Blog posts tagged with 'bordeaux wines'

Although the history of Château Smith Haut Lafitte dates back to the 14th century, it was long considered to be an underachieving château. In 1990, when Daniel and Florence Cathiard fell in love with the winery, everything changed for good. The History of Château Smith Haut Lafitte In the 14th century, the Verrier du Boscq family planted vines on the gravelly plateau Lafitte in Graves, France. Up until today, the three Fleurs-de-lis on the label honor the family who founded the vineyard. Four centuries later, Scottish navigator George Smith bought the estate and added his name to the property. He constructed the château and initiated the export of the wines back to Great Britain. The three branches on the label represent his three children. Lodi Martin Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux and signer of ‘The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855’, bought the estate in 1842. Château Haut-Brion was the only winery not located in Médoc that made it to the famous list. But in 1953, the wines of the Graves were separately classified by the Institute National des Appellations d'Origine and the red wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte made it to the list. When the list was adjusted in 1959, the château stood its ground and remained on the list. At the time, there was no production of white wine. If a reclassification were done today, the white wine of the château would definitely be included as well. In 1958, the Louis Eschenauer company, which had already distributed the wines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte from the early 20th century, ended up buying the estate. The company owned the château up until 1990. The Couple Behind the Estate Today In 1990, Florence and Daniel Cathiard fell in love with Château Smith Haut Lafitte. They are both ski champions, founders of the chains Go Sport and Casino, hard workers, and bon vivants. They chose the estate above others that were on the market back then because it produces both red and white wines. They restored the 16th-century tower and the manor house and built two underground cellars. The couple banned the chemical herbicides that had exhausted the vineyard and went back to traditional vine-growing methods respecting the land and the vines. They introduced modern technology to analyze the soil, map the terroir, and use satellite images to monitor the maturity of the vines. In an interview with Margaret Rand in 2008, the couple discussed whether a glass ceiling exists in Bordeaux. Florence Cathiard stated there definitely is one: “We will never be a first growth. We don’t have the weight of history.” Yet Daniel Cathiard does not believe in such a thing: “We have one of the best soils in Bordeaux. We work hard, we hire the best people, we’re not so bad at marketing. It will take time, but it will turn to success. I don’t think about being a first growth. There’s no limit to quality, and the price will follow.” At the estate, they started a Vinothérapie spa with a hotel and a Michelin-starred restaurant, which led to more spas and hotels and a line of cosmetics. The resorts and hotels are run by their daughters Mathilde and Alice. While Florence is responsible for marketing and building new contacts, Daniel takes care of the vineyard and cellars. Thanks to the family’s competitive nature, Château Smith Haut Lafitte is now wide awake and present at the top. The Vineyard of Château Smith Haut Lafitte Château Smith Haut Lafitte is part of the Pessac-Léognan appellation and covers 67 hectares. The Graves region is known for its alluvial, sandy, stony soil atop a clay and limestone subsoil. The soil of the vineyard of Château Smith Haut Lafitte is well-drained and remains warm at the surface, which results in slowly ripening grapes. The poor soil is perfect for viniculture, and the limestone gives the wines a certain freshness. The first years at the vineyard were a hard knock life with frost in 1991 and rain showers in 1992. They took away some vines and replanted the vines in another part of the vineyard. Eschenauer kept Cabernet Sauvignon on the northern part of the estate, but the grapes didn’t ripen because of the clay in the soil. The couple replaced the Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and moved the Cabernet Sauvignon to a sunnier part. These decisions laid the foundations for Château Smith Haut Lafitte as we know it today. The grapes are meticulously sorted out, and the extractions are even done with manual punching. The fermentation of the wine happens partly in vats and partly in barrels, and the wine is matured for 16 to 18 months. The red wine cellar is one of the largest underground cellars in Bordeaux and holds up to 1,000 barrels. Château Smith Haut Lafitte aims to be self-sufficient and intends to be carbon neutral. If you ask us, they are more than ready for the future. The Wines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte The red Smith Haut Lafitte contains 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. The white Smith Haut Lafitte includes 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, and 5% Sémillon fermented in barrels. Both the red and white wines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte are elegant yet powerful. The intense red wines are known for their silky texture, while the polished white wines reveal fresh fine citrus notes. The 2009 red wine by Château Smith Haut Lafitte was even awarded 100 points by Robert Parker. Looking for an Exclusive Bordeaux Wine? Each bottle in our collection has been handpicked by our appraisers. Discover our selection of Bordeaux wines in our online shop. Don’t hesitate to contact us for personal assistance.

