Group Wine MBA ready for the visit and the tasting
We all met on Saturday 19th November at 9:30 at Daniel's appartment, some of us a little late (because of breakfast at Virginia's, because of not enough bakeries in Bordeaux, because of the coldness of the weather or whatever..., I won't tell the names it's always the same people). Anyway we were all more or less fit for the excursion to St Emilion. After a while and a tough debate about the best way to choose between Dan and Ale, we finally left around 10:30. The 1-hour way to St Emilion was pretty cahotic as the leading car was driven by our "Fast and Furious Italian" but we finally got there safe and sound.
The visit of the Château de Pressac began immediately, lead by the owner of the place Mr Quenin. After a bit of history, Mr Quenin explained us the specificites of the soil of his wineyard and the different types of grape he is using to produce his St Emilion wine. The cold weather forced us to shorten the outside visit and so we discovered the wine cellar with all the vats where the wine is being made and the oak barrels where it is aging. Finally the time came for the "highlight" of this visit: the wine tasting. We tasted in fact 2 wines, one Lalande de Pomerol from the Château Pavillon Bel Air and one Château de Pressac (both 2001 vintage). The visit finished in a good atmosphere, everyone seemed to have appreciate and enjoyed the time at the Château de Pressac. Group photo, salutations and we were already heading to the village of St Emilion to have lunch.
What can be said about this restaurant...? Hem, it was a restaurant aimed at tourists. If you have already been a tourist in France you will easily understand the fantastic (for you Ale ;-)) reception we got and the great food we were given to savour, with plenty of french fries and a greenish stain that happened to be spinach. I know I am unfair with this restaurant but I hate spinach and they almost forced me to eat some!!!... instead of giving me extra french fries. One, two or three pieces would have been ok but no... Terrible "dellusion". Anyway, enough about my tastes and this restaurant. Just a last thing, some of us tasted a Fronsac 2000 which proved to be really good. The rest of the day was spent on the visit of the village, mainly the wine shops.
PS: Alessandro, don't forget, Iwant the Château d'Yquem 1893 for Christmas.
So that's all for St Emilion, I hope everyone enjoyed it and once again thank you Daniel!
Château de PressacDominique & Jean-François Quenin - Saint Etienne de Lisse - 33330 Saint Emilion
Tél : +33 (0)5.57.40.18.02Fax : +33 (0)5.57.40.10.07
Historique Magnifiquement situé sur les coteaux de Saint -Emilion, le Château de Pressac date pour partie, du XIII é siècle. Remanié à différentes époques, sa partie la plus ancienne, constituée par la porte d'entrée, le mur d'enceinte et deux vieilles tours est restée intacte.C'est au château de Pressac, à l'issue de la bataille de Castillon, qu'à été signé en 1453, le traité mettant fin à la guerre de cent ans.
Propriétaires Rien ne prédestinait Dominique et Jean-François Quenin à vouloir redonner les lettres de noblesses au château de Pressac. Elle, ancienne juriste, lui ancien cadre supérieur, ont trouvé un nouveau challenge professionnel et familial dans lequel ils se sont engagés depuis 1996. Dans un premier temps, propriétaires du château Pavillon-Bel-Air, à Lalande de Pomerol, ils sont devenus viticulteurs à plein temps et habitent le Château de Pressac depuis 1997.
Daniel, our brilliant tour organizator
Les vins du château de Pressac
" Des vins de longue garde, charpentés, fins et élégants "
Château de Pressac / Château Tour de Pressac / Château Pavillon Bel Air
Vignoble Le vignoble couvre une superficie de 30 hectares sur les 40, d'un seul tenant, que compte la propriété. A terme, il sera complanté de la manière suivante : Merlot 70 %, Cabernet Franc 20 %, Cabernet Sauvignon 7 %, Carmenère 2 %, Pressac 1 %.*Carmenere : cépage dont l'origine remonte au XVIe s
Vendanges Les vendanges sont faites à la main par une troupe d'une cinquantaine de personnes, composée ces dernières années par le personnel de la propriété, une famille de gitans et des étudiants danois.
Les grappes, au chai, sont triées trois fois (deux fois manuellement et une fois sur une table vibrante mécanique) pour ne garder que les grains sains et mûrs. Vinification Le même soin est apporté à la vinification qui est effectuée en cuves béton selon les méthodes traditionnelles sans se priver d'outils les plus modernes tels que la maîtrise électronique des températures, ou un robot pigeur* sur rails, ...
Elevage L'élevage des vins du château de Pressac est effectué durant une année environ en fûts de chêne neufs d'origine française, renouvelés chaque année.
