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The motto “Servio Fideliter” of Château Branas Grand-Poujeaux was chosen in reference to the property’s history. The estate was once owned by the nuns of the order of Saint Vincent de Paul, who founded a school for girls near the château. “Servio Fideliter” was the order’s motto, meaning “I serve faithfully”.

This motto reflects the property’s commitment to producing wines of superior quality while respecting Bordeaux traditions, all the while bringing forward its own style and its unique terroir.

But why am I telling you about this wine? Quite simply because I had the chance to meet the owner at the time, Jacques. I greatly enjoyed those moments of conversation around wine, and he had a gift for introducing me to appellations I still keep in my cellar today — I owe him the “Loupiac” wines, so beautiful and so good.

In 2002 the estate became the property of Justin Onclin (also the owner of Villemaurine in Saint-Émilion). In 2020, he acquired Ch. Granins Grand Poujeaux — but that’s another story…

Nonetheless, in more than 20 years he transformed Branas, and it has become a safe bet in Grand-Poujeaux, among the prestigious “Chasse-Spleen” and “Château Poujeaux”. Branas is therefore continuing its rise…

Sadly I won’t be telling you about a tasting in this article, because I haven’t dared open the few bottles of Branas and Clos des Demoiselles from the 1998 vintage. I want to keep them in tribute to this gentleman. But there’s no doubt I’ll soon be telling you about a vintage from the Justin Onclin era.

For those who don’t know the “Cru Artisan” designation, here’s what makes it distinctive:

“Cru artisan” wines are a relatively recent Bordeaux designation. It was created in 2012 to recognise small wine producers who take an artisanal approach to growing and winemaking.

These wines are produced using traditional, artisanal methods, with particular attention paid to every stage of production. The vines are farmed organically or sustainably, without excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. The grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted so that only the best are kept.

“Cru artisan” wines are produced on a small scale, often by family vineyard owners. They’re frequently vinified in concrete or wooden vats and aged in oak barrels for varying periods. The result is a quality wine, complex and balanced, that reflects the terroir and the winemaker’s know-how.

“Cru artisan” wines are seen as an alternative to the better-known and more expensive Bordeaux wines. They offer excellent value for money and are often more affordable than Bordeaux’s grands crus classés.

On to the tasting:

A dark robe with chocolatey tones; the nose is very woody, and aromas of red fruit emerge, though discreetly.

On the palate it’s discreet at first, but it offers a lovely balanced length with a little spike of acidity.

There’s that length I call “flat” — meaning the aromas are non-existent at the start, almost absent, and then explode all at once. I haven’t managed to find a way to describe this phenomenon, but I’m working on it 😉

This wine will be tricky to find, but a visit to the Médoc is probably the best way!

Tavel is considered by many connoisseurs to be the finest rosé in the world. This grand cru is grown in the Rhône Valley, on the slopes lining the river’s right bank, between the Pont d’Avignon and the Pont du Gard. The Tavel area covers the communes of Tavel and Roquemaure, in the Gard.

Tavel owes its uniqueness to a winemaking process that sets it completely apart from all other rosés, and which resembles that of a red wine: long macerations of 48 to 72 hours. After pressing, fermentations of 10 to 15 days are carried out at low temperature (13-14°C). It comes from a blend of free-run juice, which brings the aromas, the fruit, the freshness and the necessary acidity, and press juice, which preserves its richness, its structure and its power.

I had the chance to taste the one produced by the winegrowers of Tavel & Lirac (thanks Hervé). Visually it’s brilliant, with a flamboyant red colour.

On the palate, the wine is ample and round. It expresses a lovely aromatic power with a finish on spice, staying soft without excessive acidity. Naturally its price will be a little higher than traditional rosés, but it can be kept and will be enjoyed at any time — even in winter.

This is a pure Merlot, from a richly diverse terroir of sandy and gravelly soils. The vineyard is planted mainly with Merlot (80 to 85%), the rest being Cabernet Franc.

Let’s taste it:

A balanced robe, a flamboyant red with lovely chocolatey edges.

A powerful nose, and that complex aroma of damp wood reminds me of long walks out in nature. It quickly comes back to remind you to watch out for those 14.5%.

A discreet length, but one that wakes up and slowly asserts itself after it has passed.

