C295-NB: Bordeaux, Bergerac and Beaujolais

CELLAR

NB 295

ORDER MAY 3 - JUNE 6, 2022

BORDEAUX, BERGERAC & BEAUJOLAIS Benjamin Cassoulet, Technical Director of Château Grand Puy Ducasse (p70)

OPIMIAN.CA

THE BENCHMARK OF WINE EXCELLENCE

n e e w t e B Sip White grapefruit, peach

Passion fruit, [2.00]

2022-2023, M8 D9

12.5%

6°C

LOT 3393

Château Martinon, AOC Entre-Deux-Mers, 2021 Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle

s a e 2S $ 25

$ 150 Oysters on the half shell with mignonette

Château Martinon, in the heart of the EntreDeux-Mers region at Gornac, is a traditional family estate. Wine has been made in the region for centuries as the local Saint-Pierre-de-Bat church bears witness: built between the 12th and 14th centuries, it contains a sculpture of two men, one with a barrel on his knees and the other drinking. The estate has been owned by the Troillet family for generations, with Jérôme currently at the helm farming 19 hectares of vineyards. His white wine happens to be a personal favourite of the Johnston family, proprietors of the eponymous Bordeaux négociant firm, all of whom always have some on hand in their cellars. It is their go-to wine in summer, pairing well with oysters and shrimp.

The 2021 vintage has floral aromas with white grapefruit and peach, which lead to a broad palate, coming from a high proportion of 60% Sémillon with 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 13% Sauvignon Gris and 2% Muscadelle. With the emerging of more passion fruit flavours, the Château Martinon finishes on a pithy note.

2022 l l a F y r e v i l e D — in time for oyster season!

EDITORIAL

France’s 3 Bs Are Back

Michael Lutzmann and Greg Rinehart, Opimian Managing Directors

Opimian began as a collective of wine lovers who sourced and imported quality wines from around the world. Bordeaux has been around since the beginning in 1973. And why wouldn't it be?

OPIMIAN SUGGESTS.................................................................................. P5 COUPS DE COEUR....................................................................................... P7 BORDEAUX........................................................................................................ P8 BORDEAUX LEFT BANK......................................................................... P14 Médoc...................................................................................................................P16 Haut Médoc.................................................................................................... P20 Saint-Estèphe................................................................................................P22 Pauillac................................................................................................................P23 Saint-Julien..................................................................................................... P24 Margaux.............................................................................................................P25 Graves..................................................................................................................P27 Pessac-Léognan......................................................................................... P28 Sauternes..........................................................................................................P29 CHÂTEAU MOUTIN.................................................................................... P30 BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK.................................................................... P34 Pomerol..............................................................................................................P35 Lalande de Pomerol..................................................................................P37 TOP VALUE WINES................................................................................... P38 Saint-Émilion.................................................................................................P40 CLOS CANTENAC........................................................................................P42 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux.............................................................P48 BEAUJOLAIS.................................................................................................. P50 Beaujolais Cru................................................................................................P56 BERGERAC...................................................................................................... P60 CELLAR UP!.................................................................................................... P62 SPIRITS...............................................................................................................P64 COLLECTOR’S CORNER SPIRITS...................................................P68

Iconic throughout the ages, Bordeaux wines continue to impress and lead the way in the global wine industry. We remain true to that initial vision and are proud of the wines from Bordeaux, Bergerac and Beaujolais that you will find available in these pages.

As usual, Bordeaux's left and right banks are fully represented. The wines from our treasured partners Vignobles Darriet are back. New this year, look for the stunning, 5th growth Château Grand Puy Ducasse.. As if that was not enough, we have doubled down this year on sourcing some of Bordeaux’s best second wines – which we believe provides the best value for premium wine from Bordeaux estates. Second wines are usually produced from a specific part of the vineyard that is not used to make the estate’s flagship wine. They offer an expression of the property, but with an earlier drinking window and a more accessible price. You'll find these marked in red for new wines and in copper for wines previously offered. The Bordeaux Instant Cellar was such a hit last year, we've done it once again. Louise Wilson, MW has chosen an assortment on page 26 that will have you enjoying every aspect of what Bordeaux has to offer. As many of you have heard, France suffered a tremendously hard frost last spring and similar to 2009 and 2014, we were unable to source a long-time Opimian favourite – Prince Pirate Blanc. Rest assured it will be back next year.

Not to be outdone, our friends at Château Pique-Sègue in Bergerac showed so well at tasting this year, we’ve added three wines to our typical selection.

Let's not forget Beaujolais. Famous in its own right for its wonderful expression of Gamay, each of the ten crus is known for its own, nuanced winemaking. We've created four mixed cases so that you can try several of them and find your favourite. For those paying close attention, you will notice we even added a rare Beaujolais Chardonnay (see page 53)!

As has become the standard, the Cellar contains a range of pack sizes to make even the best of the best accessible to all of us. In addition, you'll discover no fewer than four new spirits, including vodka from France. Lastly, for those who are looking for Armagnac, Calvados and Cognac, watch for them in Cellar 297 in July. We have something really unique and special planned for you.

Grab a glass, pour some of your favourite wines from Bordeaux, Beaujolais and Bergerac, sit back and enjoy! We're right there along with you.

COLLECTOR’S CORNER WINE........................................................ P70

Michael & Greg

4

CELLAR 295 — EDITORIAL

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

OPIMIAN SUGGESTS

Zoé discovered the world of wine while growing up in Bordeaux and explored new-world styles during her time in Australia, where she fell in love with Shiraz. She particularly enjoys the bolder red wines of the Médoc on the Left Bank. Since starting at Opimian, Zoé has learned to love dry whites and always enjoys a rosé for apéro. As a Lorraine native, she has a soft spot for G. Rozelieures whisky!

OUR PICKS FOR THIS CELLAR

ZOÉ CAPPE

BERNARD PERRIN, CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE BRUT, LOT 3430, P52

CHÂTEAU CAMINO SALVA, AOC HAUTMÉDOC, 2019, LOT 3397, P20

LES ALLÉES DE CANTEMERLE, AOC HAUT-MÉDOC, 2016, LOT 3398, P21

NEWSDRINKER MERLOT, AOC BORDEAUX, CHÂTEAU SURAIN , 2020, LOT 3366, P11

G. ROZELIEURES, SINGLE MALT WHISKY, ORIGINE COLLECTION (PART OF MIXED CASE), LOT 3376, P67

CHÂTEAU GRANDPUY DUCASSE AND PRÉLUDE À GRAND-PUY DUCASSE CASE, LOT 3412, P70

MANAGING DIRECTOR

MICHAEL LUTZMANN

Michael has level 3 training from WSET. Before discovering more about wine through training, he only drank heavy reds. While those are still favourites, his palate pleasers now include the full spectrum with dessert/ fortified wines edging toward the top of his list. The expanded selection of Beaujolais has him looking to add fantastic lighter reds to his collection.

— CELLAR 295 OPIMIAN SUGGESTS

5

MASTER PIECE

The 1855 Classification and Second Wines Jane Masters MW is Opimian’s Master of Wine

An increasing number of Bordeaux wine estates produce a second wine. Some produce third and even fourth wines. These are nothing new. There are records dating back to the 18th century of famous estates making second wines.

But second wines are not the sole preserve of famous or classified growths, they are made by many estates and can offer excellent wines at more affordable prices.

The highest quality wines are made by estates that strive for excellence. Producing a second wine allows winemakers to use only the very best barrels of wine for the “Grand Vin “. The balance, those that don’t make the cut, are cascaded down to a lower level, available to go into producing a second, third or fourth wine. Some wine may even be sold anonymously on the bulk market. This assures the quality of the Grand Vin is maximized at the same time some cash flow is generated. The same care and expertise are employed in vineyard management and wines are made in much the same way conferring the house style. As consumers, we get high-quality wines ready for earlier drinking and an apercu of the Grand Vin. Second wines are often produced from grapes from younger vines. Grape vines can live for centuries. Generally, older vines of 20+ years consistently produce grapes that create wines with greater complexity and depth. Younger vines can produce concentrated quality grapes and must be nurtured if they are to make great wines in future. Specific vineyard plots, which produce lighter styles or different flavours, may be designated to the second wine on an ongoing basis. Alternatively, plots may be declassified one year due to particular growing conditions and weather events. Counterintuitively, the quality of second wines may actually increase in difficult years as a result of a greater proportion of wines cascaded down a level.

The Bordeaux region has the highest density of premium wine estates than any wine region in the world. Many of these have been traded internationally for centuries and a number of classification systems exist. The most famous of these is the 1855 classification ordered by Napoleon III to showcase the best of France at the Exposition Universelle de Paris. A group of négociants and brokers ranked the top 60 Bordeaux estates of the Médoc (including Haut-Brion) into five classes according to wine prices paid. The most expensive wines, namely Lafite, Margaux, Latour and Haut-Brion, who had developed a strong reputation for quality and a loyal following, became the First Growths. Bordeaux sweet wines from Sauternes and Barsac were ranked at the same time. The classification, reflecting the market’s view of relative quality, was simple and easy to understand and has stuck. It was based on the estate name

6

CELLAR 295 — MASTER PIECE

JANE MASTERS MW is one of Opimian's Masters of Wine, who taste and select Opimian's wines and spirits for quality and value.

COUPS DE COEUR THIS CELLAR'S HIGHEST SCORING WINES

EVERYDAY DRINKING

LIONEL DESPRES, CUVÉE ANNEMARIE ET ARMAND DESMURES, AOP CHIROUBLES, 2020, LOT 3437, P58

CELLARING POTENTIAL

CHÂTEAU MOUTIN, AOC GRAVES, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2016, LOTS 3386, 3387, 3388, P31

rather than vineyard sites. This means that a classified growth purchasing a neighbouring vineyard from a non-classified estate can immediately incorporate it and increase the amount of wine they produce. Many classed growths have significantly increased their vineyard holdings since 1855. Wine quality can change over the years – in either direction – but the classification has remained the same, apart from the notable exception of Mouton Rothschild, which became a First Growth in 1973 after years of lobbying. Estates recognized for producing the highest quality wines command higher prices than their peers, such as the group of “super seconds” which includes Châteaux Pichon Baron and Ducru-Beaucaillou.

Despite a longer wine history that goes back to the Romans, the first classification of Saint-Émilion wines was not made until 1955. Trying to address some of the limitations of the 1855 system, Saint-Émilion classified specific vineyards based on soils and implemented reviews of the classification approximately every ten years. Despite their best intentions, the system is controversial and has created dissatisfaction, leading to several

CHÂTEAU TAILLEFER, AOC POMEROL, BERNARD MOUEIX, 2018, LOT 3405, P36

PRÉLUDE À GRANDPUY DUCASSE, AOC PAUILLAC, 2018 (PART OF MIXED CASE), LOT 3412, P71

top estates withdrawing from the classification system. There are also classifications for Cru Bourgeois and the red and white wines of the Graves/Pessac Léognan region with different rules and criteria. Yet Pomerol, home to some of Bordeaux’s most expensive and sought-after wines, has none.

Any classification is a snapshot in time, not a guarantee of absolute quality. Not being classified doesn’t necessarily mean lower potential: there are high-potential sites that for whatever reason were never included in a classification. It takes time and resources to gain recognition. Being classed is certainly an advantage, but the smartest classed estates don’t rest on their laurels. They are continually looking for ways to improve wine quality, which continues to build reputation and demand, which in turn increases prices paid, allowing the estate to re-invest in quality and creating a virtuous circle.

— CELLAR 295 COUPS DE COEUR

7

FRANCE

BORDEAUX

The World’s Largest Fine Wine Region Bordeaux has the largest, densest concentration of fine wine producers of any wine region in the world. It is a big, relatively flat region in the southwest of France—the highest point of which is around 100 metres. Its climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which brings rain and humidity. Daytime temperatures in summer are frequently over 30°C and have been known to hit 40°C with high humidity. Compared to other regions in southern France and New World regions, weather patterns are more erratic and changeable. The result is a greater variation between vintages with vine growers and winemakers having to adapt to the specific conditions of the time of year.

The Gironde estuary divides the Bordeaux region into several parts: the left bank, right bank and Entre-Deux-Mers region. The left bank lies to the south of the Gironde and Garonne stretching from the tip of the estuary some 120 kilometres to Langon. The right bank is on the opposite side of the Gironde and north of the Dordogne River.

Entre-Deux-Mers, as its name suggests, is the land between the two rivers, which converge northwest of the city of Bordeaux. Appellation Bordeaux wines can be made across the entire region. There are a total of 57 more specific Appellations based on terroirs.

The Entre-Deux-Mers area generally makes modest, affordable wines and is the largest producer of Appellation Bordeaux wines, but there are pockets of limestone, outcrops and gentle slopes with greater potential. The EntreDeux-Mers Appellation is reserved uniquely for its white wines.

8

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

3362

CHÂTEAU DU PIN, AOC BORDEAUX, 2020

3359

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

$ 25

$ 150

CHÂTEAU LES TUILERIES, AOC BORDEAUX, ROUGE, 2019

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 28

$ 168

A simple, medium-bodied claret with pine, spruce and plummy flavours. JeanMarie Constans and his wife Claudette farm 46 hectares of vines on clay and chalk soils in the far east of the estate, which has been in Jean-Marie’s family since 1880. This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc.

Fine in texture with plum and fresh apple aromas, combined with spices and chocolate. It is smooth and round, with good fresh mid-palate fruit. It is well balanced with a purity of fruit that stands out and finishes with bitter chocolate characters.

Predominantly Merlot with 10% Cabernet adding structure, the 2018 vintage was a Coup de Coeur last year, and the 2019 is equally appealing.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

Pine, spruce, plum

18°C

Plum, spices

18°C

Medium-bodied

14.5%

Dark fruit, bitter chocolate

13.5%

Jambalaya with chorizo, chicken and shrimp

3358

CHÂTEAU LES TUILERIES, AOC BORDEAUX, BLANC, 2021

Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon

$ 168

$ 28

Moroccan lamb stew with slivered almonds on couscous

CHÂTEAU LES TUILERIES Produced by the team at Château de Roquefort, in the heart of Entre-DeuxMers at Lugasson. Also owned by the Bellanger family, Château Les Tuileries is a small neighbouring property with approximately 15 hectares of vines.

Intense aromas of fresh lime, lemongrass and a touch of green leaf lead to a supple palate. This is an elegant wine with fresh fruits, crisp acidity and lingering flavours.

Produced from a blend of 85% Sauvignon and 15% Sémillon and grown on clay silty soils, with some skin contact prior to fermentation.

2022-2023, M8 D9 Lime, lemongrass, green leaf

6°C

Fresh fruits, [2.00]

13%

Greek salad with feta, olives and avocado

photo — Château Les Tuileries: the charm of a family estate, the magic of an exceptional heritage.

— BORDEAUX CHÂTEAU LES TUILERIES

9

CHÂTEAU HAUT MAGINET Château Haut Maginet is in the small village of Soussac in the east of the Entre-Deux-Mers region. It has 27 hectares of vineyards in a privileged position on the plateau and southfacing slopes of the Butte de Launay— the highest point in the area providing good drainage and exposure to the sun. The estate is owned and farmed

by Marc Jolivet and his wife Catherine.

3364

CHÂTEAU HAUT MAGINET, AOC BORDEAUX ROSÉ, VIGNOBLES JOLIVET, 2021

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

$ 27

3363

CHÂTEAU HAUT MAGINET, AOC BORDEAUX, BLANC, VIGNOBLES JOLIVET, 2021

$ 162

CHÂTEAU HAUT MAGINET, AOC BORDEAUX, VIGNOBLES JOLIVET, 2021 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

$ 27

$ 162

This is a supple, easy-drinking rosé that is pale baby-pink in colour. Subtle cherry flavours are complemented by a fresh, tangy acidity.

Oak spices dominate the aroma with subdued black fruits in the background. On the palate, it is supple, initially becoming chewy with an intense oaky flavour, firm, sour acidity and bitter fruit flavours.

