 4650 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, tawny red, intense Nose: Youthful, open, persuasive, complex, ripe, blackberries, tobacco Palate: Full-bodied, complex, appealing, Finish: Elegant, intense, sweet, extensive In a nutshell: A near-perfect Pomerol Buy or not: Yes, but be aware of non-châteaubottlings Palate: Firm, great balance, warm, multi- layered, concentrated, sweet, soft tannins, silky integrated Finish: Really long, intense, warming, wellIn a nutshell: A wine with grip Buy or not: Not recommended due to the huge amount of fakes on sale 19 times, last in 5/2011 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2015 Saltimbocca alla Romana Even bigger than 1950 ­ beware all of non-chateau-bottlings Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: 18 times, last in 7/2011 1.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2020 Grilled quail with winter mushrooms Huge ­ be aware! The 7.9 hectare-vineyards are planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc; the average age of the vines is 35. The annual production is 3000 cases on average. In 1950, the estate was owned by Madame Loubat, who also owned Pétrus at the time. Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Or try this: Pétrus 1950 Final verdict: This wine is much harder to find than Pétrus 1950 and it is almost as good. Inside Information: 1961 was an exceptionally great Bordeaux vintage in all of its wine regions. Low yields due to frost and coulure were followed by perfect conditions until the harvest, which turned out be one of the best of all time. The 1961 Latour-à-Pomerol is an extremely rare and superb wine. When tasting any wines from this vintage's hot Bordeaux wines, it is common to pick up high levels of volatile aromas. Skilful producers managed to avoid the excess amount of volatility with extra care; one of these was Château Latour-à-Pomerol. This wine needs an hour or so of decanting and shows its complexity of flavours as it evolves in the glass. Or try this: Ausone 1961 Final verdict: The last great Latour-à-Pomerol? 96 FINE

tesoro is the flagship-wine. the tesoro-blend was first created in 2002 and the 2003 vintage was awarded the "Decanter World Wine trophy". Vintage 2004 received excellent 90 points by "Falstaff Wine Guide". EstErházy WEin 7000 Eisenstadt · schloss Esterházy · Austria · t +43 2682 633 48 · F +43 2682 633 48 16 · www.esterhazywein.at · wein@esterhazy.at

Michelin Guide Three Stars San Francisco Chronicle Four Stars The Restaurant at Meadowoood Worth a Special Journey The Restaurant at Meadowood Chef Christopher Kostow

Relationships are core to life in Napa Valley. or the last half century, Napa Valley the original gathering place for the Valley's has provided the panorama for a burgeoning wine community, Meadowood unique way of life--directed by the has now become an international wine industry and acted out by a host of destination and boasts membership within local players. Wine is the thread weaving the the exclusive ranks of Relais & Chateaux. art of man with the Come for a visit. bounty of nature in Walk the fairways a complex pattern on which Auction of relationships-- Napa Valley has relationships that go raised more than $90 to the core of the million since the Valley's legendary first gavel was raised. way of life and set Mingle with the the stage for a story vintners and growers like no other. as they enjoy their The community club through sport that is Napa Valley activities, recreation, contributes to local and the pursuit of enterprise through lifelong wellness. its vast experience Dine on the private and deep-seated terrace of your relationships. In adguestroom or spend dition to grape growthe evening enjoying Master Sommelier Gilles de Chambure ers and wine makers, a meal prepared it includes agriculturalists, great chefs, som- by Michelin Three-Star chef Christopher meliers, maître d's, gallery owners, innkeep- Kostow in The Restaurant at Meadowood. ers and shop proprietors. All depend upon Spend a day exploring the wineries you've each other for their unique livelihood and longed to visit with Gilles de Chambure, lifestyle. Master Sommelier, whose sole role at For the past 46 years Meadowood Meadowood is to enhance guests' knowledge has served as the heart and soul of the and enjoyment of wine. winegrowing community--as a center for A stay at Meadowood offers you entry social and family life and as a second home into an extraordinary way of life. Capture for travelers from around the world wishing the magic of Napa Valley and develop your to immerse themselves in the region, its own relationship with the people that define wines, and its people. Founded in 1964 as this unparalleled experience. F the sporting life at meadowood The forested hillsides of Meadowood's two hundred fifty-acre valley slope to the cool green of the estate's nine-hole, walking golf course. Presiding over the tranquil fairways and the golf teaching facility is Resident Golf Professional Doug Pike. Meadowood's Resident Tennis Professional, Doug King, is one of the country's leading tennis teaching innovators. The founder of Acceleration Tennis, a revolutionary teaching system, King is leading the way in reinterpreting the traditional tennis model, working with players of all skill levels from beginner to professional. Between dining and wine experiences we invite you to stretch your legs with a game of golf or tennis. 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, California 94574 Tel (707) 968-3153 www.meadowood.com

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the secret of eternal youth t the end of 1756, Duc de Richelieu, the nephew of Cardinal Richelieu, founder of the French Academy, returned home to Paris victorious from a long military campaign. He had, among other exploits, taken Minorca from the British. King Louis XV rewarded his achievements by appointing him Governor of Bordeaux in perpetuity. Duc de Richelieu, a life long lover of the wines of Burgundy, did not rate Bordeaux wines very highly. So he took to Bordeaux the best Chambertin and Clos de Vougeot wines from Burgundy for himself and his entourage. This did not please the high-ranking vintners of Bordeaux, and they sneakily got Richelieu to drink their wines with A Burgundy labels on the bottles. When Richelieu's own personal physician introduced him to the Château Lafite wines, saying they were an elixir that gave a man vigour, his taste in wine began to gradually lean in the direction of Bordeaux. After he had been Governor for 25 years Duc de Richelieu received an invitation from the King to go to Paris. When at the palace reception the King kindly remarked that he looked 25 years younger than when he was appointed governor, Richelieu solemnly declared: ­Your Majesty, I must tell you that I have discovered the secret of eternal youth ­ Château Lafite. C H ÂT E A U L A F I T E 101 FINE Estate

Château Lafite ­ the secret of eternal youth Number one for the king's mistress were selected. The wines in each quality grade were then placed in order. Although the entire classification process took weeks, it was not hard to choose a winner. Château Lafite was unanimously selected for the number one position, which it officially still holds today. An investment The owners of Château Lafite have almost always been some of France's most eminent families. But during the Revolution, in 1794, the vineyard became the property of the Republic, its owner at the time, Nicolas-Pierre de Pichard, losing his head under the blade of the guillotine. After several changes of ownership the Rothschild family acquired the estate at auction in 1868. The purchaser was Baron James de Rothschild, France's wealthiest man, who had made his fortune constructing a railway network for the country and founding banks. Because he was not especially interested in red wines or tending the Lafite vineyard, his more cynical critics thought he had acquired the estate for other reasons­the family lived in Paris where it was very fashionable to own a Premier Cru vineyard, particularly if it had the same name as one's home address in the city. The Rothschilds happened to live on Rue Lafitte. The Baron, however, only bought the vineyard as an investment. Its price of 4.8 million francs was equal to the yield from just eight vintages. He always pointed out to his sons that they were bankers, not farmers. The Baron did not even visit Lafite once, as he died soon after he made the purchase. His Richelieu's legendary reply quickly changed the drinking habits of the French Court, and the wine of Burgundy disappeared from the tables of the King or the nobility in general. The King's mistress, Madame Pompadour, someone with immense powers of persuasion at the Court, also developed a love for the Lafite wines, and it was with her influence that the wines of Bordeaux, and Lafite in particular, became the preferred beverage at Court­along with sweet champagne ­ for decades afterwards. This had special significance in 1855 when Bordeaux's Association of Traders faced a difficult task. The French Emperor Napoleon III had asked them to classify Bordeaux's best wines and rate them in order of excellence for the Paris World Fair. After lengthy debates and much quarrelling it was decided to rely on a wine's reputation and the price paid for it on the market in the previous 150 years to serve as the main selection criteria. So the more acclaimed and expensive the wine, the higher it would rank in the classification. The final classification divided into five quality grades, for which a total of 61 wines Marrying into top wines Wines had been successfully grown in the best vineyards of Pauillac, Château Lafite and Château Latour, since the Middle Ages. But it was only towards the end of the 17th century, when through marriage the Ségur family began to take over the vineyards in Bordeaux, that the reputations of Latour and Lafite as first-rate wines started to spread outside the region. The Ségur family already owned numerous vineyards, such as Château Calon- Ségur, but they only managed to acquire the very best through marriage. First it was Château Lafite in 1670, when Jacques de Ségur married its owner, the widow Jeanne de Gasgin, and then in 1697 Château Latour, when Jacques' son, Alexandre de Ségur, married the heiress to the Latour estate, Marie-Théresa de Glauzelin. Château Lafite remained in the possession of the Ségurs almost up to the time of the French Revolution. 102 FINE

C H ÂT E A U L A F I T E 103 FINE Estate

Château Lafite ­ the secret of eternal youth three sons inherited the estate and since then the Rothschild family has successfully managed it. In the period between 1961 and 1976 in particular, the quality of the wine reached a very noticeable low. In the best years­1961, 1964, 1970, and 1975 ­the vineyard produced wines which did not nearly come up to best Premier Cru quality. This is also conspicuous today in the low prices these wines fetch at auction. It is only since 1976 that the quality of the wines on the estate has steadily improved. A very clear indication of that is the 1976 vintage itself. Lafite is regarded as one of the best wines that year. Actually, even before 1961 the quality of the Lafite wines was noticeably uneven. From the start of the century up until the 1960s the habit was always to bottle Lafite straight from the barrel, barrel by barrel, whenever the other jobs on the estate allowed. This sometimes prolonged the bottling process by up to a year and caused the wine quality and structure to vary considerably. The best years prior to the 60s were 1953 and 1959. In the top year of 1945 Lafite is very variable in quality and often disappointing, and the same goes for 1961. Now in the 21st century these major troughs in the wine quality are part of history. The future also looks sunny for the whole of the Bordeaux region. Global warming and big financial investments in wine cultivation and cellars have resulted in very high quality wines, even in poorer years, and in the best ­ 2000, 2003 and 2005 ­ in quite unique, true wines of the future. Delicate flavour The Château Lafite estate run by the Rothschilds is, with its 100 hectares of cultivated land, the largest of the main Pauillac vineyards. It is located in the highest part of the area and the view from its château, with its conical towers that appear on the label, takes in the banks of the River Gironde, which flows nearby. The wines are a blend of four different varieties of grape ­ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Lafite matures slightly earlier than other Premier Cru wines in the region on account of the generous amounts of Merlot used, and it is this that also makes the wine more delicate and subtle than those wines which are completely dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Total elegance When today I think of the difficult choice the merchants of Bordeaux had to make in 1855, it is almost impossible and even wrong to try and rank Premier Cru wines in order of quality. At this level it is more a matter of the style the wine represents. By claiming that a Lafite is better than a Latour or that a Mouton is better than a Margaux one is guilty of comparing two things which are not the same and simply not comparable. In fact, the only possible point of comparison is how well the vineyards have succeeded in living up to expectations over their long histories and how well they have done in different years. Of the five Premier Cru wines in the region, Château Lafite to my mind has managed to produce the year's best wine in many of the top years. The times I have spent in the company of a 1934, 1953, 1959, 1982 and 1986 have been unforgettable. And it was then that I always remembered how many wine critics fondly describe Lafite as 'the perfection of elegance'. > Vintages­good and bad Over the years Château Lafite has had to struggle to retain its status as the foremost Premier Cru wine. Because it is more 'subtle' and less massive than other Premier Crus, it also seems to be most susceptible to fluctuations in quality, and there are less desirable years. 104 FINE

The Best Château Lafite vintages to drink today 97p 1864 Château Lafite 98p 1870 Château Lafite Average auction 18000 / 2011 price: Colour: Moderately light, amber-red Nose: Evolved, toasty, floral, roasted, ripe, spice, cigar, Average auction 14560 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, tile-red, deep Nose: Seductive, pure, clean, spicy, sweet, mature, mint, perfumed juicy, opulent Palate: Medium-bodied, graceful, multidimensional, high acidity, velvety Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Long, round, sweet, pure Elegance from the 19th century Or a half case of 1982 Lafite 5 times, last in 2009 15 minutes 30 minutes Now All you need is a proper Bordeaux glass Huge Palate: Medium-bodied, well-balanced, fruity, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Long, sweet, silky, lovely concentrated A real treasure Too risky for the high price 8 times, last in 2010 15 minutes 1 hour Now Don't open it if you are hungry Quite big, especially among non-château bottlings. since been labeled Lafite-Rothschild. after the devastation caused by powdery mildew, which appeared in 1852 and was brought under control in 1860. The 1864 vintage enjoyed an excellent reputation; the wines were both powerful and mellow, much more attractive than the great majority of wines of that era. Inside information: 1864 was the first quite large crop Inside Lafite was bought by Baron James de information: Rothschild in 1868, and bottles have Or try this: Château Margaux 1900 Final verdict: The greatest pre-phylloxera Lafite Or try this: A Caribbean cruise with your family Final verdict: The next time you are opening your 2000 Lafite, think again 100p 1953 Château Lafite 98p 1982 Château Lafite Average auction 2360 / 2011 price: Colour: Mature, tile-red, deep Nose: Very attractive, perfumed, clean, elegant, sweet, mature, mint Average auction 3750 / 2011 price: Colour: Purple, dark, deep Nose: stylish, powerful, cedary, blackcurrant, black olives Palate: Full-bodied, well-balanced, supple, complex, multi-layered, sensitive Palate: Fleshy, full-bodied, ripe grip, focused, fruity, creamy, violets, well-balanced Pure, dense, long, raft tannins Not yet as good as it will be At these prices ­ no 28 times, last in 6/2011 5 hours 2 hours 2020 to 2025 Finish: Endless, feminine, silky, lingering In a nutshell: The perfection of elegance Buy or not: Yes, it is cheaper and much better today than in 1982 15 minutes 2 hours Now to 2025 Too elegant to share with anything None yet Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: 32 times, last in 3/2011 Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Oven baked rack of lamb Fake factor: Will be high Inside Release price was 37 / $41 information: Or try this: Château Pichon-Lalande Comtesse de Lalande 1982 ­ why? Inside This vintage shows large bottle information: variations. At Lafite they needed almost a year to bottle every cask. Or try this: Lafite 1959 Final verdict: With a bit of luck, this exquisite Lafite will be the best Lafite you have ever tasted. Final verdict: The most talked about wine in the world C H ÂT E A U L A F I T E 105 FINE Estate

106 FINE

C teau Lafleur hâ A Bordeaux wine in the Burgundy style etween the estates of Pétrus and La Fleur-Pétrus, amid vineyards, stands a stone house with closed shutters. The road that winds to the house between the vine rows has no signs or indications as to the name of the place. The construction looks more like a maintenance shed for the neighbouring estates than the main building of a winery. However, this is a house that makes one of the most desirable wines in Bordeaux: Château Lafleur. Top wines from the Bordeaux region all have one thing in common: their unique character is revealed only through the passage of time, after a long B period of maturation in the bottle. Unfortunately, Bordeauxs are seldom served at the peak of their maturity. An overwhelming majority of Bordeaux's finest vintages are opened far too early. It's heart-breaking to see a sommelier in a restaurant opening a 2005 Château Latour. Where the slow-maturing Latour is concerned, even the legendary 1961 demands hours of decanting to be enjoyed at its prime today. When discussing the finest vintages and wines which are at their optimal drinkability right now, the focus should be on Bordeauxs with decades-old vintages. C H ÂT E A U L A F L E U R 107 FINE Estate

