Chateau Lafleur Pomerol VS Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion - Two of the Cult Chateau of the Right Bank of Bordeaux with Special Guest Dr. Robert Maliner

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If all be true that I do think,
There are five reasons we should drink:
Good wine - a friend - or being dry -
Or lest we should be by and by -
Or any other reason why.
Henry Aldrich 1647 - 1710

 

 

We really don't need an excuse here at Wine Watch but Saturday night will do! 

 

And you know it’s within a few weeks of my birthday when my favorite wines start coming out like the greatest Merlot on Earth from St. Emilion and Pomerol.  Tonight, we have an incredible line-up from two of the cult wines of the right bank of Bordeaux Chateau Ausone from St. Emilion and Chateau LaFleur from Pomerol.

Join us as we experience wines going back to the 1962 vintage along with a special menu to accompany the wines, the fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $995 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

 

 

Chateau Lafleur Pomerol VS Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion
Two of the Cult Chateau of the Right Bank of Bordeaux
With Special Guest Dr. Robert Maliner
Saturday, February 20, 2021
7:30 PM

1962 Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion

1979 Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion

1998 Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion

2004  Chapelle d’Ausone Saint Emilion

1983 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol

1985 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol

1988 Chatea  Lafleur Pomerol

1990 Chatea  Lafleur Pomerol

1995 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol

1996 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol

 

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Carpaccio with wild herbs and black pepper aioli

Traditional Beef Tartar with quail egg

Black currant glazed Muscovy duck breast with sweet potato Au gratin

Chocolate Covered Bacon

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $995 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

 

A bit About Chateau Lafleur :

If you were looking for the most sought after wine in  Pomerol you would be searching for Petrus.  If you talked with the Christian Moueix, owner of Petrus, and asked him if there was a wine that rivaled his own, undoubtedly the words Chateau La Fleur would roll off his tongue.  Many Bordeaux aficionados would offer you a similar opinion of this 4.5 hectare estate- the wine made here can rival the best of Pomerol’s hors concours . 

Like so many of the estates in Pomerol, La Fleur has a short and unadorned history.  One of the first mentions of this estate is made in the second edition of Cocks and Feret published in 1868.  Here under the title of  ‘Au Gay’, a Veuve Greloud makes 35 tonneaux and the wine was rated ninth in the commune.  The Grelouds are said to have purchased Le Gay from the De Bechade family, when it was called Le Manoir de Gay.  Soon after the estate was split between her two sons.  Henri took what was at first termed the Domaine de Lafleur; his brother Emile ‘Au Gay’.  Today these are the Chateau Lafleur and Le Gay, though there are other neighboring properties with both Fleur and Gay in their titles. Lafleur and Le Gay today occupy precisely the same terrain they did then, and they are still owned by the same family.

In the years after the split Lafleur won over the critics quickly and by 1893 the wine was rated third in the commune after Pètrus and Vieux Chateau Certain.  It fetched 1,700 to 2,000 francs a tonneau while Pètrus would sometimes fetch 3,000 franc, but nevertheless this lower price was on a par with third growths of the Mèdoc.  From the Grelouds Lafleur passed to a son-in-law Andrè Robin, shortly after the first world war Andrè won a gold medal for the state of his vineyard in 1925 – and, presumably because Robin was the sole survivor in his generation, Le Gay passed to him as well.  Andrè had two daughters Marie and Thérèse, neither of which married.  As they got older they wanted less and less responsibility for the vineyards.   Térèse died in 1984 and  Marie Robin has been the sole proprietor since.  The property has been farmed by a young cousin of the family Jacques Guinaudeau since 1985.  

