Heart's Delight Wine Tasting & Aution

Wines

Event date: May 7-9, 2009

Wines

2009 Participating Wineries and Winemakers

  • Château Angelus label Château Angelus
    St Emilion
    Coralie de Boüard de Laforest

  • Château Angelus is located just half a mile from the St Emilion bell tower on the famous ‘pied de cote,’ facing due south. The property has been owned by seven generations of the Boüard de Laforest family. Under the direction of Hubert de Boüard since the mid 1980’s, Angelus has created a reputation of producing one of the very foremost wines in its appellation. Elevated to Premier Grand Cru status in 1996, Angelus is clearly a château to seek out in all vintages. While the new regime directs its efforts at a supple, accessible style, the wine is more than capable of aging gracefully as a result Coralie de Boüard de Laforest of its concentration and richness. The 58-acre vineyard, enjoying perfect southern exposure, is comprised of 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged 18 to 24 months in 100% new oak barrels. Coralie de Boüard is the 8th generation and a part-owner of Château Angelus, where she has been in charge of public relations since 2003. She also works closely with her father Hubert de Boüard, a renowned oenologist, on their family property La Fleur de Boüard in Lalande de Pomerol, which they acquired in 1998.


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  • Château Beychevelle label Château Beychevelle
    St. Julien
    Philippe Blanc

  • A prestigious Cru Classé whose character has been forged by three centuries of history . . . nowhere does the word château in its noblest sense ring as true as it does at Beychevelle. As is depicted on the label of Château Beychevelle, according to legend, all ships had to lower their sails Philippe Blanc as they sailed past the château in homage to its powerful owner. The 190-acre vineyard is planted with 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Grapes are hand harvested and the wine spends 18 months in 50% new oak in vaulted, dressed stone cellars unique in the Medoc. Château Beychevelle is marked by finesse and balance and is potentially great for laying down.


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  • Château Branaire label Château Branaire
    St Julien
    Patrick Maroteaux

  • After natural aging in French oak barrels and fining with fresh egg whites, the wine is bottled at the Château. Thorough renovation of the estate since 1988 and Patrick Maroteaux ongoing pursuit of excellence with notably the creation of the second wine (Duluc) confirm Château Branaire-Ducru’s spectacular come back to Bordeaux’s top wine forefront.


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  • Château Brane-Cantenac label Château Brane-Cantenac
    Margaux
    Henri Lurton

  • Founded in the 18th century by the Gorce family, who gave it its original name, this great wine estate produced some of the most highly regarded wines of the Médoc well before the 1855 classification. It was no surprise then, when the Baron of Brane, nicknamed the ‘Napoléon of the Vineyards,’ bought the estate in 1833 after selling Brane-Mouton (known today as Mouton-Rothschild)! A viticultural pioneer, he was well aware of the reputation and the potential of the estate’s outstanding terroir. In 1838, eager to leave his trace in history, he chose to rename the estate ‘Brane-Cantenac’. Sold in 1866 to the Roy family, owners of Château d’Issan, Brane continued to prosper. The château was long known unofficially as ‘First of the Seconds’. In 1925, Léonce Récapet and his son-in-law François Lurton, took over the whole of Brane-Cantenac and the majority shareholding of Château Margaux. Lucien Lurton (son of François) inherited Brane-Cantenac in 1956. Whilst carefully maintaining Brane’s fine reputation, Lucien bought up numerous classed growth and cru bourgeois estate and left them to his ten children. His son Henri then took over the reins of the family estate. Having Henri Lurton graduated as an œnologist, he aimed to develop and enhance the wine’s pedigree, elegant aromas, complexity and balance, while maintaining a harmony that reflected the style of the vintage and the typicity of its wonderful terroir. Substantial work has been carried out over the last few years to improve the vineyard. With state-of-the-art equipment and the estate’s outstanding terroir, Henri Lurton has put to full use his savoir-faire and deep knowledge of the terroir, taking the wines of Château Brane-Cantenac to the highest possible level of quality.


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  • Château Camensac Label Château Camensac
    Haut-Médoc
    Jean-Pierre Foubet