Château Lafleur­ A Bordeaux wine in the Burgundy style We drive into the yard and walk up to the door. It is opened by the cheerful Jacques Guinaudeau, who is the fifth-generation owner and winemaker of the estate. Jacques' great-greatgrandfather Henri Greloud bought the land in 1872. Over time, ownership was transferred to Henri's son Charles and then to Charles's cousin André Robin, who was known for paying great attention to the quality of the estate's wines. In 1946, the estate was inherited by André's daughters Thérèse and Marie, who managed it for nearly four decades. It was under their leadership that the estate produced several magnificent vintages, of which the 1947, 1950, 1961 and 1975 stand out as legendary. In 1981, the sisters turned to their neighbours, the Moueix family, to ask whether Pétrus's long-term winemaker, Jean-Claude Berrouet, might be interested in consulting and managing their estate. The partnership was made and bore fruit the next year, when one of the best-ever vintages of Lafleur ­ 1982 ­ was created. Three years later, Thérèse died and Marie decided to lease the vineyards to her cousin Jacques Guinaudeau and his wife Sylvie. Since then, the Guinaudeaus have significantly developed the plots and production processes. Their methods and production philosophy are actually closer to Burgundy than Bordeaux. The Guinaudeaus bought the estate in 2002, which was also when their son Baptiste started to work there. Jacques Guinaudeau leads us into the vineyard and excitedly praises the uniqueness of the 4.5-hectare estate. "Lafleur is a single-vineyard wine with exceptional terroir qualities. Firstly, it is located on a very gentle amphitheatrical slope to the north of Pétrus. The soil is clearly more gravelly and brown than the red clay at Pétrus. A comprehensive soil analysis in 1998 found that the estate comprises as many as five different types: the northwest has brown gravel, the south is more clay-based and sandy gravel, and the east has sandy clay with some gravel. In the middle is a mixture of all of those. These have completely different conditions in terms of the grapes' ripening, size and concentration. The concentration is also affected by the old vines, which have an average age of thirty years. The oldest vines actually go back five decades. We work the vineyard as four different plots, even though they go towards a single wine. We grow two varieties, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but the differences in soil result in very different grapes within each variety. This diversity is the secret to Lafleur's greatness," Guinaudeau explains. Weaving between the densely planted vine rows, Jacques goes on: "The vineyard has around 8 000 vines per hectare. Through dense planting we aim not only to increase the grapes' concentration, but also to protect them from direct sunlight. This is so that we can ensure the refined style of our wines that results from their fresh fruitiness and crisp acids." Due to the terroir factors mentioned above, harvesting and winemaking are done in many phases. A separate wine is produced from each of the four microterroirs. The grapes are picked in many stages and vinified separately for each plot; Guinaudeau keeps track of this multiphase process with the help of a squared-paper notebook. In it he logs when each plot's grapes are picked and the vats in which they end up. Once we enter the cellars and see the facilities, we understand the need for the logbook. Lafleur's production facilities are less than half the size of Pétrus's, which are small in themselves, and there are only a few fermentation vats. "To retain the wines' sophisticated qualities ­ delicious fruitiness and perfumed aromas ­ we avoid maturing the wines solely in new oak barrels. Therefore only a half of our barrels are new," Guinaudeau says, before explaining that the final blending and winemaking processes are done at the end, in the oak maturation phase. The oak maturation is monitored and the final decisions regarding which wines will be bottled under the Lafleur label and which as the number two wine, Pensées de Lafleur, are only made at the end. Ultimately there may be a few barrels that Guinaudeau rejects, and they are sold off. Even in the best years, the estate only produces 17 000 bottles, of which 12 000 are Lafleur and only 5 000 are Pensées de Lafleur. Lafleur's wines form an interesting contrast to their neighbour, Pétrus. Their terroirs differ significantly, even though the distance between them is only 50­100 metres. Whereas Pétrus is more seductively rich, full-bodied and intense, Lafleur is charming in its elegance, femininity and subtlety. Lafleur's wines are delightful, but they do require ageing for at least twenty years in order to display their full, nuanced character. Guinaudeau's investments into improving quality in all of Lafleur's functions promise an even better future for the friends of Lafleur. Although, tasting the 1947, 1950, 1961, 1975 or 1982, one can only wonder whether Lafleur's wines could get any better? > 108 FINE

C H ÂT E A U L A F L E U R 109 FINE Estate

The Best Château Lafleur vintages to drink today 100p 1947 Château Lafleur 98p 1950 Château Lafleur Average auction 3800 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium-intense, brick red Nose: Intense, ripe brambles and cherries, floral, earthy Average auction 2760 / 2011 price: Colour: Moderately intense, brick red Nose: Rich, earthy, leathery, ripe cherries, a touch of violets Palate: Rich, medium-bodied, vivid acidity, ripe and dark fruits, smooth tannins Palate: Medium-bodied, round, intense, black fruit, smooth tannins Finish: Lingering, energetic In a nutshell: Exquisite satin-like wine Buy or not: If there is one wine to be experienced in a lifetime, it must be this 12 times, last time 2009 1 hour 3 hours Now to 2020 Braised veal with creamy truffle potatoes Super high The vintage of the century in Pomerol Cheval Blanc 1947 One of the greatest wines ever made Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Or try this: Final verdict: Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Or try this: Final verdict: Long, supple and vivid A round and opulent wine Yes! 5 times, tasted last in 2009 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2015 Roasted venison with grilled beetroot High The best Pomerol vintage of the 1950s Pétrus 1950 A little sister of Lafleur 1947 97p 1975 Château Lafleur 98p 1982 Château Lafleur Average auction 2340 /2011 price: Colour: Dark, intense, brick red Nose: Black fruits, spicy, cedary, touch of menthe, bell pepper spicy Average auction 2850 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium-intense, brick red Nose: Loads of black fruits, violets, touch of black truffle Palate: Rich, firm tannins, jammy black fruit, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Lingering, long and fleshy Powerful wine with great depth Yes, if you are able to find one 17 times, last in 2010 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2020 Grilled duck brest with creamy truffle raviolis Palate: Full-bodied, concentrated, ripe black fruits, perfumy, silky tannins A refined and flirty wine Yes, you will not regret it 7 times, last time in 2010 4 hours 2 hours 2025 Roasted pigeon with morel risotto None The first vintage of Lafleur to be handled exclusively from beginning to an end by the Pétrus team Fake factor: None Inside The vintage 1975 that was especially information good in Pomerol is often referred to Or try this: Pétrus 1975 Final verdict: A wine of the vintage in Bordeaux Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Smooth, lingering and supple remind the great Pomerol vintage 1928 Or try this: Le Pin 1982 Final verdict: A great wine that is still on its way to becoming even greater 110 FINE

The best Château Lynch-Bages & Château Montrose Vintages to drink today 97p 1989 Château Lynch Bages Average auction 245 / 2011 price: Colour: Opaque, purple, intense Nose: Dense, fresh, generous, ripe, roasted herbs, toasty oak, sweet currants, spicy, tobacco, liquorice Elegantly full-bodied, refined, disarming, well-balanced, round, velvety, perfumed Palate: Ending: Delicious, long, low acidity, silky In a nutshell: Finally, a great Lynch-Bages! Buy or not: Absolutely yes, as the prices are very decent depending on the year, of between 75% and 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% and 15% Merlot, 5% to 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Tasted: 19 times, last in 2/2011 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2030 Food pairing: Mixed grill Fake factor: None Inside information: Château Lynch-Bages is composed, Or try this: Lynch-Bages 1985 Final verdict: Perhaps the greatest Lynch-Bages ever made 97p 1990 Château Montrose Average auction 360 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium-deep, brick red Nose: Rich, robust, multilayered ­ blackcurrants Palate: Medium-bodied, mineral twist, firm tannins and ripe black fruitiness Ending: Refined and smoky In a nutshell: Gentle powerpack Buy or not: Absolutely yes, as the prices are very decent Tasted: 11 times, last in 2009 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 3 hours When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: Grilled beef with roasted vegetables Fake factor: None Inside information: One of the best wines of the vintage in Bordeaux Or try this: Sassicaia 1985 Final verdict: A one hit wonder? 112 FINE

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For more than 200 years, Latour's reputation has not once been called into question ­ an achievement that cannot solely be the result of making a good wine. 114 FINE

IF I WERE ASKED TO NA M E MY P E R S O NA L `DESERT ISLAND' WINE, CHÂTEAU LATOUR I WOULD SAY I n other words, if I could drink only one wine for the rest of my life, I would choose Latour. No other wine has achieved the same consistent quality and style over such a long period of time. Compared to Bordeaux's other superstars, it has never really had a `difficult time' with quality failing to live up to its potential for one reason or another. The same might also be said for Château Haut-Brion, which I also admire tremendously, and which would have been my other candidate for the desert island. Latour, however, has a certain majesty, which precisely makes it so unique. It is never the sort of sumptuous wine that captures the attention, which grabs you by the collar and completely amazes you, like Mouton-Rothschild, Pétrus, or Cheval Blanc can, when they are at their very best. Moreover, it does not have the same delicate grace and charm as Lafite-Rothschild or Margaux in top form. Indeed, it is a rather hard and unapproachable wine in its youth and usually needs 10 years to reach the first level of maturity, but more often 20 or even 30 years to show its true colours. Then, the power of the wine will remain, but it has softened, and its charming diversity and richness start to show. With good vintages, Latour can age for 50­60 years, and even longer with the very best. C H ÂT E A U L ATO U R 115 FINE Estate

I earnestly believe that Latour, whose terroir is one of the world's best, will not fall into the temptation of changing the nature of the wine to pander to the current taste for big, jammy wines drunk when young. 116 FINE

Château Latour under foreign ownership One of four There are references to the Latour estate going back more than 700 years, in which vines were planted there very early on. At the latter part of the 17th century, a few estates in Graves and Médoc started to produce Bordeaux wines, as we know them today. For the first time, the wine was sold under the name of the estate, rather than the village or production region. This resulted in several classifications for Bordeaux's leading wines by wine merchants. Even Thomas Jefferson, the US Ambassador to France and later the third US President, drew up his own ranking of Bordeaux wines in 1787. Château Latour always maintained its position as one of the best wines in these rankings. In the famous Bordeaux classification that was undertaken in 1855, Latour came out as one of four wines with Premier Cru status, the other three being Lafite-Rothschild, Margaux, and Haut-Brion (Mouton-Rothschild was deservedly promoted to Premier Cru status in 1973). Gironde ­ the estate's vineyards are located just a few hundred yards from the river's bank. The river has a beneficial effect on the climate, cooling the weather when it is too hot and warming it when it is too cold. The vineyards slope gently down to the river, providing a guarantee of efficient drainage. The soil is covered with gravel from the Pyrenees and the Massif Central, left there after the Ice Age. This provides a poor soil not suitable for growing anything but wine, it does however contain patches of iron-rich clay which is said to help produce fine fruit flavours. The grains of gravel, the size of golf balls, retain the heat of the day and release it at night helping the grapes to ripen. They also provide good drainage for rainwater, which explains the reputation Latour has for producing excellent wines even in difficult, rainy years. The soil structure is ideal for wine. It allows the roots of the vines to burrow deep into the ground in search of nourishment in the hot and dry years, thereby providing Latour its unique taste. The vineyards are planted with about 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and the remains with Cabernet Franc and a small amounts of Petit Verdot. Latour under foreign ownership The magic of the river Gironde 175,000 newborn babies Latour has around 60 hectares of vineyards in three plots. The wine for the Grand Vin (about 175,000 bottles) comes from the largest plot surrounding the château ­ L'Enclos. The wine from the other two plots as well as the wine from L'Enclos that do not quite reach the quality expected for the Grand Vin go into Latours excellent 2nd wine ­ Les Forts de Latour (140,000 bottles) or as a simple, but good Pauillac. For more than 200 years, Latour's reputation has not once been contested ­ an achievement that cannot solely be the result of good winemaking. Therefore, there has to be some reason as to why it still stands apart from the rest, even today when there is fierce competition as vineyard management and wine production technology become standardised worldwide. That is where the magical word `terroir' comes in. One of the major factors that affect the Latour terroir is the River Latour remained in French hands up until 1963, when the majority of the property was sold to the British, the Pearson Group. That was a blow to French pride, in which President de Gaulle is said to have remarked: "At least they cannot take away the land." However, 30 years later, in 1993, Latour returned to French ownership when François Pinault a successful businessman, bought the estate realising a lifelong dream. He does not take an active part in running the Latour estate, though. The work is done by a young French team headed by Frédéric Engerer, who, exceptionally, has no background in the wine trade. However, running an estate of this calibre increasingly relies on an understanding of international commerce and leadership skills, in which there have been many changes in the past 15 years. Fortunately, the changes have only aimed at fine-tuning the quality of the wine without altering its basic character. The changes to the vineyards are visible in the individual treatment of each parcel according to its specific needs, making it possible to produce better quality grapes every year. Furthermore, the harvesting takes place one parcel at a time. Careful thought has also gone into the equipment that is used to make the wine, and improvements have been introduced to produce wine of the best possible quality. C H ÂT E A U L ATO U R 117 FINE Estate

Moments with Latour I myself have been fortunate and had the opportunity to drink my fair share of these wines, and I do not recall ever being disappointed. True, Latour is often underrated when it is young for sometimes seeming too harsh, but time has shown that many wine critics have been wrong. The wines from the 1920s are legendary ­ especially vintages 1928 and 1929. The 1934 is enchanting and the 1937 is without a doubt one of the few wines that is free of harsh tannins. The 1945 and 1949 are among the best wines ever made, and the 1948 is still excellent. The 1952, 1955, and the 1959, in particular, are wines that are a pure joy to savour. The 1961 vintage is an all-time legend ­ a wine that is only now beginning to weave its magic spell. The 1962, 1964, and 1966 are wines that are at their best right now. The 1970 is that year's top wine. The 1971 and 1978 should be enjoyed now, whilst the 1975 will not start to be ready for tasting for another few years. The 1980s saw some scintillating wines produced ­ the 1982 is excellent, the 1983 and 1985 are very drinkable now, while the 1986, 1988, and the tannic 1989 still need time. The 1990 is one that might just turn out to be one of the Latour legends. The 1991 is one of the most underrated wines of all time ­ a hard spring frost killed off the young shoots and most vineyards had to make their wine from second growth grapes that were still unripe. For this reason, the wines from that year gained a reputation for being harsh and `green'. However, as previously mentioned, the Gironde protects Latour from severe frosts like this, so all the grapes harvested that year were fully ripe first growth grapes. I earnestly believe that Latour, whose terroir is one of the world's best, will not fall into the temptation of changing the nature of the wine to pander to the current taste for big, jammy wines drunk when young. 1992, 1993, and 1994 were difficult years, with rain affecting the harvest, though once again this is less evident with Latour, thanks to its excellent drainage and its unwavering determination to use only the best grapes for Grand Vin. The 1995 and 1996 are classic vintage Bordeaux's, with the 1995 being the more approachable and elegant of the two (just as in the 1985 and 1929). The 1996, on the other hand, is more tannic and harsher (just as in the 1986 and 1928). Recent Latour vintages have been great successes and I cannot imagine any change for the worse taking place in the near future. Latour has an amazing, unique terroir, and the people who run the estate fully enable it to express itself in a wine that is one of the world's most individual, stylish, and majestic, again and again.> 118 FINE