2022-2023, M8 D9

2022-2024, M8 D9

Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle

$ 27

3365

$ 162

Scents of white fruits, peach and floral notes make this an aromatic white. It is light and refreshing with passion fruit and tropical flavours, produced from 70% Sauvignon and 15% each of Sémillon and Muscadelle.

2022-2023, M8 D9 White fruits, peach, floral

6°C

Subtle fruit

6°C

Oak spices, black fruits

18°C

Passion fruit, [0.00]

13.5%

Sherbet, supple and easy-drinking, [0.00]

13.5%

Sour and bitter cherry

13.5%

Grilled prawns with lemon and ginger

10

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

As an aperitif

Beef Wellington with caramelized roasted vegetables

photo — The Château Haut-Maginet vines are located on the hillside of the Butte de Launay, the highest point in the Gironde.

NEW

3366

NEWSDRINKER MERLOT, AOC BORDEAUX, CHÂTEAU SURAIN , 2020

Merlot

$ 129

$ 43

Made without the addition of sulphites, NewsDrinker has earthy, vegetal compost aromas. The palate displays fresh fruits and is supple, with a juicy acidity and smooth texture. Flavours of fresh blackcurrant lead to a bitter fruit finish with fine tannins.

2022-2024, M8 D9 Earth, fresh compost

18°C

Blackcurrant

14.5%

Grilled veal chops with rosemary-garlic cream sauce

photo — Alain Surain, owner and winemaker of NewsDrinker, on an old Fiat tractor.

— BORDEAUX CHÂTEAU SURAIN

11

CADILLAC CÔTES DE BORDEAUX The Côtes de Bordeaux Appellation, created in 2009, merged four regions: Premières-Côtes-deBlaye, Côtes de Castillon, Côtes de Francs and Cadillac. Cadillac vineyards stretch for 25 kilometres on south-facing hills along the northern bank of the Garonne River on chalky, gravelly soils. The region, which produces dry, as well as sweet dessert wines sold as Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, is located close to Loupiac and looks across to Sauternes and the Graves.

Its red wines are classified as Côtes de Bordeaux Cadillac.

3382

PRODUCER FOR THIS CELLAR

CHÂTEAU DE ROUQUETTE, SAUVIGNON BLANC, AOC BORDEAUX, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon

$ 32

CHÂTEAU DE ROUQUETTE Château de Rouquette, a pretty chartreuse building commissioned

by M. Rocquette in 1732, has 52 hectares of land overlooking the town of Cadillac. The region was already famous for producing sweet dessert wines around that time. Sandrine and Jean-Christophe’s father purchased the estate in the 1960s. Today JeanChristophe farms 16.5 hectares of vines on the slope, which rises from the Garonne River to 100 metres.

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

CHÂTEAU DE ROUQUETTE, CUVÉE DU PAVILLON, AOC BORDEAUX, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2021

Merlot

$ 29

$ 174

Lime, mineral and nutty aromas with fresh lemon and lime flavours, in addition to a nice mid-palate weight make this wine a great aperitif.

It is crisp with lots of tangy citrus acidity and a dry finish.

Produced from 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Sémillon, grapes were macerated on skins for 12-18 hours under inert gas to extract maximum aromas.

Despite its modest price, this Château de Rouquette is a wine with great purity and structure.

It has fresh dark fruit aromas and is well balanced, produced from 100% Merlot. The position of the six-hectare plot with south-southwest exposure protected against the spring frost that was experienced across the region and, in fact, the whole of France in 2021.

2022-2023, M8 D9

2022-2024, M8 D9

Lime, nuts, mineral

6°C

Dark fruit, graphite, earth

18°C

Lemon and lime citrus, [2.00]

12%

Redcurrant, cherry

12%

A refreshing aperitif

12

$ 192

3383

Lyonnaise saucisson brioche

photo — The Château de Rouquette was built in 1732.

3384

CHÂTEAU DE ROUQUETTE, AOC CADILLAC CÔTES DE BORDEAUX, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2019

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 41

$ 246

LOUPIAC Loupiac is a small Appellation on the north bank of the Garonne.

The Appellation experiences similar climatic conditions in late summer and early autumn as Sauternes on the other side of the river, with nighttime and morning mists, along with humidity encouraging the development of noble rot. Grapes become highly concentrated and develop rich, earthy fruit flavours. Loupiac’s sweet dessert wines are complex and have great aging potential, but they are often overlooked in favour of the more famous Sauternes.

3385

CHÂTEAU DAUPHINÉ RONDILLON, CUVÉE D'EXCEPTION, AOC LOUPIAC, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2011 Sémillon

$ 258

$ 86

2022-2026, M8 D9 Caramelized orange, nuts, savoury notes

6°C

Caramel, orange, vanilla, [185.00]

13%

Chestnut and praline chocolate mille-feuille

Vanilla, spices, ripe blackcurrant, cooked forest fruits and pâtisserie notes come together to create a mellow, warm bouquet.

This is a supple wine, smooth with a juicy acidity. More mellow flavours shine on the palate, which is fine in texture and complex with multiple layers of flavour. It is an elegant blend of 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on 30-year-old vines, displaying finesse and some potential for aging. Fermentation was followed by a long maceration on skins and maturation in oak for 24 months in one-year-old barrels.

At Château Dauphiné-Rondillon, the Darriet family cultivates 14 hectares of vines on the Loupiac plateau. 2011 was an exceptional vintage for Bordeaux noble rot late-harvest wines. The cool summer and thin skins allowed noble rot to develop quickly and fully on the grapes. Cuvée d'Exception du Château Dauphiné-Rondillon is made from the oldest vines on the estate—a plot of less than one hectare over 110 years old.

Grapes were successively picked by hand in mid-October. The concentrated juice was fermented in oak barrels with fermentation naturally slowing and ultimately stopping, as the yeast struggles to survive with the combination of high sugar and alcohol content. The wine spent a further 18 months in new and one-year-old barrels and has the colour of golden syrup. It is savoury at the same time as sweet with a rich, lush palate.

ONLINE TASTING WITH OUR MASTER OF WINE

2022-2026, M8 D9 Vanilla, spices, blackcurrant, forest fruits

18°C

Mellow and complex

13.5%

Grilled chicken with pepper medley

$175 PER CELLAR

THE BEST IN A BOX A CURATED 6-BOTTLE MIXED CASE SHOWCASING 3 WINES FROM EACH CELLAR.

— BORDEAUX CHÂTEAU DE ROUQUETTE

13

FRANCE

BORDEAUX LEFT BANK

Home of the Official 1855 Classification Bordeaux’s left bank extends 110 kilometres from almost the tip of the Gironde estuary northwest of the city of Bordeaux, down to Langon, some 50 kilometres southeast of the city. The further the distance from the coast, the weaker the influence the Atlantic has on the local climate. On the left bank, there are diverse soils, with the best sites generally being gravelly and well-drained.

South of the city of Bordeaux, the Graves Region is named after its alluvial gravelly-based soils and is famed for producing both red and white wines. Close to the city, Pessac-Léognan split out to become a separate Appellation and produces some of Bordeaux’s finest barrel-fermented white wines. At the Graves’ southern end, Appellations such as Sauternes and Barsac have very particular microclimates and are renowned for producing world-class dessert wines.

North of the city, the Médoc is home to many prestigious châteaux and quality Appellations. While Bordeaux has a wine trade dating back to Roman times, the Médoc was mainly swamp and totally unsuitable for viticulture until it was drained in the 17th century. The best sites are generally close to the estuary or on well-drained, gravelly outcrops inland. A forest to the west of the Médoc separates and protects it from Atlantic Ocean fronts. The proximity of the Gironde and the ocean has a moderating effect on climate so that more of the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is found planted in the Médoc.

The Médoc was the setting for the renowned 1855 Classification created at the request of Napoleon III for the Universal Exhibition in Paris. This ranked the top 60 Bordeaux wines of the day into five classes, based on what punters were willing to pay. The Grand Cru classification is still used today. The Cru Bourgeois classification ranks the next level down. Any classification can be a useful guide, bearing in mind that it’s only a snapshot in time and not absolute. Wine quality on a given estate may wax and wane over time, depending on ownership and resources.

14

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Château Grand Puy Lacoste was completely renovated in 2004, but the vineyard remains unchanged since the 1855 Classification of the Médoc.

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK

15

The Médoc Appellation refers to the more northern half of the region north of Saint-Estèphe. The terrain has quite a lot of marsh, making it less suitable for premium grape growing and more for pasture and orchards. Although there are no classed growths, there are quite a few Cru Bourgeois and good estates on higher, well-drained gravelly spots between Saint Seurin, SaintChristoly and Bégada.

CHÂTEAU TOUR ST BONNET Château Tour St Bonnet is located in the far north of the Médoc at Saint-Christoly. Owned by the Lafon family since 1903, the estate run by Jacques Merlet has 40 hectares planted to 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec. The proportion of grape variety varies each year and the wines are aged in large, old oak vats.

MAGNUM

3395

CHÂTEAU TOUR ST BONNET, AOC MÉDOC, 2015

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

$ 84

$ 252

Mellow, old oak aromas combine with cherries and a floral character and lead to a linear wine. It is relatively light and elegant, with a long cherry menthol finish. The magnum will develop more slowly.

VERTICAL CASE

MÉDOC

2022-2026, M7 D9 Dusty oak, red cherry, floral

18°C

Cherry menthol

13.5%

Black bean quesadillas with Havarti cheese

16

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Carefully picked from the cellar, a bottle of Tour St Bonnet never disappoints!

3394

CHÂTEAU TOUR ST BONNET, AOC MÉDOC CASE

$ 47

$ 282

TWO BOTTLES EACH 2014, 2015 & 2016

CRU BOURGEOIS

CHÂTEAU TOUR ST BONNET, AOC MÉDOC, CRU BOURGEOIS MÉDOC, 2014

CHÂTEAU TOUR ST BONNET, AOC MÉDOC, 2015

CHÂTEAU TOUR ST BONNET, AOC MÉDOC, 2016

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

Quite rustic in style, the 2014 has some resinous and spicy aromas with dried flowers. It is medium to full-bodied with an earthy finish.

Mellow, old oak aromas combine with cherries and a floral character and lead to a linear wine. It is relatively light and elegant, with a long cherry menthol finish.

The 2016 has lovely fresh fruit characters with blackcurrant, complemented by a bit of green leaf. The palate displays succulent fruits with good weight and body. It remains youthful with little evidence of oak other than a lingering bitter cherry finish.

2022-2025, M7 D9

2022-2026, M7 D9

2022-2028, M7 D9

Dried flowers, resin

18°C

Dusty oak, red cherry, floral

18°C

Blackcurrant, green leaf

18°C

Rustic, earthy

13.5%

Cherry menthol

13.5%

Cooked fruits, undergrowth

13.5%

Blackened salmon with paprika and oregano

photo — Saint-Christoly is a small village

in the Médoc, on the Gironde estuary.

Black bean quesadillas with Havarti cheese

Chicken liver pâté with cherry compote

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK MÉDOC

17

RIGHT BANK: CHÂTEAU SÉRAPHINE, AOC POMEROL, 2020 - WOOD CASE, LOT 3414, P35

BORDEAUX 12 4

3

RIGHT BANK

5 76 89 10 11

LEFT BANK 12 13 14

Bordeaux

19 Libourne 20 22 23 21 25 24 28 Saint-Émilion 2629 27 30 Sainte-Foy-La-Grande 31

15 16

LEFT BANK

17

32 33 35 34 36 37 ENTRE-DEUX-MERS 18

1. Ch Méric (lot 3360, p19) 2. Ch la Pirouette (lot 3396, p19) 3. Ch d'Escurac (lot 3367, p19) 4. Ch Tour St Bonnet (lot 3394-3395, pp16-17) 5. Ch Meyney (lot 3399, p22) 6. Ch Croizet-Bages (lot 3370, p23) 7. Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste (lot 3401, p23) 8. Ch Grand-Puy Ducasse (lot 3412, p70) 9. Ch Pichon Baron (lot 3400, p 23) 10. Ch Ducru Beaucaillou (lot 3402, p24 and lot 3368, p21)

ENTRE-DEUXMERS: CHÂTEAU MARTINON, AOC ENTRE-DEUX-MERS, 2021, LOT 3393, P3

11. Ch Camino Salva (lot 3397, p20) 12. Ch Rauzan Gassies (lot 3371, p25) 13. Ch Giscours (lot 3369, p20) 14. Ch Cantemerle (lot 3398, p21) 15. Clos Marsalette (lot 3403, p28) 16. Ch Moutin (lots 3390-92, p31-33) 17. Ch Fontebride (lot 3372, p29) 18. Ch Maillard (Lot 3413, web exclusive)

RIGHT BANK

LEFT BANK: CHÂTEAU MOUTIN, AOC GRAVES, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2016, LOT 3386, P31

FOCUS ON BORDEAUX Bordeaux is the world’s largest fine wine region. As well as producing some of the planet’s most famous wines, there are many lesser-known estates and appellations to be enjoyed. Explore our map to find Opimian producers on the Left Bank, Right Bank and Entre-deux-Mers subregions.

18

CELLAR 295 — FOCUS ON

19. Ch Surain (lot 3366, p11) 20. Ch La Pointe (lot 3404, p36) 21. Ch Séraphine (lots 3414-15, p35) 22. Ch Beauregard (lot 3361, p37) 23. Ch Ampélia (lot 3410, p48) 24. Ch Ripeau (lot Ripeau, p40) 25. Ch Taillefer (lot 3405, p36) 26. Clos Cantenac (lots 3419-26, p42) 27. Ch La Confession (lot 3408, p40) 28. Ch Soutard (lot 3374, p40) 29. Ch Daugay (lot 3409, p41) 30. Ch d’Aiguilhe (lot 3411, p49)

BORDEAUX, ENTRE-DEUX-MERS & LOUPIAC 31. Ch Les Tuileries (lots 3358-59, p9) 32. Ch Haut-Maginet (lots 3363-65, p10) 33. Ch Martinon (lot 3393, p3) 34. Ch du Pin (lot 3362, p9) 35. Ch Dauphiné-Rondillon (lot 3385, p13) 36. Ch Janon (lot 3380, web exclusive) 37. Vignobles Darriet - Ch de Rouquette (lots 3382-3384, pp12-13)

CRU BOURGEOIS

3396

SECOND WINE

CHÂTEAU LA PIROUETTE, AOC MÉDOC, CRU BOURGEOIS, 2016

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

$ 40

$ 240

2016 La Pirouette has developed some nice tertiary notes, with earthy farmyard characters laid over a ripe berry fruit background. It has a classic structure, revealing a relatively light mid-palate that is smooth and slightly grainy in texture.

Perfectly ready for drinking now and over the next few years, this Cru Bourgeois at JauDignac-et-Loirac was established by Michele Roux’s family in the late 1970s. Michele farms 33 hectares of vines; her other passion is horses, which we see prominently featured on the label. The blend at 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot has a relatively high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon this far north in the region, a reflection of the estate’s gravelly soils.

3367

CRU BOURGEOIS

LA CHAPELLE D'ESCURAC, AOC MÉDOC, 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

$ 35

$ 210

3360

CHÂTEAU MÉRIC, AOC MÉDOC, CRU BOURGEOIS, 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

$ 45

$ 270

One of the four wines produced

by Château d'Escurac, it has lots of spicy oak character: cloves, roasted coffee, and vanilla. The total estate at Civrac-en-Médoc covers 120 hectares, 40 of which are under vine, surrounded by meadows and woods. The vineyards lie on higher gravelly mounds on which the Château itself is perched. Purchased by the Landureau family in 1934, this old property houses a pretty 11th century chapel, after which the wine is.

Intense coffee, spice and dark fruit aromas give lots of immediate appeal. On the palate, it is supple and medium-bodied, revealing flavours of cassis and chocolate, complemented by a juicy fruit acidity. It has a powdery texture with fine tannins. The wines of Château Méric were noted for their quality as far back as 1868 in Cocks & Féret’s almanac of Bordeaux estates.