  • When Dutch engineers arrived in the Medoc, they reached the arable lands between the town of Beychevelle-Saint-Julien and the river and built dikes to prevent it from flooding. Afterward, monks drained the subterranean and swamp waters toward the Gironde River. Their work helped shape the wine-producing lands we know today. Indeed, etymologically Camensac means “the path leading to the water” in old Gascon dialect. Very little is known about the successive owners of the Camensac vineyard. Most likely, it was an estate owned by a noble family. The house, quite beautifully crafted and referred to on old maps, demonstrates this. In the 1800s, the owners realized that their wine had to be of very high quality to satisfy new demanding markets. Thus, they converted their land to high-quality wine production. Indeed, the 1855 classification is based on the prices used by the Bordeaux brokerage over the last one hundred years. Thus, appearing in this classification proves the seniority of the owner as a wine-producing entity. In 1904, the Cuveliers, a family of wholesalers from northern France, bought the Camensac Charterhouse. In 1964, they sold it to the Forners, a Spanish family from Rioja, who were quite interested in Bordeaux. Eventually in 2005, Jean Merlaut and his niece Céline Villars-Foubet, took over. Their aim was to restore the estate’s image, which had suffered as a result of its absence from the export markets. Thus, they combined assets and are respectively taking care of Château Gruaud-Larose and Château Chasse-Spleen.


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  • Château Canon Label Château Canon
    St Emilion
    John Kolasa

  • The eponymously named Jacques Kanon, frigait lieutenant and corsair, originally from Blaye, northwest of Bordeaux, acquired the St. Martin estate in 1760 using the substantial profits he gleaned from the missions that he carried out on behalf of French King Louis XV and the expense of English shipping. He immediately set out to build an elegant house there around which he grew vines – and only vines – an extremely rare agricultural practice at the time. This revolution and even more so that of rich Bordeaux merchant Raymond Fontemoing having revealed the full potential of its terroir, everyone agreed that at Château Canon as it had been renamed by the latter, they produced subtle and distinctive wines. Later in 1919 the Fournier family took over the reigns of the property before selling it to Chanel in 1996. Since then, driven by unfaltering passion, everything has been done to preserve the heritage of the founding fathers in an everlasting, untiring quest for perfection. From the revolutionary precursor to the refined architect, from the aesthetic perfectionist to the genius


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    • Château Carbonnieux Château Carbonnieux
    Pessac-Léognan
    Eric Perrin

  • The beautiful estate of Carbonnieux traces its history back to the 13th century. Owned by the Perrin family since 1956, the wines have shown considerable improved since the mid-1980’s when Antony Perrin took charge of the property. Carbonnieux is well-known for both its red and white wines. The 230-acre vineyard is evenly divided between red and white grape varieties. The red vineyard, planted with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, produces a quintessentially elegant and graceful wine. The white vineyard, planted with 65% Sauvignon Blanc, 34% Semillon, and 1% Muscadelle, produces a bright, crisp wine with excellent body and depth.


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  • Château Chasse-Spleen Label Château Chasse-Spleen
    Moulis en Médoc
    Jean-Pierre Foubet

  • Ages ago, after the Ice Age, rivers in Europe shrank, leaving their beds exposed. Thus, shingles of various types piled up on argilo-calcareous layers of the river Gironde’s left bank. During the 18th Century, the King of France allowed the wealthiest bourgeois from Bordeaux to become landowners. Monsieur Gressier, an enterprising man, quickly set his heart on a gravel knoll dominating the paluses (marshes) by the road leading to Pauillac, of the hamlet Grand Poujeaux. He began producing wine and built a charterhouse for the wine-producing seasons 20 years later when the idea of quality wine was spreading throughout Bordeaux. In the early 19th Century, Lord Byron was traveling the dangerous southern European roads. He stopped at Gressier and was warmly welcomed and given plenty to drink by the great grandfather. Lord Byron praised him for the quality of his wine, known without parallel to ‘dispel the spleen.’ The Gressier share of the winery finally left the family three hundred years later, bought out by Chasse-Spleen. After this, Chasse-Spleen did not change hands very often. A little before WWI, Chasse-Spleen left the hands of the Gressiers and came under the ownership of the Segnitzs. When the war ended, the Laharys a family of foresters purchased Chasse-Spleen, then a state-owned property. Finally in 1976, Chasse-Spleen came under the control of the Merlauts, a family of wholesalers from Bordeaux. Céline, Jacques the patriarch’s granddaughter, has been managing the property since 2000. Céline is committed to the wine’s historical name, which is supported by a superior quality of wine that remains undisputed to this day.


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  • Château Climens Label Château Climens
    Barsac-Sauternes
    Frédéric Nivelle

  • Château Climens has a history stretching back 500 years. Throughout much of the early history of Château Climens it was owned by the Roborel family, who purchased the property in the middle of the 16th Century. They expanded the estate and oversaw the production of both white and red wines, although today Climens produces no red. Château Climens became known as Lord of Barsac. Its history is characterized by great continuity which has enabled us to get the best out of this terroir, and maintain the heritage, whilst ever improving it. It is a rare occurrence, but only five families have owned the estate from its origins. Its surface area in a continuous single vineyard has practically remained unchanged since its creation. The name Climens meant unfertile or poor land in a local dialect: an admirable paradox for such great terroir! Vines appear to have been planted as early as the end of the 16th century. The château became one of the much-envied First Growths in 1855. Since 1971, Climens has been owned by the Lurton family. Henri Lurton acquired Climens together with Doisy-Dubroca at a time when Sauternes seemed neglected by wine-drinkers who would clamor for red Bordeaux. Since 1992, the château's destiny has been in the hands of Lurton’s daughter, Bérénice. She takes great care in perpetuating the magic of Château Climens, ensuring that this legendary growth shines with evermore brilliance and elegance.