The Best Château Latour Vintages to drink today 97p 1924 Château Latour 99p 1928 Château Latour Average auction 2750 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, intense, mahogany-red Nose: Seductive, complex, roasted coffee, Palate: Ripe, refine, firm structure, spicy, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Spect secret: Or try this: Final verdict: Supple, lingering and long What an aristocrat Once a year 12 times, last in 2010 30 minutes 1 hour Now Fried pigeon Haven't seen any Very low yield Château Latour 1900 delicate medium-bodied, firm, wellbalanced blackcurrant leaves, herbs, chocolate Average auction 2750 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, sound Nose: Open, intense, mint, blackcurrants, black truffles, plum, violet Palate: Full-bodied, superb balance, soft tannins, sweet, very intense Finish: Balanced, long, wide In a nutshell: Blue-blooded aristocrat Buy or not: One of the best and reliable mature wines you can buy under 3000 9 times, last in 1/2011 1.5 hours 1 hour Now to 2025 Roasted Kobe beef Havent seen or heard any It took over 40 years until Latour 1928 was ready to drink Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Spect secret: One of the best examples of the great ageing ability of Latour Or try this: Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon 1929 Final verdict: Enjoy this wine while letting your 1982 Latours evolve to their peak 98p Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate: Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Spect secret: Or try this: Final verdict: 1929 Château Latour 4522 / 2011 Almost black, thick, deep Monstrous, intense, open, mythical Powerful, great balance, bendable tannins, charming, exceptionally intense Balanced, extensive, broad Steve McQueen in Bullet A powerful yes 21 times, last in 2010 2.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2030 Aged Gouda cheese None Very low production Haut-Brion 1929 The most lively wine from the 1920s 97p Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate: 1945 Château Latour 3800 / 2011 Very dark, profound, healthy Open, ripe, spicy, eucalyptus, alluring Full-bodied, well-balanced, commanding, warm, great fat structure prolonged Finish: Lingering, aromatic, earth, very In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Spect secret: A eeal blockbuster Costly but a sure bet 16 times, last in 7/2011 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2030 Grilled lamb fillet None Only 54 barrels of Latour were produced Or try this: Vega Sicilia Unico 1945 Final verdict: An absolute tour de force C H ÂT E A U L ATO U R 119 FINE Estate

The Best Château Latour Vintages to drink today 98p Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate: 1949 Château Latour 6100 / 2011 Very dark, deep, promising Unfastening, robust, captivating, rich Masculine, very intense, concentrated, sweet fruit, leather, tobacco, multi-layered 98p 1959 Château Latour Average auction 2450 / 2011 price: Colour: Almost black, clear, bottomless Nose: Open, matured, ripe black fruit, cedar, mint, flower scent Palate: Full-bodied, quite tannic, authoritative, massive, skillfully balanced A taste of real life Yes! 22 times, last in 8/2011 2 hours 1 hour Now to 2035 Tournedos Rossini Not yet! An exceptional year at Latour Château Palmer 1959 Pleasing today and tomorrow Finish: Smooth, earthy, mighty, stretched In a nutshell: For Real Men Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: Or try this: Final verdict: There are better Latours for this price 14 times, last in 5/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Fried duck brest with cassis sauce None The hotttest vintage of the century Château Mouton-Rothschild 1949 A great wine with lots of life ahead Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: Or try this: Final verdict: A bit dry, forceful, earthy, extended 100p 1961 Château Latour 99p 1982 Château Latour Average auction 3450 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium-intense, ruby Nose: Intense, concentrated, blackcurrants, vanilla, smoky, rich, leathery Average auction 1780 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, dark, promising Nose: Expressive, rich, blackcurrants, cigar box, oriental spice, complex Palate: Rich medium-bodied, firm yet supple tannins, vivid and energetic acidity and black fruit Concentrated, long and firm finish The Pope of wines This is the one to die for 10 times, last in 7/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Juicy medium-rare steaks Very high, especially in magnums ­ check always the vintage from the cork before buying any of these. Palate: Full-bodied, concentrated, refreshing acidity, well-integrated, ripe tannic backbone Smooth, non-stop, dominant Mesmerised Absolutely 28 times, last in 8/2011 5 hours 2 hours Now to 2040 Grilled venison with morel sauce None yet Extraordinary high sugar content: 13° Brix for the Merlot, 12­12.5° Brix for the Cabernets Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: A very low yield Or try this: Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 Final verdict: Still the world's best wine to drink today Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: Or try this: Château Haut-Brion 1989 Final verdict: This wine is still clearly in a phase of constant improvement ­ it is worth the wait. 120 FINE

The Best Château Latour Vintages to drink today 98p 1990 Château Latour Average auction 740 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, dark, youthful Nose: Sensitive, prosperous, cedar, tobacco, cherries, complex Palate: Full-bodied, hugely concentrated, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Information: classy, well-integrated, great volume, well-balanced Expressive, eternal, jam-packed, silky Already extremely good For the future 21 times, last in 8/2011 5 hours 2 hours Now to 2040 Grilled entrecôte with fries and aioli None The second wine, Les Forts de Latour, is also excellent Or try this: Caymus Special Selection 1990 Final verdict: Wine with great dominance of enormous power and silky tannins. C H ÂT E A U L ATO U R 121 FINE Estate

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A N DY WA R H O L First solo gallery exhibition. Po p A r t i s b o r n . N E V E R S TO P R E A C H I N G F O R T H E S TA R S A n d y Wa r h o l © / ® / TM T h e A n d y Wa r h o l F o u n d a t i o n f o r t h e V i s u a l A r t s , I n c .

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Ch au Léoville-Las- Case âte s The hottest wine in Bordeaux istory has shown that every wine district tends to have producers whose ideology or production methods diverge from the norm in the area. One of the most classic wine regions, however, Médoc in Bordeaux, is unusual in this respect. With the exception of one, the area's producers have toed the line and conformed to the 1855 Bordeaux classification and their position in the rankings. Mouton-Rothschild, led by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, was H upgraded from a second to a first growth thanks to vigorous lobbying by the baron, but otherwise there have been few major changes. However, in recent years an estate has gained publicity and market interest by deciding to challenge the historic classification and to do things differently. Château Léoville-Las-Cases, located in the commune of Saint-Julien, is currently the hottest Bordeaux estate among wine collectors and investors. C H ÂT E A U L É OV I L L E - L A S - C A S E S 125 FINE Estate

Château Léoville-Las-Cases The hottest wine in Bordeaux Located next to Château Latour, Léoville-Las-Cases, one of the largest vineyards in Bordeaux, has perhaps the best location in St.-Julien, right by Pauillac. All in all, the estate has 97 hectares of land around the commune, but the best plots are situated, surrounded by walls, on a gentle slope next to Latour. The fifty-hectare parcel produces strong, very Pauillac-like wines for which the centuries-old château is famous. This is one of the estates with the longest histories in Bordeaux. It reaches all the way to the seventeenth century, when the estate was owned by the royal family of Las Cases. The estate was passed down through the generations, before finally arriving at Alexandre de Gascq, who had married into the family. He bought more lands for the estate, making it the largest in Bordeaux. In 1840 the estate was split into three; one part was retained in the Las Cases family and began operating under the name Léoville-Las-Cases. Another went with a daughter into the Poyferré family and was named Léoville-Poyferré. The third section was auctioned off to the wine merchant Hugh Barton. The Las Cases ownership was eventually divided into many portions through inheritance, and some of the children decided to sell their shares. Vineyard director Théophile Skanwinski expressed his interest and bought the shares in tranches. From Skanwinski, the estate was inherited through his daughter by André Delon, whose family has since then retained ownership. Significant qualitative changes have taken place at the estate in the last thirty years. André's grandson Michel Delon, who took over the estate in 1976, held it under strict control for nearly 25 years, with the aim of producing nothing less than top-quality wines. Although many of his neighbours considered Michel Delon a profiteer who raised his wines' prices by releasing them to the market only a small batch at a time, he did take actions previously unseen in Médoc to improve the quality of his wines. In the 1980s he launched the green harvest method for improving grape quality during the growing season, and used it systematically on his vineyards. Even in the high-quality harvest years of 1986 and 1990, Delon cut his crop ­ by half in 1986 and by up to twothirds in 1990 ­ in order to ensure superior quality. In his cellars, he had the floors made of marble. In wine production he used vats of different materials ­ oak, concrete and steel ­ to give the wines a nuanced character. He was also one of the first in Bordeaux to conduct reverse osmosis experiments to improve concentration. This pioneer and trailblazer passed away due to a heart attack in 2000, after which the estate has been led by his son, Jean-Hubert Delon. Jean-Hu- bert has laudably continued to invest in the wines' quality, which has also led to growing demand. In addition to developing the estate's grand vin, Jean-Hubert has been committed to improving the quality of the second wine, Clos du Marquis, launched in 1902. Due to more careful selection of grapes for the number two wine, a third label, Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases, was released in 2007 to use up the grapes from the vineyards' youngest vines. Only a few first growth estates have a similar procedure. The Delons' decades-long insistence on the estate's right to a first-growth classification was in 2008 supported and justified by a study conducted at Cornell University. The reasons given in the study were both the wines' quality and the prices paid for them. As their base data, the researchers used average scores given by the most esteemed wine critics in the previous 35 years, and the prices paid for LéovilleLas-Cases wines, which have been three times that of other second growths. Even though the estate's wines are significantly pricier than others in their category, they are still more affordable than those from first growth estates. Therefore, one could be justified in saying that Léoville-Las-Cases offers one of the best price-to-quality ratios of all Bordeaux wines. > 126 FINE

The best The Château Léoville-Las-Cases Vintages to drink today 97p 1945 Château Léoville-Las-Cases Average auction 675 price: Colour: Very dark, brick-red Nose: Still youthful, elegant and complex ­ blackcurrants, truffles, violets Palate: Medium-bodied, concentrated yet delicate fruit, round and velvety tannins toasty vanilla tones Gentle powerpack Great purchase 28 times, last tasted in 2009 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2020 Fillet mignon with cepe risotto Moderately low so far, although interest is growing as the wine is challenging the First Growth wines The best Léoville-Las-Cases ever made Château Leoville-Barton 1948 An elegant wine that delivers its charming personality already now Finish: Energetic, rich and long-lasting, with In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: 98p 1982 Château Léoville-Las-Cases Average auction 430 price: Colour: Very dark, brick red Nose: Still youthful, elegant and complex ­ blackcurrants, truffles, violets Palate: Medium-bodied, concentrated yet delicate fruit, round and velvety tannins toasty vanilla tones Gentle powerpack Great buying 28 times, last tasted in 2009 2 hours 2 hours 2020 Roasted beef Moderately low so far, although growing interest as the wine is challenging the First Growth wines Finish: Energetic, rich and long-lasting with In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside The best Léoville-Las-Cases ever information: made Or try this: Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1982 Final verdict: An elegant wine that delivers its charming personality already now C H ÂT E A U L É OV I L L E - L A S - C A S E S 127 FINE Estate

- a journey of centuries fter three days of rain, we step out to the sunny, warm balcony of a stone house that was built in the late 19th century. August 1996 in Bordeaux had proven to be somewhat fickle, and this was our last day before we would get on our motorcycle and continue our journey towards Paris. We had been waiting for A a dry day in order to visit the legendary vineyards of Médoc. Now we would only have time to pop in to Margaux, but nothing would be more wonderful than experiencing the mystical feeling that Châteu Margaux, also called the Versailles of Médoc, emanates in its majesty. 128 FINE

C H ÂT E A U M A R G A U X 129 FINE Estate

The mystique has to do with the 400-year history of the vineyard, concealing the most eventful story of Bordeaux's vineyards. After getting to know the story, Château Margaux would never taste the same. As I rode along D2, approaching Margaux, I began to feel butterflies in my stomach. I could imagine how André Mentzelopoulos had felt when he drove this same narrow road for the first time with his daughter about twenty years ago, on his way to an epoch-making lunch that would seal the future of Château Margaux. It was 1977, and the 24-year-old Corinne Mentzelopoulos was very impressed as she stepped out to the bright white stairway of the 19th century palace. They had just finished lunch that had taken place in a dark, dreary dining room. She could not yet foresee that as a result of the handshake between the two gentlemen on the stairs, her life would soon change. Her father, André Mentzelopoulos, became the first Greek winegrower in Bordeaux, as he bought the estate from Pierre Ginestet for 75 million francs. The historic estate had changed hands once again. plantations and corn fields. In the 14th century, the estate even served as a residence for King Edward III. The Vineyard is Born Development towards being the most Royal villa The history of Château Margaux goes back all the way to the 12th century, when French nobles owned the estate. In those days it bore the name La Mothe de Margaux, meaning the hill of Margaux' in the local dialect. The hills were green, but from something altogether different than vines: the estate was well-known for sugar beet appreciated winery of the world did not begin until 1572, when Pierre de Lestonnac acquired the estate. He expanded it aggressively, buying and exchanging land from small farmers in the area. He can be considered one of the greatest pioneers of the area with regard to wine growing. The era of Château Margaux as we know it can be considered to have begun with Lestonnac. The owners of the estate changed in name only, as the women who kept up the family traditions married aristocrats of Bordeaux, until in 1654, and the Margaux estate rose to 130 FINE

become one of the most respected wineries in the area through marriage. Marrying into the Pontac family that had owned Latour, Lafite and Haut-Brion estates gave Margaux a permanent position among the top wineries. became the third president of the United States. Jefferson was known as a great admirer of French wines, and at the top of his list was Château Margaux. Versailles of Médoc As a result of the French Revolution, for wine production. It is no wonder that it has also been called the Versailles of Médoc. However, Marquis de Colonilla never got a chance to enjoy his new castle, as he died in 1836. The road to the top In 1700, the estate had already reached the size it is today. The total area of the estate was 265 hectares, 78 of which were planted with vines. The next step was to improve the quality of the wine. The manager of the estate, Berlon, overhauled the existing wine production techniques. He noticed that the quality of wine resided in concentrated grapes. He then examined his plantations and noticed that different patches produced different grapes. Soon, he realised that too much water led to weak concentration and forbade picking grapes early in the morning so that the dew on the grapes would not weaken the concentration. Berlon also vinified his wines so that white grapes were separated from red grapes, which had never been done before. The most appreciated wine in the world The quality of the wines increased significantly, and in 1745 the prices of Château Margaux's wines were as much as a third higher than any other wines in the region. This was also noticed at a Christie's auction in 1776, where Château Margaux 1771 was the first Bordeaux wine ever sold by Christie's. The transcendence of Château Margaux came across to the world in 1787, when a very prestigious list of the most appreciated wines in the world was published on the market. The author of the list was Thomas Jefferson, the US Minister Plentipotentiary in France, who later the heirs of Lestonnac lost the estate. However, it returned to the family once more when Laure de Fumel, niece of the previous owner, Joseph de Fumel, managed to buy the dilapidated estate back. She restored it and auctioned it again in 1801. Basque ship-owner Bertrand Douat, better known as Marquis de Colonilla, bought the estate for 654 000 francs. When buying the estate, Douat was mostly after social status, and he was not interested in wine production itself. Douat thought, however, that the estate needed a building worthy of its status, and he decided upon a construction project which would form an essential part of Château Margaux's present-day identity. In 1810, the old building was torn down, and a new building was built by Bordeaux's most respected architect, Louis Combes. It was a true masterpiece, a magnificent Greek-style mansion surrounded by a carefully planned garden and perfect conditions The crowning of Napoleon iii After the marquis died, his family sold the estate to the Spanish banker Marqués de la Marismas, who was also known as Alexandre Aguado, who paid 1.35 million francs for it. Under the ownership of the Aguado family, the wines got their final crowning when Château Margaux was named the best of four first-class wines at the Paris world exhibition of 1855. In 1879 the estate was sold to Vicomte Pillet-Will. Pillet-Will's era became one of Margaux's most difficult periods, as a result of the global depression, mould diseases and, finally, phylloxera. In spite of all this, Pillet-Will, who held the estate for almost half a century, had a chance to witness two magnificent vintages, first in 1893 and after that, the most legendary Margaux vintage, 1900. However, the estate was sold again in 1920 as a result of the neglect of the following generations. A group led by Pierre Moreau bought the estate, and C H ÂT E A U M A R G A U X 131 FINE Estate

