Vol. 2 No. 10
Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
1996 Chateau St. Paul Bordeaux - France
1997 Domaine du Rey Cotes de Gascogne - France
Chateau St. Paul:
Appellation Haut-Medoc Controlee
Situated on a beautiful gravely hill overlooking the Gironde River, Chateau St. Paul occupies a formidable sight. To the left of the chateau are the vines of the great Chateau Sociando-Mallet, and to the right the renowned St. Estephe Appellation. Formally, a part of Chateau St. Paul even belonged to the highly reputed St. Estephe estate of Chateau Le Boscq. As the French would say: "this is a splendid ‘terroir’." What more could one ask of this little gem? How about a fine red Bordeaux, a wine that is both powerful and balanced and capable of aging, a wine with the potential to be something special - a first class Bordeaux.
Chateau St. Paul is an impeccably run 48 acre Cru Beaujolais Bordeaux that seems poised to become a reference point for the appellation. Making a lush wine, with a core of ripe fruit that is wrapped in considerable tannin, Chateau St. Paul admirably pairs elegance with structure. The result is a balanced, beautifully wrought Bordeaux that drinks well young, but it will also develop the secondary and tertiary characteristics known as complexity.
At Chateau St. Paul, all four of the noble red Bordeaux varietals are included in the "cepage" or assembled wine. Presently, the vineyard is planted to 45% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet France, and 5% Petit Verdot, statistics which are more akin to the great Classified Growths than a Cru Bourgeois. Presumably, it is this classic varietal blend on an excellent terroir, along with the attention to detail in the estate’s cellar, that accounts for the consumate "classified Bordeaux" quality of the wine produced at Chateau St. Paul.
After a normally late harvest and careful selection of the grapes, vinification at Chateau St. Paul begins with a cold pre-maceration for 12 days to provide the greatest concentration of color and aromas. A traditional maceration and fermentation are then done for at least 25-30 days, followed by at least a12 month stay in new or renewed oak barrels. Rackings and finings (clarifying) are done only with egg whites, never harsh chemicals.
The Haut-Medoc is responsible for more Classified Growths and first rate Cru Bourgeois red wines than any other Bordeaux appellation. Situated along the Gironde to the northwest of the city of Bordeaux and near to the sea (Bordeaux means beside the waters), this most illustrious of appellations includes the great communes of Pauillac, St. Julien, Margaux and St. Estephe, as well as a host of smaller villages - all capable of producing first rate Bordeaux. The only downside to the Haut-Medoc is the cost of its wine; Haut-Medoc wines are some of the costliest in the world. Many thanks to the proprietors of Chateau St. Paul for their excellent Haut-Medoc, which up to now can still be purchased by middle class wine aficionados and collectors, without a secured loan. Enjoy Chateau St. Paul, but don’t tell too many of your friends about it, lest it become the next darling of the millionaire’s club.
Tasting Notes: A saturated, purple potion, the 1996 Chateau St. Paul is a deep, rich Bordeaux with plenty of fruit, character, and tannin. A bit closed and brooding at the moment, several hours in a decanter reveal the classic scents of Bordeaux: blackberry, cassis, cedar, coffee and chocolate. Pure and rich in flavor, this wine is just beginning to shed the substantial layer of tannin that overlaps the wine’s lush center. Like all fine Bordeaux, (wines from the excellent 1996 vintage in particular), the Chateau St. Paul begs for several more years in bottle to reveal its inner core and release the secondary characteristics that make Bordeaux the most cellared and sought after red wine in the world. Yet, this fine Bordeaux is so drinkable already, when decanted two hours before serving, one is tempted to commit infanticide. You decide what the more serious crime might be: to drink it now, or deprive yourself of the pleasure.