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  • Château Clinet Label Château Clinet
    Pomerol
    Ronan Laborde

  • Since the 19th century successive generations of families have taken over the ownership and running of the Château Clinet estate, and all have been committed to perfecting the quality of its production. In the 1860’s the estate belonged first to the Constant family and then to the Arnaud family, who also owned Château Pétrus. For much of the 20th century, ownership rested in the hands of the Audy family. The arrival of Jean-Michel Arcaute, the owner’s son-in-law, as head of the estate in the 1980‘s Ronan Laborde marked a real turning point. He revolutionized the running of the vineyard (green harvests, defoliation, over-ripe harvesting, replanting with Merlots instead of Cabernets) and the name of Clinet became renowned throughout the world, thanks also to the support of Michel Rolland. In 1998, the chateau was bought by Jean-Louis Laborde. He devoted all his energy and vision to pursuing the evolution inspired by the preceding master of the estate. The estate has been run by his son, Ronan, since 2003.


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  • Château Corbin Label Château Corbin
    St Emilion
    Anabelle Bardinet

  • Robert Parker has called Château Corbin “an estate to watch” under the new generational reins of passionate and determined owner/winemaker Anabelle Cruse Bardinet. Since taking over in 1999, Anabelle has improved quality through vineyard management, a reconstructed cellar and the Anabelle Bardinet creation of a second wine to take full advantage of the outstanding terroir. Indeed, the 31-acre terroir of this Grand Cru Classé has been compared to that of Château Cheval Blanc. It straddles the Pomerol border on the “graves” (gravelly plateau) of St.-Emilion and is planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with an average vine age of 30 years. Château Corbin is one of the few St. Emilion estates with a history of ownership by women and with a female winemaker.


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  • Château Cos d'Estournel Label Château Cos d'Estournel
    St Estèphe
    Jean-Guillaume Prats

  • Between Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe, separated from Château Lafite by the stream Le Breuil Brook, the hill of COS towers over the Gironde from 65 feet above. An impressive accumulation of Quaternary gravel (Cos, in the old Gascon tongue, means “the Hill of Pebbles”), the 173 acres of this superlative terror highly complements the vineyard’s cabernet and merlot grapes. Cos d’Estournel was founded in 1811 by Louis-Gaspard d’Estournel and its powerful, mild flavoured wine soon became a favorite of Kings and Emperors as far as India. The official 1855 classification, still in force today, crowned this success by placing Cos d’Estournel at the head of the wines of Saint-Estèphe. After the death of Louis-Gaspard in 1852, Cos belonged to the London banker Charles-Cecil Martyns, the aristocratic Basque family of De Errazu, and the Hostein family of Bordeaux. It was purchased by Fernand Ginestet, a leading Bordeaux wine merchant, in 1917. Jean-Guillaume Prats is CEO of Domaines Reybier. He represents the fourth generation of his family to be involved in the estate’s management. Today, he is one of the youngest managers of top Médoc estates and a leader in Bordeaux’s “changing of the guard.” Jean-Guillaume Prats Under his management, Cos d’Estournel has reached the highest level of quality in Bordeaux and has received higher scores than some of Médoc First Growths. Jean-Guillaume Prats was born into a family where wine is religion. His father, Bruno Prats, was a key figure in the Bordeaux trade. He managed Cos from 1970 to 1998. His great grand father Fernand Ginestet, mentioned above, was the owner during his life of many Bordeaux estates, including Château Margaux.


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  • Château Coutet Label Château Coutet
    Sauternes
    Aline Baly

  • Thomas Jefferson celebrated Château Coutet as the best Sauternes from Barsac during his ambassadorship to France. In 1855, recognized for its continued excellence, the estate was classified as a First Growth. Today, Château Coutet stays true to its tradition of distinction and quality by producing the finest Barsac year after year. Situated in the Garonne Valley and in close proximity to the Ciron River, the 95 acres of vines within the property's walls enjoy an advantageous microclimate and an exceptional terroir to produce a sweet wine with a signature style. Château Coutet's vineyard is planted with the varietals traditional to the Barsac and Sauternes appellations: sémillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle. With an average age of 35 years, the vines have developed a network of deep roots to extract elements from the limestone and clay-based terroir, giving the grapes freshness, richness and strength. The wine is aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels following in-barrel fermentation. In its youth, Château Coutet's wines display generous aromas of white flowers, citrus fruits, honey and vanilla. Time brings out deeper, warmer notes in which spices combine with exotic nectars and candied fruits. Age also enhances the harmony of its roasted botrytis character to give Château Coutet a delicate and unique bouquet that is unsurpassed.


