Last week, I had the immense pleasure of tasting some of the best French wines at a private invite-only tasting event hosted by VINS+VINS. Hosted in the stunning Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Saint-Germain Paris, this soirée Prestige was an incredible opportunity to taste magnificent and rare wines; as well as to meet the owners of the Châteaux face-to-face. I wanted to share some of my notes as my senses traveled to some of the best appellations — including Premier Cru, Grand Cru Classé, and Grand Cru — in Champagne, Bourgogne, Rhône, and Bordeaux (tasted in this order).
Of course, the evening started with a welcome glass of champagne — Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve.
Celebrating the bicentenary birthday of its founder this year, Charles Heidsieck is the smallest of the Grandes Marques champagne Houses. It is one of the best-known producers for both vintage and non-vintage cuvées. Brut Réserve is a remarkable introductory cuvée to the Maison. Made of 60 Champagne crus and a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, it offers interesting notes on the nose and tongue that differ from other champagnes. In addition to aromas of brioche, for example, mango and mirabelle plums are also present. In the mouth, nougat and juicy plums.
Charles Heidsieck was one of the first Maisons to create Blanc de Blancs champagne. Today, the result of a very selective blend of 100% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs — these are much sought-after grapes. On the nose, I found peach, lemon, and some florals. The mouth had nice minerality.
My favourite out of the three was their Blanc des Millénaires 2007. Vintage champagnes are relatively rare — even more so when they are Blanc de Blancs. Vintages mean that the Maison only used wines from that particular year and this is generally only reserved for the very best years. Heidsieck only produced 7 vintages in its almost 200 years of existence, with 2007 as the most recent. The other vintages include 1983 , 1985 , 1990 , 1995 , 2004 , and 2006.
But back to 2007. The nose was deliciously fresh-from-the-oven, slightly smoky with notes of quince. Despite having bubbles, it felt silky in the mouth and offered gourmet flavours of buttery lemon tart and fleur de sel. It was definitely a treat!
From Champagne, I moved south to Bourgogne. Founded in 1726 by Vivant Micault, secretary to King Louis XV, Château de Pommard is one of the most iconic wine estates in Burgundy, and is also the largest private vineyard in the region. Clos Marey-Monge, at the heart of the domain, has been producing one of the greatest expressions of Pinot Noir for more than two millennia. It has been declared a world heritage protected Climat of Burgundy by UNESCO. Today, the estate not only produces top quality wines: it is an ultimate wine education destination.
I tried six of their wines but for brevity, I will talk about my top 3. Starting with whites, I really enjoyed the Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru “Morgeot” 2018. A delicate nose of fresh lemon, crisp white peach, and a hint of vanilla. The mouth was generous with wonderful minerality.
For me, the reds are where this Domaine really shines. Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru “Les Lavrottes” 2019 is the perfect reference of what a wine from this region should be. Feminine and sensual, this wine has an incredibly rich and complex nose of violet, blackberry, licorice, and warm spices. The mouth was equally as mesmerizing; fresh with light tannins and a hint of violet. Absolutely outstanding and arguably one of the best wines I have tried this year.
Château de Pommard Clos Marey-Monge Monopole 2015 is one of those wines that will make you pause and say “Wow”. Remember how I mentioned that clos recognized by UNESCO? Within the walls of the clos are seven different vineyards (all pinot noir) with slightly different terroirs. Every year, the Château creates a unique blend using grapes from these parcels and the results are incredible.
2015 was a particularly wonderful vintage. In fact, it received a whopping 95/100 by James Suckling, one of the world’s leading wine critics:
Beautiful on the nose with so much perfume and brightness with ripe strawberries, cedar and dried flowers that follow through to a full body, layers of ripe tannins and a long, flavorful finish. So delicious now, but a long life ahead of it. Drink or hold.
(James Suckling)
I don’t have much to add except that it is an absolute must buy/must try if you are able to find a bottle — this wine was produced in very limited quantities and is relatively rare.
Maison Laurent-Tardieu is one of the biggest names in the Rhône Valley. This micro negotiant only works with the best parcels and grapes in the region, specially choosing old vines. Passion and savoir-faire are poured into each bottle of their fine quality wines. I tasted five of their products, but will write about the two that everyone has been asking me about!
First up, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2019. Very interesting palate with lots of red and blue fruits, candied orange, and Asian spices. Quite fresh with a pleasant amount of tannins. It is very highly rated (97/100) by American critic, Jeb Dunnuck.
Côte-Rôtie 2020 was wonderfully spicy, aromatic, and tannic. It was made with grapes from 50 year old vines, meaning lots of flavour. It is very much an ode to the region. While already quite lovely, it can also benefit from aging another few years.
Château Brane-Cantenac is a prestigious estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Grands Crus Classés in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. Famous for its deep gravel soils, rich in minerals, Brane has some of the most beautiful vineyards in the region.
Château Brane-Cantenac Margaux 2009 was made during an exceptionally good year. The nose had delicious notes of end-of-summer cassis and blackberries with a hint of pepper. The mouth was velvety and aromatic with interesting notes of smoked wood and flowers (a characteristic flavour of this appellation).
Château Lagrange is another prestigious estate located in the appellation Saint-Julien. While also a Bordeaux, it is quite different from the Margaux; more fruit-forward and no floral notes. The wine produced here was classified as a Troisième Grand Cru Classé in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
I was particularly impressed with their Château Lagrange 2010 3ème Grand Cru Classé. Rich with intense aromas and flavours of black fruits and a good dose of tannins, this was not only delicious now — it is a wine that is almost still young and can also be aged for years. It is definitely a wine I would like to add to my cellar.
Finally, I finished my evening on the sweet side with Sauternes from the illustrious Château Doisy Daëne. Their Grand Vin de Sauternes are ranked as Second Cru Classé in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. This estate creates its sweet wines using Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc grapes affected by botrytis (noble rot) and late harvest (usually picked in November).
L’extravagant 2010 is an outstanding dessert wine. The main competitor to Château d’Yquem and much rarer (due to its very limited quantities), it is a gourmand offering that can also appeal to all sorts of wine enthusiasts. The flavours were very pronounced and wonderful: spiced poached pear and confit fig with honey but fresh and bright on the finish. The mouthfeel was velvety and absolutely elegant. It is not surprising that critics often give this wine a 97/100.
Overall, I feel very fortunate to have been invited to this event. Tasting these magnificent wines (some of the best French wines!) and speaking directly with the producers was an unforgettable experience. In case you are interested, I am sharing the full wine list that I tasted below. Which ones would you try?