This 4.5-hectare is a single parcel, what the French call- un seul tenant.  It lies just barely 200 meters north of Pètrus itself, the vines along one side are neighbors with those of Lafleur Pètrus, in another direction with those of La Fleur-Gazin.  To the north and west lie the Le Gay vineyards, Le Gay itself, La Croix-de-Gay and Vray Croix-de-Gay.  Much of the greatness lies in the soils.   Both the Robin vineyards are gravely enriched with iron and some sand, but also characterized by extremely important deposits of phosphorous and potassium.   It is this clay, however that gives the wine its extra vigor.  The vineyards are planted with equal portions of Merlot and Bouchet (this is the local name for Cabernet Franc).  The motto at Lafleur has always been ‘Qualitè passe quantitè’, quality is more important than quantity, and the quantity in an average year lingers around 1000 cases.  Like so many of the estates in Pomerol, Lafleur is more of a barn than a winery.  Some wine critics have commented about the almost filthy conditions of the barn and seem utterly amazed that wine of any quality can be produced here.

A bit about Chateau Ausone

The history of the estate slowly distils its secrets from old memoirs and learned studies. By following the linguistic evolutions of the same name, the story unfolds. From Casteau Dauzone to Château Dosone and finally Château Ausone, the unchanging tribute to the Latin poet becomes loud and clear.

Decimus Magnus Ausonius was an excellent orator all his life. His genius earned him an enormous reputation in the Gallo-Roman world, as he progressed from academia via politics to literature. He was made Preceptor and then Consul under the Emperor Gratian, and oscillated continuously between writing and positions of authority. His poetry is renowned for being amongst the most brilliant of his period and was one of the first to sing the praises of Bordeaux and its wines. Ausonius was born in the vines and was their unchallenged champion.

The traces he left in the Bordeaux area have long been a source of fascination for historians. From the end of the sixteenth century, the search began for his most imposing estate, Lucaniacum, whose wine Ausonius extolled the virtues of. Today, there remains little doubt that this property was located where the present chateau stands.

With the passage of time and as a result of working the land, ancient reminders surface: pieces of agricultural implements,  mosaics depicting vines and fragments of statues.

Ausonius the writer and winegrower, inciting archaeological speculation and literary inspiration, seems to have been destined to enrich wine culture with his name and reputation. The decision for the property to adopt the former at the end of the sixteenth century boded well. Under the poet’s influence, the heady vision took shape of expressing the very best from the vine in practice and in words.

The Ausone estate is anchored to the side of the hill in a place called Roc Blancan, literally “white rock”. It is a mineral stage, slowly hewn by Man, where, for the last two thousand years, life has chosen to establish itself in stone, as have the vines.

Ausone limestone was sometimes a refuge, sometimes a resource. Being both easy to shape and resilient, it soon became sought after and was used to build a substantial part of Bordeaux’s architectural heritage. For seven centuries, quarrying hollowed out enormous galleries under the chateau, which remain with a maze of tunnels as a reminder of the quarryman’s labour. Most symbolically, the rock became homes for whole families, who took up residence inside the abandoned quarries.

The Ausone rock also constitutes a vast religious chronicle. It was not just a place to live but also a place to pray. In the Middle Ages, the thick limestone bank that lies above the property hosted burials and then a small Romanesque chapel. It is still there today, standing in the middle of one of the parcels, a place of worship surrounded by vines. And beneath it lies another treasure of Christian art, an underground rotunda with a fresco of the Last Judgement.

The rock is however a lot more than just a backdrop for the vines; it provides an essential limestone medium in which they bury their roots. And further below, the barrels of wine patiently wait in the underground quarries that were converted into cellars in the eighteenth century. In the peace and silence, the humidity and stable temperatures combine to create ideal conditions for ageing.

Time, as if slowed by the weight of the stone, lovingly crafts each vintage.

Two thousand years of cultivation are ample proof that on the Ausone estate, nature concentrates its gifts in favour of wine. Here, the mildness of the weather has always beckoned wine growers.