Finally, the wine tasting!
Very serious evaluation...
.....ahahahah we were kidding of course!....
We arrived to S.Emilion with my italian Ferrari!
A new husband!
Saint Emilion - History
Saint-Emilion was named for the Benedictine monk, Emilian who arrived in the 8th century to live a reclusive life as a hermit. After 17 years, he had become the leader of a group of other Benedictines who had also come to the area. He had such a strong impact on the town that it eventually took his name. The town of Saint-Emilion was a center of religious life in those days. The monks carved an entire church from a single huge piece of limestone over the course of 300 years beginning in the 9th century. It remains today as the greatest monolith church in Europe.
As time passed the town prospered and grew. To protect the residents and commerce, the town became fortified and surrounded with strong walls which are still there today. During the 12th century, the town became even more fortified with the addition of a moat, gates, the City Keep , the King's Tower and inner ramparts built to strengthen the fortifications.
From the 13th century to the 16th century, the region was marked by wars between the French and English. The region (and the town of Saint Emilion) changed ownership on several occasions. The town was looted more than once by each side. By the end of the 16th century, Saint Emilion was no longer the prosperous center that it had once been. Many of the buildings and monuments were damaged and the population was diminished. Saint Emilion held on until the start of the French revolution in 1789. During the period of the revolution, nearly all the residents of the town moved out. That left the town as an easy target for rovolutionaries (and vandals) who further defaced and damaged the town. Saint Emilion remained almost completely unoccupied for the next 100 years.
In the mid 1800s, the growth of the wine trade and commerce related to it brought a new prosperity to the region. As the reputation for the wines of Saint Emilion grew, so did travel to the region by traders and tourists. The residents of the area started restoring the town to accomodate the wine trade and to take advantage of the traffic it created.
Today, the town of Saint Emilion is a "must see" for travellers to Bordeaux. It is a living history lesson and retains much of the atmosphere and charm of past centuries.
Mati drinks only water....???!!!
So, why she's laughing so much?
Now we understand!!!!
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S.Emilion wines:
Premier grands crus classes A / First Great Growths category A
Chateau Ausone
Chateau Cheval Blanc
Premier grands crus classes B / First Great Growths category B
Chateau Angelus
Chateau Beausejour-Becot
Chateau Beausejour-Duffau-Lagarrosse
Chateau Belair
Chateau Canon
Clos Fourtet
Chateau Figeac
Chateau La Gaffeliere
Chateau Magdelaine
Chateau Pavie
Chateau Trottevieille
Grands crus classes / Great Growths
Chateau Balestard la Tonnelle
Chateau Bellevue
Chateau Bergat
Chateau Berliquet
Chateau Cadet-Bon
Chateau Cadet-Piolat
Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere
Chateau Cap de Mourlin
Chateau Chauvin
Clos des Jacobins
Clos de l'Oratoire
Clos Saint-Martin
Chateau Corbin
Chateau Corbin-Michotte
Chateau Couvent de Jacobins
Chateau Cure Bon La Madeleine
Chateau Dassault
Chateau Faurie de Souchard
Chateau Fonplegade
Chateau Fonroque
Chateau Franc-Mayne
Chateau Grand Mayne
Chateau Grand Pontet
Chateau Grandes Murailles
Chateau Guadet Saint-Julien
Chateau Haut Corbin
Chateau Haut Sarpe
Chateau La Clotte
Chateau La Clusiere
Chateau Couspaude
Chateau La Dominique
Chateau La Marzelle
Chateau Laniote
Chateau Larcis-Ducasse
Chateau Larmande
Chateau Laroque
Chateau Laroze
Chateau l'Arrosee
Chateau La Serre
Chateau La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Giraud-Belivier)
Chateau La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix)
Chateau La Tour Figeac
Chateau Le Prieure
Chateau Matras
Chateau Moulin du Cadet
Chateau Pavie-Decesse
Chateau Pavie-Macquin
Chateau Petit-Faurie-de-Soutard
Chateau Ripeau
Chateau Saint-Georges Côte Pavie
Chateau Soutard
Chateau Tertre Daugay
Chateau Troplong-Mondot
Chateau Villemaurine
Chateau Yon-Figeac
Other Excellent Saint Emilion:
Chateau Simard
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Chateaux d'Yquem, 1893; Euro 4.290,00 founded in a S.Emilion wine shop
Bye Bye everyone, see you to the next event!!!!!
For example you don't need to drink during a serious wine testing (as it's showed in the picture....)
...but! How it could have happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