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  • Château d'Issan Château d'Issan
    Margaux
    Emmanuel Cruse

  • Robert Parker calls Château d’Issan “one of the stars of Margaux,” thanks to the leadership of young Emmanuel Cruse who took over management of the property in 1993. He has spearheaded a dramatic rise in quality, Emmanuel Cruse fueled by more than 6 million U.S. dollars in family investment. According to historical records, a Château d’Issan wine was served atthe marriage of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152. Château d’Issan is one of the most beautiful 17th century châteaux in Bordeaux, and one of the few which retains its original moat. It was acquired by Emmanuel Cruse’s grandfather in 1945 and remains privately owned by the Cruse family.


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  • Domaine de Chevalier Domaine de Chevalier
    Pessac-Léognan
    Olivier Bernard

  • Chevalier’s history is an integral part of its identity. The true birth of the estate dates back to the middle of the 19th century. The name “Chivaley” (meaning knight in Gascon) is believed to be linked to the old pilgrim trail to Santiago de Compostela which still borders the estate. The term domaine, later replaced by château, originally referred to an ensemble, as at Chivaley, formed by a family residence or agricultural estate in which viticulture co-existed with other crops and breeding. One of the things that makes Chevalier unique is how it achieved fame in a relatively short time compared to the majority of Bordeaux great growths, which took several centuries to acquire a similar status. Only three men have managed Domaine de Chevalier from the time it was acquired by Arnaud and Jean Ricard in 1865 until it was purchased by the Bernard family in 1983. Jean Ricard is the true creator of Chevalier as we know it. However, his son-in-law, Gabriel Beaumartin, was responsible for crystallizing its reputation. In 1983 the Bernard family, Olivier Bernard until then specialized in the sale of grape brandy and Bordeaux great growths, decided to purchase Domaine de Chevalier. Considerable efforts have been made since 1983. The vineyard was expanded and all aspects of wine growing were revisited. The estate’s appearance and image changed greatly. The philosophy of Domaine de Chevalier revolves around quality and balance. Cost has never been the foremost consideration. Furthermore, the profits have been reinvested in the property. The quest for quality is an ongoing priority.


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  • Château Guiraud Château Guiraud
    Sauternes
    Xavier Planty

  • The origins of Château Guiraud are rather obscure and little is known before the 18th Century. But the property had enough of a reputation so that it was classified as a Premier Cru in the 1855 classification, and ranked ninth out of 21 properties that existed at the time. In 1981 the estate was acquired by the Narby family. Under Xavier Planty, who was appointed as the managing director by Frank Narby in 1988, the estate went from strength to strength. Xavier Planty is one of the most astutue and influential winemakers in Sauternes due to his advanced studies on botrytis and his long-time believe in organic agriculture. “At Château Guiraud we didn’t use any chemical and pesticides products for many years. We have recreated a real biodiversity thanks to natural process of culture, by the genetic diversity (we graft and plant ourselves 40.000 vines per year in our greenhouse), by practicing a management of natural under grass and studying grape diversity in our conservatory which regroups 100 different varieties.” Xavier Planty For 20 years, Château Guiraud has applied methods which contribute to the creation of a well-balanced ecosystem. In 2006, Château Guiraud was purchased by four partners: Xavier Planty, manager and winemaker of Château Guiraud for 20 years; Olivier Bernard the owner of Domaine de Chevalier in Pessac Leognan; Stephan Von Neipperg owner of the Château Canon La Gaffelière in Saint Emilion; and Robert Peugeot of the famous French car maker. The future of Château Guiraud looks to be very bright indeed.


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  • Château Lagrange Château Lagrange
    Saint-Julien
    Bruno Eynard

  • Grapes have been grown at Château Lagrange, St.-Julien, for more than 600 years. Even Thomas Jefferson knew its wines. A Third Growth in the Classification of 1855, it is the largest classified growth in the Medoc with 113 hectares under vine. It was acquired in 1983 by Suntory, the Japanese wine and spirits conglomerate, which has spared no effort or expense in extensively replanting and renovating the estate. The property is planted with 65 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 28 percent Merlot and 7 percent Petit Verdot. Château Lagrange has the largest plantings of Petit Verdot in Bordeaux, and often uses more of this grape variety in the blend than other Châteaux. Today, Château Lagrange enjoys rave reviews under Bruno Eynard, who was promoted to Winemaker/Director after serving for 17 years under Marcel Ducasse, who retired. Eynard had an auspicious start at Château Lagrange, joining the team in December 1990, just in time to work on the assemblage of the superlative 1990, one of the best vintages ever produced by the Château. Indeed, the Wine Spectator named both Château Lagrange 1990 and Château Lagrange 1988 among the top 10 most exciting wines of their vintage.


