The "Beaujolais Nouveau" is new for 60 years.

This is the first exciting wine event of the 2011 vintage!! The Beaujolais Nouveau is a tradition in Beaujolais for 60 years!  

In 1951, a decision of the French government authorizes the early launch on market. The Beaujolais nouveau took profit of this decision because the wines are very fruity and flavorful in Primeur.  While Bordeaux wines are sold in Primeur in march, the BN is ready to be drink the third week of November.  Moreover, it is very flavorful and fruity in this period.

The Beaujolais Nouveau became quickly an international event which represents nowadays the Opening of the New Vintage.  The well-known reputation of the BN is also due to its fantastic promotion. Each year the poster of the BN day is really beautiful, colored and efficient.

Let’s  have a look on some of them! 

(* The Beaujolais Nouveau is arrived

it is here!

at a professional...

wine merchant!)

What about the appellation Beaujolais?

This appellation is situated in the Bourgogne region in the east of France. Which is particulary interesting in This areas is that it exists 12 different beaujolais:

2 local appellations:

- beaujolais
- beaujolais villages

This regions only product wines which must be drunk 3 t 6 month after the bottling.
.

only these two can be sold as Beaujolais Nouveau.

There are also ten other vintages:

- Brouilly
- Chénas
- Chiroubles
- Côte de brouilly
- Fleury
- Julienas
- Morgon
- Moulin à vent
- Régnié
- Saint- Amour

These AOC product fine wines which can be kept 5 to 7 (rarely 10) years.

If you want to learn more about the Beaujolais nouveau, go to visit this website!

http://www.beaujolais.com/beaujolais-nouveau/index.php

Buy buy guys!!!!

Buzet, the appellation to be !

Hi my loves ! 

Sarah to the rescue ! This week, let's discover ....... (drum roll!!!!!) BuZet !  

This appellation, closed to Bordeaux, is typically the place where you can feel the expression of the terroir through all your body. I wish i will finish my life there.. 

OR maybe I am just joking ... Whatever, here is our amazing video ! Have a look and enjoy BuZet ! 

Have a nice trip 

Mouaah X

Sauternes & Barsac open doors

Sauternes & Barsac open doors to the public this weekend. It's a rare opportunity for enthusiasts of liqueur wine. My friends and I visited several chateaus in these two domains. And I want to share with you guys my fascinating experience by introducing you two chateaus in Sauternes in this article.Firstly, I would like to present roughly the Sauternes area. 

The area of Sauternes is a small region located on left bank of the Garonne 40 kilometers south-east of Bordeaux. The SAUTERNES appellation extends approximately on 1956 hectares (Barsac included) and on the territory of five towns: Sauternes (416 ha), Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Barsac.The wines of Sauternes are gilded, sweet, but also fine and delicate. Their " rôti " bouquet develops very well with ageing, becoming rich and complex, with crystallized orange and hazel nut, honey notes. The " rôti " is the specific character given by the noble rot to the Sauternes wines, which results in a taste and flavours of crystallized.

We started our journey with a visit to a second growth classified in 1855-Chateau Filhot. The estate covers an area of 350 hectares with 62 hectares of vineyard all along the south of the Sauternes village in the Sauternes appellation.The 62 hectares of vines of the château Filhot are planted with 60 % of Sémillon, 36 % of Sauvignon and 4 % of Muscadelle. The harvest is made with successive selections according to the state of maturation of the grapes and the evolution of the noble rot (botrytis cinerea). This long work of selection gives low yield, about 10 to 20 hl/ha depending on the year.

Then comes to the famous chateau-La Tour Blanche. (a premier cru, especially one ranked second to only Yquem). The vineyard at La Tour Blanche comprises approximately 65 hectares on a hill, which rises to a height of 67 metres, overlooking the Ciron. The soils are gravel over clay at the upper end of the vineyard, with soils of sand and loess closer to the river. The vines are predominantly white, these being 83% Semillon with 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle, although there is also a very small quantity of red vines. The fruit is first sorted, and a selection for the grand vin, Chateau La Tour de Blanche (up to 4000 cases per annum). Those not making the grade may well constitute part of the second wine, Les Charmilles de La Tour Blanche (typically 1250 cases per annum), which can be tremendous value in a good vintage. After fermentation in oak (stainless steel for the second wine), the grand vin will spend up to 18 months in new oak barrels, before fining, filtering and bottling. 