On its rocky perch, the chateau distributes its seven hectares (17 acres) of vines across small terraces. Surrounded by stone, these parcels are sheltered from the wind, while enjoying a perfect east south-east exposure. The very generous sunshine, together with the Dordogne and Isle rivers that meet nearby, concoct an ideal microclimate for the vines. Nature sees to it season after season that everything works together to ensure the growth of the finest fruit.
However, the wonderful alchemy of this place also takes place out of sight in the soil with its secrets.

A proportion of the vines grows on a plateau made up of asteriated limestone, where their roots seek out a modicum of energy in the rock. On the hill, the vines anchor themselves in limestone with clay soil, where the clay provides welcome moisture when drought conditions prevail. The two growth environments are as hospitable as the other. Ausone’s slopes accommodate the parcels and ripen the grapes with optimal balance.

The estate’s soils and weather couldn’t provide a more promising terroir. Even episodes of extreme weather hardly disturb the harmony that has become established here. The devastating winter frosts of 1892 or 1956 were no exception. While many estates were hard-hit by the freezing cold, Ausone’s vines enjoyed astonishing immunity.

However, this is nothing to brag about, because the lesson is clear: what nature offers here is good fortune, not entitlement.

The Vauthier family have taken care of this vineyard with an unwavering passion for the soil since 1690. Here, everyone has purple-stained hands from working in the cellars. Alain and his elder daughter Pauline, of the eleventh wine growing generation, make the wine today, while remaining loyal to the spirit of their ancestors.

The majority of Ausone’s vines are Cabernet Franc with a smaller proportion of Merlot. They all reach an age of fifty years on average, while in some places they are a century old. The seasoned terroir has always benefitted from the attentive care of winegrowers. The estate can be quickly covered on foot, which makes it easier to look after. No detail escapes the vineyard crew, who keep a steady eye on the rows, while tasting the grapes. No pre-set calendar is applied, the fruit itself sets the pace and regulates everyone’s patience.

Beyond the vines themselves, the wider ecosystem is also taken into account. Hedges, fruit trees and aromatic plants are also grown as companions for the vines, stimulating a fertile exchange between species, backed up with natural applications of nettle, willow and valerian. A variety of wildlife is also preserved, including insects, birds and even bats, which all contribute in their own way to releasing the vital energy in the soil.

Château Ausone rarely sticks to any one strict regimen. Methods inspired by both organic and biodynamic procedures are implemented, which are above all the gentlest ways to craft wines. In fact, in this legendary vineyard, the best tactic that Man can adopt is discretion. From the vineyard through to the cellars, all the deliberate, measured practices employed pursue a single ambition, that of enabling the terroir to express itself as genuinely as possible.

Château Ausone is the jewel of the estate, a masterpiece of subtle elegance. Like a cathedral, it initially presents a big, powerful, mineral profile of Cabernet Franc.

Then comes the Merlot, round and pure with a chiselled texture. Finesse and freshness linger long on the palate, finishing with exquisite balance.

This is a monumental wine that travels through time, polished by its loving passage.

The estate also offers a lovely overture, Chapelle d’Ausone. Crafted in the same conditions as its elder sibling, its slightest concern is that it is made with grapes from young vines that will later produce the First Wine. Beside the Cabernet Franc, the Merlot stands out more distinctly, enhancing the crisp fruit and mingling with the subtlest hints of Cabernet Sauvignon. As always, Ausone’s hallmark of taste, its omnipresent elegance, is passionately displayed.

 

The Right Bank

The Bordeaux region is one of the most important wine-producing regions in the world, it produces a third of the good quality wine French production. Bordeaux is 57 appellations, more than 9,000 wine-producing châteaux, and 13,000 wine growers.  Bordeaux is near the Atlantic coast, in the south west of France.  Wine has been grown in Bordeaux for two thousand years. Most probably vines grew there before the arrival of the Roman in 56 before J.C.  The poet Ausonius wrote about it, a château still bare his name, the "Château Ausone". 

