| Into Wine

Q&A with Nicolas Mahler-Besse, CEO of Seguin-Moreau Cooperage, France

Seguin-Moreau is one of the premier cooperages in the world. Started as two different cooperages in the 1800s, they merged in 1972 to become a barrel powerhouse. Nicolas Mahler-Besse assumed the position of CEO of Seguin Moreau in 2011 and had worked for the last 14 years in the cooperage business for Radoux. Seguin-Moreau currently has more that 4,500 clients in 35 countries, making their domination of the cooperage business clearly evident

With three cooperages in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Napa, do you foresee the need for other cooperages in emerging wine regions, and where might those be?

For the moment there is no plan to build new cooperages as we are already in the main wine locations, we’ll see how we grow then determine business in other areas.

The Ten Greatest Wines in the World

by Loren Sonkin

This time of year, many publications, writers and bloggers come out with their top ten wine lists for the year. Recently, during a discussion of one of these lists, I was asked what the ten greatest wines were. Before answering such a question, I needed to settle on my criteria for judging. Was it the ten greatest in the past year? Was it the ten greatest bottles which would include vintage? What does greatest mean? After some thought, here is what I came up with.

First, I need to define great. I don’t mean interesting, contemplative, unique. I mean superlative. I am talking about the kind of wine that makes everything stop as you taste it because it’s just so damn brilliant. Also, I am interested in wines that are produced from year to year and are always (or almost always) great wines. I will not consider one hit wonders. I don’t need a long track record, but for example, the 1990 Château Beauséjour-Duffau was an incredible wine. It is, however, so far above the usual quality of this wine that it would not be considered.

What is Beaujolais Nouveau?

by Loren Sonkin

The third Thursday in November is the date for a wine phenomenon each and every year. “Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive” marks the worldwide marketing campaign for this unlikely wine. What is Beaujolais Nouveau and how did we get here?

Under the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine regulations of France, wine released in the year the grapes were harvested must be labeled nouveau or vin (de) primeur. Each AOC will determine the specific dates the wine may be released. These wines are fruity wines that have just barely made the change from grape juice to wine. They are made quickly, barely allowing time for the grapes to ferment. Some versions are sweet as they have not completed their fermentations and still have some residual sugar.

Wines to Go Buy This Week: Chateau Bonnet White Bordeaux and Clark-Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon

by Brad Prescott

Wines to Go Buy This Week: A Crisp Summer White Blend by Chateau Bonnet and a Complex Napa Cabernet by Clark-Claudon Vineyards

Labor Day weekend is here and people across the US are gathering to toast the end of summer. As Labor Day marks the tipping point between hot summer nights and cool autumn evenings, my wine recommendations this week will focus on both a cool, refreshing summer sauvignon blanc to savor on these last days of summer and a full bodied Napa cabernet for those upcoming autumn evenings by the fireplace. So as we say farewell to summer 2011, here are two wines to go buy this week:

Chateau Bonnett Entre-Deux-Mers Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Muscadelle Andre Lurton, 2010 - Now say that 5 times fast! A quick lesson for those of you who are unfamiliar with French wine: The French label their wines slightly different than we do in the US as they emphasize the place more so than the grape varietal or the producer. In this case, the vineyards and winery are located at Chateau Bonnet, the region is the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation of Bordeaux, the grapes are a blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon, and muscadelle, and the producer is André Lurton, whose family has presided over the vineyards for over 100 years. White Bordeaux is almost always a blend of primarily semillon and sauvignon blanc, with a few other varietals permitted. So why do I like this wine? It's light, crisp, low in alcohol (12%) and at approx $15 a bottle, a fantastic way to introduce yourself to a white bordeaux without breaking the bank. This wine is ideal for a warm end-of-summer picnic that calls for a cool refreshing beverage.

Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – The Pinnacle of Pinot Noir

by Loren Sonkin

France's Burgundy Wine Region: A Primer on the History, Wines, Vineyards & Terroir contains an excellent introduction into the ethereal wine of one of the most famous wine producing regions. No winery is more famous, or produces such legendary wines in Burgundy than Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Often abbreviated as DRC, the winery makes some of the most exclusive and expensive wines in the world. They are, for those lucky enough to have tried them, the pinnacle of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Q&A with Jean-Michel Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages

by Michael Cervin

Château Lynch-Bages has become one of the most celebrated wineries in France. Château Lynch-Bages located in Pauillac on the left bank in the Medoc Château Lynch-Bages is an 1855 classified Fifth Growth. Since 1973 it has been owned by the enigmatic Jean-Michel Cazes and is now run by his son, Jean-Charles. Jean-Michel Cazes assumed the management of his family’s properties including Château Lynch Bages, Les Ormes de Pez, and Villa Bel Air in Bordeaux, Xisto in Portugal and Tapanappa in Australia. Jean-Michel Cazes has been awarded France’s highest honor, La Croix de Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, Decanter Magazine’s Man of the Year, and the Institute of Masters in Wine awarded him their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Fundamentally, what are the differences between old world and new world wines?

Differences between wine regions originate in differences in soils, grades varietals and mainly climate, or rather different combinations of these key factors. There are many different styles of wine around the world, old or new. But I am convinced that old world wines benefit from a long history and experience.

Best Burgundy Red Wine Worth Seeking Out (for the money)

IntoWine asked our panel of experts to share their recommendations for the best Burgundy red wine worth seeking out (for the price of course):

Two words come to mind when I think about Red Burgundy – Style and Focus. For those who know, when looking for Pinot Noir that expresses the true uniqueness of terroir and variety, you look at Burgundy. Really good Burgundy, unfortunately, does come at a price. Most wine growers are relegated to very small portions of land and vintage years are sometimes difficult to come by. This raises prices, as does the demand for such small quantities. That being said, there are scores of great wines available at decent prices. My pick is Domaine Henri Perrot-Minot’s “En la Rue de Vergy” from Morey - Saint – Denis. Producing about 600 cases from this 3.5 acre property in Northern Burgundy, Henri Perrot-Minot’s red Burgundy flows through the palate with fruit and minerals, acid and ripe fine-grain tannins. Vintage after vintage, this low profile wine exudes greatness. When allowed to age properly, four to seven years, this wine can play ball with the best of them. About $50. – Ben Spencer is a diploma student with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and an IntoWine Featured Writer

Best Bordeaux White Wines Worth Seeking Out (for the money)

IntoWine asked our panel of experts to share their recommendations for the best Bordeaux white wines for the buck:

We don’t typically think of Bordeaux and white wine. Bordeaux is known for red wines. But there is a small island of white that is in fact quite good and entirely worth its price. Bordeaux white wines typically sell for a fraction of what a red wine from the same chateau would cost. The traditional grapes included in the region’s white wines are Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle, Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanc, and Colombard. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc are the two grape varieties used for dry white wines. A good example of what Bordeaux does when it’s not making age-worthy and collectible red wines is the Grand Village Blanc, made by Chateau Lafleur. The rich tree fruit of the Semillon (apples and pears) carries the racy citrus of the Sauvignon Blanc to an invigorating finish. At about $15, it is worth seeing what the red wine kings have hidden in their treasure chest. – Ben Spencer is a diploma student with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and an IntoWine Featured Writer.

Q&A with Georges Duboeuf, Founder of Les Vins Georges Duboeuf

by Michael Cervin

Georges Duboeuf is practically a legend. Originally from the Pouilly-Fuissé region of Burgundy, Duboeuf was raised on a small farm where his family owned a few acres of Chardonnay vines. His father died when Georges was young, therefore his uncle and older brother, Roger, took over the business. Duboeuf helped out on the family vineyard growing up, even using the manual grape crusher when he was just six years old. By age 18 he was delivering wine on his bicycle from producers to local restaurants. He began bottling Beaujolais to meet one of his customer's demands. Duboeuf became a négociant in 1964, when he founded Les Vins Georges Duboeuf. He is best known for Beaujolais Nouveau, though he produces many others. His wines now hold world-wide appeal and are sold in an astonishing 120 countries.

The Vouvray Region of France's Loire Valley: The Home of Chenin Blanc

by Loren Sonkin

France’s Loire Valley, is home to many great wines including the region of Vouvray, the home of Chenin Blanc. While Chenin Blanc wines are made around the world, perhaps nowhere else makes such distinctive and wonderful wines from that grape as the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley is in northeastern France and Vouvray is located east of the city of Tours along the right bank of the Loire River.