2022-2026, M7 D9

2022-2028, M7 D9

Clove, roasted coffee, vanilla

18°C

Coffee, spices, dark fruits

18°C

Red and black fruits, coffee

14%

Cassis, chocolate

13.5%

Coffee-crusted venison loin

Portobello and shiitake risotto

2022-2025, M8 D9 Farmyard, ripe berries

18°C

Meaty, coffee

13%

Black Angus burger with smoked Gouda

photo — Château Méric 2019 is a Cru Bourgeois du Médoc. The label is awarded annually as a mark of quality.

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK MÉDOC

19

HAUT MÉDOC The Haut Médoc is where prestigious Appellations Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Saint-Estèphe and the Classed Growths of 1885 Classification are to be found.

The Haut Médoc starts at the limits of the city of Bordeaux, running northwest to Saint-Estèphe. The D2, known as the “Route des Châteaux,” runs more or less parallel to the estuary with small, winding roads that pass over and around the gentle slopes through famous Appellations, with great views of prestigious châteaux. The estates can be quite large (100 hectares or more). Within each Appellation and estate, some plots are better than others. The best sites are generally close to the estuary or on well-drained gravelly mounds known as “croupes.”

3397

CHÂTEAU CAMINO SALVA, AOC HAUT-MÉDOC, 2019

NEW

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

$ 38

$ 228

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

HAUT-MÉDOC DE GISCOURS, GRANDE RÉSERVE, AOC HAUTMÉDOC, 2016

Owned by the Kopp family, Château Camino Salva is run by family member Hélène Soual and her husband Frédéric. Hélène has approximately 33 hectares of vineyards on a gravelly outcrop at Cussac-Fort-Médoc, between Margaux and Saint-Julien. The 2019 vintage has delicious mulberry and raspberry characters, complemented with musky, spicy notes. It is supple with ripe mid-palate fruits and a fine texture.

Produced from a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, grapes underwent a cold soak for 6-10 days prior to fermentation. The different varieties were blended in January following harvest, and the final assemblage matured 50% in oak barrels for nine months.

Nicely developed with pine and forest floor aromas, this is a medium-bodied wine with nice weight and good balance. More dark fruits emerge on the palate, which is supple. Château Giscours is a third-classed Grand Cru Classé situated at Labarde in the Margaux Appellation. The estate owns some vineyards just outside the Margaux Appellation, classified as Haut-Médoc, from which this wine is made.

2022-2026, M7 D9

2022-2027, M7 D9

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

$ 396

$ 66

Mulberry, raspberry, musk

18°C

Pine, leafy, forest floor

18°C

Ripe fruits, savoury

14%

Smoky dark fruits

14%

Medley of char-grilled radicchio, broccoli rabe and caramelized Brussels sprouts in sherry vinegar-honey glaze

20

3369

Butterflied leg of lamb with rosemary and thyme

photo — Grapes are carefully transfered from small baskets into larger containers during the harvest.

3368

MADAME DE BEAUCAILLOU, AOC HAUT-MÉDOC, FAMILLE EUGÈNE BORIE, 2019 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc

$ 65

$ 390 2022-2030, M6 D8

Plum, mulberry, vanilla, coconut

18°C

Fine, fresh fruits

14%

Marinated grilled hanger steak in red wine sauce with caramelized shallots

The second vintage of this wine is rich and elegant. It is produced by the team at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, itself a second-classed growth in Saint-Julien, from a separate vineyard outside the Appellation, acquired through the marriage of Eugene Borie. The bouquet has aromas of mulberry, plum, oaky spice, vanilla and coconut. It is supple and smooth on the palate with nice mid-palate plum fruits. It is medium-bodied and structured with some grainy tannins, leading to a supple finish. It is youthful, yet very approachable to drink now and will develop more complexity with some aging.

The 2019 assemblage has a high proportion of Merlot at 68% with 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

SECOND WINE

3398

LES ALLÉES DE CANTEMERLE, AOC HAUT-MÉDOC, 2016

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

$ 61

$ 366

Les Allées de Cantemerle is a second wine, made predominantly from grapes from younger vines on the Château Cantemerle estate. The estate was classified as one of 18 fifth-classed growths in the 1855 Classification. The 2016 Les Allées is deep in colour and characterized by delicious, mature forest floor and meaty aromas, combined with cassis, grass and a touch of smoke. It is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and was matured mainly in large oak vessels.

It is light to medium-bodied, elegant with light tannins and lingering cassis flavours.

2022-2026, M8 D9 Savoury, meaty, forest floor, grass

18°C

Cassis, smoke

13%

36-month aged Cheddar

photo — Laure Canu, General Manager of Château Cantemerle, enjoying her lunch on the property's garden.

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK HAUT MÉDOC

21

NEW

SAINT-ESTÈPHE Saint-Estèphe is the most northern of the Haut-Médoc Appellations. Located north of Pauillac, the two Appellations are separated by a small stream or “jalle” which drains water from some of the prime vineyard sites into the Gironde. The land is flatter and less protected by forest. Soils in SaintEstèphe are heavier, with a higher clay content than Pauillac, which can be useful for retaining water in hot, dry years. Saint-Estèphe makes full, solid wines with firm tannins.

CHÂTEAU MEYNEY IS THE REFERENCE IN THE SAINTESTÈPHE AOP

22

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

3399

CHÂTEAU MEYNEY, AOC SAINTESTÈPHE, 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

$ 101

$ 303

This is a full-bodied wine showing restraint on the nose, with some nice undergrowth aromas. The palate is concentrated with a silty texture and dark fruit flavours of blackcurrant with some smoke. Produced from a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 18% Petit Verdot, Château Meyney is set close to the Gironde and occupies a prime position in Saint-Estèphe, with a 51-hectare parcel of vines. These were planted on a sloping rise up to 20 metres, composed of gravel, sand, limestone and a three-metre deep vein of blue clay in the subsoil. Vines were originally planted on the site as part of a convent in 1662, making it one of the oldest vineyards in the Médoc. Although not officially a classed growth, it is currently performing at that level.

2022-2035, M7 D8 Undergrowth

18°C

Dark fruits, blackcurrant, smoke

14.5%

Braised ox cheeks with blackberry sauce

photo — Anne Le Naour, Managing Director of CA Grands Crus, with her technical team in the barrel cellar of Château Meyney.

SECOND WINE

3400

PAUILLAC

LES GRIFFONS DE PICHON BARON, AOC PAUILLAC, 2018

Pauillac contains no less than three of Bordeaux’s five First Growths, as well as a selection of other classed growths, many of which are vying for recognition as they compete with the very best. This is the land where Cabernet Sauvignon comes into its own, producing wines with ageability. Two small streams separate the Appellation from Saint-Julien to the south and SaintEstèphe to the north.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

$ 129

$ 387

SECOND WINE

SECOND WINE

3401

LACOSTE-BORIE, AOC PAUILLAC, 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc Produced by second-classed growth Château Pichon Baron, a star property in Pauillac.

2018 Les Griffons has sweet and savoury aromas of vanilla, toast, cassis, char and chocolate. It has succulent blackcurrant and blueberry fruit flavours with a smooth, round palate. Smoky, meaty flavours emerge and persist, giving the wine great depth. Grapes for Les Griffons, one of the second wines of the property created since 2012, come from primarily gravelly plots near the Gironde estuary. These are particularly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up 52% of the 2018 assemblage with 48% Merlot.

Matured in oak barrels for 18 months with 60% new and 40% one use. The picturesque fairytale turreted Château, commissioned in 1851, sits beside the D2 in the south of the Pauillac Appellation, close to the boundary with Saint-Julien.

$ 98

$ 294

3370

ALIAS CROIZET-BAGES, AOC PAUILLAC, 2018

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

$ 79

$ 474

The second wine from Fifth Growth Château Grand-PuyLacoste. Owned by FrançoisXavier Borie, the estate consists of 90 hectares of vines in a block surrounding the 19th century Château. Vines are planted on deep, coarse gravel soils with 75% of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2018 Lacoste Borie already shows some tertiary aromas of forest floor, with spices, vanilla and some bonfire notes. It is medium-bodied with some firm tannins and a slightly austere finish.

Produced by Château CroizetBages, a fifth-classed growth, 2018 Alias has lots of savoury spices with nutmeg, allspice and crystallized ginger lying over a red fruit background.

A second wine, Alias is principally made from grapes from the estate’s younger vines. A blend of 44% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, it is firm on the palate and structured with some blackcurrant flavours.

2022-2028, M7 D8

2022-2035, M6 D7

2023-2035 M6 D7 Toast, vanilla, cassis, char, chocolate

18°C

Forest floor, spice, vanilla

18°C

Nutmeg, all spice, ginger, red fruits

18°C

Blueberry, blackberry, meaty

14.5%

Savoury

14.5%

Blackcurrant

14.5%

Gorgonzola-stuffed pan-seared Wagyu burgers

photo — Château Pichon Baron was founded in the late 17th century by an influencial wine merchant.

Braised beef short ribs with herb-wine sauce

Shredded herbed beef with creamy Cheddar polenta

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK PAUILLAC

23

3402

LE PETIT DUCRU DE DUCRUBEAUCAILLOU, AOC SAINTJULIEN, FAMILLE EUGÈNE BORIE, 2019 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

$ 100

SAINT-JULIEN Neighbouring Pauillac, Saint-Julien shares similar characteristics, with a tendency to make silky, more finely textured wines. Its star property, DucruBeaucaillou, is a Second Growth owned and run by Bruno Borie.

$ 300

Lots of oaky character, including coconut, vanilla, smoky bacon, and cocoa all combine with fresh red and black fruits, like cherry, mulberry, blackberry. It is supple and smooth in the mouth with layers of ripe fruit and vanilla flavours. It has a powdery texture, with juicy fruit and fine-grained tannins. It is a tasty, flavoursome wine with lots of finesse.

The team at Ducru-Beaucaillou makes a collection of wines: le Petit Ducru is made from a selection of vineyards in Saint-Julien owned by the estate, which are further away from the Gironde in the west of the Appellation with some declassified Ducru added for good measure (previously known as Lalande-Borie).

2022-2030, M7 D8 Coconut, bacon fat, mulberry

18°C

Blackberry, cocoa, cherry, vanilla

14.5%

Roast pork with blackberry-balsamic glaze

24

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Bruno Eugène Borie, the owner and Managing Director of Château Ducru Beaucaillou.

MARGAUX Margaux is the most southern of the Haut-Médoc Appellations and the closest to Bordeaux, centred on the villages of Cantenac and Margaux, just 30 kilometres from the heart of town. Soils here are thin with gravel, pebbles, stones and low clay content. Its wines tend to be lighter in structure, somewhat ethereal and perfumed, with more Merlot planted than other parts of the Médoc.

Gassies is produced from young vines on the Rauzan-Gassies estate, one of five secondclassed growths in the Margaux Appellation.

Aromas of ripe red fruits, plum, mulberry and lavender lead to a medium-bodied, but relatively light wine. Supple in attack, some grippy tannins come through, producing a firm, yet balanced wine with mid-palate fruit. It is a blend of 88% Merlot with just 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The estate has a total of 60 hectares with approximately 30 hectares in Margaux and 30 hectares classified Haut-Médoc. Gassies is mainly made from younger Margaux vines on deep and sandy gravel soils.

photo — French oak barrel cellar at Château RauzanGassies. The glass on the top of the barrel allows a light oxygenation of the wine.

SECOND WINE

3371

GASSIES, AOC MARGAUX, 2018

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

$ 474

$ 79

2022-2027, M7 D8 Lavender, plum, mulberry

18°C

Red fruits, grippy finish

14.5%

Roast leg of lamb with gratin dauphinois

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK MARGAUX

25

THE PERFECT BORDEAUX COLLECTION SELECTED BY

LOUISE WILSON MW

THIS COLLECTION INCLUDES ONE CASE OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING WINES WHITE

Château Martinon, AOC Entre-Deux-Mers, 2021 Case of 6, lot 3393, p3 SWEET WHITE

Château Fontebride, AOC Sauternes, SCE Château Haut-Bergeron, 2020 Case of 6, lot 3372, p29 ROSÉ

L'Exuberance Rosé du Clos Cantenac, AOC Bordeaux Rosé, 2021 Case of 6, lot 3423, p45 RED EVERYDAY DRINKING

ANOTHER NEW, CURATED SELECTION. Have you always wanted a well-balanced, wide-ranging Bordeaux Cellar but didn’t know where to start? The "Instant Cellar" was so popular last year, we asked Louise Wilson MW to do it for you this year.

This professionally curated Bordeaux “Instant Cellar” gives you wines from the entire region and in the various Bordeaux styles. It includes wines that are ready to drink and some that will cellar well.

Château de Rouquette, AOC Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux, Vignobles J. Darriet, 2019 Case of 6, lot 3384, p13 RED CELLARING POTENTIAL LEFT BANK

Château Moutin, AOC Graves, Vignobles J. Darriet, 2016 Case of 6, lot 3386, p31 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, AOC Pauillac, 2018 Case of 6, lot 3400, p23 RED CELLARING POTENTIAL RIGHT BANK

L'Innocence de Séraphine, AOC Pomerol, 2020 Case of 6, lot 3415, p35 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Vertical Tasting Case, 1 bottle each, wood case Case of 6, lot 3427, p46 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 2013 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 2014 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 2015 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Vertical Tasting Case,1 bottle each, wood case Case of 6, lot 3428, p47 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 2017 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 2018 Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, 2019

TO ORDER, SIMPLY SELECT LOT 3447 ONLINE OR GIVE MEMBER SERVICE A CALL AT 1-800-361-9421

TOTAL COST FOR 42 BOTTLES, 13 WINES

$ 2544

GRAVES The Graves, named after is gravelly soils, starts on the southern outskirts of Bordeaux down to Langon, with the most northern part, Pessac-Léognan, a separate Appellation. The region has proven suitable for producing both high-quality reds and dry white wines.

To the south of the region, Sauternes and Barsac are known for noble-rot dessert wines. World demand for sweet dessert wines has been dropping for years, and many of these estates are also producing refreshing dry whites with character.

MIXED CASE 3373

CHÂTEAU LA FLEUR DES PINS/ LE CLOS DES PINS CASE

$ 38

$ 228

THREE BOTTLES EACH CHÂTEAU LA FLEUR DES PINS & LE CLOS DES PINS

CHÂTEAU LA FLEUR DES PINS, AOC GRAVES, SCE LAMOTHE, 2020

Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris

Le Clos, produced in much the same way as Le Fleur des Pins, is a subtle wine with fresh apple, white fruits, lime, and a touch of coconut. It is supple with fennel and spicy flavours, complementing fresh lime and leading to a lemony finish.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2024, M8 D9

Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris

Grapefruit, pineapple

6°C

Fresh apple, white fruit, coconut

6°C

Sweet pineapple, vanilla, [0.00]

13.5%

Lime cream, fennel, spice, [0.00]

12.5%

Roast chicken with tarragon-cream sauce

photo — The entrance to Château Haut-Bergeron, which produces Château La Fleur des Pins and Clos des Pins.

LE CLOS DES PINS, AOC GRAVES, 2021

A complex and elegant white, it has aromas of fresh grapefruit and pineapple, which continue onto the palate. It is smooth with ripe fruit, sweet pineapple and vanilla cream mid-palate, creating an overall succulent impression. It is a blend of 50% Sémillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Sauvignon Gris from selected plots of Château HautBergeron at Bommes. Grapes were picked by hand in two successive pickings, chilled, crushed and left on skins for a short time before gentle pressing. The pressed grape juice was immediately put into barrel for fermentation with 50% new.

Coquilles Saint-Jacques

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK GRAVES

27

3403

CLOS MARSALETTE, AOC PESSACLÉOGNAN, 2015

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

$ 82

$ 246 2022-2030, M8 D9

Savoury, roasted coffee, red and black fruit

18°C

Mulberry, coffee, toast

13.5%

Gorgonzola toast points and fig jam

Clos Marsalette at Martillac in PessacLéognan is a property jointly owned by Count Stephan von Neipperg and Didier Miqueu. Von Neipperg seems to have a magic touch when it comes to making wine, having turned around the fortunes of a number of wine estates. Wherever they are, he produces concentrated, dense wines that are also elegant and balanced. Clos Marsalette 2015 has red and black fruit aromas combined with savoury, earthy and roasted coffee bean aromas. It is complex and supple with a smooth, round palate oozing mulberries and toasty characters, produced from 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard covers a total area of approximately 13 hectares on gravelly rises deposited by the Garonne River over diverse subsoils of marine sediment, shells, sand and clay.