At the beginning of the second millennium the region was under English domination. Hundred of boats loaded with barrels of "Claret" left for England.  The "Claret" was a light red wine Englishmen loved, the word is still used to refer to Red Bordeaux.  The large diversity of Bordeaux suggests an equal diversity of soil. The climate is generally temperate with a short winter and a high degree of humidity generated by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. 

The celebrated regions of the right bank, Pomerol and St Emilion, have very little to do with the rest of Bordeaux. They lie well to the east of Bordeaux itself. Where the Médoc and Graves are characterized by gravelly soils, on the right bank the soil has more clay and limestone. Cabernet Sauvignon does not usually perform well here, and Merlot and Cabernet Franc are much more widely planted. A warmer drier climate than the maritime Médoc also benefits the region.

The right bank was mostly excluded from the 1855 classification (the exceptions being the St Emilion first growths of Cheval Blanc and Ausone) and as a whole was not taken that seriously until the early 20th century.  Today, due to the garagist movement- the recent development on the Right Bank has been the production of wines from newly created but tiny estates.  A policy of very low yields, ageing in new oak barrels, and the rarity value of the wines, has created a somewhat absurd demand for such exceedingly expensive wines as Le Pin (Pomerol) and Valandraud (St Emilion).  Their quality is excellent, but they offer poor value, except for wine drinkers who must have 'cult' wines in their cellars at all costs.  This is a reflection of the quality of the best wines and of the sensuous properties of the Merlot grape, which gives rounder, more opulent wines than the austere Cabernet Sauvignon.  The St Emilion wines have been classified, but Pomerol still has no classification, although the best wines are internationally recognized.

Because the wine business has been so entrenched in their history and the entire economy of this region of France is based on what the English have coined the term “Claret”, they have a system of doing business like other wine producing region on the face of the earth.  The best of the Bordeaulaise get paid for their product up to two years before it gets to the market.  The top wines are sought out by collectors the world over years before they will come to rest in their cellars; and in some cases many years before they will actually be consumed.  It is like the stock market, for wine junkies.  Bordeaux Futures are a bet that the wine will be more valuable when it arrives than it was when it was actually purchased. 

 

Pomerol

The Pomerol vineyards are located on a plateau that rises and falls slightly as it slopes gently down through a series of terraces toward the valley of the Isle River, which flows into the Dordogne River.  The appellation is bordered on the north by the Barbanne, a tributary of the Isle, on the east by Saint Emilion (the Cheval Blanc and Figeac wine estates), and on the south and west by the city of Libourne.  Pomerol is an area only two and a half miles long and two miles wide with exceptionally favorable geology and unique wine-producing potential.  It is one of the smallest of the Bordeaux wine areas and produces a yearly average of about 350,000 cases of wine.  Most of the region's properties, with a few exceptions, are small; the 185 wine estates in Pomerol have an average of eight acres of grapes each.  The area is mainly characterized by a unique set of geological conditions.  The surface soil is gravel, more or less compact or sandy; and its subsoil contains ferrous oxide, locally known as "crasse de fer", which, together with its specific microclimate, gives Pomerol wines their distinctive personality.

It is speculated that wine grapes have been grown there ever since the Romans inhabited Gaul.  The development of the vineyards began in the 12th Century and continued throughout the Middle Ages.  Pomerol was an important stopping place along the road of the pilgrims journeying from all over Europe to the Spanish pilgrimage of Saint Jacques de Compostelle.  The Knights of Malta built a manor and a Roman church - since destroyed - as well as a hospital.  The ancient hospital is the present Château Gazin building; it may be one of the last vestiges of the middle ages in Pomerol.  Unfortunately, the troubles of the Hundred Years' War led to the abandonment of most of the vineyards.  Subsequently restored, they again suffered greatly during the Religious Wars.  Minutes in the archives of Libourne date the beginning of Pomerol's evolution toward its modern form to the middle of the 18th Century.  It began in 1753 when Louis Leonard Fontemoing, a grape-grower in a locality called "Trop Chaud" ("Too Hot"), transformed his vineyard by taking out the white grapes and putting in red grapes.  Besides the Pressac red, bouchet (or cabernet franc) and merlot made their first historically recorded appearance.  They are the dominant varieties in Pomerol today.

