Prince of Wine » cabernet http://www.princeofwine.com Prince of Wine Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:00:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 iPOW- Wine on Tap http://www.princeofwine.com/ipow-wine-on-tap/ http://www.princeofwine.com/ipow-wine-on-tap/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 01:09:03 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=1302 I was at a wine trade tasting yesterday and I happened to meet Jordan Kivelstadt of Free Flow Wines. I shot this video using my iPhone so it is a bit quirky. The delivery of wine in methods other than the conventional bottle has been gaining momentum.

I do support the concept of wine taps in all their formats as I see it solving the most common problem when ordering wine by the glass: Oxydation (freshness) and wine temperature.

For further information click here www.freeflowwines.com.

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/ipow-wine-on-tap/feed/ 3 Wine Review Short #23: Chateau Clerc Milon, Pauillac, Bordeaux http://www.princeofwine.com/chateau-clerk-milon-pauillac-bordeaux/ http://www.princeofwine.com/chateau-clerk-milon-pauillac-bordeaux/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 06:05:21 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=588 A chat with Mr. Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, the Director of Chateau Clerc Milon. This 5th growth Chateau of the 1855 classification does not garner the headlines of its geographical neighbors, Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild, but for me it is a wine worthy for attention. Having fallen into disrepair following the change of title over the years, the 106 acre estate was acquired in 1970 by Baron Philippe de Rothschild for the bargain price of $1 million francs. The Baron invested heavily in equipment and in the vineyard and the wine produced began to improve noticeably in the 1980′s. Today the chateau is managed by Mr. Danjoy who reports to the Baron’s daughter, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (the Baron died in 1988) who oversees the various chateau holdings including the flagship Mouton Rothschild, Chateau D’Armailhac, Opus 1 in California and Almaviva of Chile amongst others. The 2006 vintage is comprised of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc and has blackberry and chocolate notes with a creamy texture and firm tannins and a medium-long finish (POW 91). The label is from a 16th century german art of two dancing clowns made of precious stones (the original artwork is in the Museum of Wine Art at Mouton Rothschild). For more information please click on Chateau Clerc Milon website at bpdr.com.

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/chateau-clerk-milon-pauillac-bordeaux/feed/ 2 Wine Review Short #22: A Lady winemaker on the right bank – Chateau La Couspaude, St. Emilion http://www.princeofwine.com/vanesa-aubert-chateau-la-couspaude-st-emilion/ http://www.princeofwine.com/vanesa-aubert-chateau-la-couspaude-st-emilion/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 09:24:18 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=570 An interview with Ms. Vanessa Aubert of Chateau La Couspaude, of the town of St Emilion regarding the 2006 Vintage. Ms. Aubert is part of a family of winemakers that has worked hard to earn this Chateau a coveted Grande Cru classification in 1996. The Chateau’s soil is clay/limestone with a Chalky sub-soil that supports a predominance of 30 year old Merlot plants. The Chateau’s philosophy regarding reinvigorating the vineyard is complantation (selective /individual replacement of vines rather than removal and replanting of a whole block of vines).
Whilst the 2005 Vintage is complex and early to drink, the 2006 is accessible and has an outstanding bouquet of red fruit intertwined with earthy notes and a very pleasing texture with smooth tannins and a long finish (POW 93). This remarkable wine epitomizes St Emilion and reminds me why I love the right bank of Bordeaux!

Technical Information:
Area under production: 7 hectares ( a hectare is approximately 2.47 acres)
Grape varieties: 75 % merlot, 20 % cabernet franc, 5 % cabernet sauvignon
Average age: 30 years
Type of soil: Saint-Emilion chalky shelf, clay-limestone
Planting density: 6500 shoots/ha
Vinegrowing: Vineyard management plot by plot, severe pruning, leaf thining, bunch thining, hand picking into small crates and carefully sorted prior to crushing.
Winemaking: Wooden small fermenting vats, cold maceration, catch the cap by hand, malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels, ageing 18 – 20 months.
Yield: 30 – 35 hectolitres/hectare ( a hectare is approximately 2.47 acres)
Winemaker: Jean-Claude Aubert / Vanessa Aubert
Consultant: Michel Rolland

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
http://princeofwine.comChateau La Couspaude

Chateau La Couspaude

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/vanesa-aubert-chateau-la-couspaude-st-emilion/feed/ 0 Wine Review Short #21: Meeting with Count Von Neipperg of Chateau Canon-La Gaffeliere http://www.princeofwine.com/interview-count-von-neipperg-of-chateau-canon-la-gaffeliere/ http://www.princeofwine.com/interview-count-von-neipperg-of-chateau-canon-la-gaffeliere/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:27:04 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=552 My interview with Count Stephan Von Neipperg of Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere of St. Emilion. The Chateau is comprised of a vineyard of 19.5 hectares sitting on a limestone plateau. The Count is a leading figure in the Bordeaux wine world who has done an exceptional job since taking over the management duties from his father in 1981.   Working with a winemaking team led by Stephane Derenoncourt, the wines of Canon-La-Gaffeliere are unusual for a Saint Emilion Chateau as they contain a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc versus Merlot. The 2006 vintage is 47% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% and 50% Merlot. The 2006 Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere is a remarkably elegant effort with a great amount of dark berries, plums, chocolate, coffee and mocha in harmony with  solid tannins and a long finish. A great wine for the long haul!  (POW 94).  For technical information please link to canon-la-gaffeliere.com