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  • Château La Fleur de Boüard Château La Fleur de Boüard
    Lalande de Pomerol
    Coralie de Boüard de Laforest

  • An exceptional geographical situation for a top quality vineyard, located in the heart of the Right Bank close to the borders of the famous Plateau of Pomerol and not far from Saint Emilion. The La Fleur de Boüard vineyard combines the magic of land, vines and sky. Managed by a man of great viticultural tradition, whose family has carefully fine-tuned their viticultural thinking and savoir-faire with innovation and commitment over seven generations, an exciting new future now awaits this vineyard. Hubert de Boüard de Laforest is the co-owner of Château Angélus, a First Great Classified Growth of Saint Emilion, where he has managed the estate and made the wine for 20 years. He graduated as an oenologist at Bordeaux University. Together with his wife, Corinne, they work passionately towards one single aim: to make an outstanding wine at La Fleur de Boüard.


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  • Château La Tour Blanche Château La Tour Blanche
    Sauternes
    Corinne Reulet

  • Chateau La Tour Blanche looks out over Bommes, a charming small village in Gironde, situated some 40 kilometres south of Bordeaux. This Estate spreads over 70 hectares in the heart of the renowned Sauternes Appellation. This wine-producing region offers the visitor an undulating landscape where its gently sloping hillsides seem to be complacently exposed to the sunlight. This is why Chateau La Tour Blanche, along with most of the first growths of the appellation, is situated on fine hilltop positions. This advantageous position facilitates the best possible exposure to the sun, optimal drainage of the land and specific soils which give Sauternes its special character. Indeed, this alluvial ancient land (deposits originating from The Garonne), is made up of a gravelly surface soil and an argillaceous-calcareous substratum. Chateau La Tour Blanche has continually invested in the building and maintenance of its reputation. It is outfitted with the most modern and efficient equipment, but it has also maintained the more traditional aspects of wine-making. The recently renovated winery, which has also been boldly modernised and air-conditioned, stocks the traditional 225-litre Bordeaux traditional barrels. At Chateau La Tour Blanche, all the barrels are renewed every vintage and are made from French oak (stave-wood) grown in Nievre, Allier and Vosges. Corinne Reulet Man's craftsmanship and experience in the world of wine is still omnipresent at La Tour Blanche.However, it is also the constant experimentations and significant technological investments made over the years that have equally contributed in achieving the Chateau's main objective: Quality. Owing to its prestigious ranking and the quality of its products, Chateau La Tour Blanche enjoys international recognition. It also possesses a rich and original history.


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    • Château Larmande Château Larmande
    Pessac-Léognan
    Claire Thomas-Chenard

  • Ever since La Mondiale placed Claire Thomas-Chenard in charge of running Château Larmande there were plans to set up a new fermenting room. With this new and magnificent production facility officially opened in April 2004, Château Larmande has recovered the "trail-blazer" spirit established by Jean Meneret, the long-time owner of this Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé. The team brought together for this project wanted to design a cutting-edge fermenting room combining the qualities of two traditional materials, i.e. the thermal inertia of concrete and the impeccable cleanliness of stainless steel. After a year of research, an ideal compromise was reached in the form of self-contained, insulated stainless steel parallel piped vats combining all the desired factors: Respect for the terroir, with the separate vinification of different plots using 16 vats with capacities ranging Claire Thomas-Chenard from 74 to 136 hectolitres; Vinification optimization, thanks to large lids designed to make the most of the marc, in particular through pipeage (submerging the cap into the fermenting wine); Perfect insulation, achieved by arranging the temperature-controlled vats in a battery. Vats are double-walled, and the gap is filled with a natural insulator in the form of vermiculite granules. This natural material is free of any pollution source. The ornate outer surfaces of these stainless steel vats lend style to the cellar, which is crowned with walkways designed by a wrought iron craftsman.


