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The Producers
Please click on the links below to see details of the individual producers
Château Lestrille
Lestrille cellar area
Hélène in wine tasting area
The Château is situated in the heart of the village of St- Germain du Puch some 20 miles east of the city of Bordeaux.
Since our first visit in the summer of 2005 we have established a close, friendly relationship with this vineyard which is represented by Jean - Louis Roumage and his daughter Estelle. Such has been the quality of their wines that we have sold out of every consignment received within months and we are confident that we shall remain customers of theirs for years to come.
Terroir
The vines are grown on high quality “terroirs” (i.e ground, soil,
exposure and climate) that give the wine its Bordeaux characteristics.
Lestrille are proud of their efforts towards the environment and vine
sprayings are planned in accordance with an integrated pest management
programme. Following an engineering study made in 2001 to improve the
understanding of the mechanisms of vine diseases, spraying is now 30%
below the average for the area.
Vines and Grapes
Red grapes - Merlot (75%) and Cabernet sauvignon (25%)
White vines - Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon and Muscadelle.
History
The estate dates back to the late 19th Century. Eugene, Louis,
Robert, and Jean Louis Roumage succeeded one another in managing the
estate.
The estate is currently 40 hectares in size and produces Bordeaux
Supérieur Rouge matured in vats, Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge matured in oak
barrels, Bordeaux Clairet and Bordeaux Blanc.
Current Selection
Rouge - Château Lestrille Capmartin Tradition 2004, Château Lestrille Capmartin Prestige 2004
Kristoffer Gellert
Cellar area
Château de Haux
A large Bordeuax producer exporting mainly to America and Scandanavian countries.Another source that we have used from the beginning which is testament to the excellence of their wines. We have got to know Kristoffer the estates manager very well and we have been afforded the utmost courtesy on each visit.. We were treated to a five course meal at the Château in the summer of 2007 by the owner Peter Jorgensen who also had culinary journalist from his native Denmark there on the day as guests who were there assessing their wines so the best of cuisine and wine was had on the day. It does not seem like work at times!
Vines and Grapes
Red Grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc.
White Grapes - Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle.
Terroir
Château de Haux is situated in beautiful Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, 25km southeast of the town of Bordeaux. The scenery is varied with hills and valleys, woods and small streams and fields with the vines as they are everywhere in this wine rich area, in straight, uniform rows. Rising up from a narrow alluvial right riverbank are south and south west facing gravel and limestone hills leading to a plateau rich in clay. Here red and white quality wines and the characteristic Clairet (Rosé) are produced.
History
The château can be traced back to medieval times where it was one of the fortified farms that formed part of the ring of outer fortifications that protected the town of Bordeaux. Part of the original wall around the château is still intact.
In the middle of the 19th century the owner of the château was Colonel Alfred Lamey, aide-de-camp to Emperor Napoléon 111.
During the 20th century the château has changed ownership several times before being acquired by Aktieselskabet Franske Vingarde from Copenhagen. The picture is an idea of what the cellars looked like pre modernisation.
Château de Haux has received over 40 national and international awards for its wine since 1985.
Today the Château owns 75 hectares.
Current Wine Selection
Blanc - Château de Haux Blanc 2004
Laurent Martray in his sampling area
Martray vineyards
This young winemaker owns a vineyard located on the Combiaty (A hamlet in the heart of the Brouilly region of Beaujolais)and for quite a few years now has been producing wines of great beauty. His reputation therefore went before him and we were not let down by the quality of the wine we sampled on the day of our visit. Indeed it was ultimately difficult to select the one bottle we required for our list but we were determined not to let this one go!
Monsieur Martray was very welcoming and helpful. We were shown his estate and the huge cellar areas where he stores his wine with other producers in the area. His was a personal contact as a small winemaker producing wine on a small scale and we hope to sustain this relationship for years to come.
Terroir
The Côte de Brouilly area is unique in that it is almost isolated. It is composed of granite or volcanic blue stone which gives wine its character and is more structured than its neighbouring "Brouilly" appellation.
1200 hectacres of vines have been planted around the mountainous slopes that form the Côte de Brouilly appellation uniting 340 winemakers and six small towns.