then sold it again in 1934 to a group led by Fernand Ginestet. This resulted in the ascendency of Ginestets, who, bit by bit, bought all shares of the estate by 1950. Non-vintage Château Margaux Together with his son, Pierre, Fernand established a firm position in Bordeaux for the next twenty years. In the 1960s, however, economic problems began to pile up. Branding gained ground in the wine markets when competition for supermarket sales increased. Pierre's younger son, who was marketing-oriented, shocked the vintners of Bordeaux by marketing wines under the Ginestet name in car magazines and men's magazines. Thus, Château Margaux's brand value was threatened as well. As a result of short-sighted activities conducted without a clear strategy, the threat only increased. Bernard and his father Pierre's desperate idea to market Château Margaux wines from poorer crop years as non-vintage enraged their trading partners. As the quality and the demand of the wines weakened, the family drifted into financial difficulties. The family's distress further increased as a result of their older son's mental problems, which led to suicide. After eking out a living for a long time, the Ginestets finally had to give up Château Margaux, which had once made them so proud. The estate was almost sold to an American company called National Distillers for 82 million francs, but the French government intervened and demanded that the Ginestets find a French buyer. It would not allow the glory of Bordeaux and all of France to drift into foreign hands. Instead, selling the estate to the French grocery chain Félix Potin was deemed acceptable, even though the owner was the Greek businessman André Mentzelopoulos. for sale. Most obviously he acted on a hunch, since in no time he was on his first visit to the estate with his daughter, closing a deal with Pierre Ginestet. The world was still experiencing financial troubles, and Bordeaux was in dire straits with regard to the wine trade. "I vividly remember the moment I saw the majestic cellar for the first time, I was really taken aback. It seemed impossible that it would be ours. Buying the estate was a really daring thing to do. It was a whole new challenge", recalls daughter Corinne Mentzelopoulos. André Mentzelopoulos had made the most lucrative deal in Gironde's history, and he invested unequalled amounts of time and money into the estate. Deteriorated production facilities and plantations were fully renovated, including replanting, water routings, new equipment and barrels, and restored cellars. In order to improve the quality, acknowledged oenology professor Émile Peynaud was hired as a consultant to the estate in 1977. His first Margaux vintage was the legendary 1978. Greek saviour Mentzelopoulos had saved Félix Potin's chain of 80 grocery stores from bankruptcy in 1958, and by 1975 he had created a success story, with 1 600 stores. He was well-known for his quick moves, and thanks to his good business acumen he boldly accepted interesting new challenges. One can only wonder what went through his mind, when, on a flight from London to Paris, he read The Financial Times and noticed that Château Margaux was 132 FINE

Château Margaux ­ a journey of centuries André Mentzelopoulos only saw the next excellent vintage, in 1979, as he suddenly passed away in December 1980. Suddenly, young Corinne faced a nearly insurmountable challenge: she would have to continue her father's work without any of the required knowhow. Determined, Corinne continued the work with the help of estate manager Philip Barré and Émile Peynaud. She finished huge new cellars just in time for the magnificent 1982 vintage. With Barré's help, Corinne quickly learned a lot about wine production and managing the estate. Another challenge arose in the form of replacing the retiring Barré. Encouraged by the famous oenology professor Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon, Corinne decided to interview an oenology student of similar age nearly her own age, 27-year-old Paul Pontallier. He did not yet have very much experience, but Corinne was convinced. Pontallier drew most of his learning and production philosophy from Peynaud. Respect for the unique terroir of Margaux, and applying this philosophy to wine in every unique year without the label of the wine maker, represents Peynaud's view that Pontallier has kept on honourably since Peynaud stepped aside from wine production in 1990. beneficial to find a good partner, a family business that would have the ability and willpower to take responsibility for the industry and financial management, so that I could concentrate on Château Margaux", Corinne says. Ten years later, Gianni Agnelli died and the Agnellis decided to give up their 75 per cent share of Château Margaux. Without hesitation, Corinne Mentzelopoulos offered them 440 million dollars and regained full ownership of the estate in March 2003. Buying the shares back for the family also hints to the future. "My children have already shown interest in Margaux. They travel with me to represent Château Margaux as often as possible. I have arranged some time for them in my office so that they can get to know the business and learn more and more. They are aware of what kind of things the estate represents, and are prepared for what is waiting for them in the future. Trade-off with ferrari While Pontallier skilfully carried the responsibility for wine production, Corinne succeeded in managing the estate for over ten years, while at the My children have already shown interest in Margaux. They travel with me to represent Château Margaux as often as possible. I have arranged some time for them in my office so that they can get to know the business and learn more and more. They are aware of what kind of things the estate represents, and are prepared for what is waiting for them in the future. same time being responsible for all of the family's other businesses. Being a principal shareholder of the huge Perrier water group and owner of a real estate business in Paris took their toll on the young woman, however. After a public offering on the Paris Bourse in 1993, Corinne exchanged shares with the famous Italian family Agnelli, who own Fiat and Ferrari. "Business operations grew so big that I could not handle it all by myself anymore. I thought it would be The estate manager post was offered to Pontallier almost immediately. Barré supported him in his new post based on his background, and at the same time he got the chance to work with Peynaud, whom he greatly respected. Together they produced one of the greatest wines of Margaux, vintage 1983. The secret to success Even though the late André Mentzelopoulos, together with Émile Peynaud and Philippe Barré, laid the foundations for the growth of Château Margaux, the secret to its success is mostly based on the unique synergy and chemistry that Paul Pontallier and Corinne Mentzelopoulos have created C H ÂT E A U M A R G A U X 133 FINE Estate

together. A common goal, belief in the work and commitment have lifted Châteu Margaux back to the place it deserves. The wines have received more visibility and acclaim during the last 30 years than in the 100 years before that. "We have repeatedly questioned the techniques used in order to make the quality even better. Moreover, we have invested in continuous research and are one of the only estates in Bordeaux to have hired a research and development manager, who is responsible for the research work. We also utilise different research institutes", says Pontallier, who is considered a perfectionist. He continues: "Even if we do continuous research work at the plantations and in the production facilities, I think our wines haven't changed much in style during the last 25 years. Margaux's wines are just a bit richer, softer and more intensive, thanks to the new viticultural techniques and our better understanding of harvesting the ripe grapes. be seen how well the new generation can continue Corinne's success. It is certain that she is not stepping aside for a long time, but when she looks 50 years to the future, she says: "Who knows what the world will be like then? I just hope my children are still around and are here managing the estate. But can things get much better for Margaux, when it already is in the minds of all wine lovers of the world? Shall I keep my fingers crossed?" > Fingers crossed for the future? The active and close co-operation between Pontallier and Mentzelopoulos has produced magnificent vintages: 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2009. It remains to The best Château Margaux Vintages to drink today 98p 1928 Château Margaux 100p 1900 Château Margaux Average auction 9450 / 2011 price: Colour: Tawny, clear, promising Nose: Complex, open, intense, blackcurrant, violets, butterscotch, sweetness, chocolate Average auction 1230 / 2011 price: Colour: Brownish, clear, healthy Nose: Divine, open, persuasive, fresh, chocolate, mushrooms, violets, tobacco, earth, toast, elegant Palate: Superb balance, velvety, great finesse, silky tannins, intensive, lively, fresh, ripe, multi-layered, youthful long... Palate: Well-balanced, sophisticated, fresh, Finish: Voluptuous, ripe, luxurious, long, smooth honeyed tannins, stylish, low acidity, perfumed, opulent Finish: Broad, insightful, stunning, long, long, In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Bottled sensation Oh yes 22 times, last in 2010 30 minutes 2 hours Now to 2020 Forget the food Quite high, be especially aware of magnums and bigger sized bottles. Inside information: The vintages 1900 and 1982 were almost identical for Château Margaux. A warm summer, hotter than 1899, and baking heat during the harvest. The grapes were very ripe. A superabundant crop. Picking began on September 24. Production: 29 000 cases. Or try this: Ferrari 250 GT 1959 Final verdict: Nothing comes close! In a nutshell: As fresh as 1986 Margaux Buy or not: Under 2000, absolutely yes Tasted: 18 times, last in 2008 Decanting time: 1 hour Glass time: 1 hour When to drink: Now to 2015 Food pairing: 98 points without food! Fake factor: Only with non-château bottlings Inside information: In 1928 there was marvellous weather, from the flowering to the harvest, which allowed the grapes to attain an outstanding level of concentration as well as ripeness. The picking began on the September 25 at Château Margaux Or try this: Château Margaux 1929 Final verdict: You won't be bored 134 FINE

97p 1982 Château Margaux Average auction 890 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, ruby-red Nose: Powerful, toasty oak, black fruits, coffee, cedar, cigar leaf, fascinating deep, complex, well-dressed, fleshy polished Palate: Well-balanced, potent, spicy, intense, Finish: Long, sweet, muscular, loaded, In a nutshell: Almost there Buy or not: A bargain compared to Lafite 1982 Tasted: 12 times, last in 2009 Decanting time: 3 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: Duck à l'Orange Fake factor: None Inside information: During the whole year of 1982, the weather conditions were very favourable for the vines and for the ripening of the grapes. After an early flowering, the summer was for the most part hot, especially in July and during the first two weeks of September. The grapes reached dazzling ripeness levels with, among other feats, a record concentration of sugar. The picking began on the September 20 at Château Margaux. Or try this: Château Margaux 1983 Final verdict: Lacking nothing but a bit of character 97p 1990 Château Margaux 97p 1996 Château Margaux Average auction 870 / 2011 price: Colour: Intense, dark, purple Nose: Sweet, powerful, concentrated, ripe cherries, blackcurrant, vanilla firm, fine tannins, sweet fruit Built to last For a greater future, yes 15 times, last in 2009 2 hours 3 hours Now to 2030 Average auction 750 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, ruby, almost opaque Nose: Multi-layered, intense, blackcurrants, cedar, cigar, roasted coffee, capsicum, violets thick, hugely firm Palate: Rich, opulent, great balance, exciting, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Long, tender, sweet, powerful Palate: Perfect structure and balance, chewy, Finish: Long, lingering, powerful, rich, mineral In a nutshell: Already lovely Buy or not: Classic shopping Tasted: 17 times, last in 2010 Decanting time: 4 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2035 Food pairing: Pheasant piccata Fake factor: None Inside information: After a very quick flowering, the Food pairing: Smoked venison fillet Fake factor: None Inside information: At Château Margaux, the harvest lasted almost a month, as the Cabernets ripened much later than the Merlot. They even interrupted the picking for 10 days at the end of September to let the Cabernet finish ripening. Or try this: Mouton Rothschild 1986 Final verdict: The thinking man's choice summer was unsettled, with alternating periods of hot and cool weather and stormy showers ­ though less heavy in the Médoc than on the Right Bank. From September 1, cool and very dry weather set in for three weeks. It then rained and the fine weather returned for the harvesting of the Cabernets. The picking began on September 23 at Château Margaux Or try this: Screaming Eagle 1992 Final verdict: Aristocratic style of Margaux par excellence C H ÂT E A U M A R G A U X 135 FINE Estate The best Château Margaux Vintages to drink today

extraordinary chefs are now among Blackberry Farm's most anticipated guests. some of the world's most Situated in the Tennessee foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm's Relais & Châteaux property -- recently named #1 Resort in the Continental U.S. and Canada by Travel + Leisure -- is celebrating its 35th anniversary by bringing back some of their favorite guest chefs, vintners and artists for this year's schedule of unforgettable events. From its 180,000-bottle Grand Award-winning wine selection and renowned cuisine to countless opportunities for wellness and adventure across 9,200 protected acres, Blackberry Farm is home to enriching, one-of-a-kind experiences all year long. To reserve your place at one of our special events, contact our Reservations Team, or visit us online for a complete calendar of upcoming events. Walland, Tennessee 00.1.865.984.8166 blackberryfarm.com WORLD'S BEST AWARDS 2011

The award-winning chef and owner of Momofuku Restaurant Group brings his renowned talents to Blackberry Farm. David Chang APRIL 1-4, 2012 featuring pastry chef François Payard and vintner Jenne Lee Bonaccorsi of Bonaccorsi Wine Company DECEMBER 4-7, 2011 Delicious Decadence a celebration of some of the best Rhône varietals -- and the people and wineries behind them MARCH 15-18, 2012 Hospice du Rhône featuring award-winning chef, cookbook author and restaurateur Michael Mina of Mina Group APRIL 30-MAY 3, 2012 Michael Mina

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A Forgotten First Growth hen, in 1855, Bordeaux wines were classified according to five `growth or crus, depending on the prices that they were fetching, only one estate outside Médoc was included. That was Château Haut-Brion, a Premier Cru from Graves. Since then it has been a popular pastime among wine connoisseurs to suggest changes to the original 1855 classification. Left out altogether from the original classification, the estate is W often called the `first supersecond' château or the `sixth Premier Cru'. It has not quite reached the status or prices attributed to Premier Crus, but it is in a league of its own above the Seconds Crus from Médoc. Together with Pétrus, it is also the estate to have received the most full 100-point reviews from Robert Parker, and has produced a significant number of the all-time top Bordeaux wines in the current listing. C H Â T E A U L A M I S S I O N H A U T- B R I O N 139 FINE Estate

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Two wines, two Châteaux Haut-Brion First of all, we would like to correct a common misconception: Château La Mission Haut-Brion is not now, nor has it ever been, the "second vin" from Château Haut-Brion; in fact, the two estates were never even under the same ownership until the Dillons acquired it in 1983. The land that makes up the Château La Mission Haut-Brion estate was donated in 1664 to the congregation of the Lazarites, or Prêcheurs de la Mission, established by Saint Vincent de Paul. Appropriated by the government during the Revolution, it was sold in 1792. There were many changes in ownership, until the Woltner family bought the estate in 1919. That family, especially Henri Woltner, built the reputation upon which the wine still stands. The family retained ownership until 1983, when the estate was purchased by its famous neighbour, Château Haut-Brion. La Mission Haut-Brion had been Haut-Brion's only serious competitor for the title of the best wine in Graves, many wine-lovers around the world feared that the characteristic differences between these two neighbouring wines would fade once they were produced by the same winemaker, the brilliant Jean-Bernard Delmas. Luckily they need not have feared, as both wines still number among the best in the world, but are separate and individual. C H ÂT E A U L A M I S S I O N H A U T B R I O N 141 FINE Estate

