The Wines
Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Situated in the wine-producing village of Pauillac in the Médoc region to the north-west of Bordeaux, The vineyard is one of the largest in the Médoc at 107 hectares, and produces around 17,500 cases annually.
Its vines are around 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, whereas the final wine is between 80% and 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% and 20% Merlot, and up to 3% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Occasionally exceptions are made, such as the 1961 vintage which was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Château Mouton Rothschild has its vineyards on the slopes leading down to the Gironde Estuary, in the Bordeaux region, mainly producing grapes of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety.
The vineyard, comprising 75 hectares of mainly gravel-based soils, is planted to 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Grapes are hand-picked, and the juice is fermented in barrel, not in vat. After fermentation the wine is aged in new oak for 22 months before bottling. Total production is 25-30,000 cases
Chateau Latour
Château Latour is a French wine estate, rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac in the Médoc region to the north-west of Bordeaux, at its border with Saint-Julien, and only a few hundred metres from the banks of the Gironde estuary.
The history of Chateau Latour dates back at least to the 14th century, even though the vineyards for which it is now world-renowned were not fully established until the 17th century.
In terms of volumes, on average there are about 16-20,000 cases of Latour made each year, 10-12,000 cases of Les Forts de Latour, and a variable quantity of the generic Pauillac. As one would expect in Pauillac the Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, accounting for 80% of the vineyard, with Merlot(18%) and Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot comprising the remaining 2%.
Chateau Margaux
A 1er Cru Classé (First Growth) property, has been owned by the Mentzelopoulos family since 1978 - since then it has consistently produced the finest wines in the Médoc.
The estate has 82 hectares under vine, with Cabernet Sauvignon inevitably dominant (75%) with 20% Merlot making up most of the rest, along with a smattering of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The grand vin has an annual production of 150,000 bottles whilst the second wine, Pavillion Rouge, has a production of approximately 200,000 bottles.
Chateau Haut-Brion
Rated a Premier Cru Classé (First Growth), produced in Talence just outside the city of Bordeaux. It differs from the other wines on the list in its geographic location in the north of the wine-growing region of Graves. Of the five first growths, it is the only wine with the Pessac-Léognan appellation and is in some sense the ancestor of a classification that remains the bench mark to this day.
Château Haut-Brion devotes 48.35 hectares (119.5 acres) to red grape varieties, with a distribution of 45.4% Merlot, 43.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
Chateau Montrose
Château Montrose is located in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Bordeaux region. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
The vineyard is in Saint-Estèphe, the northernmost of the great Médoc communes. The soil in Montrose's 168 acres consists of gravel and black sand with a subsoil of clay and marl.[1] They are planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Angelus
Château Angélus is located just half a mile from the Saint-Emilion bell tower, on the famous "pied de côte", facing due south. Its current consolidation and renovation is the culmination of a commitment made by seven generations of the Boöard de Laforest family.
The property owes its name to a plot of vines from which the Angelus bell can be heard ringing at all three local churches: Mazerat Chapel, Saint-Martin de Mazerat church and Saint-Emilion church. Promoted to "Premier Grand Cru Classé" status.
The estate is recognised throughout the world as one of the finest in Saint-Emilion.This success is due to many years of devotion by the same family. Respect for traditional practices in both vineyards and cellar is combined with constant technical progress, so that each vintage is brought to the very summit of perfection.
Chateau Ausone
Château Ausone, close to the village of Saint-Émilion, is an estate steeped in prestige. Its rich viticultural history dates back nearly two millennia to Roman times when the poet Ausonius was said to have lived at ‘La Villa du Palet’, a Gallo-Roman villa whose archeological remains can be still be found on the property. In recent centuries, the ownership of Ausone has rested with only three families.
The wines of Château Ausone are highly sought-after and for good reason. With a total of only seven hectares of low-yielding vineyards, precariously perched on Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau, demand is understandably high. The vines benefit greatly from porous and free draining limestone soils which suitably stress the vines and give the wines a distinctive minerality. During harvest, the picking of the grapes takes place in successive ‘tries’, or passes, through the vineyard. This ensures that only the ripest grapes are picked and results in concentrated fruit flavours, which make unique and memorable wines.
Chateau Petrus
Château Petrus is one of the most celebrated and distinguished wines in the world.
Château Petrus's outstanding location on a plateau in the eastern portion of Pomerol is complemented by the high percentage of iron-rich clay in the soil (far more than is contained in surrounding properties). The estate was among the first in Bordeaux to implement green-harvesting as a way to lower crop yields and raise the quality of the remaining grapes by concentrating their power and quality.
The wine is produced almost entirely from Merlot grapes. Prior to the 1960's, up to 20% of Cabernet Franc was added to the blend but this was gradually abandoned by Loubat and Moueix in favour of a more distinct style. Fermentation and maceration takes place over 20 to 24 days, followed by up to 2 year's ageing in 100% new oak barrels in order to fully integrate the flavours in the wines and allow for greater complexity.
With only 2,500 cases produced for each vintage, this wine is quickly snapped up year after year.
Chateau Le Pin
Le Pin is the forerunner of the "garagiste" wine movement more often associated with Saint-Émilion than Pomerol, which is typified by small-scale production levels, meticulous attention to detail, word-of-mouth marketing and distinctive wines. Currently, Le Pin is managed by Jacques Thienpoint who only releases 500-700 cases per vintage.
The vineyard is tended and harvested by hand and the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in wood, a detail which is believed to contribute to the wine’s huge and exotically scented bouquet. The wine is subsequently matured in 100% new oak barriques for up to 18 months. This maturation process gives it a richness and palate weight which develops significantly with ageing.
Chateau Cos Destournel
Château Cos d'Estournel is a winery in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. It is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
Château Cos d'Estournel produces the eponymous grand vin, the second wine since the 1994 vintage, Les Pagodes de Cos from the estate's younger vines, as well as Château Marbuzet from fruit of nearby plots. The property is adjacent to Château Lafite-Rothschild in the neighboring commune of Pauillac.
Chateau Cheval Blanc
Château Cheval Blanc (French for "White Horse Castle"), is a wine producer in Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux wine region of France. As of 2012, its wine is one of only four to receive the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, along with Château Angélus, Château Ausone, and Château Pavie.
Cheval Blanc produces the most famous Cabernet Franc-based wine in the world and present régisseur Pierre Lurton is amongst the most talented winemakers working in Bordeaux today. Cheval Blanc requires a minimum 10 years of bottle age and the best vintages can last for 50 years or more.
Chateau Lynch Bages
Château Lynch-Bages is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Lynch-Bages is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of eighteen Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths) in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
In 1728 Chevalier Pierre Drouillard purchased a vineyard in Pauillac that had been originally established by the Déjean family. When Pierre died in 1749, the estate was left his daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth was then married to Thomas Lynch and the estate became known as “Cru de Lynch”.
Pontet Canet
Chateau Pontet Canet is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France. Chateau Pontet-Canet is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of eighteen Cinquièmes Crus in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
Over two centuries Chateau Pontet Canet has been owned by three different families. Today it is run by Alfred Tesseron with his niece Melanie (daughter of Gerard Tesseron) who is the descendant of Guy Tesseron. Thirty years after their arrival in Pauillac the Tesseron family have the satisfaction of knowing that they have gradually replanted some of the vineyard and renovated Chateau Pontet Canet and the wine making facilities.
