Wine Club February 2025 – Viva La France!
Bila-Haut - Cotes du Roussillon – Blanc France, Languedoc, Cotes du Roussillon
Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeo
Tasting notes
Bila-Haut Blanc is plump, round and richly textured in the mouth, yet it's also refreshing, with vibrant flavors of tangerine zest underscored by briny notes on the finish. A portion of the grapes are grown in limestone and clay soils of the Agly Valley (situated between the sea and mountains) the remaining grapes are grown in granite soils at higher altitude. The blending of these terroirs allows the final wine to retain an elegant freshness with minerality.
Estate
The complexity of Bila-Haut reflects the diverse terroirs and the wind of the Midi. By meticulously hand-harvesting the best grapes from the best vineyards of the Roussillon, Michel Chapoutier has transformed his magic to the Languedoc and created a wine with finesse. These wines are produced biodynamically and express the best terroir of the region.
Chateau Gromel - Cuvee Eva Blanc France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Blanc
70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon
Tasting notes
Complex wine, with lime blossom, grapefruit, lemon and fresh herbs, and some light toasty notes. Aged for 6-months in oak barrels.
Background
Cuvee Eva (Winemaker's daughter) is crafted from a meticulous selection in the vineyard. This traditional Sauvignon Blanc showcases aromatic intensity, freshness, and elegance. The Bordeaux terroir, with its limestone, chalk, and clay soils, is particularly suited to producing outstanding and well-structured Sauvignon Blanc wines. Delightful and captivating, Cuvee Eva exemplifies the excellence of Bordeaux's white wines.
Château Le Fleur Saint Bonnet France, Bourdeaux, Médoc
The Médoc is a storied wine region on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, home to some of the world’s finest red wines.
Château La Fleur Saint-Bonnet is a shining expression of the Médoc’s storied terroir from Fabien and Amélie Faget's estate located in the communes of Saint-Christoly-Médoc, Couquèques and Valeyrac.
Fabien was the winemaker at Château Meyney, a historic estate in the prized Saint-Estephe village, before striking out on his own to acquire Château La Fleur Saint-Bonnet. Born to local growing and farming families, the husband-and-wife winemaking duo is committed to preserving their traditions and stewarding their unique terroir.
Their Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines are planted in clay-limestone soils, yielding wines of remarkable finesse and vibrancy. In the winery, they take a meticulous approach that blends tradition and innovation. After a thermoregulated fermentation, they manually punch down to gently extract as much flavor and smooth tannins as possible. The wine is then aged for 12 months to round out its texture and impart toasty cedar nuance.
This classic Bordeaux delights with delicate aromas of fresh black cherry and blueberry, which carry onto the palate with an elegant structure, a pleasing roundness, refined tannins and a harmonious balance.
Château Le Fleur Saint Bonnet was featured in Forbes’ 2023 Vintage Report, where Tom Mullen rated it 95 points. Its polished profile makes this wine an excellent companion to a variety of dishes, from roasted meats like lamb or beef to hearty vegetarian options.
Boissy & Delaygue - Lou Pontias Rouge France, Rhone Valley, Cotes du Rhone
80% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 10% Marselan (Hybrid of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache)
Tasting notes
Deep, elegant and bright colors with seductive aromas of ripe black, violet and licorice punctuated by peppery notes. There is a beautiful silky mouthfeel from the tannins which are elegant and well-balanced. It concludes with a velvety, long and intense finish. Lou Pontias is the name of the gentle breeze which wafts through the vineyard, refreshing the grapes on summer mornings.
Location
The vineyard is situated in the Southern Rhône Valley, on slopes close to the villages of Puyméras and Richerenches. Puyméras brings difference in temperatures between day and night, and Richerenches benefits from a very sunny position.
Ratings – Decanter 95pt
Gold Medal Decanter World Wine Awards 2023
This deeply colored wine has an inviting nose of dark cherry and chocolate. The palate is dense and rich, with mouth-coating blackberry fruit and layers of chocolate, savory spice and gently chewy tannins.