Château La Mission Haut Brion Surrounded by offices So what makes these wines so different? The estates meet in Graves, in an area that in the 1600s and 1700s ­ prior to the great acclaim of the Médoc estates ­ was the centre of winemaking in Bordeaux. Most vineyards in Graves have stopped operating, and these days the vineyards of La Mission and Haut Brion are surrounded by high office and residential buildings. The soil is similar on both estates, as are the proportions of grape varieties; both have approximately 50 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 per cent Merlot and 10 per cent Cabernet Franc. The difference, therefore, lies in the way in which the wine is made once the grapes have been picked and taken to the cellars. La Mission became a pioneer in winemaking in the 1920s, when it started using glasslined metal fermentation vats. These were easier to clean and thereby more hygienic than the traditional wooden vats, but their greatest advantage was the possibility of cooling them during fermentation by running cold water over the outside. Fermentation temperatures that are too high can deactivate the yeast before fermentation is finished, possibly leading to the bacteria turning the residual sugar into vinegar, with unpredictable consequences. Previously, winemakers had cooled down the fermentation process by adding a sack of ice to the juice, but this not only cooled the wine but also diluted it. Fermentation at a lower temperature retained the important aromatic components of the wine, which could also be kept longer on the lees, giving it a deeper colour and stronger aromas. La Mission wines have traditionally had more tannins and been harsher at a younger age than Haut-Brions, requiring more time and patience to wait until their angularity softens. When tasting Haut-Brion and La Mission wines side by side, the taster's favourite is determined more according to their individual styles than due to any differences in quality. I have found that my favourite depends on the vintage and my mood. La Mission wines are usually more eloquent and have a clearer, concentrated fruitiness and more tannins than Haut-Brions, which in turn are some of the world's most elegant and multidimensional wines. fruitiness combined with tannins that give them backbone and structure. Also similar to Château Latour is La Mission's reputation for making high-quality, beautifully ageing wines, even in difficult years. When the Dillons acquired the estate, the deal also included Château La Tour Haut-Brion. For years this was the "second vin" to La Mission Haut-Brion, which meant that the best wine to come out of the two estates was bottled as La Mission, and the second-best as La Tour. This is no longer the practice after 1983; La Tour Haut-Brion was its own estate until the 2005 vintage, when it was incorporated into La Mission Haut-Brion. The "second vin" of La Mission Haut-Brion is now La Chapelle de la Mission, which is a top buy, especially in good vintage years. Château La Mission Haut Brion also produces one of the best and most expensive white wines from the Bordeaux region. This was known as Château Laville Haut-Brion since 1934 and was renamed Château La Mission Haut Brion Blanc since 2009.> Premier cru standard even in difficult times Generally speaking, one could say that La Mission Haut-Brion wines, like Château Latours, are deep in colour and express a concentrated, majestic 142 FINE

The Best Château La Mission Haut-Brion Vintages to drink today 99p 1945 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 97p 1955 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Average auction 2840 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, ruby to brick-red Nose: Deep, complex, black olives, cassis, cedar, smoke Average auction 1380 / 2011 price: Colour: Youthful, dark deep Nose: Open, sound, rich, sweet, fresh, leather, herbs, raisin, dried fruits Palate: Rich, broad, round and intense, smooth tannins Palate: Young, fascinating, full-bodied, wellbalanced, refine, silky, crisp acidity, soft, silky tannins Finish: Voluminous and supple In a nutshell: Liquid velvet Buy or not: Yes, for an experience, but for value there are plenty of better wines available 10 times, last in 2007 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2015 Grilled pork chops Moderate A very good vintage. The harvest was finished very late, on October 10. Considered to be the wine of the vintage in Bordeaux. Finish: Elegant, broad, lingering In a nutshell: Eminent Buy or not: If there is a need for 1955, this is your choice Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: 14 times, last in 7/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Osso buco Existing among VDM-bottlings The temperatures during the growing season are regularly 1-2C higher in Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion than in Lafite or Latour. Or try this: Cheval Blanc 1955 Final verdict: Another great wine from one of the Or try this: Vega-Sicilia Unico 1955 Final verdict: A benchmark wine for the vintage most stable performers in Bordeaux 98p 1959 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 98p 1961 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Average auction 2230 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, clear, brick-red Nose: Open, attractive, sweet, plum, chocolate, blackcurrant, tobacco, herbs, meaty flavourful, low acidity, well-balanced, big personality Extremely long, silky, intense Manpower Yes 26 times, last in 2007 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2020 Beef tenderloin with gravy None A great vintage for La Mission. The harvest started Septmeber 24 and ended October 3. The weather was very hot during the harvest at La Mission. Average auction 2620 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, quite mature, deep Nose: Wide, intense, rich, ripe fruit, tobacco, oak aromas, truffles, gamey Palate: Delicate, multi-layered, big, muscular, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Palate: Complex, fragrance, harmonious, Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: A serious wine Yes, one of the best 1961s 36 times, last in 2009 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2030 Fried red deer fillet with roasted potatoes with bacon large, thick, great balance, full-bodied Seductive, long, multi-dimensional Or try this: Château Smith-haut-Lafitte 1959 Final verdict: Obviously a great wine ­ and for a reason a short period of intense cold at the end of May caused "exceptional coulure" (the lack of pollinisation due to wet or cold weather). The hot summer was the driest on record. A very fine September yielded a harvest with good maturity and concentration. Harvesting began on September 12 and ended on September 25. Fake factor: None Inside information: At Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Or try this: La Mission 1966 Final verdict: Much beloved C H ÂT E A U L A M I S S I O N H A U T B R I O N 143 FINE Estate

The Best Château La Mission Haut-Brion Vintages to drink today 97p 1975 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 98p 1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Average auction 1060 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, deep, promising Nose: Open, concentrated, tobacco, minerals, roasted herbs, cedar, powerful sweet, well-balanced, multi-layered, fruity seductive Average auction 910 / 2011 price: Colour: Very deep, ruby with a brick-red rim Nose: Open, floral, ripe cassis, capsicum, toasty and a touch of forest floor Palate: Massive, intense, warm, tannic, Finish: Long, warm, full-size, broad, Palate: Medium-bodied, concentrated, mineral, fresh and intense fruit, firm tannins very hot. September, on the other hand, was variable. Fair weather went on until the harvest. At Château La Mission Haut-Brion harvesting began on September 25th and ended by October 8th. Everywhere in Bordeaux the 1975 produced rich and powerful wines which require a long time in the bottle to develop and soften. In a nutshell: Gigantic Buy or not: Yes Tasted: 16 times, last tasted in 2010 Decanting time: 4 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2035 Food pairing: Entrecôte & haricot verts Fake factor: None Inside information: In 1975 both June and July were Finish: Long, refined and balanced In a nutshell: A classy Bordeaux Buy or not: Yes, as an investment but the 1982 Pichon-Lalande, for instance, is half the price of La Mission and delivers much more pleasure now 18 times, last in 2010 3 hours 3 hours Now to 2035 Roasted lamb fillet with garlic potatoes Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Or try this: Hermitage La Chapelle 1978 Final verdict: One of the few 1975's, which has a great balance between hard tannin and sweet fruitiness weather conditions are found. April was very dry and hot and June slightly thundery, before a hot summer followed from July 8 onwards. The harvest, which began on September 15 and ended on September 24, took place during a very hot spell. The first-rate weather conditions produced a great wine. The wines are generally super tender and so is this wine. It also has a good backbone, which is derived from minerality and firm tannins ­ both of which will help it to age for several more decades. Fake factor: None Inside information: It is very seldom that such good Or try this: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1982 Missions to drink today Final verdict: One of the most charming La 98p 1989 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Average auction 940 / 2011 price: Colour: Very deep, ruby with brown tints Nose: Pronounced black fruit, capsicum, violets, hints of toastiness and butterscotch tannins and intense fruit Palate: Medium-bodied, fresh, mineral, firm Finish: Lingering and very refined, showing loads of smoky flavours with tobacco and cigar classic style In a nutshell: A silky wine, with a very refined and Buy or not: Absolutely yes Tasted: 24 times, last in 2009 Decanting time: 4 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2035 Food pairing: Entrecôte and haricot verts Fake factor: Moderately low Inside information: The estate belong to the Dillon family, who also own the neighbouring estate of Haut-Brion. The wines have one and same winemaker, Jean Delmas, which makes it fascinating to compare these wines next to each other. La Mission is known as more powerful and chunky in style, yet at the same elegant. Or try this: Château Haut-Brion 1989 Final verdict: An amazing wine that is most likely to gain 100 points in future 144 FINE

RUSSELL POST, LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER REAL ESTATE Discover the Benefits of Membership in One of the World's Finest Private Clubs 60 YEARS YOUNG TOTALLY DEBT-FREE 4 GENERATIONS OF FAMILY TRADITIONS LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR UNIQUE WAY OF LIFE THROUGH THE PAGES OF THE CLUB'S LIVING MAGAZINE Call or Email For Your Complimentary Copy www.MaryLeePresentsOceanReef.com MARY@MARYLEEPRESENTSOCEANREEF.COM · CELL 917.603.3252 · KEY LARGO ~ FLORIDA © MMVII Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby's International Realty® is a licensed trademark to Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except Offices Owned And Operated By NR T Incorporated.

The Summer Wine Auction 800 Lots of Rare and Collectible Wines to be Sold Simulcast in San Francisco and Hong Kong Thursday, June 16, 2011 6:00 pm PDT Martin Wine Auctions | | Friday, June 17, 2011 9:00 am HKT 701 Bryant Street San Francisco, CA 94107 USA tel: +1-415-543-9463 fax: +1-415-777-4807 email: info@martinwineauctions.com M artin wine auctions TM Now accepting consignments for future auctions. www.martinwineauctions.com

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ART AND WINE F or the last 150 years, Château MoutonRothschild in Pauillac, near Bordeaux, has embodied the attributes of perfection and innovation like no other wine estate. Mouton has taken on mythological proportions in the wine trade. The marvelling, awestruck wine connoisseur will certainly be aware that the great family tradition of the Rothschilds is combined with a dash of style, eccentricity and an appreciation of art, when he holds a bottle of Mouton in his hand ­ if he has not realised it prior to that, and when he takes his first sip of a Premier Grand Cru. When in 1922 Baron Philippe de Rothschild took over the running of the wine estate, the worldwide lauding of Mouton commenced. To start with, it was its magnificent wines that caused such a stir. Then, it was the Baron's idea of having the Mouton labels designed by internationally important artists that saw them becoming both the unmistakeable symbols of the Mouton-Rothschild brand as well as internationally sought-after collectors' items. C H ÂT E A U M O U TO N - R OT H S C H I L D 149 FINE Estate

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The Mouton-Rothschild Legend The Château Mouton-Rothschild is situated in Pauillac, north of Bordeaux, between the River Gironde and the Atlantic. The region is flat; it has only a very few gently rolling hills. The sparsely wooded landscape is not particularly spectacular. In terms of appearance, there are other much more beautiful wine-growing regions. It is in the Médoc, however, that the famous Mouton-Rothschild, the Premier Cru classé that has gained worldwide mythological status, is grown. There has been a large, successful winegrowing tradition in the Bordeaux region for centuries. It can be traced back to the Roman period and has become an important, key source of income for the otherwise rather impoverished region. The secret of the Médoc lies in its naturally-occurring conditions, which are encompassed in the French term, `terroir'. This term encompasses the interplay between its perfectly suited soil and its ideal climate, which allows the region's wine growers to produce first-class wines. The Bordelais wine-growing region is the largest cohesive area of cultivation in the world for wines of quality. The percentage of top-class wines produced there is higher than in any other region of France. There are around four thousand châteaux in the Bordelais region producing these world-famous wines. A sophisticated system of local appellations and classification is the basis of a hierarchy of quality. The separate growing sites play a limited role only. Taking pride of place is the château itself to which they belong. Typical of the Bordelais region are the dry, durable red wines, which are fruitier in the Médoc region than the softer, fuller wines of the neighbouring Saint-Emilion and Pomerol areas. Less than twenty per cent of the total wine production of the region is centred on white wine. The Bordelais region rests on an enormous limestone plateau that is covered, in most places, with layers of sand and gravel dating from the Ice Age. In the Médoc region, these layers can be up to several metres thick. This gravely, sandy soil permits the vines to root deeply into the ground and allows for excellent drainage. The varying nature of the terrain and the siting of the vines create several small zones, each with their individual microclimate, which in turn have an effect on the harvests that are achieved by the various châteaux. Nearby, the Atlantic generally creates a mild, even climate, normally without extreme changes in temperature. The large rivers and expansive wooded areas of the region also have a balancing effect on climatic conditions. Typical of the annual weather for the wine region are frost-free winters, damp spring months and a sunny summer from July to October. The climate can vary, however, meaning that the quality of the individual vintages can vary to a great extent. The wine growers of the region know that the following basic conditions have to be met between 1 April and 30 September in order for a great vintage to result. In total, the average temperatures should reach at least 3 100 °C over 1250 hours of sunshine. During this period, there should have been at least 15 hot days with a temperature of over 30 °C, and there should have been a total precipitation of between 250 and 350mm. Since the wine harvest often continues until well into late autumn, the weather during the harvest in October plays an important role in the quality of the vintage. Much of what is exceptional about the Mouton wines may be attributed to the soil and old vines, but it is not the site alone that determines the quality. The soil must be treated well, cultivated and monitored with a great deal of care. French wine production is one of the best-supervised agricultural sectors in the world; every bottle filled is assigned to a particular category of quality. Already by 1855, the best produce from the wine-growing region of Bordeaux was uniformly classified and termed `Grand Cru classé'. This produce was then divided further into five subclasses: Premier, Deuxième, Troisième, Quatrième and Cinquième. The classification at that time was based less on excellent quality and more on the average revenue from the sale of the wine, the figures for which were collated from a period of several decades. Since 1855, there has been only one single change to this system of classification, which is so sacrosanct to the French. The top class Premier Cru had always included Château LafiteRothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour and Château Haut-Brion. On 21 June 1973, Château Mouton-Rothschild was re-categorised from a Deuxième to a Premier Cru. The story of Mouton's success Nowadays, Château MoutonRothschild's acreage covers around eighty hectares. 80 per cent of the land is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon vines, ten per cent with Cabernet Franc, eight per cent with Merlot and C H ÂT E A U M O U TO N - R OT H S C H I L D 151 FINE Estate

two per cent with Petit Verdot. At the Château alone between 250 000 and 300 000 bottles of wine are produced annually, with the Mouton harvest reaching around 40 to 45 hectolitres per hectare. Then, there is the second wine, `Petit Mouton', and the great brand name, `Mouton Cadet'. With more than five hundred employees, the ultra-modern wine company achieves an annual turnover of approximately 200 million euros. The core of the company is the winery at Saint-Laurent, built in 1994, which can accommodate 170 000 hectolitres of wine in its 200 tanks. This corresponds to 24 million bottles. A further 32, tanks each with a capacity of two thousand litres, were added in 2004. Particularly in Germany, where the Rothschild family originated, the name, which has been passed down through several branches over the centuries, is held in the highest esteem. It was a branch of the Rothschild family in Frankfurt-am-Main that sent its sons to five different European metropolises in search of luck and careers. The family formed a broadly branching network, primarily in the fields of finance, banking and, later on, wine. In 1853, Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, born to the London branch of the family, acquired the Château BraneMouton, immediately renaming it Château Mouton-Rothschild. Very swiftly, the Château went on to establish itself as one of the leading châteaux of the region. The subsequent marvellous success story of the family concern at Château Mouton-Rothschild is closely linked to Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the great grandson of Baron Nathaniel. In 1920, in the company of his grandmother, Baroness Thérèse, to whom the château belonged, the young Baron Philippe visited Mouton for the first time. He would go on to visit it frequently, and on his return to Paris would always tell his father, full of drive and enthusiasm, about the disorder and neglected state of the place. Baron Philippe's father and grandmother finally decided that they should hand over the wine estate to him. Therefore, as a twenty-year-old he took over the running of Mouton in 1922. Its rise to become one of the best-known and most successful châteaux in the world would never have been possible without his dedication, personality, pioneering spirit, appreciation of art and foresight. Baron Philippe de Rothschild became the most important figure in the winegrowing Bordeaux region, precisely formulating the aim of his life's work as the expunging of the ignominy of not belonging to the Premiers Crus. Early on, with this in mind, he chose his motto, `Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton je suis' (`First, I may not be, second, I will not be, Mouton, I am'), which would continue to motivate him to pursue his ambitious goal. Finally, in 1973 Baron Philippe de Rothschild was able to celebrate a personal triumph in his tireless struggle to make good the slight of 1855 when Mouton was not classified as a Premier Cru. After a half-century, all the dedication and hard work invested by the Baron in his life's work, was finally rewarded. A young agriculture minister by the name of Jacques Chirac, who would later become President of France, elevated Mouton into the first echelon of wine producers in the Bordeaux region. To celebrate this occasion, so historic for his wine estate, Baron Rothschild chose a new motto: `Premier je suis, second je fus, Mouton ne change' (`First, I am, second, I used to be, but Mouton does not change'). By 1924, Baron Philippe de Rothschild had already revolutionised the wine industry when he invented the concept captured in the phrase, `Mise en bouteille au Château', which involved having the wine bottled directly at the Château. The Baron spared no cost in setting up the new method of bottling, and commissioned a hundred-metre-long wine cellar that was built over a period of several years by Charles Siclis, then France's star architect. At the same time, he introduced a system for numbering the filled bottles. For centuries, influential brokers from Bordeaux had bought the wine in vats and only then did they bottle it. At first, the other, more conservative Premier Cru winegrowers rejected the idea of bottling at the Château. It was only three years later that the other Châteaux followed suit, beginning to bottle their own wines in 1927. The centralising of the bottling, brought about by Baron Philippe, would prove decisive for the quality of the wine. In this way, each château could maintain control over its wines from the bud to the bottle, and direct the marketing and therefore sales independently. In 1924, the Baron undertook another innovation, which would attract at least as much public attention as the bottling changes. Baron Rothschild commissioned the Cubist graphic artist and painter Jean Carlu to design a separate label for the 1924 vintage, the first to be bottled at the Château. Carlu's bold design depicts not only the five arrows, the Rothschild family coat-of-arms, but also the head of a ram. This image of the ram ­ based on a play on words relating to the name of the Château, `mouton' being the old French word for hill as well as for sheep ­ would subsequently serve as an inspiration for many of the artists who would produce labels for the Mouton vintages. The 152 FINE