PESSAC-LÉOGNAN Pessac-Léognan starts in the southern outskirts of the city of Bordeaux with its most renowned estate, first growth Château Haut Brion --the only classed Growth in 1855 outside of the Médoc. The Graves region, of which Pessac-Léognan forms a part, had been known for the quality of its wines in export markets since the 13th century. The region, which produces both red and white wines, was officially classified in 1953.

28

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Count Stephan Von Neipperg in his vineyard of Clos Marsalette.

3372

CHÂTEAU FONTEBRIDE, AOC SAUTERNES, SCE CHÂTEAU HAUTBERGERON, 2020 Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle

$ 34

SAUTERNES

DESSERT WINES DON'T GET BETTER THAN THIS!

Renowned for its rich and complex, dessert wines, this was the only Appellation outside the Médoc to be classified in 1855. Its propensity to produce noble rot wines is due to the microclimate created by the cold Ciron River flowing into the Garonne and the Landes forest. The morning skies in late summer are heavy with mist, taking several hours to burn off and encourage the development of Botrytis cinerea. Thin-skinned Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes become shrivelled and furry, developing complex flavours. These are handpicked grape by grape through successive passes through the vineyard. Despite their high quality, sweet wines are difficult to sell, even for the most prestigious Sauternes Châteaux. Many are now turning to making an increasing amount of dry white wines to help with cash flow, as well as focusing on quality in the dessert wines.

photo — Tasting Château Fontebride in the wine cellar.

$ 204

Light golden yellow in colour, this has aromas of tea, raisins and spices. Sweet fruits, candy floss, spices and bitter orange emerge on the palate, leading to lingering flavours of dried apricots. A relatively light, refreshing style compared to previous vintages, there was less development of noble rot in 2020. Château Fontebride, owned by the Lamothe family, has six hectares on slopes on clay gravelly ridges in the village of Bommes. The vines, with an average age of 50 years, are on gravel soils over clay subsoil. Grapes were successively picked between 4-6 passages in the vineyard.

Predominantly Sémillon with 5% each of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, it was matured in one-year-old oak barrels for a year.

2022-2026, M7 D9 Raisin, spices, tea

6°C

Bitter orange, dried apricot, [125.00]

13.5%

Terrine with caramelized onions

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK SAUTERNES

29

FRANCE

BORDEAUX LEFT BANK Sandrine and Jean-Christophe Darriet continue the work of eight previous generations on their family’s properties. The heart of the vineyards is around Cadillac and Loupiac on the northern bank of the Garonne, but they also have a small plot of old vines in Portets, across the river in the Graves.

Along with their elder brother Philippe, who is a professor at the Bordeaux Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin, they produce wines for simple everyday drinking, as well as more complex wines for special occasions and for keeping.

Château Moutin is situated in the village of Portets in the southern Graves and has been owned by the Darriet family for over 200 years. It consists of just three hectares of black grapes with an average age of over 50 years, planted on typically gravelly soils. Jean-Christophe aims to produce red wines with long aging potential.

30

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Jean-Christophe and Sandrine Darriet, the brother and sister team at the Château, posing with a 2CV Citroën, a legendary French car from 1948

CHÂTEAU MOUTIN, AOC GRAVES, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2016

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 43

3386

A wine with great appeal, it has bags of ripe crushed fruits, and mulberry aromas complemented with spice. It is succulent with good a mid-palate, where ripe fruits are complemented by incense and spicy flavours. Medium-bodied with a grainy texture and a vibrant juicy acidity that will keep it youthful and fresh as it matures.

Produced from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was matured in barrel for 18-24 months using 50% new and 50% one-year-old oak.

$ 258 2022-2028, M6 D8

$ 82

3387

3388

$ 246

Crushed mulberry, spice

18°C

$ 203

Ripe fruits, incense

13.5%

$ 203

Roast game with mashed sweet potatoes

CHOOSE YOUR FORMAT, CHOOSE A VERTICAL CASE, OR CHOOSE BOTH!

Château Moutin PORTETS

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK CHÂTEAU MOUTIN

31

PETITE MARINE SAUVIGNON BLANC, AOC BORDEAUX, THE DARRIET FAMILY, 2021, LOT 3390, P39

Q&A

Sandrine Darriet Froléon Vignobles Darriet

The Darriet Family history began in 1798 when Alfred Darriet started making wine on his Loupiac property, using grapes affected by botrytis. This produced the white sweet wine Château Dauphiné-Rondillon. Eight generations later, siblings Sandrine and Jean-Christophe carry on the family tradition.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE DARRIET FAMILY?

Wine has been part of our history for eight generations. Our parents had the wisdom to make my brother and I work in the vineyard from a very young age by harvesting, working on the labelling, and participating in trade shows in France.

These were always convivial moments, rewarded by moments of celebration. It was obvious to us that we wanted to carry on the family tradition.

HOW MANY CHÂTEAUX AND LABELS DOES THE DARRIET FAMILY HAVE IN ITS PORTFOLIO?

We currently manage six estates. The oldest one has been in our family for 200 years. Production has been centralized

at our Loupiac site since the 1960s in order to facilitate the vinification process. My brother Jean-Christophe manages the whole production, while my oldest brother Philippe remains our wine consultant for the entirety of our wine portfolio.

WHICH WINE(S) ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

Cuvée d'Exception from Château Dauphiné-Rondillon. This wine is a real feat because it is made from grapes that are naturally so concentrated that the sugar alone could stop the work of the yeasts and create volatile acidity at the end of fermentation. But this is not the case, thanks to the indigenous yeasts!

CHÂTEAU DAUPHINÉ RONDILLON, CUVÉE D'EXCEPTION, AOC LOUPIAC, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2011, LOT 3385, P13

WHAT WINE DO YOU LIKE TO OPEN AT FAMILY GATHERINGS?

Our father enjoyed opening old vintages of Loupiac that he served as an apéritif and for which he always had a little anecdote. It fascinated me to see these amber colours and this freshness and aromatic sweetness, even 30 years later. I continue this family tradition that makes these moments unique.

WHAT DOES YOUR COLLABORATION WITH OPIMIAN AND ITS CANADIAN MEMBERS MEAN TO YOU?

This collaboration is a great opportunity for us because it allows us to make long-term developments while pushing us to explore new ranges - like Petite Marine. We want to offer Opimian Members excellence and the best possible wines from our estate, with a unique sensory journey through our terroirs. We are also happy to count on Opimian to see more people trying our Château Moutin and are excited to see the interest in high-end cuvées like Cuvée d'Exception. In short, Opimian enriches our wines and our work!

DO YOU HAVE A TASTING ROOM THAT OUR MEMBERS COULD VISIT DURING A STAY IN FRANCE?

Yes, we do. We like to create cultural bridges between people through our wines: it will be a joy and a great pleasure to receive Opimian Members in Loupiac!

IN ONE WORD OR PHRASE, WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF DARRIET VINEYARDS? CHÂTEAU DE ROUQUETTE, AOC CADILLAC CÔTES DE BORDEAUX, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2019, LOT 3384, P13

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CELLAR 295 — TITLE

Wine is a love story.

VERTICAL CASE 3389

CHÂTEAU MOUTIN VINTAGES CASE

$ 24

$ 144

TWO BOTTLES EACH 2014, 2015 & 2016

CHÂTEAU MOUTIN, AOC GRAVES, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2015

CHÂTEAU MOUTIN, AOC GRAVES, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2014

CHÂTEAU MOUTIN, AOC GRAVES, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2016

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 was a cooler year with wines retaining a slightly higher natural acidity and more grippy tannins. Château Moutin seems to be more marked by its maturation in oak. It has mellow coconut aromas with dark fruits.

More woody flavours show on the palate combined with raspberry and mulberry flavours. It is fine in texture with grip on the finish and lingering red fruits.

The 2015 Château Moutin is more developed in colour with musk, lint and spices, combined with berry fruits. It is fine in texture with more cooked fruit character and a succulent mid-palate. It is concentrated with vibrant juicy fruit acidity, red cherry flavours and a fine texture. 2015 was a dream vintage for growers, characterized by an early and quick flowering and fruit set, in addition to slight water stress, which encouraged full ripening and dry, warm weather during harvest.

A wine with great appeal, it has bags of ripe crushed fruits, and mulberry aromas complemented with spice. It is succulent with good a mid-palate, where ripe fruits are complemented by incense and spicy flavours.

Medium-bodied with a grainy texture and a vibrant juicy acidity that will keep it youthful and fresh as it matures. Produced from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was matured in barrel for 18-24 months using 50% new and 50% one-year-old oak.

2022-2026, M8 D9

2022-2027, M8 D9

2022-2028, M6 D8

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Coconut, dark fruit

18°C

Musk, spice, cooked fruits

18°C

Crushed mulberry, spice

18°C

Woody, raspberry, mulberry

13.5%

Red cherry

13.5%

Ripe fruits, incense

13.5%

Roasted duck breast with red plum compote

photo — The smaller bottle format of Château Moutin resting on an old 'titan' press from the beginning of the 20th century.

Cheese platter with Brie and Camembert

Roast game with mashed sweet potatoes

— BORDEAUX LEFT BANK CHÂTEAU MOUTIN

33

DON'T MISS ADDITIONAL WINES FROM CLOS CANTENAC, STARTING ON PAGE 42.

FRANCE

BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK

Merlot-Driven Wines The Right Bank of Bordeaux or Libournais, as it is known in France, is on the north side of the Gironde estuary and Dordogne River with Pomerol (its most famous Appellation) and Saint-Émilion inland. Soils are various combinations of clay, limestone and sand. Due to the cooler climate, earlier ripening Merlot dominates most right bank wines.

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CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Ralph the dog shares his thoughts on the tasting and signals approval of the new vintage.

POMEROL 3414

CHÂTEAU SÉRAPHINE, AOC POMEROL, 2020 - WOOD CASE

Merlot

$ 292

$ 584 2023-2035, M6 D7

Blackberry, incense

18°C

Cassis

14%

The Pomerol Appellation is located on a small plateau, mostly flat with a gentle slope that descends toward the city of Libourne. At 800 hectares, it is the smallest Appellation in Bordeaux. Estates are generally small with often just several hectares of land. Soils are extremely variable, but around Libourne they generally tend to be sandier. Towards Saint-Émilion in the east, a higher clay content can be found. Soils containing pockets of heavy blue clay are associated with some of the finest sites.

Red wine-braised lamb shank with juniper

Concentrated and dense, 2020 Château Séraphine has aromas of sweet black fruits, blackberry and incense. Château Séraphine is a new estate founded by Martin Krawjeski in 2017, which is already winning acclaim as a rising star. Having sold Château de Sours to Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, Martin purchased two parcels of old vines in southwest Pomerol. A total of 2.2 hectares is split between 1 hectare next to the winery at Plince on a well-draining slope of sandy soil over deep clay and gravels and 1.2 hectares at Mazeyres. These consist of 0.6 hectares of old Merlot vines on deep gravels and 0.6 hectares of young vines planted by Martin in 2017. The young vines are on more shallow, sandy soils over gravels and Pomerol’s famous blue clay (smectite). The 2020 has finegrained tannins, cassis flavours and layers of texture with some grip, creating an overall elegant wine. Grapes were handpicked then underwent a cold soak for one day before fermentation in tank with regular pump-over and a single “delastage” and a 1000-litre clay amphora. Malolactic was carried out in 300-litre new oak barrels with the wine then matured for 12 months in barrel with 40% new and 60% second/third fill.

SECOND WINE

3415

L'INNOCENCE DE SÉRAPHINE, AOC POMEROL, 2020

Merlot

$ 107

$ 321

L'Innocence de Séraphine is a second wine produced in much the same way as the main wine from a selection of grapes. It has more press wine in the final assemblage, producing a full-bodied wine with some chewy tannins on the finish. It has more savoury aromas with ink, musk and some horsey notes. The palate is rich and smooth with a grainy texture, black fruits, smoke and tar flavours, leading to a graphite mineral finish.

2023-2030, M6 D7 Horsey, musk

18°C

Black fruits, smoke, tar, graphite

14%

Venison stew

photo — A wine collector's dream for careful cellaring and future enjoyment.

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK POMEROL

35

3405

CHÂTEAU TAILLEFER, AOC POMEROL, BERNARD MOUEIX, 2018

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

$ 100

3404

CHÂTEAU LA POINTE, AOC POMEROL, 2015

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

$ 141

$ 423

2022-2027, M7 D8 Graphite, almond, redcurrant

18°C

Redcurrant, cherry, cedar

14.5%

Braised lamb with lima beans, onion and thyme

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CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

Initially subdued on the nose, this wine opens up with a bit of air to express a complex bouquet with mineral graphite notes, game, ground almonds and a touch of redcurrant.

It is medium-bodied and supple, with a tart acidity complementing redcurrant, balsamic, ginger and cedar flavours. It is ethereal and elegant with some grippy tannins and lingering oaky spices. Château La Pointe has 23 hectares of vines in the southwest of the Pomerol Appellation, predominantly planted to Merlot with 15% Cabernet Franc. This is a historic estate and has been revitalized in recent years with greater attention to detail and focus on the vineyard.

$ 300

A voluptuous wine with coconut, blackcurrant, vanilla, and pâtisserie aromas, with a touch of savoury meat, the bouquet has immediate appeal and good depth. The same ripe characters follow onto the palate, which is smooth and concentrated. It is rich with supple tannins perfectly balanced by the acidity with dark fruits, cherry and woody flavours. Since 1923, the Mouiex family has owned the estate with a history dating back to the 18th century. Today, it is run by Claire Mouiex and her husband Cyril Basteau. The estate has 12 hectares of vines located on the southern side of Pomerol’s plateau. The name Taillefer, meaning “carved iron,” is a reflection of the high iron oxides content of the soil. The soil is composed of silica and gravel over the famous blue clay. A blend of 81% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Franc, it was fermented in concrete tanks then matured for 12 months in barrels with 40% new oak.

2022-2030, M7 D9 Coconut, blackcurrant, pâtisserie, meat

18°C

Dark fruits, woody

15%

Beef tenderloin with port wine reduction and duchess potatoes

photo — Claire Moueix with her husband Cyril Basteau at Château Taillefer.

LALANDE DE POMEROL

Château Pavillon de Beauregard at Néac is close to the boundary between Pomerol and Lalande de Pomerol. The vineyard covers 12 hectares on a clay gravel plateau with a hardpan subsoil. Owed by the Cathiard and Moulin families, who also own Château Beauregard in Pomerol, grapes are brought to the Pomerol winery for vinification. The 2016 vintage has aromas of sweet fruits, lavender honey and tea leaves.

Predominantly Merlot, it is structured with good weight.

It is medium-bodied with floral lavender flavours and a firm finish. Oak is less apparent in this wine, with a lower proportion of new oak employed.

North of Pomerol, vineyards around the village of Néac and Lalande de Pomerol are designated Appellation Lalande de Pomerol. Attracting investment in recent years, many of the estates are owned and managed by the same teams in Pomerol.

NEW

3361

CHÂTEAU PAVILLON DE BEAUREGARD, AOC LALANDE DE POMEROL, 2016

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

$ 70

$ 210

2022-2028, M7 D9 Sweet fruit, tea leaves, lavender honey

18°C

Floral

14%

Beef Bourguignon

WEB EXCLUSIVE WINES CHÂTEAU JANON, AOC BORDEAUX, 2021 LOT 3380

$22 $132 Nice, fresh and cooked red berry fruits with mulberry and jammy aromas. It is mediumbodied with more red fruit on the palate and a bitter chocolate finish. It is a blend 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

CHÂTEAU MAILLARD, AOC GRAVES, 2021 LOT 3413

$28 $168 Relatively light with lots of intense fruit character: plums, blueberries and raspberries. Produced from a blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet and 5% Malbec.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE FULL TASTING NOTES DESCRIPTION.