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    • Château Latour Château Latour
    Médoc
    Frederic Engerer and Florence Rogers-Pinault

  • Born in a family of wine merchants, wine has been the number one hobby for Frédéric Engerer for the two last decades. Graduating with a business degree, his tasting skills were developed with Michel Bettane, a highly regarded French journalist known as one of the best wine tasters in the world. At the end of 1994, François Pinault, owner of Château Latour, asked him to join the Estate as Commercial Director. Since then, he has devoted his time and energy to uphold the name and the distribution of Château Latour in the world. He became President of the company at the end of 1998 and has appointed an entirely new technical team whose first vintage is 1999. Between 1999 and 2002 he also supervised the complete renovation of the facility of the Estate (vatrooms, cellars, bottling line). Since July 2006, Frédéric Engerer has also been appointed President of a new Domaine bought by François Pinault in Burgundy, the Domaine Eugénie. Mrs Florence Rogers-Pinault has been in charge of Public Relations at Château Latour since April 1st 1998. She represents the Pinault family at Château Latour and also at other events in France and abroad.

    Frederic EngererFlorence Rogers-Pinault


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    • Longview Vineyard Wines Longview Vineyard Wines
    Adelaide Hills, Australia
    Peter Saturno

  • Peter Saturno and brother Mark grew up in the hotel industry and were encouraged to enjoy good wine (and food) from an early age – there really was no other way, being of Italian origin! They lived above the Norwood Hotel in Adelaide in their early years and from the tender age of 12 Peter cut his teeth working in the wine shop doing all manner of odd jobs. From these humble beginnings, his passion for good wine was firmly established. Later the Saturno Family went on to establish a chain of very successful wine retail outlets known as “Booze Brothers,” 20 in total. After graduating from high school, Peter studied Wine Marketing at the renowned Adelaide University (formerly known as Roseworthy), and then worked as Wine Sales Representative for Adelaide based fine wine distributor, Chace Agencies. After 4 successful years on the road in sales, Peter decided he needed a fresh challenge. He applied for a US Green Card under the ‘lottery’ system and won! This proved fortuitous for Peter and Mark who both left to live and work in Manhattan, NY. Peter took a job with respected wine distributor, Frederick Wildman, and managed some of the Big Apple’s most important retail accounts. Mark got involved in PR within the ever changing New York restaurant scene. You know how the saying goes …“If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere”! The opportunity Peter and Mark Saturno arose just recently for Peter and Mark to return to South Australia when the Saturno Family purchased the stunning Longview Vineyard Estate, situated in the same small community of Macclesfield where their parents live. Peter, now one of the owners, is directly responsible for International Sales & Marketing for the Longview Brand. Peter and ‘partner in crime’ Mark were excited to return to New York in November 2008 to participate in the New York Marathon, their second passion!


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    • Château Lynch-Bages Château Lynch-Bages
    Pauillac
    Jean-Charles Cazes

  • Born 1974 in Bordeaux, Jean-Charles spent his youth in Pauillac, where his father, Jean-Michel, had just moved from Paris to manage the vineyards. He went to boarding school in Bordeaux, before studying Economics and Finance at the Bordeaux University. During summer holidays, he worked at Lynch Bages, racking barrels or as an assistant winemaker during the harvest. After internships, in the banking business in New York and Paris, he finally moved to São Paulo, Brazil, working two years as a Finance Controller for a French company in the automotive industry. Jean-Charles Cazes In mid-2001, Jean-Charles returned to Bordeaux to join JM Cazes Selection, the wine distribution company his father had recently founded. Aside from his responsibilities as a Sales Manager for Scandinavia, UK and the Americas, Jean-Charles followed the DUAD course at the Bordeaux University of Oenology which he completed in 2005. Since June 2006, Jean-Charles assumes the responsibility of General Manager of the Family Estates, and his father, Jean-Michel, remains involved as Chairman of the Board.


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    • Château Malartic Lagravier Château Malartic Lagravier
    Pessac-Léognan
    Alfred-Alexandre Bonnie

  • Château Malartic- Lagravière is one of only six properties that is classified for both its red and white wine. Bought by Alfred-Alexandre and Michèle Bonnie at the end of 1996, the estate has been completely renovated. These significant investments by the new owners have resulted in a dramatic leap in the quality of the wines. Malartic-Lagravière’s 131-acre vineyard is planted with 50 percent Merlot, 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 8 percent Cabernet Franc and 2 percent Petit Verdot on high gravel terraces. The wine, now aged for 15 to 22 months in 60 percent new oak, shows the classic characteristics of a first rate Graves wine.


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    • Château Palmer Château Palmer
    Margaux
    Bernard de Laâge de Meux

  • The impressive turreted Château of Palmer takes its name from an English general who arrived in Bordeaux in 1814 and purchased this property. Under the ownership of the Mahler-Besse and Sichel families since 1939, Château Palmer has consistently been producing profound wines that can rival any of the first growths. The 128 acre vineyard is planted with 47 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 47 percent Merlot and 6 percent Petit Verdot. The wine is aged for 21 months in 45 percent new oak barrels. The result is a wine of the utmost breed that magically combines power with fineness. Bernard de Laage de Meux has been marketing and communication director at Château Palmer since 1999. He has a post-graduate degree in business administration as well as a diploma from the Institut des Hautes Finances in Paris. After spending almost 10 years in Bordeaux, involved in the professional organizations for Bordeaux wines, he managed a Cognac company, also responsible for export sales.