image of the ram would also come to stand for the pioneering spirit and unique business sense of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who had been born under the sign of Aries. In the early 1930s, Philippe surprised the world with further innovative business ideas. From the supposedly weaker, declassified vintages of 1930, 1931 and 1932 he created the extremely successful brand, `Mouton Cadet'; bought several small châteaux in the area (among them the richly traditional Château d'Armailhac); and, with his purchase of a small wine dealership, laid the foundation stone for the company, Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A., which today is one of the most successful, globally operating global and best-known wine companies in the world. Aside from this, Baron de Rothschild developed the legendary, Opus One wine in Napa Valley, California at the end of the 1970s in collaboration with the American wine mogul Robert Mondavi. This wine was the first assemblage, a wine blended from several grape varieties, to be created in the USA. Baron Rothschild and Robert Mondavi had set themselves a goal of cultivating a qualitatively high-grade Bordeaux-type premium red wine in California. Even though it took ten years before the newly created Opus One was viable, the wine became the embodiment of the successful wine concept for wines from California and the New World. Baron Philippe also demonstrated with this decision his extraordinary sense for entrepreneurial strategy. Opus One has today become one of the most expensive and highly valued red wines on the fiercely competitive North American market. tion of one of the best wines in the Bordelais region. Baron de Rothschild had many artist friends and enjoyed surrounding himself with them, so that he could take part in the life of the Parisian bohème at Mouton. In 1945, twentyone years after the sensation caused by the first artist's label, Baron Philippe decided to commission a separate label for each year. Instead of being paid with money, the artists involved were given several cases of wine. The relationship between the artists selected and the Rothschild family as patrons was always an especially friendly one, based on trust from both sides. The artists commissioned to design a label were able to give their creativity free rein and to let themselves be inspired by the themes of cultivation and the enjoyment of wine, as well as the symbol of the ram. In the same way as a wine is a fingerprint or a mirror of a year, each The artist labels In what would be a groundbreaking year for Mouton-Rothschild, Philippe de Rothschild began in 1924 to have artists illustrate the Mouton wine labels. In the following decades, he succeeded every year with the vinifica- C H ÂT E A U M O U TO N - R OT H S C H I L D 153 FINE Estate

Mouton label embodies the way the artist concerned perceived the moment. They also tell a story, paying tribute to the synthesis of art and nature and, above all, to the Château Mouton-Rothschild. The Baron's decision to commission contemporary artists to design the labels proved in retrospect to be a masterstroke, because the Mouton bottles thus became total works of art and soughtafter collectors' items. Salvador Dali, Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol ­ the list of well-known artists who designed labels for Mouton-Rothschild reads like an index of a treatise on the most influential and successful modern artists of the 20th century. Several of the labels were kept deliberately simple and straightforward, including Philippe Jullian's `V', which celebrated the end of the Second World War in 1945. Other labels are illustrations of a pre-existing artwork, such as Pablo Picasso's `Bacchanale' of 1973 and Kandinsky's label of 1971. Many designs sparkle with joy and a lust for living, for instance, John Huston's dancing ram dating from 1982, or are convincing in their sensuality, such as Balthus's drawing of a nude young girl, which was considered too sensual for a prudish America and the US market and, therefore, was censored, and thereafter replaced by a blank label. Since the death of her father in 1987, Philippine de Rothschild, born 1933, has held the ownership of the Château Mouton-Rothschild winery and has also been the majority shareholder in the powerful Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A. wine company. Like Baron Philippe before her, his daughter Philippine is continuing the tradition of integrating art into the philosophy of winegrowing. The artworks on the Mouton labels reflect occurrences in contemporary history, but also the triumphs and strokes of fate experienced by the Rothschild family themselves. Many labels have become witnesses to real historical events. Together with the fantastic quality of the wines, they have contributed to the undying legend that is Mouton-Rothschild. We have concentrated on describing mainly the present personality and essence of the wine: its acidity, fruitiness, tannins, structure, depth, length: all the factors that affect the wine's balance - and balance in our opinion is the most important quality factor of the wine. Unfortunately, even the best wines can be ruined by treating and storing them in the wrong way, so each tasting note, if not otherwise mentioned, applies only to the bottle being tasted, not the wine in general. Each tasting note should therefore be regarded merely as guidance, and all the positive notes as encouragement. If we have succeeded in finding a perfect bottle of wine, it is all the more likely to be perfect for you as well. In our opinion, top mature wines cannot be enjoyed and should not be judged merely as tasting experiences, as the long history and regional culture connected with the wine are part of the wine itself. They bring on a third dimension into enjoying the wine, deepening the pleasure and at the same time creating new history ­ your own! We do not only enjoy the taste of wine, but also the era and culture related with it; together they make the enjoyment as complete as Mouton can ever be. > Taste of Mouton Tasting a wine as distinctive as Château Mouton-Rothschild is always a very personal experience and thus very subjective, as are the many feelings brought about by it. Each of us experiences the shades and components of the wine through our own taste palate. That is the reason why we have tried to keep descriptions in our actual tasting note at a rather general level. 154 FINE

The best Château Mouton-Rothschild Vintages to drink today 100p 1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild Average auction 9100 / 2011 price: Colour: Almost black, deep, promising Nose: Sound, open, attempting, dark chocolate, dried herbs, mint, oriental spices, black currants, coffee, eucalyptus powerful, fruit bomb, complex, ripe tannins, velvety extraordinary, impressive Out of this world When ever on sale 44 times, last in 9/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2035 Just thin slices of Pata Negra ham Huge, especially beware of labels without a bottle number Palate: Full-bodied, perfect balance, huge, Finish: Endless, superior, multi-layered, In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Baron Philippe de Rothschild celebrated the victory of the Allies and the end of the Second World War with his highly symbolic choice of illustration for the Mouton label. The young artist Philippe Jullian and the Baron chose the large `V' (for `victoire' or `victory'), the victory sign of the Allies and the symbol which then stood throughout Europe for resistance against the Nazis. Parisians ripped their metro tickets into the form of a `V', and British planes formed the letter in the air with vapour trails. The appropriate sign in Morse code was sent out repeatedly from London over the airwaves as an interval signal on Allied radio stations. The `V' on Philippe Jullian's label for Mouton-Rothschild documents, in a unique, universal way, the outbreak of peace and the return to normal life. Or try this: Heitz Martha's Vineyard 1974 Final verdict: A legend! 99p 1949 Château Mouton-Rothschild Average auction 2590 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, deep, promising Nose: Complex, expansive, earthy, roasted Palate: Full-bodied, perfect balance, big tannins, jammy, sensitive, pure, elegant long coffee, sweet, black olives, green tea, marzipan Finish: Pleasing, command, multi-layered, In a nutshell: An intellectual experience Buy or not: Yes, in any rainy day Tasted: 34 times, last in 9/2010 Decanting time: 1 hour Glass time: 1 hour When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: Aged Gruyère cheese Fake factor: None Inside information: The artist André Dignimont (1891­ 1965) was very closely linked by friendship with famous contemporary writers, who were associated, as was he, with the Parisian world of the literary salons. Above all, he was known as an illustrator of his friends' books. Dignimont illustrated works by renowned authors, such as Balzac and Colette. Many of his images and illustrations were inspired by the lively goings-on of the salons and depict the entertainment that was on offer in cafés and cabarets, and throughout the Parisian nightlife. Dignimont's rural scene for the Mouton label is thus all the more surprising. He chose to depict a still life with wine bottles and glasses on a table in a village inn ­ a scene that is typical of the Bordeaux region. Or try this: Latour 1959 Final verdict: Breathtaking and surely destined for legendary status C H ÂT E A U M O U TO N - R OT H S C H I L D 155 FINE Estate

The best Château Mouton-Rothschild Vintages to drink today 100p 1959 Château Mouton-Rothschild 98p 1961 Château Mouton-Rothschild Average auction 1920 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, gifted Nose: Sensual, open, fascinating, dark Palate: Full-bodied, perfect balance, chocolate, red fruit, dried herbs, caramel, oriental spices, eucalyptus powerful, rich, intense, alcoholic, exciting Average auction 1900 / 2011 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, clean Nose: Sound, open, complex, mint, game aromas, nougat, dried herbs, ripe cassis fruit, sweet acidic, voluptuous, stylish, soft pampering Palate: Full-bodied, good balance, sweet, Finish: Long, gentle, multi-layered, In a nutshell: Brilliant Buy or not: Yes Tasted: 28 times, last in 2009 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: Roasted duck breast Fake factor: None Inside information: The 1961 label designer Georges Finish: Endless, virile, multi-layered, striking In a nutshell: " A feet off the ground" wine Buy or not: Absolutely yes ­ great quality and personality is German-American artist Richard Lippold (1915­2002). He began his career as an industrial designer. In the early 1940s, he came to fame with his linear metal sculptures. His first major work was bought right away by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Some of his often monumental sculptures are displayed in similarly prominent American places, such as the Lincoln Center, the former Pan-American Building and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Lippold's great technical skill creates the impression of an almost weightless use of metal. With his compositions, he managed to design divided spaces and rearrange them in a geographic manner. The weightlessness of Lippold's art and his understanding of three-dimensional geometry are apparent in his design for the Mouton label. The colours and shapes of Richard Lippold`s abstract drawing are reminiscent of rows of vines with bright red grapes. Tasted: 39 times, last in 2010 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 1 hour When to drink: Now to 2025 Food pairing: Grilled fillet of lamb Fake factor: None Inside information: The man behind the 1959 Mouton label Mathieu was known for creating big abstract paintings at great speed, which turned into magnificent spectacles of colour, their composition approaching an explosion. He often completed his paintings in only a few minutes, being convinced that it was the only way to express his innermost feelings without distortion. The speed of the painting process was supposed to make room for coincidences. Or try this: Palmer 1966 Final verdict: A gentle but most impressive acquaintance Or try this: Mouton 1955 Final verdict: When people are talking about great 98p 1982 Château Mouton-Rothschild claret, this is the one they are talking about Average auction 1340 / 2011 price: Colour: Almost black, deep, firm Nose: Strong, open, captivating, spicy, smoked meat, jammy blackcurrants, liquorices layered, fruity, firm tannins, silky Palate: Full-bodied, great balance, multiFinish: Stretched, sweet, soft, intense In a nutshell: Vigorous and very classic Buy or not: Not yet Tasted: 16 times, last in 8/2011 Decanting time: 5 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2040 Food pairing: Pan-fried sirloin steak Fake factor: None Inside information: The label was designed by famous American movie director John Huston, who was also an accomplished painter. His design for 1982 Mouton label is an impressive work depicting a ram dancing through the vines in the sun and dedication for his friend Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who brought in his 60th harvest in 1982: "In celebration of my beloved friend Baron Philippe's 60th harvest at Mouton". Or try this: Opus One 1990 Final verdict: Still lifetime to live and love 156 FINE

Château Palmer Vintages to drink today 99p Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate: Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: 1961 Château Palmer 2167 / 2011 Deep, dark and promising Intense, truffles, black currant, open Sweet, full, intense, rich and fat Well-balanced,long and complex As good as Palmer can be Absolutely 24 times, last in 1/2011 1.5 hours 1 hour Now to 2030 No food needed Be careful with non-chateau bottlings Merlot 52%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%, Petit Verdot 13%, Cabernet Franc 5% 98p 1966 Château Palmer Average auction 507 / 2011 price: Colour: Deep, mature and dark-red Nose: Old Bordeaux style, stylish, sweet and intense Palate: Concentrated, medium-full, intense, silky and perfectly balanced Finish: Sweet, voluptuous and long In a nutshell: The best 1966 in Bordeaux Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Don't hesite ­ buy 30 times, last in 7/2011 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2020 Grilled loin of lamb Very low Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 22%, Petit Verdot 16%, Cabernet Franc 12% Or try this: 1966 Palmer Final verdict: Don't wait, don't sell, just be kind to yourselves and enjoy it now Or try this: Latour 1970 Final verdict: One of the greatest price-value ratio Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande to drink today 98p 1982 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 96p 1961 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Average auction 525 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium intense, brick-red Nose: Complex, seductive, perfumy, floral, toasty, mocha Average auction 455 / 2011 price: Colour: Moderately deep garnet red with orange hue Nose: Very elegant, spices, mint, soy, cigar box and cassis Palate: Rich, silky, smooth tannins, cassis, lovely toastiness Palate: Medium-bodied, vivid acidity, silky tannins, ripe fruitiness and mocha flavours Finish: Lingering, harmonious and seductive In a nutshell: Extremely elegant and very flirty wine Buy or not: Yes, one of the best drinking 1982s in Bordeaux 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Beijing duck Moderate Eversince Madame May-Eliane de Lencquesaing became in charge of the estate in 1978, the wines have shown even more finesse and delicate character than before ­ coincidence or woman touch? Finish: Harmonious and elegant with leather In a nutshell: Pure elegance Buy or not: Yes, not the greatest Pichon-Lalande by no means but value for the money Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: 17 times, last in 2011 Tasted: 9 times, last in time 2008 Decanting time: 1 hour Glass time: 2.5 hours When to drink: Now to 2015 Food pairing: Duck confit Fake factor: Moderately high Inside information: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has tradition of hand picking during the harvests. Every year more than one hundred people­often the same old families from Andalusia ­ pick the grapes in accordance with their maturity and the age of the parcel of land. Or try this: Château Latour 1982 Final verdict: The best Pichon Longueville Or try this: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1953 Comtesse de Lalande ever made, so far. Final verdict: For this quality and at this price one of the finds of Bordeaux 1961s C H ÂT E A U PA L M E R / C H ÂT E A U P I C H O N LO N G U E V I L L E C O M T E S S E D E L A L A N D E 157 FINE Estate

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­ o n e o f t h e t wo i n t h e wo r l d .* m o s t e xc lu s i v e w i n e s hristian Mouiex has a problem that many of the world's winemakers would love to be burdened with. The demand for his wines is so huge that collectors are prepared to pay almost anything to get even one bottle. The high price leads to high quality C expectations. This often means disappointment, because just like the other top wines of the world, Pétrus is often drunk much too young, when its taste is still raw and undeveloped. Pétrus requires at least 20 years to mature. * romanée conti b e i n g t h e ot h e r . 160 FINE