I've got a much deeper understanding about the area after the visits with nice guides. It seems to me that the liqueur wine in Sauternes has a great potential in the international market and will be appreciated by more and more people.

Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale

November is arrived : the beginning of the winter, the bad weather and the fresh temperature which accompany it, rains awaiting snows, days which shrink just a little more,…

But in November, it is also the famous Hospices de Beaune wine sale.

Each years, more particularly the third Sunday of November, Beaune, wine Burgundy‘s capital, celebrate the traditional event. On Sunday 20 November, the 151th Hospices de Beaune wine auction, the oldest and most prestigious charity wine sale in the world, is to take place at the Halles de Beaune. 

In 1443, at a time of misery and famine, Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to Philippe Le Bon, Duke of Burgundy, and his wife, Guigone de Salins, establish the Hotel-Dieu (Hospital) to take care of the ill and poor. Since its foundation, the Hospital has been funded by legacies and gifts in the form of money, land, buildings and –naturally in Burgundy– vineyards. In 1457, the first gift of vineyards is made by Guillemette Leverrier.

In 1859, for the first time, the Hospices wines are sold at auction.

Nowadays, the production area being run by the Hospices is close to 60 hectares, of which 50 are used for Pinot Noir, the rest for Chardonnay.

The 2011 crop is close in size to the average of recent decades. The Hospices will be offering 761 barrels called pieces (=One barrel, “une pièce”, contains 228 litres, or approximately 288 bottles of 75cl.): 618 pièces of red wine and 143 pièces of white wine. There will be 45 Cuvées at the wine auction - 32 of red and 13 of white.

Since 1945, every year the Hospices de Beaune has given its support to one or several charities by donating the value of one barrel of wine sold especially to that end: “la pièce du president” – the president’s barrel. This year, Ms. Ines de La Fressange will be the president of the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction. She will be supporting the Association Mécénat Chirugie. France Alzheimer Association that fights against Alzheimer's disease, which is now recognized as a key, public health priority, will also be a beneficiary of proceeds from this barrel. After the sale, wine will be tended by a Burgundy merchant-wholesaler in whose cellars it will mature until the chosen moment of bottling.

While waiting for this event, don’t forget another date: Thursday November, 17^th:

The BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY

Today Louise tells you about Muscadet!!!!!!

HIII Guys !!!

The first topic is the Muscadet, this subject is very important for me because I speak about my roots!!!! 

First of all, here is a little history about this dry and fruity wine.

The “appellation d’origine controlée” Muscadet is situated on the west of the Loire valley.  The wines are only white  and the grappe variety is called “Melon de Bourgogne”.  The name of the variety comes from its geographic origins because it has been imported from burgundy at the beginning of the XVIII th century.

Here is the “identity card” of the appellation.

The card of the Loire Valley: The Muscadet is situated on the west. 

Name: Muscadet

Acres: 11 000

Variety: Melon de Bourgogne

Color: white
soil: predominantly schist
description: it is a fresh and dry wine with aromas of citrus fruits. It fits very well with seafood!!! 

I tasted one for you!!! ( I know it very well, but I tasted it once more).

It is a dry wine (that is to say there is no sugar in the glass), very fruity (in particular citrus fruit and  minerality).  This wine is very appreciable at the aperitive and with seafood. But I drink it with everything so let’s taste it at home, it is not an expensive wine but a quality wine.

A field in the Muscadet: The Château of Chasseloir.

The château was destroyed during the French revolution  and now it remains only the tower of the 14th century : emblem of the château. (photo). 
the field has been bought by Bernard Chéreau in 1954 and then  he created the Chéreau - Carré company. 

The vineyard is located in Saint Fiacre sur Maine near Nantes, between two rivers: the Maine and the Sèvre giving the well known appellation “Muscadet Sèvre et Maine”. 

The reputation of the domaine comes from its one hundred years old vines, and also for the old cellar decorated by wood sculptures representing virtue and vice which contains 80 oak barrels.


The House of Chéreau - Carré privileged to produce the wine on the lies. This special technique gives a particluar aromas to the wine. The vinification on the lies is a guarantee of quality. 

If you want more information you can visit the website of the Chereau - Carré company : http://www.chereau-carre.fr

See you guys


Louise