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    • Château Paveil de Luze Château Paveil de Luze
    Margaux
    Marc Ribet

  • Château Paveil de Luze is one of the most venerable vineyards in the Médoc. Its vineyard already established in the early 17th century remained in the hands of the Squires de Bretonneau until the French revolution. In 1862 baron Alfred de Luze purchased the beautiful 300 acre estate and expanded its acceptance on a worldwide scale, namely in the U.S.A. where his brother, Louis-Philippe looked after its distribution. The 1956 Siberian cold winter destroyed most of the vines. However, as early as the early 1960’s, Baron Geoffroy de Luze endeavored to restore its splendor. Methodically a road map was devised and developed. The vineyard was patiently and carefully replanted, vat rooms and cellars were renovated. While the proprietor skillfully attended to all aspects of the production side, his wife, Patricia, undertook refurbishing the old mansion and its 37 acres of garden. After overseeing some 30 vintages, in 2004, Baron Geoffroy de Luze handed over the reins to his son, Frédéric, whom he entrusted with the duty of resuming a project initiated five generations before their time. First, preserving the original identity of a unique soil in taking advantage of the most sophisticated techniques in winemaking in order to the most discriminating a wine of the highest distinction an finesse. Second, a genuine commitment coupled with true passion for wine at its best, a motto now shared by six generations in a row.


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    • Château Petit-Village Château Petit-Village
    Pomerol
    Christian Seely

  • Viticulture was developed in Pomerol from the 19th century onwards and above all during the 20th century. The vineyard of Petit-Village is situated at the highest level of the gravel plateau which constitutes the heart of Pomerol, as you leave the village of Catusseau. Petit-Village is a vineyard in one single parcel which forms an equilateral triangle of 11 hectares. The farmhouse and its buildings are grouped around an interior courtyard, thus forming a sort of village, which is the origin of the name of the property. Another version suggests that the property once formed the heart of the village of Pomerol. For each terroir, there is always a specific grape variety which harmonizes the best with the type of soil. In Pomerol, Merlot predominates. At Petit-Village, the concentration of gravel in the soil allows the plantation of an unusual proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (17 percent). The successful blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc produces a wine different from the other Pomerols. The Cabernet Sauvignon gives a deepness and a structure which will enable a long aging. Associated with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the wine presents a complexity of aromas, violet, underwood, red berries, chocolate, with a long and delicate finish.


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    • Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
    Pauillac
    Christian Seely

  • Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is located on beautifully gravelly soil in the southern part of the commune of Pauillac. In 1694, Jacques de Pichon, Baron de Longueville, married the daughter of Pierre de Rauzan, who originally created the property. Their descendants remained deeply involved with making fine wine, and Raoul de Pichon-Longueville built the present chateau in 1851. In 1988, following an architectural competition organized by the Centre Georges Pompidou, the château and wine cellar were entirely renovated. A spectacular new winemaking facility enables an exquisite wine to be made under ideal conditions. Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron is made from vines mainly situated on the historical terroir of the property. The wines produced are powerful, rich in tannins, and characterized for being both elegant and muscular. They have an exceptional length in the mouth, and possess a remarkable ageing potential. Wine is a product of the forces of nature and the individual personality of each vintage at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron is the direct result of the daily variations in the weather throughout the year.


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    • Château Pontet-Canet Château Pontet-Canet
    Pauillac
    Alfred Tesseron

  • Château Pontet-Canet, one of the best-known classed growths of Pauillac, was purchased in 1975 by Guy Tesseron. The management of the estate was entrusted to his son Alfred, who has worked diligently to develop and confirm the reputation of this famous classified growth. “Quality” is the key word in the vineyard and cellar. With 195 acres planted with 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 33 percent Merlot, 5 percent Cabernet Franc, 2 percent Petit Verdot and then aged 15 to 22 months in 50 percent new oak, the personality of Pontet-Canet’s wine is defined by subtlety and complexity and its very marked Pauillac character.


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    • Château Rauzan Ségla Château Rauzan Ségla
    Margaux
    John Kolasa

  • In the 1855 classification of the wines of Bordeaux, Rauzan-Ségla was ranked immediately below the four First Growths. Château Rauzan-Ségla is now the top-ranked Second Growth. The wines of Rauzan-Ségla from the late 19th century are now legendary but the wines from the early and mid 20th century were disappointing. Since 1983, improvements have been remarkable and the quality of the recent wines now puts this estate in the elite group of Bordeaux super-second growths. In 1994, the property was purchased by the Wertheimer family, the owners of the haute couture house of Chanel and John Kolasa was installed as the director. The 125 acre estate is planted with 54 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 41 percent Merlot, 4 percent Petit Verdot and 1 percent Cabernet Franc and the annual production is approximately 8,300 cases.