C H ÂT E A U P É T R U S 161 FINE Estate

Château Pétrus he tough law of supply and demand It is true that, to a certain extent, price and quality do correlate ­ it is simply more costly to produce good wines than poor. After a certain point, however, the price is defined by the law of supply and demand. Nobody doubts the quality of Pétrus. There is no question about its being Premier Cru, even if Pomerol wines have never officially been categorised. Demand for Pétrus does not fall behind, for example, Latour, Mouton or Margaux. The difference is in supply: Mouton produces some 300 000 bottles a year, Pétrus only 30 000. The result is that, generally speaking, one bottle of Pétrus will cost more than a whole case of the neighbouring winery's quality wine. Of course, it is impossible that a wine could taste ten or twenty times better than another wine. Having participated in blind horizontal tastings (several wines of the same vintage are tasted without knowing which is which) of many of the most important vintages for a number of years, I have noticed that the quality difference between the best wines is only marginal, often no more than half a point on the 20-point scale. Even so, I have rated Pétrus as the best of Pomerol wines many times ­ and not because it is the strongest wine, but because it has so many dimensions and is the most fascinating. There is no doubt that Pétrus has a deep colour and a strong, tight composition, but it also has intensity, balance and the capability to mature. The combination of these properties make it a truly great wine. Personally, I am not a great friend of wines made of the Merlot variety. In my opinion, they are often flabby, taste of alcohol and are, in plain language, dull. The firm structure and intensity of the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines is missing. The secret behind the different nature of Pétrus, besides careful cultivation and wine making, is its unique soil. Almost the sole winery in Pomerol, Pétrus vineyards are on clayey soil. Under the clay, there is a hard, ferrous stratum. These factors create an elegance in the nature of top quality Pauillac combined with Cheval Blanc type soft fruitiness and sensuality after maturing. beginning of the 1960s they were at the same level as the second or third great growths of Médoc ­ it was the 1982 vintage that accounts for Pétrus' stellar price increase. In the spring of 1983 it was sold at Premier Cru prices, but just a year later, the price was more than double that of the other wines. At the moment, Pétrus costs approximately four times as much as Mouton or Cheval Blanc. The woman behind Pétrus Pétrus' fame is to a large extent attributable to Madame Edmond Loubat. She bought the estate piecemeal between 1925 and 1945. Madame Loubat had strong faith in the quality of her wines and asked higher prices than any other producer in Pomerol. Jean-Pierre Mouiex was the perfect partner for her: he was a négociant from Libourne and owned some properties himself. Mouiex was successful in marketing Pétrus and catapulted it to global fame. When Madame Loubat died in 1961, Mouiex became a part-owner of Pétrus. T oday, the Mouiex family owns most of it. The son of Jean-Pierre Mouiex, Christian, has been responsible for winemaking at Pétrus since 1970, supported by Jean-Claude Berrouet. . A change in generations is now under way with the son of Jean-Francois, Jean, taking charge of Pétrus, whereas the son of Christian, Edouard, is to manage their other properties like Trotanoy and Hosanna. Also, the son of Jean-Claude Berrouet, Olivier is following in his fathers footsteps. Increasing value The Pétrus estate is small at only a little more than 11 hectares. The château itself is also only a small building that does not attract much attention. This is typical of Pomerol. Whereas the best vineyards in Médoc were owned by the gentry, affluent financiers and influential wine traders who over the centuries expanded their estates and had impressive manors built on them, the Pomerol estates were much smaller and owned by local families who also lived there and tended to them. The phenomenal rise of the fame and price of Pétrus' wines is a fairly recent event. At the 162 FINE

The Pétrus estate is small, only a little more than 11 hectares. The château itself is also only a small building that does not attract much attention. C H ÂT E A U P É T R U S 163 FINE Estate

Quality with a helicopter The small size of Pétrus is handy at harvest time. Harvesting can be done quickly when the grapes are at their best, and usually within a few days. Perfection is strived for, regardless of the effort required. For example, the grapes are picked only in the afternoons to avoid morning dew. One year, rain was forecast during the harvest, so the vineyard was covered with plastic sheeting to prevent rainwater from penetrating the soil and diluting the grapes. In another rainy year, a helicopter was hired to fly over the cultivations, airing and drying the wet grapes before the pickers started their work. Decant in good time Drinking Pétrus can be an unforgettable experience. I have been lucky to have the opportunity to taste most of its great vintages, and that is why wine enthusiasts often come to me for advice. Firstly, I advise you to choose a good vintage, an excellent one if your wallet allows. If you taste a poor vintage, you will notice how it rises above most other wines of the same vintage, but you will miss the actual point of Pétrus. Second, purchase wine that is at least 10 to 20 years old, because a young Pétrus is difficult to approach; besides which oak and tannins predominate in its taste. A young Pétrus may be impressive, but it ages fantastically and requires more time than any other Pomerol wine to reach its culmination. Finally, I would recommend that you to decant the wine with care and well in advance, and also to give it time to develop in the glass. Then you will have the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable experience. > The best Château Pétrus Vintages to drink today 99p 1921 Château Pétrus 97p 1929 Château Pétrus Average auction 11400 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, black, vigorous Nose: Open, full, intense, mature, spice, tobacco, far, fruity, coffee, sweet, cedar Average auction 3400 / 2011 price: Colour: Light, garnet, deep, mature Nose: Seductive, mystical, ripe, exotic fruits, gentle, coffee, herbs, cedar, mocha Palate: Sweet, opulent, rich, concentrated, Palate: Big, powerful, quite tannic, massive, seductive, deep, silky texture, nicely balanced, soft tannin, low acidity, multi-layered concentrated, thick, intense, port-like, rich Finish: Multi-dimensional, silky, lingering, long In a nutshell: Hardcore wine Buy or not: Too risky and too expensive ­ just enjoy the ones you already have 18 times, last in 2005 30 minutes 1 hour Now, not later on A piece of aged Gouda cheese Super high ­ beware of big bottles ­ we haven't seen or heard any real ones for ages. ones at the château. Finish: long, passionate, well-integrated In a nutshell: Pétrus with balls Buy or not: Price is reasonable, but risk of the fake bottles is too high 1 hour 1 hour When ever you find one Aged cheddar cheese Also very high ­ beware of "newly printed labels". Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: 13 times, last in 2010 Inside Very small production. They did not information: bottled any double-magnums or bigger Or try this: Margaux 1900 Final verdict: One of the best Pomerol's ever made Inside The best Pomerol vintage since 1900 information: Or try this: Haut-Brion 1929 Final verdict: One of the rarest existing Pétrus 164 FINE

100p 99p 1945 Château Pétrus Average auction 6480 / 2010 price: Colour: Dark, ruby, healthy Nose: Open, pure, fruty, black olives, violets, herbs, tobacco, liquorices, truffles, dark chocolately 1947 Château Pétrus Average auction 3450 / 2010 price: Colour: Deep, dark, healthy Nose: Mature, intense, pleasant, delicious, jammy, chocolate, truffles, buttery, smoke Palate: Massive, port-like, viscous, rich, tick, fruity, soft tannin, multi-layered, Wau Palate: Big, refine, fresh, well-balanced, firm, delicate, muscular, multi-layered, focused Finish: Fragrant, extended, commanding In a nutshell: Sleeping giant Buy or not: We rather buy 1947 or 1959 Tasted: 14 times, last in 7/2011 Decanting time: 3 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2030 Food pairing: Raw meat Fake factor: Substantially high Inside information: Pétrus' fame is to a large extent Finish: Exploding, warm, never ending, In a nutshell: Never ending story Buy or not: Or a table from Pétrus restaurant in London 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2030 Grilled fillet of lamb with thyme sauce Huge ­ don't buy any VDM or any other negociant bottlings, without reliable knowledge of provenance, Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: 44 times, last 7/2011 attributable to Madame Edmond Loubat. She bought the estate piecemeal between 1925 and 1945. Madame Loubat had strong faith in the quality of her wines and asked higher prices than any other producer in Pomerol. Inside information: Pétrus 1947 has been tasted with enthusiasm more than 40 times, but only on 25 of them has it been blessed with a perfect 100 points. This is mainly because there are so many variable négociant-bottlings and regrettably also innumerable frauds for sale. of Bordeaux. It was extremely hot at the time of harvest and the warm grapes were so rich in sugar that the winemakers had problems in controlling the fermentation. Many wines had residual sugar and most had high volatile acidity, but this was masked by the richness and concentration of the fruit. The wines were attractive at youth but have lasted extremely well in most cases, so it is quite safe to try any one of them today. Or try this: Mouton 1949 Final verdict: Still a lifetime to live Or try this: 1947 was a legendary vintage on the right bank Final verdict: Non-fake Château bottling 97p 1950 Château Pétrus 98p 1959 Château Pétrus Average auction 2090 / 2011 price: Colour: Mature, healthy, deep Nose: Fully open, seductive, fragrant, intense, blackberries, vanilla, ripe fruits Average auction 2540 / 2010 price: Colour: Bright, deep, vivid Nose: Sensitive, concentrated, narrow, Palate: Rich, well-balanced, massive, sweet texture, tick, smooth, silky, multilayered, generous smoky, sweet, jammy, coffee, mocha, firm structure, fresh, full, fruity, finesse Long, rich, warm, classy Excellent ripe Pétrus Yes 43 times, last in 4/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2020 Beef Bourguignon Getting higher Although the vintage was abundant, the frost that had killed two thirds of vines in Pétrus vineyards on 1956 caused that the yield was very low. Palate: Elegant, refine, great balance, firm Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Finish: Harmonious, gentle, intense, long In a nutshell: A thriller Buy or not: If there are any bottles left from 2010's sixties birthday parties ­ yes 14 times, last in 2009 45 minutes 2 hours Now to 2020 Wild boar cassoulet High, especially among non-château bottlings Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside Superb vintage in Pomerol information: Or try this: Lafleur 1950 Final verdict: A real connoisseur's Pétrus Or try this: Lafleur 1955 Final verdict: Less scare, more flair C H ÂT E A U P É T R U S 165 FINE Estate

100p Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate: 1961 Château Pétrus 6200 / 2011 Full, healthy Sound, open, rich, compound, sweet Well balanced, complex, intense, delicious, smooth, mighty, perfect 98p 1970 Château Pétrus Average auction 1690 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, deep Nose: Open, fruity, complex, opulent, spice, tobacco, mocha, truffles Palate: Extracted, full, well-balanced, jammy, muscular, multi-dimensional, sweet, mature Long, sophisticated, intense True nectar Yes, cheaper than most of it's rivals 28 times, last in 2010 1 hour 2 hours Now to 2025 Frird Pigeon with risotto None so far Best Pomerol vintage since 1961 Pétrus 1971 -almost as good! Wine of the vintage Finish: Endless, superbly balanced In a nutshell: Hedonistic delight Buy or not: If you already own Aston Martin DP9 - then yes 2 hours 2 hours When ever possible and not with too many friends Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: 38 times, last in 8/2011 Food pairing: Forget the food Fake factor: Considerable ­ don't buy with green capsules or from e-Bay Inside Only 680 cases produced information: Or try this: Space travel Final verdict: Our grandchildren may get bored of hearing about it Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: 100p 1982 Château Pétrus 100p 1989 Château Pétrus Average auction 4650 / 2011 price: Colour: Dense, ruby, deep Nose: Complex, open, intense, black berries, cedar, violets, mint, herbs Average auction 2750 / 2011 price: Colour: Immensely dark almost opaque, ruby Nose: Very dense, rich ripe black fruit Palate: Rich medium-bodied, loads of ripe black fruits, mellow acidity, fleshy tannins smoke and violet flavours character, spices, black truffles, violets Palate: Rich, medium-bodied, velvety texture, powdery tannins, good grip, crisp acidity, fleshy fruitiness, great balance Finish: Long, mineral, savory, sweet, intense In a nutshell: The fist modern day Pétrus Buy or not: Price is almost the same with Lafite 1982, so yes! 3 hours 2 hours Surprise! It is already peaking! Grilled fillet of dove Havent seen any A milestone vintage and a milestone wine. Early even flowering was followed by a hot and dry summer, which continued until the harvest in mid-September. This time a great heat wave was ripening the grapes astonishingly fast and, in particular early-ripening Merlot gained loads of must weight. This is well-delivered in the wine. Finish: Long and rich with dark chocolate, In a nutshell: Beauty and the beast Buy or not: If you are real millionaire Tasted: 27 times, last in 2010 Decanting time: 3 hours Glass time: 4 hours When to drink: Now to 2040 Food pairing: Smoked reindeer fillet Fake factor: Moderately high Inside information Because of the size of the vineyard, Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: 14 times, last in 2010 they can harvest the entire crop in one day at Château Pétrus as they did in 1989. "I'll never make a better wine than the 1989. It will age forever." Christian Moueix Or try this: Le Pin 1990 Final verdict: A great wine that will become even greater after years of ageing Or try this: Château L'Evangile 1982 Final verdict: One of the first, great 1982's, which is already at it's best. 166 FINE

98p 1990 Château Pétrus 98p 1998 Château Pétrus Average auction 3654 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, ruby red Nose: Complex with pure black fruits, black truffles, violets Average auction 2950 / 2011 price: Colour: Opaque, purple to ruby Nose: Rich, energetic, smoky, licorice, vanilla, black fruits Palate: Full-bodied, round and rich, velvety tannins, ripe black fruits, smoky Palate: Full-bodied, concentrated with loads Finish: Long and rich but still very elegant In a nutshell: Powerful yet generous Buy or not: Yes in an investment point of view, for instant enjoyability 1959 delivers the greater pleasure with less cost of ripe black fruits, firm tannins, lively acidity brambles, licorice and toastiness A big gun Price is too high, but it is the Pétrus 5 times, last in 2010 6 hours 10 hours Now to 2050 Venison tournedos with truffle sauce None yet Small production, only 2400 cases, which is sixty percent from normal yield Ending: Long-lasting finish reveals mocha, ripe Finish: In a nutshell: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Tasted: 16 times. Last in 2010 Decanting time: 3 hours Glass time: 3 hours When to drink: Now to 2030 Food pairing: Roasted venison fillet Fake factor: Moderately high Inside information: A hailed vintage together with 1989. They were very similar but the hot period that hit in 1989 on July was in 1990 on August. This affected on lower acidity levels in grapes on 1990 vintage. The wines are rounder and seem to mature more rapidly than 1989 vintage. Or try this: Pétrus 1989 Final verdict: Already enjoyable, nowhere near its full potential Or try this: Screaming Eagle 1997 Final verdict: A gentle monster C H ÂT E A U P É T R U S 167 FINE Estate

LE PIN SucceSS On The SmalleST Scale I f a wine's success is measured by the price it commands, then no wine has been more successful in the past thirty years than that produced at the tiny Pomerol estate, Le Pin. However, why should anyone be prepared to pay more for a wine made in a garage than for a world-renowned offering such as Château Pétrus? Le Pin is a wine of power but also of style, elegance and balance; it may appear over-oaked when young, but after ten years this has been well-integrated. Owner Jacques Thienpont is striving for the perfectly ripe grape and the years he manages to achieve this, the wine becomes magnificent. For this reason, Le Pin has not been able to avoid comparisons with Château Pétrus, the undisputed king of Pomerol since the 1960s. 168 FINE