Laurent Martray produces from 9 hectares of vineyards - half owned and the other half rented from Chateau de la Chaize. His production is small - 600 to 700 cases in a top year. Laurent makes two cuvees - Brouilly Vieilles Vigne from 40-year old vines, and Brouilly Cuvee Corentin from 60-year old vines. Normal production of the Corentin is 3 barrels, although he produced 5 barrels in 1995. The Vieilles Vignes is aged in large oak foudres, while the Corentin is aged in small French oak barrels. No filtration.
Current Wine Selection
Brouilly Vieilles Vignes 2006
Dominique Piron and his wife Kristine Mary
Piron front entrance
I was fortunate on our first visit to the Piron estate to be able to converse in business terms with Monsieur Pirons charming wife Kristine Mary, an American oenologist who was clearly passionate about the importance of the "terroir" and the part it plays in producing their wonderful wine. We were given a brief history of the vineyard and their ambitions for the future. Certainly very busy, one of their main markets for their wine is the U.S and they are seeking to expand elsewhere also.
In selecting their wine we were the first in Wales to do so and although we have not had an opportunity to return to Beaujolais yet, we have re-ordered the Morgon Cote de Py on the strength of the response from our customers to the first consignment.
Terroir
The Domaine Piron terroir is made up of different characteristics. The speciality of the Domaine, the cru of Morgon covers 1100 hectacres, is situated on an ancient volcanic hill, named the Cote du Py. Domaine Piron is situated at the base of this hill. The wines are strongly structured and can age well.
Vines and Grapes
Grapes (Red) 100% Gamay
History
In Villié Morgon on January 27th, 1636 Hugues Bailly was married. On that day he received as part of his inheritance from his father, Etienne Bailly a parcel of vineyards. On that day the Piron legacy began.
300 years later in 1932, after many divisions of the vineyards by the following generations, Monsieur Dominique Piron's grandfather Marius Piron, "reassembled" the vineyards. In September 1949 his father Pierre Piron began overseeing the Domaine. The economic climate of the 1950's was not favourable but nevertheless a great deal of effort and energy was devoted to the Domaine to improve and expand.
In 1971 Dominique Piron made his first vinification with 2 hectares of wines in the Domaine and slowly his chapter in the family legacy began. Today the current vinification levels is 400,000 bottles of wine produced on over 50 hectacres of vines.
Attention to detail allows Dominique Piron to extract more "Too many growers treat the ban de vendange(the official harvest start date) as a 'when you do it' date rather than a 'not before' date. It is riskier, but I always pick later and select carefully because otherwise the wines lack colour and tannin"
Current Wine Selection
Morgon Cote de Py 2003
Château de Garbes
Annie and Jean Luc at harvest time
Château de Garbes vineyards
We had been looking for this wine but the producers previously visited were a little expensive. So following a recommendation we made our way to the Château without making a formal appointment. We needn't have worried as we were warmly greeted by Annie David and her husband Jean Luc who roared into the courtyard on his trials motorbike. No formalities required here!
We spent the next couple of hours in their company being shown around the grounds and the cellar and of course tasting their wine. We came away with samples of their 2001 Cadillac vintage and have since purchased the 2003 vintage. This has now sold out and we are waiting to see what they now have to offer.
Wines and Grapes
White Grapes - 10 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle and Semillon
Red Grapes - 28 hectares approximately devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Terroir
The area is predominantly a combination of clay and gravel which produces vines which are more than usually fragile. The description "Boulebennes" is used to describe the vines digging deeper into the clay soil to search for water particularly during the hotter periods. As a consequence the productivity ratio is less but it favours the quality of wine ultimately produced.
History
The Château has been in the De Garbes family since 1900. At this time it consisted of 11 hectares of white grape vines, the majority of which were of the Semillon variety. Liquorex wine was the only wine produced at the time.
In 1969 red vines were introduced by Jean Luc's grandfather and a few years later the vineyard increased its production on a commercial scale.
Today Jean-Luc, Annie and their two sons work together on a 38 hectare estate.