Some historians claim that the real ascendancy of Pomerol began in the second half of the 19th Century.  However, modern tasters have reported on many great Pomerol vintages (dating back to the 1920's) from the region's pre-eminent estate, Château Pétrus.  Nevertheless, pre-war vintages of Pomerol were not much in demand; and most winelovers of that era did not seek out Château Pétrus or any other of the notable Pomerol properties.  It was not until the legendary 1947 vintage that Pétrus gained notoriety in wine circles.  Although we have not tasted that particular vintage, those experienced tasters who have had the privilege of sampling the 1947 Pétrus at its zenith (it may still be at that level today) claim that the 1947 Pétrus is one of the greatest wines produced in the 20th Century.  Despite the fame of the 1947 vintage, another generation of winedrinkers generally ignored the wines of Pomerol.  We recall drinking exceptional Pomerols from vintages in the 1960's that commanded prices well below their counterparts in the Médoc (the area of Bordeaux where fabled estates such as Mouton, Lafite, Latour, and Margaux are located).  However, beginning in the 1980's - specifically the 1982 vintage - Pomerol began to command average prices that exceeded those of most other Bordeaux wines.  Today older vintages of Chateau Pétrus sell for up to $10,000 a bottle! 

 

All the Pomerol in the store:

2015 Chateau Certan De May Pomerol
Price: $160.50    Your Price: $141.24          Quantity in Stock: 1

2015 Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol
Price: $258.00    Your Price: $227.04          Quantity in Stock: 5

2015 La Fleur Saint Georges Lalande de Pomerol
Price: $27.00       Your Price: $23.76            Quantity in Stock: 17

2015 Chateau Petit Village Pomerol
Price: $111.00    Your Price: $97.68            Quantity in Stock: 13

2010 Le Plus de La Fleur de Bouard Lalande de Pomerol
Price: $139.00    Your Price: $122.32          Quantity in Stock: 4

2010 Chateau Rouget Pomerol
Price: $105.00    Sale Price: $89.00             Quantity in Stock: 6

2008 Chateau Le Pin Pomerol
Price: $4200.00  Sale Price: $3250.00         Quantity in Stock: 1

2005 Chateau La Fleur Petrus Pomerol
Price: $375.00    Sale Price: $295.00           Quantity in Stock: 6

1998 Chateau Petrus Pomerol
Price: $5500.00  Sale Price: $4500.00         Quantity in Stock: 1

1997 Chateau Petrus Pomerol
Price: $2750.00  Sale Price: $2000.00         Quantity in Stock: 1

1995 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol
Price: $995.00    Sale Price: $695.00           Quantity in Stock: 1

1990 Chateau Petrus Pomerol
Price: $5999.00  Your Price: $5279.12        Quantity in Stock: 1

1989 Chateau Petrus Pomerol
Price: $5999.00  Your Price: $5279.12        Quantity in Stock: 1

1986 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol
Price: $1500.00  Sale Price: $1149.00         Quantity in Stock: 2

1981 Château Lafleur Pomerol (High Shoulder)
Price: $575.00    Sale Price: $475.00           Quantity in Stock: 1

1979 Chateau Petrus Pomerol 375ml
Price: $1500.00  Sale Price: $1250.00         Quantity in Stock: 1

1966 Domaine de L'Eglise Pomerol
Price: $270.00    Sale Price: $210.00           Quantity in Stock: 1

 

 

All the St Emilion in the store:

2018 Chateau Fleur Cardinale Saint Emilion Grand Cru Magnum Edition Hard Rock
Price: $225.00    Your Price: $198.00          Quantity in Stock: 6

