Inseec Masters Christmas Party!

14th December 2005 at CONNEMARA PUB: Inseec Masters Christmas Party!

PLEASE MAKE YOUR MEAL RESERVATION WRITING TO: raniaburns@hotmail.com

Tour of Medoc - Châteaux: Patache d'Aux,Liversan,Pichon,Lynch Bages 05/12/2005

Tour of Medoc - Châteaux: Patache d'Aux,Liversan,Pichon,Lynch Bages

Médoc: The Magic of the Châteaux.

Everything started at Châreau Liversan (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), where we met Mr. Lapallu, owner of 7 Châteaux in the Medoc. After a quick visit of the estate and its equipement, we headed to Château Patache d'Aux (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), the main château of the Domaine Lapallu. There we could in particular see old wooden vats, which were still used until the late 7O's. Really interesting. Then we had the first highlight of the day: the wine tasting in the very nice designed tasting room of the château. 6 different vintages from various châteaux of Mr. Lapallu. It was a very good tasting, particularly interesting in terms of discovering the differences among wines of the same "appellation". So a great thank you to Mr. Lapallu for his kindness and the time he spent with us.
After lunch, we took the direction of Pauillac to visit our first "Grand Cru Classé" (Classified Great Growth): Château Lynch-Bages (5ème Grand Cru Classé). There we had a first overview of the very professional handling of wine making, bottlelling and marketing. And we finished the visit tasting the 1999 vintage of Lynch-Bages and the second wine of the château: Château Les Ormes de Pez (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, AOC St Estephe). Both very good wines.
Afterwards we went on with the second visit of the afternoon: Château Pichon-Longueville (2ème Grand Cru Classé). A very interesting visit lead by one of the technical managers of the château. Even after a long and exhaustive daytrip (partly due to the many professional tastings we had to come trough, eh Saurabh?!...;-)), he managed to chatch our attention in a funny, dynamic and instructive description of the production of a great growth from the vine to the bottle. A very well-organised visit which I can recommend to everyone who intends to visit a Château in the Médoc. Highlight of the visit was the ultra-modern vinification room which makes you feel more in a James Bond movie than in a cellar where the wine is elaborated! Great! Just for info, Pichon-Longueville has been bought by AXA Millésimes in 1987 and therefore benefit from massive investment.This said, I will never stress enough the fact that we've been very friendly and professionnally (as future actors of the wine and spirits industry) welcomed. Even it was the end of the day, even if we were a group of quite turbulent students, so quick message to the robot which did the Lynch-Bages: "were're not stupid, you were fake and we understood it. Bad image for the château, this is not very professional!". Back to Pichon-Longueville, we finished our daytrip tasting two different vintages: the second wine, pretty young, Les Tourelles de Longueville and a wonderful Château Pichon-Longueville 1997. After the traditionnal group photo, we all took the direction back to Brodeaux, delighted by this fascinating daytrip in the Médoc. Congratulations to the organisator Mathilde and thank you all for your active participation!

Group Wine MBA in a photo group

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1st visit > Domain LAPALU> Châteaux Liversan

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Superficie du vignoble: Situé dans un ensemble plus vaste de 53 hectares de vignes, le vignoble du château Liversan couvre une superficie de 39 hectares.
Production: Liversan, 250 000 bouteilles; Les Charmes de Liversan, second vin 40 000 bouteilles
Sol: Plateau de graves fines sur socle calcaire
Encépagement: 49% cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot,% Cabernet Franc
Densité moyenne de plantation: 7 000 pieds/hectare
Age moyen des vignes: 25 ans
Vinification: En cuves inox thermo-régulées. Cuvaisons longues de l'ordre de 3 à 4 semaines
Elevage: En barriques de chêne merrain de l'Allier (25 à 30% de barriques neuves tous les ans).

Monsieur Jean-Michel Lapalu explaining the terroir

The art of "Spitting out the wine", teached by Benoit...

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2nd visit > Domain LAPALU> Châteaux Patache d'Aux

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Superficie du vignoble: 43 hectares
Production: Patache d'Aux, 260 000 bouteilles; Le Relais de Patache, second vin 40 000 bouteilles
Sol: Argilo- calcaire avec sous-sol calcaire et caillouteux
Encépagement: 60% cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Densité moyenne de plantation: 8500 pieds/hectare
Age moyen des vignes: 35 ans
Vinification: En cuves bois, ciment et inox. Toutes les cuves sont thermo-régulées. Cuvaisons longues de l'ordre de 3 à 4 semaines
Elevage: En barriques de chêne merrain du centre de la France pendant 12 mois (20% de barriques neuves tous les ans)

We devastated the wine shop!

LANCH PAUSE, KEEP ON DRINKING WINE.....

Virgy and her proverbial tRAgiCOmic smile

Maty at the first course

Maty at the dessert....

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3rd visit > Jean-Michel Cazes > Châteaux Lynch Bages

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The Lynch-Bages estate (90 hectares) is located just outside the city of Pauillac, overlooking the Gironde estuary, on one of the most beautiful gravelly outcrops in the appellation.The well-drained soil consists mainly of Garonne gravel. The sub-soil (marl, chalk, and thick clay-sand gravel, or hardpan) forms a solid, but fairly disjointed foundation, enabling the roots of old vines to grow to a depth of 6-8 metres.