Current Wine Selection
Sweet White - Cadillac 2003
Entrance to the Huberdeau estate
Côte Chalonnaise hiiside vineyards
Following a word of mouth recommendation from a Beaujolais producer we made our way through the beautiful Côte Chalonaise countryside to the Huberdeau vineyard that lay just within the Bourgogne area.We had only made the appointment an hour or so prior to our visit and found the owners busy in their cellars on arrival but Madame Huberdeau took time out to show us the wines currently on offer and their pretty sloping vineyards.
Terroir
The Côte Chalonnaise geographically is an extension of the well known Côte de Nuit and Beaune areas. The landscape is naturally hilly and serves to form a protection around this vineyard from severe weather conditions.
The Huberdeau vineyard covers 6 hectacres.
Vines and Grapes
Red Grapes - Black Pinot, Gamay
White Grapes - Chardonnay, Aligoté
History
Wine making in the Côte Chalonnaise region dates back to the time when the Romans governed. However it wasn't until the 14th century that the area achieved a "Well known" status. This development was interrupted by, amongst other things, phylloxera the vine disease and from rural depopulation. A new momentum gathered pace in the 1950's but it was not until 1990 that the Appellation Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise was recognised.
The Huberdeau family established this vineyard in 1978. They are small producers and operate a full organic policy, something that they were determined to do from day one. This policy seems to have paid off as they have consistently produced medal winners amongst their wines and have assisted in raising the profile of the much underrated Côte Chalonnaise area.
Current Wine Selection
Bourgogne Côte Chalonaise Rouge 2003
The Mabille Estate
Since our original contact back in 2005 we have been fortunate enough to have visited this producer twice and have got to know their family very well. Recommended highly in the prestigious Hachette Wine Guide of 2004
Vines and Grapes
White Grapes - Chenin(Pineau de la Loire), Sauvignon
Terroir
The appellation itself extends well beyond the "commune" of Vouvray to include more than 2000 hectares on the right bank of the Loire upstream from Tours. The limestone clay soil of the region rests on a sub layer of tuffeau, the elegant stone used to build the Château for which the region is famous.
The oldest vines used on this vineyard date back as far as the 19th century.
History
Pascal Berteau follows his father and grandfather in the art of making Vouvray wine and took over this estate in 1990 together with his brother in law Vincent Mabille.
The tradition within the Mabille family dates back to the 19th century.
In 1936 Enogat Mabille introduced the appellation controlée quality control system in this region of France and ensured that Vouvray became a recognized trade mark of a particular white wine from the Loire Valley region.
Wines Selected
Vouvray demi-sec 2006
Vouvray Petillant Brut
Rose methode traditionnelle
Château Roques Mauriac
Vincent with Château Lagnet in the backgound
Roques Mauriac bottle labels
Wine tasting area with the famous mural
We visited the Château Lagnet firstly in the summer of 2005 and were met by the then 28 year old owner of the Les 3 Château estates. Vincent Levieux has the responsibility of running three estates hence the title namely Château Roques Mauriac, Château Lagnet and Château Labatut. We were shown around the vast estate including the impressive wine tasting area where the walls had been decorated by two gigantic paintings by the famous French artist Lydie Arickx. In the coolness of this area we sampled the wines on offer.
Passionate wine growers for three generations, the LEVIEUX family is using all its knowledge to produce great white, rosé and red Bordeaux wines in their independent cellars.
Their commitment is to quality, traceability and respect of nature.
Terroir
Château Lagnet is situated on the outskirts of the town of Doulezon 70 km east of Bordeaux and in the heart of the Entre deux Mer area.
Exposed fully south the vineyard has been planted on clay and limestone soil providing natural drainage.Its terroir has nothing to envy of its prestigious neighbours of St Emilion.
Vines and Grapes
Château Roques Mauriac Red Grapes - Merlot 50%, Cabernet Frank 40%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
White grapes - Sémillon 60%, Sauvignon Gris 40%
Château Labatut Red Grapes - Cabernet Frank 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%, Merlot 25%
Château Lagnet Red Grapes - Merlot 60%, Cabernet Frank 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
History
1971 : Edouard LECLERC, the famous creator of the supermarkets concept, decides to invest in the Bordeaux vineyards ; instead of investing in the well-known Saint-Emilion and Médoc estates, he buys 2 châteaux in the Entre-Deux-Mers area : the Châteaux LAGNET (28 hectares of vines) & LABATUT (34 hectares of vines)
1976 : Hélène LEVIEUX, his daughter, comes to Bordeaux and takes the lead of the 2 châteaux ; she's planting all the vineyards with selected plants, and builds new modern cellars. The results arrive very quickly with several medals in the Paris and Bordeaux contests.