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK LALANDE DE POMEROL

37

3406

PRINCE PIRATE ROUGE, VIN ROUGE DE FRANCE, CUVÉE L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS

Merlot

$ 16

THE OPIMIAN SOCIETY'S CLARET, AOC BORDEAUX

Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 192

$ 18

$ 216

Plummy red fruit aromas continue onto the palate with a bitter cherry finish.

Musky aromas with spices and dark fruits, followed by some grippy tannins.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2024, M8 D9

Plum, red fruit

16°C

Musk, spices, dark fruits

18°C

Bitter cherry

12%

Grippy

13%

Calabrian Soppressata and pepperoni pizza

38

3407

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

Mushroom risotto

TOP VALUE WINES FOR YOUR EVERYDAY DRINKING

3390

PETITE MARINE SAUVIGNON BLANC, AOC BORDEAUX, THE DARRIET FAMILY, 2021

PETITE MARINE LE ROUGE -

3392 MERLOT, AOC BORDEAUX, THE DARRIET FAMILY, 2020

Sauvignon Blanc

$ 23

Merlot

$ 276

$ 23

Quite a structured wine with gooseberry, lime and green apple aromas with good mid-palate weight and a limey, citrus finish.

$ 276

PETITE MARINE LE ROSÉ, AOC

3391 BORDEAUX, THE DARRIET FAMILY, 2021

Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 23

$ 276

Hints of cassis and flavours of redcurrant and raspberry come through on the palate with a firm acidity, giving presence in the mouth.

Great value for money, this wine has purity and structure with fresh, dark fruits and a good balance.

2022-2023, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

2022-2023, M8 D9 Gooseberry, green apple, lime

6°C

Cassis

6°C

Dark fruits

18°C

Lime and other citrus, [2.00]

12.5%

Redcurrant, raspberry

12%

Blackcurrant

12%

Spinach and lemon ricotta manicotti

Tomato-basil eggplant pizza

Tournedos Rossini

— BORDEAUX TOP VALUE WINES

39

SECOND WINE

3408

CHÂTEAU LA CONFESSION, AOC ST-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, JEANPHILIPPE JANOUEIX, 2019

PETIT SOUTARD, AOC SAINTÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2018

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

$ 109

3374

SECOND WINE

$ 327

Oak is in abundance in the 2019 Château La Confession. It is medium-bodied, concentrated with some drying astringency from the oak coming through on the finish despite an initially silky start. Given some time, the tannins should mellow.

Château La Confession has approximately 7.5 hectares of vines just outside the town of Saint-Émilion on the main road towards Libourne. JeanPhilippe Janoueix used a combination of different sizes, shapes and oak-origin barrels to mature the wine for six months.

$ 64

Château Soutard is a SaintÉmilion Grand Cru Classé, It is a very old property with an impressive building with parts dating from the 16th century, with an 18th-century façade which has recently been restored. The total vineyard is 30 hectares in a single block although there is variation in soils. The second wine Petit Soutard is produced from a selection of plots made by winemaker Véronique Corporandy. It is well-balanced with an elegant velvet texture and some length finishing on dark fruits and mulberries.

2023-2030, M6 D7 Woody, resin, dark fruit

18°C

Sour blackberry, chocolate, wood

14%

Terrine de canard aux figues

$ 384

2022-2028, M7 D8 Savoury spices, plums

18°C

Cooked blackberry, mulberry

14%

Moroccan lamb stew with ras el hanout

3375

TOUR DE RIPEAU, AOC SAINTÉMILION GRAND CRU, FAMILLE GRÉGOIRE, 2015 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

$ 49

$ 294

Brick in colour, the 2015 Tour de Ripeau has jammy aromas complemented by notes of undergrowth. The same flavours continue onto the palate with caramel and red berry fruits. Château Ripeau, a Grand Cru Classé estate, has 16 hectares of vines in one plot. The vines sit close to the border with Pomerol and the vineyards of Château Cheval Blanc, one of the four First Grand Cru Classé A (which recently announced its intention to withdraw from the 2022 classification).

2022-2027, M7 D9 Jammy fruits, undergrowth

18°C

Red berries, caramel, dusty oak

14.5%

Standing rib roast with port-blackcurrant glaze

SAINT-ÉMILION The medieval town of Saint-Émilion was the first wine region in the world to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Despite early widespread recognition, the first official classification of Saint-Émilion wines was in 1955 and has generated much debate and dissatisfaction among estate owners: recently, several high-profile estates have withdrawn from the process due this year. The highest-level Premier Grand Cru Classé is subdivided into Classe A and B. The next level is 63 Grand Cru Classé estates. To qualify as Grand Cru, vineyards simply lie within a designated area with some easily attainable production conditions applied.

40

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — A horse working at Château Soutard.

VERTICAL CASE 3409

CHÂTEAU DAUGAY, AOC SAINTÉMILION GRAND CRU CASE

$ 75

$ 450

Château Daugay in the south of the Appellation is located at the foot of the slope on the southwestern side. Here, 5.5 hectares are cultivated, and Hélène Grenié and her husband Jean Bernard make wine. The vineyards are farmed with a commitment to protecting and enriching the environment. Weeding is done mechanically and there is no use of herbicides.

THREE BOTTLES EACH 2019 & 2020

CHÂTEAU DAUGAY, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, FAMILLE GRENIÉ - DE BOÜARD, 2020

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Aromas of apple and blackcurrant precede a supple palate with nice mid-palate fruit. It is medium-bodied with good weight and a sour, black fruit acidity on the finish. A blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc, grapes were harvested by hand September 14-30 and fermented with gentle extraction and low maceration temperatures. Merlot was matured in barrels with 24% new oak, the Cabernet Franc in 600-litre casks (demi-muids).

A savoury wine with grass, hay and gamey notes. It is a relatively light medium-bodied wine. It is supple with a grainy texture and linear in structure, leading to a bitter cherry finish. Harvest in 2019 was towards the end of September into October. The impact of two summer heatwaves in June and the end of July were tempered by cool nighttime temperatures, which preserved acidity and fresh fruit flavours. A blend of 77% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon.

2022-2029, M7 D8

2022-2028, M8 D9

Cooked blackberry and apple

18°C

Grass, hay, game

18°C

Sour black fruits

13.5%

Bitter cherry

13.5%

12-month aged Gruyère

photo — The front façade of Château Daugay, facing some Merlot parcels.

CHÂTEAU DAUGAY, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, FAMILLE GRENIÉ - DE BOÜARD, 2019

Pan-roasted striploin with compound herbbutter

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK SAINT-ÉMILION

41

FRANCE

BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK

Clos Cantenac LA BOUCHARDE Clos Cantenac is at La Boucharde in the west of the Saint-Émilion Appellation, close to the Dordogne.

Martin Krajewski and his partner purchased their first 1.7-hectare plot in Saint-Émilion in 2006 and have slowly developed the estate since, investing in vineyard and winery.

Today, it has six hectares of vineyards in several locations. The original plot, La Plante and La Devine, are situated on well-draining slopes with a southwest exposure. The land varies from broken limestone deposits under shallow clay soils, to thin soils over clay with gravely deposits that increase to deep gravels over clay and ancient limestone. Le Menhir vines sit next to an ancient menhir at Pierrefitte on shallow soils over deep gravel. The menhir itself is a Neolithic, free-standing stone believed to have been brought to the location and erected between 3,500-2,800 BCE. At 5.2 metres high, 3 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, it is the largest to be discovered in southwest France and weighs an estimated 50 tons. Le Garrouihl vineyard also has a deep, dense band of gravel between 60-120 centimetres.

SEE THE KRAJEWSKIS' WINES FROM POMEROL ON PAGE 35.

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CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Clos Cantenac's 'Director of Fun' Ralph, waits patiently for dinner to commence.

SECOND WINE

PETIT CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2020

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 61

3416

$ 366 $ 121

3417

$ 363 $ 256

3418

$ 256

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2020

3422 Merlot

$ 93

3419

Merlot

$ 558

$ 95

$ 186

3420

3421

$ 383

Youthful aromas of oaky coconut and tar combine with a background of blueberries and mulberries. Medium to full-bodied, it is smooth, yet has a firm, solid structure.

Lingering flavours of chocolate and black licorice persist on the finish.

$ 285

Savoury aromas and coal soot with a touch of leather saddle lie over dark fruits. Initially supple on the palate, it develops some grip, at the same time revealing vanilla and sweet blackberry flavours. This is a medium to full-bodied wine with good mid-palate leading to chewy tannins on the finish and lingering blackcurrant and blackberry flavours. Petit Cantenac is generally made from grapes from one hectare less than 10 years old, blended with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Velvety in texture, it has lemon and peachy flavours with a smooth palate. Merlot comes from Clos Cantenac’s Saint-Émilion vineyards. Each year, blocks and/or specific rows within a block are selected during the growing season and vineyard work is adapted to produce grapes for early harvesting to make rosé. Merlot grapes were picked by hand and whole-bunch pressed under inert gas to retain maximum flavours. Only the free run and first-pressed juice was used to make Elégance, which was then fermented in concrete egg-shaped tanks. The wine remained in contact with fine lees for a further eight months.

2023-2030, M6 D8

2022-2024, M8 D9

$ 558 $ 383

ELÉGANCE DU CLOS CANTENAC, AOC BORDEAUX ROSÉ, 2021 WOOD CASE

2024-2030, M6 D7 Coconut, tar, blueberry, mulberry

18°C

Savoury, leather saddle, dark fruit

18°C

Restrained fruit

6°C

Black licorice

14%

Vanilla, blackberry, blackcurrant

14%

Peach, lemon, mineral, [3.00]

12.5%

Butterflied leg of lamb with citrus marinade

Broiled chicken with Mediterranean herbs

Veal roast with basil, pine nuts and Pecorino Romano

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK CLOS CANTENAC

43

FOOD

Pea & Ricotta Crostini

By Emma Cerulli

These chic crostini can be served as appetizers while everyone sips on the extraordinary, petal pink L’Exubérance rosé du Clos Cantenac (lots 3423-4-5, facing). This heavenly wine tastes like lemon sherbet and smells like fresh apples, fennel and white fruits. It is the perfect wine for a leisurely Mother’s Day brunch with your loved ones.

Ingredients • 4 slices French baguette, cut on bias at 1-inch thickness • 3 tbsp. Extra-Virgin olive oil • 4 thin slices Prosciutto • 2 c. garden peas, fresh or frozen.

• 1 French shallot, finely chopped • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • 4 chives, finely chopped (keep fine tips uncut for garnish) • 2 mint springs, finely chopped (keep tiny leaves for garnish) • 4-5 watercress branches, finely chopped (keep tiny branches for garnish) • 2 tbsp. almonds, roughly chopped • 1/2 lemon, zest and juice • Sea salt, to taste • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

GET A MORE DETAILED VERSION OF THIS RECIPE ONLINE ON OUR BLOG.

• 1 c. (250g) fresh ricotta cheese

Directions 1.

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

2.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3.

Place baguette slices on one baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Slide into oven and set timer for 8 mins.

4. Lay prosciutto slices on other baking dish, slide into oven with baguette.

5.

Bake until baguette is lightly golden brown but still tender in middle. You might need a couple more minutes for prosciutto—should be very crisp when done.

6. Heat pan over medium heat with 1.5 tbsp. olive oil.

7.

Cook shallot until lightly browned, add garlic and cook 30 secs.

8. Pour peas into pan with 1/2 c. water. Bring to simmer and cook 5 mins. until peas are tender.

9.

Mash peas with potato masher or fork until mashed but chunky.

10. Stir in chopped herbs, almonds, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Mix well.

11. Season peas to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

12. Spread 2 tbsp. ricotta onto each crostini.

13. Top ricotta with mound of pea mixture, pressing lightly to secure it to crostini.

14. Arrange some shards of prosciutto as preferred over each crostini.

15. Finish crostini with reserved herbs and drizzle with remaining olive oil. If desired, crack more pepper over each crostini.

16. Serve warm or at room temperature with L’Exubérance Rosé du Clos Cantenac.

Emma Cerulli is a Montreal-based chef and Creative Director. Her passion for cooking began in her family kitchen and grew into a fulfilling and challenging career. Emma has worked in some of Montreal’s top kitchens.

44

CELLAR 295 — FOOD

L'EXUBERANCE ROSÉ DU CLOS CANTENAC, AOC BORDEAUX ROSÉ, 2021 NEW

Merlot

$ 47

3423

$ 282 $ 92

3424

$ 276 $ 199

3425

$ 199

Pale salmon peach in colour, 2021 Exuberance Rosé has aromas of fresh apple, fennel and white fruits, which continue onto the palate. It is structured with some weighty fruit mid-palate, balanced by a tangy mouthwatering acidity and lemon sherbet finish. Merlot grapes are grown outside of the Saint-Émilion Appellation on vines between 3-20 years old in SaintQuentin-de-Baron and Targon.

2022-2024, M8 D9 Fresh apple, fennel, white fruits

6°C

Lemon sherbet, [3.00]

12.5%

Shrimp and salmon pâté with orange vinaigrette

photo — Charlotte Krajewski, master magician and winemaker, carries out a little quality control.

3426

L'EXUBERANCE BLANC DU CLOS CANTENAC, AOC BORDEAUX BLANC, 2020

Sémillon

$ 92

$ 276

This is a new wine for Clos Cantenac, which has been on the minds of Martin and Charlotte for some time. The wine is pale in colour with extremely subtle, white blossom and hoppy aromas. The palate is light with an extremely crisp acidity.

Charlotte and Martin had originally planned to use Sémillon grapes from a small plot next to their old property at Saint-Quentinde-Baron. For Members who in the past purchased the white La Source de Sours, this was an integral part of the blend.

However, when the deal for those grapes was pulled from under their feet, they were obliged to search for an alternative spot. This took some time, but eventually they came across a small block in the Entre-Deux-Mers just outside Targon, on a gentle slope of clay over the all-important limestone. Why Sémillon you might ask?

Perhaps a desire to do something different: 100% Sémillon dry white is a rarity in Bordeaux. The 2020 is currently tight and linear with a sour finish. Given that it’s the first vintage of this wine ever to be produced, it is difficult to predict how it will mature.

Only time will tell.

2022-2028, M8 D8 White fruits, hops, blossom

6°C

Sour citrus, [3.00]

12.5%

White fish with lemon and fennel en papillote

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK CLOS CANTENAC

45

VERTICAL CASE 3427

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINTÉMILION GRAND CRU CASE WOOD CASE

$ 116

$ 348

Wines are made by Martin’s daughter Charlotte, Technical Director, who is also responsible for Château Séraphine. While harvest dates and winemaking practices are adapted to the conditions each year, grapes are usually picked by hand and undergo a cold soak at 7-8°C for a day. Fermentation is carried out at 28-29°C, followed by malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. Clos Cantenac is matured in oak with a varying degree of new oak depending on the vintage for 12-14 months.

ONE BOTTLE EACH 2013, 2014 & 2015

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2014

Merlot CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2013

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2015

Merlot

Mature undergrowth aromas combine with violets and a slightly dusty oak character.

The palate is quite firm, although it has quite a light mid-palate weight. Raisined fruits and treacle cede to some chewy tannins and a drying astringency.

Blackcurrant, green leaf, and smoke with some dusty oak aromas combine in a restrained bouquet. The 2014 is structured with tight fruits leading to a firm chewy finish. The 2014 growing season followed what was the wettest winter in Bordeaux since 2001. A warmer than average March encouraged early bud break, and sunny weather in April led to a surge in growth in the vines three weeks earlier than the previous 2013 vintage. Changeable weather during the summer and cool nights slowed progress, with grapes picked under weeks of glorious sunshine from September 24.

Sweet, ripe fruit aromas combine with pine, incense, rosemary, vanilla and cherry menthol in a complex bouquet. The palate is rich and concentrated with more ripe fruits and good structure. Red fruits morph into bitter cherry and a long woody finish. 2015 was a wonderful growing year, providing vines did not suffer from the dry conditions. The deep gravel and clay limestone soils at Clos Cantenac retain moisture. Harvest started early in September, with grapes picked in the cool early morning before the mercury hit 25°C and higher in the afternoons.