2016 Chateau Lassegue St. Emilion
Price: $54.00       Your Price: $47.52            Quantity in Stock: 12

2016 Chateau Lassegue De Cadrans St. Emilion
Price: $26.50       Your Price: $23.32            Quantity in Stock: 26

2016 Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $37.00       Your Price: $32.56            Quantity in Stock: 1

2015 Fait Main Todeschini Asteria Vineyards Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $235.00    Your Price: $206.80          Quantity in Stock: 12

2014 Relais de la Dominique St. Emilion
Price: $34.50       Your Price: $30.36            Quantity in Stock: 20

2012 Chateau Tauzinat L'Hermitage St. Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $30.00       Your Price: $26.40            Quantity in Stock: 5

2012 Chateau Laroque Grand Cru St. Emilion
Price: $55.50       Your Price: $48.84            Quantity in Stock: 4

2011 Chateau Lassegue St. Emilion
Price: $54.00       Your Price: $47.52            Quantity in Stock: 2

2010 Chateau Pavie Macquin St. Emilion
Price: $262.50    Your Price: $231.00          Quantity in Stock: 5

2010 Chateau Vieux Rivallon Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $39.75       Your Price: $34.98            Quantity in Stock: 1

2010 Chateau La Grande Clotte Lussac-Saint-Emilion Blanc
Price: $27.00       Your Price: $23.76            Quantity in Stock: 29

2009 Chateau Barde Haut St. Emilion
Price: $69.00       Your Price: $60.72            Quantity in Stock: 2

2008 Chateau Les Gravieres Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $49.00       Your Price: $43.12            Quantity in Stock: 1

2005 Chateau Pavie St Emilion
Price: $495.00    Sale Price: $395.00           Quantity in Stock: 2

2005 Chateau Faugeres St. Emilion
Price: $89.00       Sale Price: $69.00             Quantity in Stock: 18

2005 Troplong Mondot St. Emilion
Price: $295.00    Your Price: $259.60          Quantity in Stock: 1

2005 Chateau Lucia St. Emilion
Price: $115.00    Sale Price: $99.00             Quantity in Stock: 11

2005 Chateau La Gaffeliere St. Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classe
Price: $149.00    Sale Price: $119.00           Quantity in Stock: 2

2005 Chateau Larcis Ducasse Saint Emilion
Price: $295.00    Your Price: $259.60          Quantity in Stock: 1

2005 Chateau La Grande Clotte Lussac Saint Emilion
Price: $29.00       Sale Price: $25.00             Quantity in Stock: 8

2005 Chateau Haut Brisson La Reserve Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $65.00       Your Price: $57.20            Quantity in Stock: 1

2005 Chateau Beau Sejour Becot Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe
Price: $115.00    Sale Price: $99.00             Quantity in Stock: 4

2005 Sanctus de la Bienfaisance St Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $75.00       Your Price: $66.00            Quantity in Stock: 4

2005 Chateau Quinault L'Enclos St Emilion
Price: $80.00       Sale Price: $65.00             Quantity in Stock: 1

2005 Chateau Peby Faugeres St Emilion
Price: $450.00    Your Price: $396.00          Quantity in Stock: 1

2004 Chateau Abelyce Saint Emilion
Price: $43.00       Your Price: $37.84            Quantity in Stock: 1

2004 Chateau Quinault L'Enclos Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $65.00       Your Price: $57.20            Quantity in Stock: 4

2001 Chateau Pavie St Emilion
Price: $395.00    Sale Price: $315.00           Quantity in Stock: 1

1999 Chateau Pavie St Emilion 6 Liter
Price: $2950.00  Sale Price: $2450.00         Quantity in Stock: 1

1982 Chateau Pavie Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Price: $600.00    Sale Price: $495.00           Quantity in Stock: 1

1982 Chateau Cheval Blanc St. Emilion
Price: $1250.00  Your Price: $1100.00        Quantity in Stock: 1