1985 : The estate increases with the purchase of the Château ROQUES MAURIAC (45 hectares of vines), situated near the other châteaux.
1991 : construction of the first oak barrel cellar for the Château LABATUT (150 oak barrels).
1993 : construction of the second oak barrel cellar for the Château ROQUES MAURIAC (350 oak barrels), together with an impressive tasting-area. These cellars are decorated with two gigantic paintings created by Lydie ARICKX, a famous French woman painter.
1999 : Vincent LEVIEUX arrives on the scene ; he represents the third generation of his family in the Bordeaux vineayds, after his grand-father and his mother.
2003 : Vincent LEVIEUX takes over the responsibility of running the 3 estates, and creates a new label : "The 3 Châteaux" ; he starts to work jointly with Olivier DAUGA, a famous french winemaker.
Current Wine Selection
We have sold out of Vincent's wines but hope to revisit his selections again one day.
The Verdots estate
The Verdots cellar - note the hole in the centre which shows visitors the underground river.
We visited this Château in the summer of 2006, having ordered the wine in advance, a decision based entirely on the recommendation of our contact in France. It had an excellent reputation for producing good quality wine so the signs were good!
Terroir
The vineyards are situated on well exposed land with meagre soil perfectly suited for growing grapes. The soils were mapped out in 1998 in accordance with organic methods, and this has allowed for better matching of grape varieties with particular soil-types.
Vines and Grapes
White grapes - Semillon , Sauvignon Blanc , Muscadelle , Sauvignon Gris
Red Grapes - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Frank
History
The Fourtot family, originally from Saint Emillon, has been dedicated to farming vines for the past four generations. It is now David Fourtots' turn in association with his father Jean-Guy to carry on the work begun over a century ago. He had not intended to pursue a career in wine but following a chance meeting with the technical Director of the famous wine producers Mouton Rothschild he changed his mind. David invested heavily in the vineyards between the years 1994 and 2003 which included constructing a huge building to welcome potential customers. He also dug out a new cellar out of the rock through which flows the underground river which gave its' name to the Verdots estate.
In recognition for his innovative efforts and continued pursuit of improved methods to produce excellent wine David the title "Wine maker of the year 2005" was bestowed on him by the Bergerac Wine Fair.
By today plant density has increased to 3000 vines per acre, more than double that of most Bergerac vineyards. This way, each vine will bear less fruit which will be better nourished and produce richer, more concentrated wines.
Current Wine Selection
We have no Verdots wine currently on our wine list but will keep an eye on what they have to offer.
Château Bellevue
Château Bellevue vineyard
We had made an appointment prior to our trip across the channel and being the time of year when many people generally take their holidays the owner was away on the day that we called. However, everything had been courteously arranged and we were met by Yves D'Amecourts' private secretary Véronique who was extremely pleasant and helpful. The wines that we had asked to be set aside were tasted and after making our selections we were given a tour of the estate.
We have since sold out of one of their selections, an award winning wine and intend returning in the future to purchase further wines.
Vines and Grapes
White grapes - Sauvignon Blanc 70%, Sémillon 30%
Red Grapes - Merlot 45%, Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Cabernet Franc 10%, Mallbec 5%
Terroir
The Château is situated in the heart of a chalky, limestone soil formed of several hilltops offering a panoramic view of the surrounding Entre-Deux-Mers area. The wines make the most of the experience and skill of the winemakers and the latest technology available in the wine industry today.
History
The Château was built in the 17th century and is located in Sauvetterre de Guyenne, south east of Bordeaux.
The current owner, Yves D'Ameycourt bought the estate in 1973 and extended it in 1986 with the purchase of the neighbouring Château Saint-Germain which had been built in the 16th century.
The estate is now 130 hectares and produces Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur, Bordeaux Clairet and Entre-Deux-Mers wines.
Current Wine Selection
The Bellevue wines that were in our range have since sold out. However we will be keeping a close eye on wines produced by this Château with a view to perhaps purchasing further one day.