2022-2025, M8 D9

2022-2025, M7 D8

2022-2030, M7 D9

Merlot

Undergrowth, violet, dried fruits

18°C

Dusty oak, blackcurrant, leaf

18°C

Sweet fruits, cherry menthol, vanilla, pine

18°C

Raisin

13%

Smoky fruit

13%

Red fruits, bitter cherry, woody

13.5%

Roast guinea hens with chestnut-sage stuffing

46

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

Miso-roasted eggplant with tomatoes and black vinegar

Ratatouille tart

photo — A wonderful line up of aged St-Émilion Merlot points to the start of a truly great dinner!

VERTICAL CASE

3428

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINTÉMILION GRAND CRU CASE WOOD CASE

$ 116

$ 348

ONE BOTTLE EACH 2016. 2017 & 2018

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2016

Merlot

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2017

Deep and vibrant in colour, the 2016 displays mellow dark fruit aromas with savoury notes of musk and a touch of leather. This is a supple wine with layers of flavour. It is initially silky, becoming grainier in the mouth. It is medium-bodied with lingering floral and red berry flavours. Following the successful 2015 vintage, winter was the warmest on record in France, provoking an early bud break.

2022-2028, M7 D8 Mellow, dark fruits, leather

18°C

Floral, red berries, musk

14%

Cajun blackened salmon

Merlot

Lighter in colour, the 2017 has savoury aromas with wood, hazelnut and walnut. It is supple and lighter-bodied with less midpalate flesh, producing a more linear wine.

The Bordeaux region was severely affected by frost in 2017. While the frost reduced total crop levels, it hit some harder than others: Clos Cantenac lost 50% of their crop.

2022-2027, M7 D9 Savoury, wood, hazelnut, walnut

18°C

Redcurrant

14%

Entrecôte à la bordelaise

CLOS CANTENAC, AOC SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU, 2018

Merlot

Mellow, cooked cherry fruits combine with ginger, vanilla, allspice and a touch of incense.

The palate is supple and smooth, with fresh red cherry flavours enhanced by its finegrained texture. It is medium-bodied with long raspberry and red fruits on the finish. 2018 was marked by a glorious late summer.

photo — "I could drink one of these wines every day if we had enough library stock" - Martin Krajewski, Proprietor.

2022-2030, M7 D8 Mellow, cooked cherries, vanilla, incense

18°C

Raspberry, ginger, allspice

14%

Fried tempeh with ginger-sesame sauce

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK CLOS CANTENAC

47

VERTICAL CASE

NEW

3410

CHÂTEAU AMPÉLIA, AOC CASTILLON-CÔTES DE BORDEAUX, 2016

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

$ 50

3411

$ 300

Nice tertiary aromas with forest floor, coffee and dates. It is medium-bodied with a more linear Cabernet shape, despite having 80% Merlot in the blend. Château Ampélia is owned by François Despagne. The Despagne family have been making wines in Saint-Émilion for seven generations, but this was their first venture outside of the Appellation. Having scanned the Côtes de Castillon region, Francois was drawn to the five-hectare plot seeing the potential offered by its 110-metres altitude. Named after the Greek word for vine (“ampelos”), while grapes were picked and sorted, with each plot vinified separately. It was matured in barrel with one-third new and two-thirds being one and two-year-old barrels.

CHÂTEAU D'AIGUILHE, AOC CASTILLON-CÔTES DE BORDEAUX CASE

$ 88

2022-2028, M6 D8 Forest floor, date, coffee

18°C

Redcurrant, cranberry

14%

Brown sugar-mustard glazed beef ribs

$ 264

Purchased by Stephan von Neipperg in 1998, Château d’Aiguilhe is one of the finest properties in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. The estate has a long and convoluted history going back to the 13th century and had a strategic position during the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. The estate has a total of 140 hectares, of which 90 hectares of vines are planted on the plateau with south-facing exposure and excellent natural drainage. The limestone substratum beneath a thin topsoil ensures consistent water regulation for the vines.

CASTILLON CÔTES DE BORDEAUX Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is located to the east of Saint-Émilion and sits on the same limestone plateau. Wine styles are similar to Saint-Émilion and predominantly Merlot-based. Soils and quality vary from sandy, light gravel soils close to the Dordogne, clay soils in the foothills, to higher areas with clay limestone slopes on the plateau around Saint Philippe-d’Aiguilhe.

The higher land is generally what has the most potential.

48

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Château Ampélia's vines overlook the plateau of Saint-Philippe d’Aiguilhe at 110 metres, the highest point in the whole of the Bordeaux area.

ONE BOTTLE EACH 2015, 2016 & 2017

NEW

CHÂTEAU D'AIGUILHE, AOC CASTILLONCÔTES DE BORDEAUX, 2015

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

NEW

NEW

CHÂTEAU D'AIGUILHE, AOC CASTILLONCÔTES DE BORDEAUX, 2016

CHÂTEAU D'AIGUILHE, AOC CASTILLONCÔTES DE BORDEAUX, 2017

Ripe cherry, spices, menthol and graphite combine to offer lots of appeal. The palate is supple and rich with woody flavours, cherry fruits and bitter chocolate. It is concentrated with good mid-palate, a grainy texture and long finish. This is a really stylish wine brimming with character. A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, grapes were fermented in wooden and concrete vats for 30 days. It was matured in oak barrels with 30% new for 14 months.

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

The 2016 is intense with more meaty, complex aromas complemented by oaky clove characters. Damson and red fruits emerge with a bit of air. It is smooth with a grainy texture, very much in keeping with the 2015 vintage. Persistent red fruits, wood and cherry menthol flavours stay on the finish.

Dense in colour, the 2017 has intense mellow and complex aromas with vanilla, ripe fruits, nutmeg and woody characters, giving lots of appeal. The final blend has a higher proportion of Merlot at 90%. It is concentrated on the palate with firm, grainy tannins and a slightly austere finish.

2022-2030, M7 D9

2022-2030, M7 D9

2022-2028, M8 D9

Ripe cherry, spices, menthol

18°C

Meaty, cloves, damson

18°C

Vanilla, ripe fruits, nutmeg, woody

18°C

Rich, woody, bitter chocolate

14.5%

Red fruits, wood, cherry menthol

14.5%

Dark fruits

14%

Pan-roasted veal chops with red wine sauce

photo — Emptying the vat at Château d'Aiguilhe.

Rosemary-herbed roast beef with porcinishiitake jus

Crispy roast duck with dried cherry pan sauce

— BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK CASTILLON CÔTES DE BORDEAUX

49

FRANCE

BEAUJOLAIS

CrowdPleasing Crus

50

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

Beaujolais wines are made from the thin-skinned, light-in-tannin Gamay grape and are supple light-bodied wines. The region in the east of France lies to the north of Lyon and overlaps with the southern end of Burgundy. The climate is warmer than Burgundy and semicontinental, allowing the full ripening of grapes most years. The northern half of the region is where many of the Crus are located on rolling hills with granite and schist soils: this is where Gamay is most at home. The southern part of the region is flatter with clay and sandstone soils, where patches of granite can also be found.

photo — Oingt is one of the most beautiful villages of France in Beaujolais. It faces Ternand, the medieval village where the Domaine de Milhomme is nestled.

MIXED CASE

3429

DOMAINE DE CROIFOLIE TRADITION AND VIEILLES VIGNES CASE

$ 41

$ 246

Anais is a young vine-grower in her thirties who recently joined her father Gerard Crozet to run Domaine de Croifolie. The domaine's vineyards, in the Beaujolais-Villages Appellation, are located within a distance of two kilometres on soils ranging from clay-granite, granite and volcanic. Like many regions of France, the Romans brought viticulture to Beaujolais.

Ruins of a Gallo-Roman house and Roman artifacts have been found in the Domaine de Croifolie vineyards.

THREE BOTTLES EACH TRADITION & VIEILLES VIGNES

NEW

NEW

DOMAINE DE CROIFOLIE, TRADITION, AOP BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES, 2021

DOMAINE DE CROIFOLIE, VIEILLES VIGNES, AOP BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES, 2021

Gamay

Gamay

Intense aromas jump out of the glass (which is quintessential Beaujolais for me), with banana, pear drops and raspberry aromas leading to a super-smooth palate. It is brimming with red fruit flavours: cherry, raspberry and bitter cherry on the finish, with just a dash of white pepper.

Produced from Gamay grown on vines with an average of 65 years of age, the Vieilles Vignes has spicy white and grey pepper aromas over a redcurrant background.

Succulent fruit flavours, a supple palate and good balance with lingering white pepper and a spicy finish.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

Banana, raspberry, pear drops

18°C

White pepper, redcurrant

18°C

Cherry, pepper

12.5%

Spices, succulent fruits

13%

Lao sai gok pork sausages with lemongrass and lime leaf

photo — Andrée Crozet from Croifolie passed on the estate to her son Gérard, whose own daughter Anaïs took it over in 2020.

Tuna tataki with ponzu

— BEAUJOLAIS DOMAINE DE CROIFOLIE

51

3431

DOMAINE DE MILHOMME, CUVÉE LE MÛRIER, AOP BEAUJOLAIS, 2021

3430

BERNARD PERRIN, CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE BRUT, AOP CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE

Chardonnay Gamay

$ 30

$ 37 $ 180

Domaine de Milhomme is on the outskirts of the small medieval hilltop village of Ternand. Legend has it that during the invasion of Gaul by Julius Caesar in 52 BCE, the people of Ternand defended their territory, refusing to give up, and were slain in battle: a thousand lost their lives leading to the name “Domaine de Mille Hommes” and over time to “Milhomme”. Bernard’s family has owned the property since the 16th century; his nephew Manu now manages the estate. Savoury hedgerow and musk aromas dominate a cherry background. It is light and supple on the palate, developing a sour rhubarb and redcurrant character.

$ 222

$ 34

$ 204

Domaine de Milhomme is an area of granite soils producing fuller, more tannic Gamay. Cuvée Vigne Centenaire is produced from the oldest vines on the estate, at over 130 years.

It has an earthy Bakelite character complemented by blackcurrant and a hint of violet. It is structured and medium-bodied with some firm tannins and a grassy finish.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

Hedgerow, musk, cherry

16°C

Lemon, apple, sherbet

6°C

Earth, violet

16°C

Rhubarb, redcurrant

12.5%

Crisp apple, [6.00]

12%

Grassy, blackcurrant

13%

Chicken tagine with apricots and green olives

52

DOMAINE DE MILHOMME, VIGNE CENTENAIRE, AOP BEAUJOLAIS, 2020

Gamay

Pale lime yellow in colour with aromas of sherbet, lemon and apple, it has a dry, crisp palate with more lemon and apple flavours and some citrus pith on the finish. Made from Chardonnay grown close to Ternand on 40-yearold vines using traditionalmethod bottle fermentation.

2022-2024, M8 D9

3432

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

Broiled oysters on the half shell with sparkling white wine and chives

Roasted turkey with cranberry sauce

photo — Manuel and Milou Perrin, Bernard's nephew and niece, are the next generation of the Domaine de Milhomme, and share their family's passion for music.

NEW

DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON

Frédéric Montangeron has recently been joined by his son Frédéric in running the family estate. They farm 20.5 hectares of vines across Appellations with Fleurie representing the largest holding. Vines have an average age of 50 years and are planted on hillsides facing south-southeast.

3433

DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON, AOP BEAUJOLAIS BLANC, 2021

Chardonnay

$ 246

$ 41

Pear, white fruits and lemon aromas are intense and appealing. Grapes were picked by hand and directly pressed, then the juice left to settle. After racking the clear juice, it was fermented at low temperature at 1214°C. It was matured on fine yeast lees for 4-6 months.

2022-2025, M8 D9 White fruits, lemon

8°C

Pear, pineapple

12.5%

Fried polenta batons with lemon-herb aioli

photo — Frédéric Montangeron is happy to introduce his son Corentin, who at 20 years old is moving in to continue the family tradition.

— BEAUJOLAIS DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON

53

WINE TOURISM

Discovering Cru Beaujolais

By Louise Wilson MW

Have you ever gone on a road trip without a destination in mind? Back before the days of Sat Nav or smart phones, I did exactly that. Without a plan or a hotel reservation, armed with my knowledge of high school French and my love of wine, I let the universe guide me through the beautiful hills of Beaujolais.

An equally fun way to explore Beaujolais is to taste through the different expressions of Beaujolais and its Cru. The wines of Beaujolais are fascinating. The small amount of white wine made in Beaujolais is mainly produced from Chardonnay. Sparkling wine is made here too, under the Crémant de Bourgogne appellation. The reds and rosés are made from Gamay which acts as the ideal vector to express the nuances of the many microclimates of the region. While Gamay is found in small quantities in the Loire and in Niagara, Canada, Beaujolais is best-known for producing this unique thin-skinned grape variety.

Within Beaujolais, ten top-quality appellations, the Crus, are reserved for red wine only. Labels proudly display the name of the Cru; Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas, Juliénas or Saint-Amour. While each domaine’s wines reflect their own craftmanship, the unique terroirs of the Crus can be identified by their classic expressions.

Driving North from Lyon, the first Cru you will reach is Brouilly.

With its welcoming and approachable style, Brouilly is positioned perfectly as the gateway to the Crus. With soft tannins and generous red and blue fruit flavours, Brouilly is the perfect wine to drink slightly chilled.

The Crus of Régnié and Chiroubles are also classic choices for light-bodied reds for easy summer sipping. Régnié, Beaujolais’s newest Cru, produces fruity wines bursting with bright red berry flavours. The vineyards of Chiroubles are found at some of the highest elevations in Beaujolais. Here, the cooler climate gives the wine its characteristic fresh style.

At the other end of the style spectrum are the much fullerbodied wines of the Crus Moulin-à-Vent, Morgon, Juliénas and Chénas. Some of these wines have been matured in oak,

54

CELLAR 295 — WINE TOURISM

resulting in subtle spice notes collaborating with Gamay’s plummy fruit and minerality. These well-structured wines have the capacity to develop for years in the cellar, gaining tertiary complexity as their tannins integrate with their fruit. With age, Gamay can become Pinot-esque, with these Crus often being compared to red Burgundy.

The vines of Côte de Brouilly produce low yields on the complex volcanic soils of this region resulting in concentrated wines packed with notes of red fruit, pepper and minerality. SaintAmour is known for two styles of wine, one light and early drinking and the other with more body and concentration. The wines of Fleurie are the perfect balance of elegant floral perfume, refined tannins and delicate fruit. While Saint-Amour is often enjoyed on Valentine’s Day, I personally find the wines of Fleurie particularly romantic.

Wandering in Beaujolais, I found myself in Morgon where I was reminded of why it is prudent to book a hotel in advance, especially when there is a cycling race on. Once I sorted myself out with a room over a bustling neighbourhood pub, my thoughts turned to dinner. I ended up having a delicious meal that I can still recall, at a restaurant literally named “The Best Restaurant in Morgon.” I treated myself to a glass of Morgon Cru which paired perfectly with the house special, Coq au Vin. My biggest discovery however was how Gamay grown in the relatively small region of Beaujolais has the ability to deliver such a wide range of wines. To this day, Beaujolais continues to have a special place in my heart. Whether you are exploring by car or by wine glass, Beaujolais is a fantastic region to find a range of amazing wines that deliver outstanding value.

LOUISE WILSON MW lives in the Niagara region and is one of ten Masters of Wine based in Canada. She has over 20 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry and is Opimian's Senior Procurement & Category Manager.

BEAUJOLAIS

JULIÉNAS SAINT-AMOUR CHÉNAS CHIROUBLES RÉGNIÉ

MOULIN À VENT FLEURIE

CÔTES DE BROUILLY MORGON

BROUILLY

DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON AOP MORGON, 2021 (PART OF MIXED CASE), LOT 3439, P59

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE, COLLINE DE MOUILLES, AOP JULIÉNAS, 2020 (PART OF MIXED CASE), LOT 3434, P56

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE, LES GIMARETS, AOP MOULIN-ÀVENT, 2020 (PART OF MIXED CASE), LOT 3435, P57

— CELLAR 295 WINE TOURISM

55

BEAUJOLAIS CRU The northern part of the Beaujolais region has rolling hills up to 450 metres and granite soils. The most fragrant and full-bodied Beaujolais are made in the 10 Beaujolais cru, characterized by their particular soil and exposition. In order from north to south these are: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Côte de Brouilly, and Brouilly.