Walid Romaya

Prince of Wine

www.princeofwine.comChateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/interview-count-von-neipperg-of-chateau-canon-la-gaffeliere/feed/ 1 Wine Review Short #20- One foot on each side of the Gironde river! http://www.princeofwine.com/wine-review-short-20-mr-john-kolasa-one-foot-on-each-side-of-the-gironde-river/ http://www.princeofwine.com/wine-review-short-20-mr-john-kolasa-one-foot-on-each-side-of-the-gironde-river/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:25:58 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=530 Chateau CanonMy interview with Mr. John Kolasa of Chateau Canon of St. Emilion, (Classified premier growth class B, right bank) AND Chateau Rauzan-Segla of Margaux (1855 classified second growth, left bank) during the UGC 2006 Bordeaux tasting. It is unusual to have a Scottish winemaker on both sides of the Gironde river.  Both Chateau’s are owned by the Wertheimer family, of  Chanel fame. Mr. Kolasa was hired away in the mid 1990′s from Chateau Latour, the venerable first growth of Bordeaux. I was able to taste the 2006 Chateau Canon and it exhibited nuances of dark fruit intertwined with solid earthy notes and a medium to long finish (POW 91). A great and pleasurable wine from a good Bordeaux vintage which is remarkable after the outstanding 2005. For technical information on the 2006 wines please download  www.chateaucanon.com/download/canon_2006_en.pdf for Chateau Canon and and www.rauzan-segla.com/download/rauzan_millesime_2006_en.pdf for Chateau Rauzan-Segla.

Walid Romaya

Prince of Wine

www.princeofwine.comChateau Rauzan-Segla

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/wine-review-short-20-mr-john-kolasa-one-foot-on-each-side-of-the-gironde-river/feed/ 0 Wine Review Short #19 – Chateau Beychevelle, 2006 Vintage, St. Julien, Bordeaux, France http://www.princeofwine.com/chateau-beychevelle-2006-vintage-st-julien-bordeaux-france/ http://www.princeofwine.com/chateau-beychevelle-2006-vintage-st-julien-bordeaux-france/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:46:38 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=435 My interview with Mr. Aymar de Baillenx President of Chateau Beychevelle, the St Julien classified 4th growth, regarding the 2006 Bordeaux Vintage.
My first impression of the wine was that it was an elegant wine with a good balance of fruit and tannins. Not a blockbuster but a very good wine (POW 91).
Chateau Summary:
Soils: deep Garonne gravel
Surface area: 250 hectares of which 90 planted with vines
Average age of the vines: 28 years
Planting density: 10,000 vines/hectare
Average annual production: 40 to 50,000 cases overall (20,000 cases for the Grand Vin)
Grape varieties: 62 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 31 % Merlot,
5 % Cabernet Franc, 2 % Petit Verdot
Vinification: traditional
Maturing: 18 months in oak barrels, half of which are renewed every year

For more information please visit Chateau Beychevelle at www.beychevelle.com

Share the POW!

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
http://princeofwine.com

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/chateau-beychevelle-2006-vintage-st-julien-bordeaux-france/feed/ 2 Wine Review Short #8 – 2004 Ceja Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa http://www.princeofwine.com/ceja-cabernet-sauvignon-napa/ http://www.princeofwine.com/ceja-cabernet-sauvignon-napa/#comments Thu, 25 Dec 2008 09:17:19 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=245 The Ceja family, an immigrant success story, makes a cabernet sauvignon wine of medium garnet color that is aged for 28 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels. This Carneros sourced wine exhibits aromas of smoke and a mixture of red and dark fruit. On the palate the wine carries the smoke and intertwines it with cassis, plums and blackberry. The tannins are soft and serve as a nice backdrop. Overall a solid effort. Made in small quantities (235 cases), drink now to 2014.

For more information please visit:
www.cejavineyards.com

For information about the painting in the background, please visit www.dougiemann.com

POW 90

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
www.princeofwine.com

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/ceja-cabernet-sauvignon-napa/feed/ 6 Wine Review Short #10 – Yates Family Vineyard, Mount Veeder Appellation, Napa http://www.princeofwine.com/yates-family-vineyard-mount-veeder-napa/ http://www.princeofwine.com/yates-family-vineyard-mount-veeder-napa/#comments Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:53:27 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=65 Yates Family VineyardMichael and Lynn Yates and their daughters Whitney and Mary operate the 35 acre Yates family vineyard in Mount Veeder, Napa Valley. I tasted their 2005 Cheval, a small production (98 cases, $45) of 100% Cabernet Franc of exceptional balance and finesse, with forward red fruit tamed by evident but silky tannins (POW 91).This varietal seems perpetually in the shadow of Cabernet Sauvignon, but here the Yates manage to put it at center stage! For more information on the Yates and their wines, please go to www.yatesfamilyvineyard.com

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
www.princeofwine.com

]]> http://www.princeofwine.com/yates-family-vineyard-mount-veeder-napa/feed/ 0 Wine Review Short #12 – Educated Guess!!..Interview with Marc Albrecht of Roots Run Deep Winery http://www.princeofwine.com/interview-marc-albrecht-roots-run-deep-winery/ http://www.princeofwine.com/interview-marc-albrecht-roots-run-deep-winery/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:41:38 +0000 princeofwine http://www.princeofwine.com/?p=64 Marc Albrecht started Yountville based Roots Run Deep winery in 2005 to make wines that well…keeps you guessing!! No!! The fact of the matter is we all make educated guesses when we buy wines; What is it going to taste lik? Is it worth the price? is it the right vintage? and so on.. so Marc made his affordable ($20) Napa Cabernet Sauvignon wine with the great label: Educated Guess!!
For more information visit www.rootsrundeep.com

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
www.princeofwine.com

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