Château Lagrange started humble but is today a successful Third Growths Winehouse. The estate is 182 hectares large and located entirely within the appellation of Saint-Julien. When the property was acquired by the Japanese company Suntory, the French were skeptical, but we can’t deny: the Japanese have made Château Lagrange great again. The Appellation Saint-Julien Saint-Julien is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for red wine in Bordeaux, more specifically the Médoc subregion. The wines of this appellation are mainly produced in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, located on the left bank between Margaux and Pauillac. The primary grape of Saint-Julien is Cabernet Sauvignon, along with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and traces of Carménère. The southern wines are described as smoother and more feminine, while the northern wines are more robust and powerful. Château Lagrange is located in the north of the Saint-Julien appellation. The History of Château Lagrange The story of Château Lagrange dates back to the Gallo-Roman times when the original estate was called Villa Rustica. During the Middle Ages, the Templars joined two domains and made Lagrange the largest wine producer in the Médoc. Over the centuries, the domain was owned by many different people. In the 18th century, Baron de Brane, a Bordeaux parliament member and owner of Mouton, bought the estate. Subsequently, influential merchant Jean-Valère Cabarrus invested in Lagrange and spread its wines through his sales network. The Italianate tower, depicted on the label, was constructed in 1796 by the next owner Jean Valerie Cabarrus, Napoleon’s Finance Minister in Spain. But it was his successor, Count Duchatel, who was the first to truly improve the domain’s wines: he added a drainage system to the vineyard. This is very common today but back then it was revolutionary. In 1855, the year of the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification, Château Lagrange was ranked as Third Classified Growths. It was truly a golden age for the estate, but everything changed in the 20th century due to the World Wars and Depression. In 1983, the Japanese group Suntory acquired the domain and appointed Marcel Ducasse and Kenji Suzuta to restructure the vineyard and renovate the estate. This was the beginning of the château’s rebirth. Year after year, they put in hard work and investments. Today Château Lagrange is led by Matthieu Bordes and Keiichi Shiina, who keep refining the production. The Exceptional Terroir of Château Lagrange The center of the domain is the highest point in Saint-Julien. The estate covers 182 hectares and has a gravelly soil combined with sand or iron-rich clay, depending on the plot. The soil is perfect for the Cabernet Sauvignon grape and covers 67% of the vineyard. 28% is dedicated to the Merlot grape and 5% to Petit Verdot, which gives the wines of Château Lagrange their unique complexity. Château Lagrange is one of the few properties in Saint-Julien that also produces white wine. The white wine vineyard covers 7.5 hectares, of which 60% is Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, and 20% Sémillon. This wine is sold under the name Les Arums de Lagrange. In 1985, Suntory also started the production of a second wine: Les Fiefs de Lagrange. Tradition and Perfection The vines are maintained with great care and respect for tradition. Production is also as eco-friendly as possible. During harvest, the grapes are hand-picked and sorted both manually and by an optical sorting machine. Only the best remain. Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats with respect to each plot. Each plot has its own vat, which contributes to the quality of the wines. Afterwards, the oenologist of Château Lagrange blends the wines to create a perfect harmony. The wines are aged in oak barrels for at least 20 months. The Wines of Château Lagrange The wines are described as bright and deeply colored with notes of fruits and oak. As the young wines contain many tannins, it’s better to wait at least 8 to 10 years before serving your Château Lagrange wine. An aging period of 10 to 25 years is even better. In the mood for an intense and complex wine? Discover our handpicked selection of Château Lagrange wines in our online shop.