In 1974, Jean-Michel Cazes set about restructuring the estate. He equipped it with up-to-date technical facilities, but kept the old vat room dating from last century intact. It is now one of the Médoc's most unusual sights.The grapes are hand-picked and the wine is made in a vatroom containing 35 stainless steel vats equipped with temperature control systems. After blending, and a rigorous selection process resulting in a second wine, château Haut-Bages Averous, the wine is traditionally aged in oak barrels for 12 to 15 months before bottling.The estate has for many years also produced a very highly regarded white wine : Blanc de Lynch-Bages.

Lynch-Bages made primarily from Cabernet-Sauvignon, is famous for its fine bouquet and rich tannin, which becomes soft and delicious with age. Lynch-Bages is powerful with a long aftertaste.It is typical of the greatest wines of Pauillac.

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4th visit > Châteaux Pichon-Baron

Contact details: Address: Chateau Pichon Baron, 33250 Pauillac - Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 73 17 17 -Fax +33 (0) 5 56 73 17 28 - Internet: www.pichonlongueville.com

Chateau Pichon Baron is one of just two Pauillac second growths as determined by the 1855 classification, the other being Chateau Pichon Lalande. The two properties were once, as their names might suggest, part of one estate. Chateau Pichon Baron does not seem to receive the same level of adulation as Chateau Pichon Lalande, but that is not to say the wines are in any way lacking. The chateau is part of the AXA Millésimes portfolio, along with the likes of Chateau Suduiraut, and with Jean-Michel Cazes, who also owns Chateau Lynch Bages and Chateau Les Ormes de Pez, making the wine quality should indeed be high.
The seeds of the creation of the Pichon domaine, which was split to form Chateau Pichon Baron (the full title of which is Chateau Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville) and Chateau Pichon Lalande, may be found in the late 17th Century, when Jacques de Pichon-Longueville married Thérèse de Rauzan, daughter of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Rauzan had purchased a number of plots of vineyard in 1689 which, when they entered the Pichon family, became the foundation of the Pichon estate. In later years these were augmented by the exchange of plots of vines with neighbouring Chateau Latour. The estate quickly developed an excellent reputation, passing through three generations of the Pichon family before arriving at Joseph. Born in 1760 and surviving through to 1850, Joseph steered the estate through difficult times, including the French Revolution, which saw him incarcerated for a short period of time. Upon his death, however, the estate was divided between his five children. The three daughters took what was to become Pichon-Lalande. The two sons - one of whom died shortly after accepting his inheritance - took what is now Chateau Pichon Baron. Raoul de Pichon-Longueville, the surviving son, had the old manor house demolished and a fine chateau (above) built in its place. Upon his death in 1860 the estate passed to his cousin, but by 1933 there were no more heirs and the estate was sold to the Bouteiller family. Unfortunately, due to poor management quality fell, and by the 1970s it was clear that the wines made at Chateau Pichon Baron lacked the quality that is expected of a second growth. It was at this point that Jean-Michel Cazes and AXA Millésimes became involved.
AXA Millésimes has huge capability for investment and it is no surprise that there were many changes at Chateau Pichon Baron. The chai wasn't renovated, it was completely rebuilt, using a design by architects Patrick Dillon and Jean de Gastines. This came to be after the pair won a competition for the best design. The new buildings face each other across the fish pool in front of the chateau, and yet they are hardly noticeable as they are sunk into the ground. The cellars themselves extend beneath the pool in front of the chateau, the cool waters above helping to moderate the temperatures below. The chateau itself was renovated, although sadly it remains unoccupied. The result of this investment has been a heady rise in quality, and Pichon Baron now challenges Pichon Lalande where previously there was simply no competition.

Mr. Sam, famous enologue of Pichon-Baron

Lan at Chateau Pichon
The Wine: The vineyards at Pichon-Baron are planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The grand vin is Chateau Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville, with a typical production of 24000 cases. For this wine the grapes are fully destemmed before temperature controlled fermentation, malolactic mostly in vat (a little in oak) and 12-15 months ageing in barrel, of which 70% are new each year. The second wine is Les Tourelles de Longuville, of which 12000 cases are typically produced.

This amazing cellar is all under this artificial lake!!!!

Finally the last wine testing...a palat pleasure!

What can I say about this Ch. Pichon-Baron 2000 ?

A beautiful nose: plump, ripe and plummy. Very complex with a Margaux-like floral elegance. Firm tannins. Very compact with pencil-lead and sweet ripe notes. Superior to Pichon Lalande with a smooth powerhouse fininsh.Oozes class. The palate is very concentrated, a perfect expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, loaded with blackcurrant and cassis. Tannic but balanced but layers of black fruit. The finish is very long. Maybe the best wine ever from this estate. Great poise and elegance. A fabulous wine that will rank alongside the greats. Drink from 2015...... :)