C H ÂT E A U L E P I N 169 FINE Estate

Le Pin ­ Success On The Smallest Scale Le Pin versus Pétrus The varietal composition between these two wines is more or less identical, as both contain almost 100 per cent Merlot with a small percentage of Cabernet Franc. Le Pin's soil consists of gravel and sand on top of iron-rich clay, whereas Pétrus lies on a unique patch of dark clay. They also tend to harvest earlier at Pétrus than Le Pin. It is more a matter of taste than quality as to which wine one prefers. Having reviewed my own tasting notes I found that I have mostly given Pétrus a half to one point more than Le Pin ­ high praise indeed. The two exceptions have come in the form of the 1982 and 1983, where Le Pin was ahead on my scorecard. rather than the cellar. The truth is that many of the garagistes have copied several of Le Pin's methods ­ low yields, 100 per cent new oak, malolactic fermentation and no filtration ­ in the hope that they will be able to repeat Le Pin's success. On my last visit to Pomerol, I paid a visit to Château Le Pin. The estate is tremendously difficult to find despite its location at the very centre of Pomerol and at the highest point of the area. Only a tiny worn-out, poorly pasted sticker on a post box confirmed I was standing in the right courtyard. The day was hot, and my car's thermometer had consistently been above 31°C/87,8°F, but at Le Pin it shot up to 36°C/96,8°F. Talk of the estate having its own microclimate was accurate, it would seem. Jacques Thienpont and his wife Fiona live permanently in Belgium at the family estate Hof te Cattebeke, but one of them travels once a week to France to overlook the estate. At more crucial times they spend longer periods in Pomerol, where they own a comfortable house not far from Le Pin. A vineyard worker lives in the small building of the estate ­ it was a condition of the insurance company insuring the wine of Le Pin that the building was inhabited. Roots in Belgium Prosperity for this humble estate began with the Thienpont family, who were originally from Etikhove in Belgium where the family has run a wine import company since 1842. Georges Thienpont established the company to import wines from France and Spain, and in the 1900s he was one of the first merchants to discover the potential of the Pomerol wines for international markets. With such promise evident in the region, Thienpont purchased the Pomerol estate of Vieux Château Certan in 1924, the same year the Loubie family acquired a plot in the centre of Pomerol, which would eventually become the concentrated nucleus of Le Pin. These two properties were at opposite ends of Pomerol's `social ladder'; Vieux Château Certan had long been recognised as the premier château in Pomerol, whereas the Loubies sold their wine simply as generic Pomerol wine. Fifty-five years later the paths of these two estates crossed. Georges Thienpont's grandson Alexandre, the current manager of Vieux Château Certan, offered in 1979 to buy the small plot of Le Pin upon the death of Madame Loubie. However, the requested price was deemed too high and he withdrew from the purchase. Alexandre's father, Leon Thienpont, was aware that his nephew Jacques had been looking to buy a wine property for Garage wine Le Pin has often wrongly been named as one of the so-called vin de garage ­ a phenomenon that started in the early 1990s. The estate began its existence more than ten years before the first `garagiste' Jean-Luc Thunevin of Château Valandraud made his first vintage. Contrary to this popular misconception, Le Pin's winemaking is basically traditional and it has an excellent terroir. The vineyards surrounding the winery total nearly two hectares and are forty years old on average, with 92 per cent consisting of Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. The wine is made in the vineyard 170 FINE

himself and so advised him about the offer. A dear infatuation Jacques Thienpont was born in Belgium in 1946 and a career as a wine merchant was the expected future for him. Having spent a large part of his childhood and youth at Vieux Château Certan, a love for the region and its wines had emerged. Therefore, the opportunity to become a wine grower interested him greatly, particularly on a terroir with unique potential. Le Pin had it all. The price of one million French Francs ­ about 165 000 euros or 225 000 US dollars ­ appears a bargain today, particularly considering the present prices of Le Pin wines; but it was outrageously expensive for a plot of just over one hectare, taking into account the wine and vineyard prices at the time. Comparing it to the price of Château Margaux, which was sold in 1977 for 72 million Francs, it appears ludicrous. The Château Margaux deal constituted 250 hectares of land, of which 75 hectares was planted. It also included a magnificent château, winemaking facilities and three vintages ­ 1974, 1975 and 1976 ­ in the cellar. Therefore, in effect, this small plot of land was valued at a higher price per hectare than that of Château Margaux, which is arguably the most famous property in Bordeaux. Jacques Thienpont managed, however, to raise the money to purchase the estate with the help of his father and uncle. Tiny and tidy An acquisition of an additional hectare took place in three separate deals during the 1980s and allowed Le Pin to reach its present size of 2.2 hectares, all within one plot. I asked Jacques' wife, Fiona Morrison, a British Master of Wine, if they are planning to expand their holdings. They are, after all, entitled to buy any land within the appellation and bring grapes from there under the label of Le Pin ­ an extremely profitable proposition. She vehemently denied any such plans, arguing that only adjacent land with similarly good terroir would be of interest should it ever come on the market. Anything else would not meet with their high standard of quality and philosophy. C H ÂT E A U L E P I N 171 FINE Estate

Upon purchase of the estate, it was realised that further investments were immediately needed, as a third of the vineyard needed replanting and there was no winemaking equipment onsite because the Loubies had made their wine at a winery in Lalande de Pomerol. Firstly, a stainless steel fermentation tank was bought and installed in the tiny house belonging to the property. It was Jacques Thienpont's fanaticism about cleanliness, rather than an attempt to impart oak flavours to his wine, that led him to buy new barriques instead of reusing ones from his cousin at Vieux Château Certan. that it may be induced by raising the temperature to around 20°C/68°F after the alcoholic fermentation is finished and while the wine is still in the fermentation tanks. Thus, fermentation has become easier to control than before when it was allowed to occur unassisted in the barriques. As Thienpont didn't have enough space for all his wine in the stainless steel fermentation tank, he transferred it to his new barriques as soon as possible once the alcoholic fermentation had stopped. This, combined with great terroir, low yields and the new barriques, led to wines of almost Burgundian voluptuousness and an immediate attraction in their youth. This was a style greatly appreciated by the fast growing new markets in the USA and Europe. The wine's success rose rapidly, as did the price it fetched on secondary markets. As worldwide demand for Bordeaux's best wines swelled in the 1980s and 1990s, their prices began to increase sharply and none more so than the price of Le Pin. The explanation lies in the fact that Le Pin is a very good wine but also in its minuscule production. The average production is about 7000 bottles per year, compared to about 35 000 bottles of Pétrus or 300 000 bottles of Mouton-Rothschild. How good is Le Pin? There is no second wine produced at Le Pin and I assume that whatever isn't good enough for the Grand Vin is consumed privately. Curiously, no Le Pin was bottled in 2003. The heat and ensuing drought were so extreme during the year that the grapes were roasting on the vines, leading Jacques Thienpont to playfully call it pin rôtie ­ pain rôtie being French for toasted bread. Having tasted most vintages produced, I find Le Pin very good indeed and would personally put it in the small elite group of the `Super Seconds'. I have taken part in several major `10 years after' blind tastings where the jury has voted it top of not only the Pomerol flight, but in the case of a major 1990 tasting, it was deemed to be the favourite wine tasted. In order to join the unofficial group of the Premier Crus though, the wine will need to show greater consistency over a longer period than it has been able to thus far. > The need for a rapid solution It is interesting to note that the concept of having malolactic fermentation in barriques was facilitated by a lack of money rather than intentionally trying to affect the style of the wine. Until the 1950s no one quite knew what malolactic fermentation was and even less was known about how to control it. In those days one only knew that something happened to wine when temperatures in the cellars increased, usually during the following spring. We now know that this is the sharp malic acid changing into softer lactic acid and 172 FINE

Château Le Pin Vintages to drink today 97p 1979 Le Pin Average auction 2100 / 2011 price: Colour: Dark, ruby, deep Nose: Pronounced, complex, roasted nuts, ripe plums, fruitcake, floral aromas, leathery, vanilla mouth-watering acidity, mellow tannins, opulent texture Palate: Medium-bodied, concentrated, Ending: Long, lingering, intense In a word: Smooth velvet Buy or not: For the first vintage ­ superb price and quality 1 hour 1 hour Now to 2020 A good slice of Stilton None The release price for this first Le Pin vintage was around 10 per bottle Sassicaia 1979 A real rival to Pétrus Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: 5 times, last in 2006 100p 1982 Le Pin 98p 1990 Le Pin Average auction 4750 / 2011 price: Colour: Medium intense, dark-ruby Nose: Intense, meaty, coffee beans, black fruit, mocha, green beans multi-layered, glossy Average auction 3120 / 2011 price: Colour: Bright, ruby, deep Nose: Prominent, intense, roasted coffee, Palate: Elegant, super intense, full-bodied, Ending: Endless, concentrated, complex, silky In a word: What can we say? A killer from Le Pin Buy or not: Hard to say no, although the price is stratospheric 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Fried duck breast At the moment very low, but in the future be aware herbs, kirsch, exotic spices, vanilla, caramel multi-layered, liquorice, smooth, velvety, sweet tannins expansive Palate: Full-bodied, thick, rich, well-balanced, Ending: Warm, long-lasting, flavourful, In a word: Wonderful Buy or not: The price is getting higher ­ perhaps too high Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: 11 times, last in 2010 than 600 cases, but in 1982 only 250 cases were made. Le Pin's auction record is for a case of 1982 Chateau Le Pin, which fetched 88 000. Inside information: Annual production is very low at less Tasted: 8 times, last in 2010 Decanting time: 2 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2030 Food pairing: Grilled fillet of deer Fake factor: Very high, especially in Magnums ­ always check the vintage from the cork before buying any of these. hectares of land for one million francs in 1979. They named their wine Le Pin after a solitary pine tree that shaded the property. Inside information: Jacques Thienpont purchased the 1.6 Or try this: Dominus 1992 Final verdict: Impressive , although predictable Or try this: Lafleur 1982 Final verdict: The best wine from the 80s C H ÂT E A U L E P I N 173 FINE Estate

H A C K E T T. C O M E S S E N T I A L LY BRITISH

Birth of The Kingdom of Bordeaux Text: Pekka Nuikki In 2002, I predicted in what was then Issue 6 of The Vine News that fine wine prices would increase five-fold by 2015. My "wild" claim received little support, at least publicly ­ in fact, it was harshly slated both by my wine investor friends and by subscribers to the newsletter. They thought it was impossible. And good for them, because I was wrong. 176 FINE

W hen the first wave of classified Bordeaux wines from the 2009 vintage reached consumers in early July 2010, the prices had already quintupled. The starting price for Château Lafite was an astronomical 1,200 euros, and not per case but per bottle. (When the 1999 vintage was first released a decade ago, a case of 12 bottles of the same wine cost 650 euros.) Despite the record prices, however, wine merchants in Asia and America sold out their entire en primeur quota in less than a week. Now the Lafite already costs 1,400 euros per bottle, meaning that a case will set you back by about the same as the latest hybrid car from Honda. Without quality there will be no demand, and therefore no price inflation. an inevitable, swift rise in prices. By the time the second tranche arrives on the market a few months later, prices have risen by 10­20 per cent. The wealthiest estates may continue releasing a good vintage in small batches for few years, thus maximising their gain from the price inflation. Although the 2009 vintage is expected to be outstanding, the reason for the high prices lies not just in the wines' quality or in the control of supply and demand. The main reason cannot even be found in Bordeaux, but in China. The abrupt emergence of China as a great wine country has surprised everyone. In ten years, Bordeaux has multiplied its wine exports to China by forty, and only last year the growth was over 60 per cent. Considering that the production cost of fine wines is still pretty much the same as at the beginning of the millennium, you would assume all of Bordeaux to be wallowing in money. That is not the case, though. The Chinese will only buy the best, and are not interested in cheaper or more cost-effective wines. The minimum requirement for a wine to succeed in China and to reach astronomical prices is to be in the 1855 Classification. This official and superior classification system only includes a total of 61 wines. However, there are nearly 10,000 vineyards in the region. Only a few hundred participated in the en primeur campaign, with varying degrees of success. The others must fight for their place in the sun in the same economic conditions as tens of thousands of winemakers around the world. In a way, the 2009 vintage has taken Bordeaux back to the 1800s. The divide between the "noble estates" and the unclassified ones is now wider than it has been for decades. It is said that to become a true luxury product, a brand must make a clear distinction between itself and "common goods". Any wine tourist visiting Bordeaux can now witness it: new gates and fences have appeared on the avenues leading to estates. The last time I was in the region I saw scores of Asian tourists ­ who are ultimately to blame for the top estates' new wealth ­ photographing each other in front of the gates, far from their idols. In 1949, George Orwell predicted the rise of a totalitarian world in his classic novel 1984. Fortunately Orwell's dystopian illusion has not yet materialised, but what will happen in the future? Will the heady growth in wine prices give rise to a wine culture in which a handful of estates determines who does what and at what price? We have already had a foretaste of this in the form of Mr Parker, who alone wields the greatest influence in the wine world. My own dystopian prediction is of a world ruled by the Kingdom of Bordeaux, once it has knocked King Parker off his throne. The conditions are brewing for the next French Revolution. > How is it possible that while the rest of the world writhes in the grip of recession, the top Bordeaux wines are multiplying their prices and desirability? At least the secret cannot be found in marketing or trendy advertising campaigns. While most other producers of luxury goods inject hundreds of millions into advertising and marketing, the Bordeaux nobility seem to sit on their thrones, doing nothing to further their cause. One would be tempted to conclude that the record prices are only due to an excellent vintage and the scores that the wines have received from Parker. That would be a mistake, however. It is true that many wine critics, like Parker, have praised the 2009 vintage as the "vintage of the century", even before the wines had not even been bottled or the final product produced. Naturally their claim may prove true, but now that there have been several "vintages of the century" already within the first decade of the 2000s, the claim is beginning to lose credibility. Numerous top vintages from Bordeaux are currently available on the market at half the price of the 2009. Naturally, the effect of quality on wine prices cannot be denied. Without quality there will be no demand, and therefore no price inflation. Despite their romantic image, vineyards are businesses whose aim is to generate profits. In fact, the traditional estate owners have been removed from administration of many top estates and replaced by highly trained management professionals. They have brought in a system, tried and tested elsewhere on the market, in which companies strive to control the relationship between their products' supply and demand. Ten years ago, most top estates would release their whole vintage for sale at once. Now they keep their wines under close guard and release them carefully in several small tranches. The first tranche is the lowest in price and, depending on the producer, accounts for 10­30 per cent of the production batch. In the case of an excellent vintage, demand always exceeds the supply, which is purposely kept low at the beginning, and this causes N U I K K I 177 FINE Nu i k k i

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FINE content 13 16 40 Fineeditorial Potential in Bordeaux FinereGion Bordeaux -- The 100 Best Wines Ever Fine100 The Gold List -- The 100 Best Bordeaux wines ever made to drink today FinetastinG Fine Tasting Notes Fineestate Château d'Yquem -- The Midas Touch of the Lur-Saluces Family Fineestate Château Suduiraut -- Sauternes elegance Fineestate Château Cheval Blanc -- A Thoroughbred of The Wine World Fineestate Château Cos d'Estournel -- Exoticism in Bordeaux Fineestate Château Haut-Brion -- The Wine Connoisseur's Premier Cru Fineestate Château Lafite -- The Secret of Eternal Youth Fineestate Château Lafleur-- A Bordeaux Wine in The Burgundy Style Fineestate Château Latour -- Desert Island Wine Fineestate Château Léoville-Las-Cases -- The Hottest Wiine in Bordeaux Fineestate Château Margaux -- A Journey Of Centuries Fineestate Château La Mission Haut-Brion -- A Forgotten First Growth Fineestate Château Mouton-Rothschild -- Art And Wine Fineestate Château Pétrus -- The Most Exclusive Wine in Bordeaux Fineestate Château Le Pin -- Success on The Smallest Scale Finenuikki Birth of The Kingdom of Bordeaux 46 48 62 68 82 88 100 106 114 124 128 138 148 160 168 176 <<< Return to the coverpage >>>