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    • Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte
    Pessac-Léognan
    Florence and Daniel Cathiard

  • Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte owes its reputation as the “most Graves-like Graves” to its superb Günzian gravel soil. This outstanding Chateau has been lovingly renovated since it’s purchase in 1991 by Daniel and Florence Cathiard. The Cathiards’ dedication to traditional viticulture practices and excluding the use of chemical herbicides maintains winegrowing to its most natural expression. Very typical of their appellation, the wines express an intense bouquet, fine structure, excellent balance and a long aftertaste with just the right touch of oak (80 percent new for 18 to 20 months). The estate consists of 136-acre vineyard property. One hundred and eleven acres are planted to red vines: 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 percent Merlot, 15 percent Cabernet Franc and ten hectares to white vines: 90 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 5 percent Sauvignon Gris, 5 percent Sémillon.


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    • Château Soutard Château Soutard
    St Emilion
    Claire Thomas-Chenard

  • Soutard is a very ancient place name, which was said to have a certain spirit, made up of a subtle mixture of strength and elegance, which went back to ancient times. For over three centuries, generations of passionately committed men and women have been at the helm of this handsome Saint-Emilion Classified Growth. In the 18th century, Jean Combret de Faurie built the main part of the château and designed its grounds and outbuildings. This ingenious engineer was also a passionate viticulturalist and implemented important vineyard projects such as ploughing 30 centimetre-wide furrows that were 1 metre 30 equidistant in the limestone base that pushes through the top soil over most of the estate. In the 19th century, Jean Laveau, a brilliant viticulturalist who was also one of Saint Emilion’s outstanding wine growers for a quarter of a century, bought the estate and succeeded in working his magic there. On his death, his land was shared out among his close family members, one of whom was Jeanne du Foussat de Bogeron who gave Soutard as her dowry in her marriage to Michel des Ligneris in 1919. The descendants of this agricultural engineer were responsible for the estate’s fortunes until 2006. La Mondiale already owns Château Larmande (a Saint Emilion Classed Growth) Claire Thomas-Chenard and Château Grand Faurie La Rose (Grand Cru) both of which are adjacent to Soutard. The company then bought Château Soutard with the aim of fulfi lling the great potential of this property, while respecting its history and… its spirit. It is now Claire Thomas-Chenard, an oenologist and the daughter of a family of chemical engineers and oenologists going back four generations, who exercises her skills at this 27 hectares estate, whose vineyard layout (one single block of 22 hectares) has remained unchanged for over a century.


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    • Château Suduiraut Château Suduiraut
    Sauternes
    Christian Seely

  • The Suduiraut family had been in Bordeaux since 1580, when Leonard de Suduiraut owned the land that is today the site of their eponymously named chateau. But it was Comte Blaise de Suduiraut, Leonard's grandson, who in the mid 1600s created one of the finest properties in all Bordeaux, surrounding his pristine and elegant chartreuse style two-storey chateau with an expanse of gardens. These are still a notable feature of Chateau Suduiraut, having been designed by André Le Nôtre, who was also responsible for the creation of the Sun King's gardens at the Palaces of Versailles and Tuileries in Paris, and numerous other historic estates. Ranked as a Premier Cru in the 1855 classification, the 220 acre estate, planted with 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, borders Ch. D’Yquem. Today the chateau is very ably managed by Christian Seely, who does triple duty as the manager of Ch. Pichon-Baron and Ch Petit-Village.


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    • Château Vieux-Château Certan Château Vieux-Château Certan
    Pomerol
    Alexandre Thienpont

  • The Chateau Vieux Château Certan estate, which in 1785 already figured on Bellayme’s famous map under then name of “Sertan”, is located in the heart of the Pomerol plateau just a few rows of vines away from Pomerol’s famous church belfry. The vines are planted on the famed gunz terrace which, according to professor Enjalbert, is one of the greatest wine growing terroirs of the Bordeaux area. The soils are made up of large round pebbles together with different clays over an iron-rich subsoil. It is the uniqueness of this outstanding soil that gives Vieux Château Certan its distinctive character. Covering 14 hectares in one single block, the Vieux Château Certan vineyard is the fruit of a century of painstaking work and careful decision making. Vieux Château Certan is regularly regarded by the world’s press and international tasting panels among the very top wines. The property has been owned by the Thienpont family since 1929 and under the enlightened direction of Alexndre Thienpont since 1985.


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