MIXED CASE 3434

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE CRU CASE

$ 44

$ 264

A relatively new estate assembled

by Jean Joly and friends to purchase some vineyard parcel, the first vintage was produced in 2007. Today it consists of 25 hectares of vines across a number of Appellations and continues to grow.

NEW

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE, COLLINE DE MOUILLES, AOP JULIÉNAS, 2020

Gamay

Gamay

Les Charmes comes from a two-hectare plot of 40 to 60-year-old vines in Morgon on schist and decomposed granite. This is a mediumbodied wine with solid structure. On the nose, violet and subtle meaty aromas interplay. The palate is not hugely expressive, but has great balance with mid-palate weight, supple tannins and a harmonious acidity. This is a wine with some depth and cellaring potential.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

Red cherry, cocoa, coffee

18°C

Violet, meaty

18°C

Fresh cherry

13.5%

Supple tannins

13.5%

Pork rillettes with cherry compote

56

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE, LES CHARMES, AOP MORGON, 2020

The 1.9-hectare vineyard is located on the hill known as “Colline de Mouilles”, benefitting from southern exposure. Vines are cultivated on sand granite soils on a steep 60% incline. Coffee and cocoa characters complement confected red fruits and cherries. It is medium-bodied, supple with fresh cherry flavours and has a nice mid-palate weight.

THREE BOTTLES EACH JULIÉNAS & MORGON

NEW

Frisée salad with bacon lardons and pomegranate

photo — Anna-Maria is a pillar at Château de Durette: she has worked there for many years and knows how to create a good atmosphere during the harvest.

NEW

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE, LES FOURNELLES, AOP CÔTE DE BROUILLY, 2021

Gamay

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE, LES GIMARETS, AOP MOULIN-À-VENT, 2020

3435

Gamay

Floral aromas with parma violet and rose combine with red fruits and herbal notes. It is relatively light on the palate with a firm acidity dominating, followed by a redcurrant finish. Vines are planted on an east-facing slope with 30% gradient. Soils contain blue andesite rocks and stones.

2022-2024, M8 D9 Parma violet, rose, red fruits

18°C

Redcurrant, herbs

13%

Jambon persillé with toast points

MIXED CASE

A savoury, earthy wine with aromas of smoke, marmite, and meat. Some floral notes emerge in the background. This is a grippy wine with tannins, giving a grainy texture and leading to a chewy finish.

The dark fruits present are somewhat overshadowed with blackcurrant flavours emerging on the finish. A traditional vinification process in concrete tanks with 25% of stalks no doubt help add to the grip.

The 45-year-old vines are cultivated on pink granite soils with veins of manganese.

CHÂTEAU DE DURETTE CRU CASE

$ 44

$ 264

2022-2025, M8 D9 Savoury, marmite, smoke, floral

18°C

Dark fruits, blackcurrant

13.5%

Classic bistro steak tartare

THREE BOTTLES EACH

MOULIN À VENT & CÔTE DE BROUILLY

photo — The Moulin à Vent, surrounded by vines, dates back to the 15th century. It represents the prestige and pride of the Moulin à Vent Appellation.

— BEAUJOLAIS BEAUJOLAIS CRU

57

NEW

BEAUJOLAIS CRU 3437

3436

DOMAINE SANCY, AOP CHÉNAS, 2021

Gamay

$ 35

$ 210

LIONEL DESPRES, CUVÉE ANNEMARIE ET ARMAND DESMURES, AOP CHIROUBLES, 2020

Gamay

$ 39

3438

DOMAINE DIT BARRON, AOP BROUILLY, 2021

Gamay

$ 234

$ 35

$ 210

Wow! I remember meeting Armand and Anne-Marie Desmures at their estate some years ago. Having now retired, it is their son-in-law, Lionel, who is responsible for the vines and wines—and what a great job he is doing, if this wine is anything to go by.

Dedicated to his in-laws, it is a fitting tribute with aromas of cooked blueberries and blackberries. It is smooth from start to finish with a fine texture and a fully integrated acidity, making for a harmonious balance.

Muriel and Gilles Aujogues’ winery at Cercié looks across to a chapel appropriately named Notre-Dame aux Raisins, as it sits among the vines. The couple has eight hectares in Brouilly out of a total of 12 hectares. The 2021 vintage has intense sweet cherry and floral hibiscus with herbal and green leaf aromas.

It is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a firm acidity, giving some astringency and balance.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

Cooked blueberry, blackberry

18°C

Hibiscus, leaf, cherry

18°C

Juicy fruits

13%

Herbs, sweet fruits

13%

Seared ahi with blueberry-balsamic reduction

Saucisson sec

Thomas Broyer runs his 9.5-hectare family estate, which has vineyards in five Appellations. Thomas has just over a hectare of old vines planted over 90 years ago in Chénas. The soil is essentially granitic at the top of the slope, becoming stonier with clay and sand lower down. Red fruits combine with herbs and grassy aromas with redcurrant characters on the palate.

2022-2024, M8 D9 Red fruits, grass, herbs

18°C

Redcurrant

13%

Roast chicken salad with dried cherries

58

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Armand and Anne-Marie Desmures have handed over the keys of their Domaine to their daughter and son-in-law, Lionel Despres and Adeline.

MIXED CASE 3439

DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON CRU CASE

$ 37

$ 222

THREE BOTTLES EACH FLEURIE & MORGON

DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON AOP MORGON, 2021

Gamay

Gamay

White pepper, spicy and meaty aromas precede a supple juicy palate. This is a medium-bodied wine, which is quite weighty.

It is well-balanced with savoury and fruit flavours. After picking, the grapes were destemmed and put into tank. During fermentation, the grape skins (cap) were submerged in the fermenting juice for maximum extraction.

Quite closed and austere at the time of tasting, however, it had some dark fruits and structure, which should allow it to open up with time. After picking, a proportion of the grape bunches were destemmed, with the remaining whole bunches placed directly in tank.

Fermentation temperature was regulated with full immersion of the cap. It was matured in a mix of tank and large, old oak foudres.

2022-2025, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

Spicy, white pepper, meat

18°C

Balsamic, redcurrant, green herbs

18°C

Savoury and fruit flavours

13%

Dark fruits

13%

Peppery beef Stroganoff

photo — Built in 1866, the Chapelle de la Madone dominates the heights of Fleurie.

DOMAINE DE MONTANGERON AOP FLEURIE, 2021

Lamb tagine with dates and almonds

— BEAUJOLAIS BEAUJOLAIS CRU

59

FRANCE

BERGERAC

Château Pique-Sègue PORT-SAINTE-FOY-ETPONCHAPT

60

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

The Bergerac region shares some similar characteristics to Bordeaux. The same grape varieties are cultivated to produce dry white, rosé and red wine, as well as sweet whites. The region, upstream from Bordeaux’s famous right bank Appellations, has vineyards on both banks of the Dordogne. The climate is more continental and extreme, tending to produce more austere tannic reds. In the west of the region, the Montravel Appellation is generally a cut above and also produces sweet wines as Côtes de Montravel.

This is a beautiful historic estate that has been lovingly renovated by Marianne and Philip Mallard who have made it their home since the 90s. The 200-hectare estate is a series of hills and valleys, which descend southwards to the Dordogne. Its history goes back 700 years when it was already renowned for its wines. Today, 70 hectares of vineyards are cultivated on its clay limestone soils with some areas containing deposits of silex flint.

photo — Marc Catteaux is Château Pique-Sègue's cellar master. Here he is tasting Terre de PiqueSègue.

NEW

3441

TERRE DE PIQUE-SÈGUE, ANIMA VITIS, AOC MONTRAVEL, 2018

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

$ 47

$ 282

3442

CHÂTEAU PIQUE-SÈGUE, AOC CÔTES DE MONTRAVEL, 2019

Sauvignon Gris

$ 34

BULL BRUT, BLANC DE BLANCS, MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE, 2019

Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc

$ 204

A dense, full-bodied wine with plenty of structure. Aromas of cooked forest fruit compote lead to good mid-palate weight. It is structured with some astringent tannins and a chewy rustic finish, which is offset by blackcurrant and cherry fruit. Terre de PiqueSègue is the estate’s top wine made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was matured for 15 months in new French oak barrels.

Produced from Sauvignon Gris, it is pale in colour, with subtle aromas of pear and blossom.

The sweet attack is followed by flavours of fresh and cooked apples, with a tangy acidity developing in the mouth that keeps it lively and refreshing.

Grapes were left on the vine for noble rot to develop.

2022-2030, M6 D8

2022-2024, M8 D9

Cooked forest fruit compote

18°C

Grapefruit, pear, blossom

6°C

Black fruits, chewy

14.5%

Fresh and cooked apple, tangy fruit, [49.00]

12.5%

Char-grilled sirloin with balsamic-berry sauce

3440

$ 219

$ 73

A delicious sparkling wine made from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc using traditional bottle-method fermentation. It is a bright pale lime in colour, with intriguing aromas of lime custard yogurt and sourdough.

It is smooth on the palate with fine bubbles and a creamy texture. Named in honour of the prized Limousin bulls bred on the property, it was matured in the estate’s calcareous caves for over a year. It is well-balanced with a crisp lime finish and good depth.

Pear lemon panna cotta

2022-2024, M8 D9 Lime custard, yogurt

6°C

Fresh lime, [9.00]

12%

Mesclun salad with lemon and goat cheese

photo — Château Pique-Sègue raises prized Limousin cattle, which inspired the name of Bull Brut.

— BERGERAC CHÂTEAU PIQUE-SÈGUE

61

CELLAR UP! WINES TO SHAPE YOUR CELLAR

If we were able to take a census of all the bottles resting in all the wine cellars of the world, the vast majority would be French wines and, of that number, a great many of those would be from Bordeaux.

Having been the benchmark of winemaking excellence for not just centuries, but millennia, Bordeaux deserves a place in every cellar, both commercial and personal. The 1855 Bordeaux Classification solidified that position in modern times. The ranking system made it easier to determine the best among the very good and the incredible.

Here, and in the Instant Cellar on page 26, we are providing you with suggestions to add the diversity and the remarkable calibre of wines available to you in this Cellar. You simply can't go wrong. A cornucopia of styles gives you an option for every drinking occasion.

Take advantage of it while you can.

SPARKLING Pairs with anything, celebrations, romance BULL BRUT, BLANC DE BLANCS, MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE, 2019, LOT 3440, P61

A sparkling wine from Bergerac? You bet! We wanted to bring this to your attention. This excellent wine, made in the traditional method, gives you a lovely, fine mousse, those sourdough aromas that are familiar in that other, more famous French sparkling, with a bonus of lime custard yogurt on the nose and fresh lime on the palate.

ROSÉ Most appetizers, sipping on its own, the back deck ELÉGANCE DU CLOS CANTENAC, AOC BORDEAUX ROSÉ, 2021 - WOOD CASE, LOT 3422, P43

No need to convince everyone that rosé is worth a look anymore. That's a given.

Everything about this aptly named wine is elegant. The bottle, the glass stopper, the wooden case. The gorgeous liquid inside lives up to its promise as well. Its velvety texture, with notes of lemon and peach, will delight your palate. Clos Cantenac hits yet another home run!

FULL-BODIED RED Heavy stews, many game meats, lamb, strong cheeses, even dessert CHÂTEAU MEYNEY, AOC SAINT-ESTÈPHE, 2018, LOT 3399, P22

For the Bordeaux lover in all of us! While not a classified growth, this one sure drinks like one. That translates into great value. Full-bodied and concentrated, this gem is a crowd-pleaser. The telltale aroma of undergrowth and blackcurrant and smoke on the palate will have you saving the label so you'll remember to order it again.

...AND FOR YOUR BAR

SWEET

Vodka

Dessert, rich foods like foie gras

REMYX VODKA - COSMIQUE, LOT 3377, P65

CHÂTEAU DAUPHINÉ RONDILLON, CUVÉE D'EXCEPTION, AOC LOUPIAC, VIGNOBLES J. DARRIET, 2011, LOT 3385, P13

The art of distilling meets the art of the street. This French vodka is clean and crisp from its five distillation cycles. You'll nose fruit and citrus and experience sherbet, lemon and lime. Unique and exclusive. You might even say…cosmic!

62

CELLAR 295 — CELLAR UP!

Sauternes has nothing on this incredible wine from Loupiac. Already ten years old and from vines over a century old, this dessert wine hails from the fabled 2011 vintage - a perfect year for late harvest wine. The deep, complex aromas and flavours include caramelized orange, vanilla, and nuts. Equally useful as a starter with some Foie Gras or with a sweet, nutty dessert.

3444

CHÂTEAU PIQUE-SÈGUE, AOC BERGERAC, ROSÉ, 2021

CHÂTEAU PIQUE-SÈGUE, AOC MONTRAVEL, 2021

Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris

$ 31

$ 186

$ 31

CHÂTEAU PIQUE-SÈGUE, AOC BERGERAC, 2020

Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

3443

3445

$ 186

$ 186

$ 31

Raspberry pink in colour, this just oozes fruits with crushed raspberry, strawberry, mulberry, and apples all on display. It is soft with a crisp finish.

Dense in colour with restrained savoury and black fruit aromas. It is medium-bodied with a smooth, round midpalate and a fine-grained texture finishing on plummy fruit flavours. It is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from selected parcels.

2022-2023, M8 D9

2022-2025, M8 D9

A smooth, crisp white with lots of delicate fruit. Floral aromas combined with white peach and a hint of cassis lead to a supple palate. More peach and passion fruit emerge in the mouth and continue to linger, giving it lots of more-ish appeal.

Produced from Sauvignon Blanc and Gris, grapes were left to macerate on skins for 12 hours prior to pressing, followed by cool fermentation and maturation on fine lees.

2022-2023, M8 D9 White peach, cassis, floral

6°C

Crushed raspberry, fresh apple

6°C

Savoury black fruits

18°C

Passion fruit, [0.90]

13%

Mulberry, strawberry, [2.00]

12.5%

Plum

14.5%

Tabbouleh with avocado

photo — The Mallard family is growing: from left to right, Anne, baby Aimée, Hippolyte, Julien and his parents Marianne and Philip, and Roquefort the dog.

Triple-cream Brie

Grilled pork chops with balsamic-plum glaze

— BERGERAC CHÂTEAU PIQUE-SÈGUE

63

SPIRITS

French Spirits with a Twist Our spirits section for this Cellar includes the beloved Rozelieures whiskies from Lorraine, new Remyx French vodka made in Charentes and rum aged in Sauternes casks. These elixirs reflect the savoir-faire of French distillers and have unique characteristics that have us coming back for more!

64

CELLAR 295 — NEW BRUNSWICK

photo — Remyx vodka is great in cocktails.

NEW PRODUCER REMYX VODKA NEW

REMYX VODKA - COSMIQUE

Vodka

MIXED CASE

NEW

REMYX VODKA - AQUATIQUE

40%

The artist Kikor started as a street artist and has always been fascinated by the world of manga and comics. His design has a psychedelic influence and invites you to explore the cosmos and its eclectic inhabitants. The vodka has fruity, citrus aromas with sherbet, lemon and lime flavours.

Vodka

40%

Fresh and clean tasting, it is smooth and pure on the palate. Aquatique is the second model designed by Parisian artist Aude Villerouge, passionate about the flora and fauna of the natural world. Her design explores the marine world.

3377

REMYX VODKA CASE

$ 126

$ 63

Remyx Vodka are artisan-distilled French vodkas made in collaboration with artists. Each one is a creation in itself using a different artist. The concept was created and launched in 2017 after a chance meeting with artist Kikor. The vodkas are distilled in Cognac from French wheat using five distillation cycles.