The balanced taste is nonetheless very particular. It may not please everyone, because it’s flat at the start, like a hollow — a dead moment in the script of the aromas — and it struggles to assert its character; then a touch of acidity soon appears.

That sharpness, a little too present at the start to my mind, later leaves a long (very long) and pleasant taste. That’s what I liked about this wine: the length and the persistence of the tannins. My palate is still full of it as I write this article.

This 2020 did suffer from its youth, though, giving off a nose marked by the alcohol that limits its expression. So you’ll have to wait a little longer to enjoy it fully and see Lalande at its best.

Considered one of the most renowned terroirs of the Luxembourg Moselle, the majestic Felsberg hill makes for a lovely day out.

It overlooks Wintrange, a small winegrowing village of 400 souls not far from Schengen. It’s here, on the slopes of the Felsberg, that Frank Schumacher tends the vine.

I had the chance to take part in an open day at the property, offering every enthusiast a memorable tasting. In the company of friends, I had the privilege of discovering a rich (very rich) catalogue, full of little gems. Like its wines, the place is beautiful and pleasant, well suited to tasting:

I’m telling you here about the Pinot Blanc, but other references will be added to the tastings soon. The catalogue of wines produced by this family impressed me. Impressed, because I’m not used to seeing this: I counted more than 60 references available on the list, all produced locally by this family. Granted, several vintages help fill out the catalogue — but even so, it isn’t common to produce that much with so few people.

During this tasting I was able to try a good number of wines, and all were good, some of them very good.

Here’s the link to the cellar, with a shop for ordering too — see for yourself…: https://www.schumacher-knepper.lu/index.php/fr/

On to the tasting:

Naturally you’ll need to chill it a little before tasting. Unlike its cousin the Pinot Gris, this Pinot Blanc is a touch drier — yet this white will upend that assumption, and you’ll sense it right from the start with its fruity nose.

On the palate it’s extraordinarily balanced and soft; very fruity, you’ll barely detect the touch of acidity at the end. Length isn’t its strong point, though — which rather invites you to pour another straight away.

Personally (and I’m not the only one), I love it with cheese or as an aperitif — which is why my cellar will never be without it again.

The English-style wine bar:

The rain came along to disrupt this visit, unfortunately making the cellars (see photo above) inaccessible because of roadworks in the street.

I do recommend the place: the cellar oozes authenticity in the way only the English know how. The wine we chose and what came with it made for a thoroughly pleasant moment — the presence of friends had a lot to do with it, since London rain is inseparable from the myth!

I wanted to try a Rioja again, to confirm that this appellation is consistent in its quality. So we tasted a Real Rubio Gran Reserva 2010.

A nose of vanilla and wood, a palate of lovely red fruit with powerful but balanced tannins.

A supple, persistent length lifted by a touch of acidity that quickly fades to make way for the fruit.

We enjoyed the wine, even if some of my friends found the tannins too strong.

I’ll add one small reservation about the venue, though. Its authenticity is beyond question, and the wine list is rich, carefully put together and affordable. Look closely at that list, however, and you’ll be a little disappointed by the lack of local wines — indeed, among more than 100 listings I found only a single English wine! And yes, there are wines Made in Britain! A few nice articles on the subject:

https://avis-vin.lefigaro.fr/magazine-vin/o30370-la-voie-royale-des-vins-anglais

http://www.le-vin-pour-les-nuls.com/six-vins-anglais/

I’ll also share a nice article about the place:

A couple of our favorite evenings have been spent in London’s oldest wine bar. We have been twice with friends and family, and each time has lead to …

Sipping wine in an old London cellar

I know what you’re going to say: “an article about a Côtes du Rhône”!

And there it is, the magic of preconceptions at work — but you should be starting to know that every appellation in the world has its gem.

This wine doesn’t come from just anyone: the E. Guigal house! As you’ll see, this house will be a regular in these posts.

Fancy a red for the aperitif? To go with a dish, a meat, a quiche, a cheese? It’s my go-anywhere wine; it accompanies all my little preparations, eyes closed.

E. Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône is a blend of several grape varieties, including Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.

A dark but very balanced robe; right from the start the spices come and tickle your nose. This lovely wine makes eyes at you and invites you to taste.

On the palate, as on the nose, the spices are quickly present but soon make way for a second aroma of red fruit — though they don’t go far, because through the length they’ll come back to remind you they’re there.

At a price under €10, this wine is a classic you absolutely must own.