Accompaniments: The Bordelais enjoy a fine Haut-Medoc with everything from roast leg of lamb with garlic and herbs to young lamprey or eel in red wine, although we have not tried the latter, we can heartily endorse the former. We have also developed a fondness for the young Chateau St. Paul with braised rabbit in a mustard sauce. The rich sauce complements the masculine side of the Chateau St. Paul, while the lush, more feminine center of the wine brings out the tender, delicate flavor of the rabbit. Finish the bottle with some ripe, soft cheese and you might think that you’ve died and gone to heaven. Rare prime rib, steak or even stews also make for winning combinations with this fine Haut-Medoc. If your prefer to lay the Chateau St. Paul down for at least a couple more years of aging, you will find that veal, a plain roast chicken and a wide variety of meat and vegetarian dishes in the company of light cream sauces make for great accompaniments to a more mature Bordeaux! In an ideal world, you would have enough of this wine to experiment with now while your cellar full of this beauty matures to perfection.
Domaine du Rey:
All for One and One for All
Located in the heart of Gascony, the legendary home of the Three Musketeers, Domaine du Rey is an 89 acre property that has been in the family of vintner Guy Arrouy since1780. This pastoral region of France boasts a rich soil mixture of sand, clay, chalk and a warm climate - perfect attributes for the production of the province’s fresh aromatic white wine called "Cotes de Gascogne".
In centuries past, the white wines of the Cotes de Gascogne would have been sold as White Bordeaux, but today they bear their own name. They also exhibit their own special flavor, due largely to the grape varietals and unique soil compositions of this Vin du Pays.
In order to produce the very finest Cotes de Gascogne, Domaine du Rey limits its wine production to a single white wine under the Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne Appellation. Its vineyards are planted with the traditional vines of Gascony: 70% Colombard (lending fruit and aroma), 20% Ugni Blanc (the grape used to make Armagnac and Cognac, supplying finesse) and 10% Gros Manseng. The wine of Domaine du Rey is entirely estate bottled.
Domaine du Rey is a consistent medal winner at the Concours d’Eauze and the Concours General Agricole de Paris, two of France’s most prestigious wine competitions. The wine’s aroma recalls exotic fruits and woodland scents, and it exhibits a bracing freshness which makes it a prefect warm weather wine, and a leading candidate for the best white wine of the region. Undoubtedly, the quality of Monsieur Arrouy’s Cotes de Gascogne has not gone unnoticed by either the French consumer or the prestigious Guide Hachette des Vin, France’s bible of wine, which refers to Domaine du Rey as a "vin remarquable". We believe it is simply one of France’s best country wines.
Tasting Notes: The brilliant color of the 1997 Domaine du Rey Cotes de Gascogne makes the wine attractive from the start. Its powerful nose recalls exotic fruits, grapefruit and melon and the scent of blooming woodlands. Medium to full-bodied in the mouth, this Cotes de Gascogne bursts with fruit (not residual sugar) before it reveals a bracing acidity that provides freshness and definition, as well as a long, harmonious finish. It is best served chilled and consumed before its third birthday.
Accompaniments: The charm of good Cotes de Gascogne has always been its freshness and frivolity, making it a perfect wine for picnics, parties and uncomplicated fare. More than one taster has described the 1997 Domaine du Rey as her "party pick", the wine most appreciated by guests and hosts alike for its conviviality and charm. Hors d’oeuvres, canapes, grilled chicken, shrimp with cocktail sauce and other party time fare are some of our favorite foods to complement Domaine du Rey. Yet, in Gascogne, a region renowned for its hearty country pates, cassoulets and assorted truffle dishes, large quantities of Cotes du Gascogne are consumed with pate as an appetizer wine. Often it is taken on its own, too, as an aperitif. Creamy soft cheeses also make for a fine pairing with Domaine du Rey, when a light, uncomplicated yet flavorful wine is in order, a wine that can cut through the fat of the cheese and still retain its freshness. Try it!
Notable Quotes:
"Five qualities are wine’s praise advancing: strong, beautiful, fragrant, cool, and dancing."
----John Harrington (1561 - 1612)
"Time means so much in the life of a fine wine, that time should not be stinted in its appreciation. The wine of pedigree lineage is poured to be courted and played with - not instantly tossed down the throat."
----Warner Allen
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