ONE BOTTLE EACH COSMIQUE & AQUATIQUE

photo — The Remyx bottle designs were created by artists Kikor and Aude Villerouge.

— SPIRITS REMYX VODKA

65

1.

Behind-the-Stick: This literally means “working behind the bar”. If you have spent five years working as a bartender, then consequently you have spent five years behind the stick.

2. Wet-Shake & Dry-Shake: A wet-shake is a shake with ice, a dry-shake is a shake without ice. This is most often used in frothy egg-white cocktails. The egg white creates foam in a cocktail and silky mouthfeel.

3.

Single Malt: All Scotch, by law, must be made from 100% malted barley & be made in Scotland. The ‘Single” in SingleMalt simply means the whisky was made at a single distillery and not several. It does not however indicate that it is from a single cask or barrel. For this, it would be labelled ‘Single-Malt, Single-Cask’.

4. Cask Strength: This is a whisky that is in bottle at the same strength as it was in the barrel. From barrel to bottle…nothing has changed!

5. Devil’s Cut: When a whisky ages in barrel, the barrel itself will breathe the whisky in and out of the wood as the temperature gets warmer and cooler. The whisky that remains trapped in the fibres of the oak after the barrel is emptied is known as the devil’s cut.

6. Angels’ Share: Think of a whisky barrel as having its own weather system. As water and alcohol evaporate, a whisky in barrel will lose about 2% of its volume per year.

This evaporation is known as the angels’ share…those thirsty angels!

7.

Neat Vs. Straight Up: Neat means in a rocks glass with no ice & nothing else but the spirit. Straight-up, or ‘Up’, means chilled. A dirty martini straight-up would mean a dirty martini chilled down, but not served on ice.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ten Bar Phrases You May Not Know

By Zac Kvas

“A medium-dry vodka martini, lemon peel, shaken…not stirred.”

You may have heard this quote from your favourite Bond film, but do you really know cocktail lingo?

8. Scotch, Rye & Bourbon: Scotch means it is a whisky made in Scotland. Bourbon means it is made in the USA. Rye, however, is simply a varietal of whisky.

Many people think Rye is Canadian whisky but this isn’t true.

Zac Kvas has been working as a mixologist for almost a decade.

He created the cocktail program at Wayne Gretzky Estates and currently owns and operates his own cocktail syrup & garnish company, Kvas Fine Beverage Co. (kvasfbco.com) with his wife & business partner Amy Kvas.

9. Highball: Spirit + chaser. Rum & Coke, Vodka & soda…both highballs!

10. Two Fingers: When a bartender holds two fingers on a glass and pours to the top of the second finger. Best find a bartender with big hands.

Now get to it and get creative!

66

CELLAR 295 — DID YOU KNOW?

G. ROZELIEURES, SINGLE MALT WHISKY, WHISKY FÛT UNIQUE FINITION FÛT DE RHUM HSE, LOT 3378, P68

RUM D'ARCHE, DISTILLE AND MATURED RUM, SAUTERNES CASK FINISH, LOT 3379, P69

FRANCE - LORRAINE

MIXED CASE

G. ROZELIEURES, SINGLE MALT WHISKY, ORIGINE COLLECTION

Whisky

3376

G. ROZELIEURES SINGLE MALT WHISKY CASE

$ 89

$ 267

40%

Golden in color, it has spicy whisky aromas with coconut and a touch of smoke. It is pungent with spices and woody flavours, which linger on the finish. Matured in sherry oak casks.

This family distillery in the north of France grows, malts, ferments and distills its own barley. A double distillation is used, followed by aging in a variety of different oak casks to produce a range of single malts.

G. ROZELIEURES, SINGLE MALT WHISKY, RARE COLLECTION

Whisky

40%

Slightly deeper in colour, Rare has mellow aromas with vanilla and less smokiness. It is broad and sweet with a round, smooth palate. Sweet fruits lead to a hint of smoke on the finish. Produced in limited quantities from a slightly peated malt, it was aged in barrels previously used for sherry, Cognac and Sauternes.

ONE BOTTLE EACH ORIGINE, RARE & FUMÉ

DON'T MISS G. ROZELIEURES' COLLECTOR'S CORNER WHISKY, PAGE 68.

G. ROZELIEURES, SINGLE MALT WHISKY, FUMÉ COLLECTION

Whisky

40%

Amber in colour, this has a distinctly woody and smoke character. Phenols, spices, with smoky bacon almost make the aromas medicinal.

You have to like the particular style—which I personally love. Initially smoky on the palate, the fruit does come through with fennel, aniseed, ash and peat on the finish.

It was matured in Bourbon casks.

photo — Christophe Dupic is the owner of the Rozelieures distillery.

— SPIRITS G. ROZELIEURES

67

G. ROZELIEURES

3378

G. ROZELIEURES, SINGLE MALT WHISKY, WHISKY FÛT UNIQUE FINITION FÛT DE RHUM HSE

Whisky

$ 136

40%

$ 136

A smooth single malt with fruit and smoky notes. For the final stage of its maturation, this malt spent 14 months in a single barrel from Martinique previously used to mature rum. G Rozelieures is a small distillery in Lorraine in the north of France owned by the Graillet family. The family grows their own cereals, which they malt, ferment, distill and mature. It is light with fresh mineral notes and a touch of sweet vanilla.

68

CELLAR 295 — COLLECTOR’S CORNER

COLLECTOR’S CORNER

RARE SPIRITS TO ENHANCE YOUR BAR

3379

RUM D'ARCHE, DISTILLED AND MATURED RUM, SAUTERNES CASK FINISH

Rum

$ 101

43%

$ 101

A Caribbean rum that has been matured at Chateau d’Arche in barrels used by the Grand Cru to make sweet Sauternes. Sauternes is fermented and matured for eighteen months in French oak barrels and during this time, the oak acts like a sponge so that the golden liquid penetrates within the barrels’ staves whilst vanilla toasty oak flavours are ceded to the wine. In the past, the barrels would have been sold on or discarded but today the team purchase high quality spirits and use their savoir faire to mature in oak. The rum is imported from the Carribean young and fiery; after some months in barrel, all the edges have been rounded. Bright and golden in colour, it has deliciously sweet mellow aromas of rum ‘n raisin ice cream, vanilla and cocoa. Similar flavours on the palate lead to a long spicy, treacle finish.

— CELLAR 295 COLLECTOR’S CORNER

69

CHÂTEAU GRAND-PUY DUCASSE

3412

CHÂTEAU GRAND-PUY DUCASSE AND PRÉLUDE À GRAND-PUY DUCASSE CASE

$ 101

$ 202

FIFTH GROWTH MÉDOC 1855

CHÂTEAU GRAND-PUY DUCASSE, AOC PAUILLAC, 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

A seductive wine with complex character and layers of flavour. In addition to being an impressive château built in 1820 on the quay facing the Gironde estuary in the heart of the town of Pauillac, Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is a fifth-classed growth. Aromas of mulberry, maraschino cherry and wood continue onto the palate. It is supple and smooth with great depth. Oaky incense and spices combine with dark fruit flavours.

The estate has 40 hectares of vines, which are divided between three plots dispersed around the Appellation with vineyards on a gravel plateau in the south and others in the north close to Mouton, Lafite and PontetCanet. The 2018 is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon with 48% Merlot.

2022-2030, M7 D8 Maraschino cherry, mulberry, wood

18°C

Incense, spice, dark fruits

14.5%

Brisket with brandy, apricots and prunes

70

CELLAR 295 — COLLECTOR’S CORNER

COLLECTOR’S CORNER

RARE WINES TO ENHANCE YOUR CELLAR

ONE BOTTLE EACH

PRÉLUDE À GRAND-PUY DUCASSE & CHÂTEAU GRAND-PUY DUCASSE

SECOND WINE

PRÉLUDE À GRAND-PUY DUCASSE, AOC PAUILLAC, 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

The second wine Prélude, a GrandPuy Ducasse made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, was an immediate hit for me. It has vanilla, sweet fruits, and floral notes with hints of blackcurrant and pepper. It is mediumbodied with nice mid-palate weight. This is a classy wine with bitter cherry flavours and a long cherry menthol finish. Delicious to drink now, it also has cellaring potential.

2022-2030, M7 D8 Vanilla, sweet fruit, blackcurrant, pepper, floral

18°C

Bitter cherry, menthol

14.5%

Rack of lamb with mint chimichurri

— CELLAR 295 COLLECTOR’S CORNER

71

Web Exclusives Please visit Opimian.ca for your province's pricing on these wines.

72

CELLAR 292 295 — WEB EXCLUSIVES NEW BRUNSWICK

3413

CHÂTEAU MAILLARD, AOC GRAVES, 2021

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec

$ WEB

$ WEB

Located in the south of the Graves region at Mazères, Château Maillard consistently delivers. The 2021 is relatively light with lots of intense fruit character: plums, blueberries and raspberries. Produced from a blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet and 5% Malbec, it is grown on deep gravelly soils with clay and limestone.

3380

CHÂTEAU JANON, AOC BORDEAUX, 2021

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

$ WEB

$ WEB

Nice, fresh and cooked red berry fruits with mulberry and jammy aromas. It is mediumbodied with more red fruit on the palate and a bitter chocolate finish. A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet, it is grown at Château Janon in the Entre-Deux-Mers.

2022-2024, M8 D9

2022-2024, M8 D9

Jammy, mulberry

18°C

Blueberry, raspberry

18°C

Red fruits, bitter chocolate

12%

Smooth, supple

12.5%

Maple chipotle pork chops, caramelized onions, and blackberry sauce

Grilled flank steak marinated in cilantro, garlic and chili flakes

— CELLAR 295 WEB EXCLUSIVES

73

2022 Cellar Schedule C290: Burgundy, Australia & New Zealand Opens November 9, 2021 Last day to order: December 13, 2021 Mail form by: November 30, 2021 Expected release: Spring 2022

Legend

C291: South Africa & Tuscany Opens December 14, 2021 Last day to order: January 17, 2022 Mail form by: January 3, 2022 Expected release: Summer 2022

Red - White - Rosé - Sparkling - Port/Dessert - Spirit

Bottle size

C292: Argentina, Chile & Alsace Opens January 18, 2022 Last day to order: February 21, 2022 Mail form by: February 7, 2022 Expected release: Summer 2022

Number of bottles in case

Aroma

C293: Rhône, Chablis, Champagne & Scotland Opens February 22, 2022 Last day to order: March 28, 2022 Mail form by: March 14, 2022 Expected release: Summer 2022

Taste

Serving temperature

C294: Spain & Austria Opens March 29, 2022 Last day to order: May 2, 2022 Mail form by: April 18, 2022 Expected release: Fall 2022

Percent of alcohol1

Ideal with Evolution Drink this year Will develop, drink within 2 years Meant for cellaring

C295: Bordeaux, Bergerac, Beaujolais & Cognac/Armagnac Opens May 3, 2022 Last day to order: June 6, 2022 Mail form by: May 20, 2022 Expected release: Fall 2022

Body Light - Medium - Great

C296: Veneto, Puglia & Northern Italy, Germany & Corsica Opens June 7, 2022 Last day to order: July 11, 2022 Mail form by: June 27, 2022 Expected release: Winter 2023

Oak Light - Medium - Heavy

C297: Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire & Provence Opens July 12, 2022 Last day to order: August 15, 2022 Mail form by: July 29, 2022 Expected release: Winter 2023

Organic2

Limited quantity

Vegetarian2

Overall top 10 from last year

C298: The United States, Portugal and the Port Bottle Shop Opens August 16, 2022 Last day to order: September 19, 2022 Mail form by: September 2, 2022 Expected release: Winter 2023

Medal winner

C299: Piedmont, Sicily, Le Marche, Abruzzo & Canada Opens September 20, 2022 Last day to order: November 7, 2022 Mail form by: October 25, 2022 Expected release: Spring 2023 1 2

If you have any questions or want to order, contact us: MemberService@Opimian.ca or 1 800 361-9421

M—Degree of Maturity (1-10) M1 = lay down M10 = fully mature

D—Degree of Drinkability (1-10) D1 = needs time D10 = ready to drink

Residual Sugar Dry = 0-10g/l Semi dry = 11-30g/l

Semi sweet = 31-50g/l Sweet = 51+g/l

The alcohol percentage value is subject to change before delivery.

This information is provided by our producers and may not reflect Canadian norms.

Ordering Made Easy 1. SELECT YOUR WINES Let yourself be inspired by Opimian’s Master of Wine, Jane Masters MW, and her detailed descriptions included in the Cellar Offering.

Our custom chart on the reverse side features a list of symbols to help guide your selection.

Still unsure which wines to order? Contact us!

2. PLACE YOUR ORDER There are four ways to order. The last day to order for each Cellar Offering can be found listed on the reverse. No orders will be processed after this time.

Full name _________________________________________________ Telephone ________________________________________________ Member no. ________________________________________________ Payment Methods

l Cheque Opimian.ca

1 800 361-9421

MemberService@Opimian.ca

Mail this form 14 days before end of the Cellar to Opimian Wine Club de Vin 300 - 2170 René-Lévesque West Montreal, QC H3H 2T8

l Use of wine credits

l Use credit card on file. Please go to your dashboard at Opimian.ca to update your credit card on file or contact Member Service.

Cellar Number Lot

Description

Date Number of cases

Cost/case

Total

3. LET US HANDLE THE REST The wines featured on this Cellar Offering are still at the producers’ wineries when you order them, so it is normal that the process takes a bit of time and effort on our side.

Release dates are dependent upon actual arrival dates, distance from port of entry to liquor board and processing time required by each liquor board. For this Cellar Offering, the expected release date is listed on the reverse.

Once the wine arrives at your local liquor store or distribution centre, you will receive a Pick-up Notice with the specified date (the Release Date) and your pick-up location.

Conditions of Purchase • Accepted payment methods: Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), wine credits or cheque payable to Opimian.

• Prices include all applicable federal and provincial markups and taxes.

• A valid membership card is required to order.

• Bottle prices are for reference only. In the case of any price discrepancy between printed materials and the website, the price published on the website prevails.

• All orders are by the case, with no minimum required.

Notes, as required by the law in the Province of Quebec • A member ordering from this Cellar Offering requests that Opimian acts as the member’s agent in ordering the wines from the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) and requests that Opimian remits the funds enclosed (minus any administration fees) to the SAQ to pay for the wines ordered.

• The prices as shown are the estimated costs to be charged by the SAQ plus an administration fee and consolidation charges.

Notes, as required by the law in the Province of Alberta • All purchase transactions are completed pursuant to the laws in the Province of Alberta and are between you as the customer and Rocky Mountain Wine, Spirits & Beer (“Rocky Mountain”), an independent third party of Opimian Society (“Opimian”). All charges will appear on your credit card statement as Rocky Mountain.

• You hereby acknowledge and agree that your dealings with Rocky Mountain which are not related to an Opimian purchase, including payment and all other terms, conditions, representations and warranties related to such transaction, whether implied by law or by expressed agreement between you and Rocky Mountain, are solely between you and Rocky Mountain and not Opimian. You hereby acknowledge that Opimian is not responsible or liable for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of, or in connection with, or a resulting transaction, and you hereby release and waive any claims you may have against Opimian in connection thereof.

TOTAL

Notes to Member Service ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY Processed on ________________________ (date)

Initials __________________

REVEAL THE REMARKABLE A CONNOISSEUR’S DREAM. Exclusive to this program, Founders Choice wines are not available elsewhere in the Cellar Offering and won’t be for another five years.

Dedicated to the spirit of our Founders, this program presents only the finest wines. From our producers’ cellars to yours, this is an opportunity to experience another level of quality. This case of one premium wine is curated with the potential to age. Included in your six bottle case, you will find tasting notes and a special message from the producer to treasure.

The Founders Choice wine for this Cellar is from a prestigious right bank estate in Bordeaux and new to Opimian.

SUBSCRIBE NOW $243

Via your Dashboard at Opimian.ca

300-2170 RENÉ-LÉVESQUE WEST MONTREAL QC H3H 2T8 OPIMIAN.CA

Email MemberService@Opimian.ca

Call 1-800-361-9421

per Cellar Offering