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A very rich interview – the history of the Lucien Lurton family, a description of the vineyards and to finish, an impressive tasting of Brane 2004!

Un sympathique reportage, détaillé, à lire sur le blog de Christian Schiller  'Schiller Wine' au sujet de la visite et la dégustation d'Henri Lurton chez MacArthur Beverages à Washington, DC USA au début de ce mois...http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

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Visit Christian Schiller’s blog, ‘Schiller Wine,’ to read this enjoyable and detailed report about Henri Lurton’s visit and tasting at MacArthur Beverages in Washington, DC at the beginning of the month…http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/

 

Ce cycle de conférences dirigé par Béatrice Leroux-Huitema et Catherine Vivez, met en relation durant une heure un tableau choisi parmi les oeuvres du musée et un vin. Présenté à travers un exposé, le tableau est décrit et mis en perspective: compsition, sujet, origine...L'histoire du vin est racontée par son propriétaire et tous les secrets de la vigne au verre sont livrés aux dégustateurs! Le Brane 2001 a été très apprécié...

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This cycle of hour-long conferences, which is being led by Béatrice Leroux-Huitema and Catherine Vivez, draws a link between a painting chosen from the museum’s collection and a wine. The painting is described and put into perspective during a presentation: composition, subject, origin, etc. The wine’s history is explained by its owner and all of its secrets, from the vineyards to the glass, are disclosed to the tasters! Brane 2001 was a big hit!

C'est à Brane que l'équipe de Citadelles du Vin avait choisi cette année de clôturer ses rencontres (3 jours) avec une visite, une dégustation et un dîner. Journalistes du vin, experts, oenologues, ingénieurs agronomes, professeurs, consultants, directeurs et gérants d'exploitations viticoles...toute une palette de juges réunis pour ce millésime exceptionnel du Concours des Vins.

 

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It was at Brane that the Citadelles du Vin team decided to close its event (3 days) this year, with a visit, tasting and dinner. Wine journalists, experts, oenologists, agricultural engineers, professors, consultants, directors and wine estate managers: a wide range of judges came together for this exceptional edition of the Wine Competition.

At around 5:30 pm, Henri Lurton and Maria Martinez Ojeda welcomed a group made of some forty people, for a visit of Brane’s cellars. Fortunately, it was sunny out and once they finished their tour, our guests were able to take advantage of the park after they tasted a Baron and a Brane 2007 and an impressive 2002. The dinner that was held in the large tasting room showcased a Sauternes, Brane 2003, the 2001 and a Champagne with dessert.

Organized by Le Concours des Vins, Citadelles des Vins has become a must-attend event on the international wine scene. The competition has won over wine-makers from the world over. It thus provides the industry with a unique tool for promoting superior-quality wines through Vinexpo.

To learn more, visit http://www.citadellesduvin.com/index.php?tmpl=accueil...and for the prize-winners, click Winner List.

Photo captions:

The tasting and hors-d’oeuvre buffet

A few guests with wine journalist Nelly Salvi

Mr. Bruneteau from Société Bordelaise d'Oenologie and Mr. Thierry Tournade from AquiFM 98.0

Henri Lurton (viewed from behind) having a conversation with some guests

Dinner on May 17, 2010

 

 

Variation around pan-fried foie gras on arugula and citrus reduction. Crème brulée with foie gras and

crispy duck, foie gras sorbet and

onion jam

 

 

Old-fashioned braised shoulder of lamb, roasted garlic.

Tian of zucchini and tomatoes dauphinoise

 

 

Selection of mature cheeses

 

 

Frozen Grand Marnier soufflé. Fruit fricassee and crispy baguette

 

 

Coffee and typical Bordeaux petit-fours

 

 

 

Petit compte rendu de la part d'Hermitage et quelques photos...Un bel évènement à refaire...

Beaucoup de monde: de nombreux jeunes amateurs très intéressés et certains déjà connaisseurs, des collectionneurs venus de toute l'Asie (Hong Kong, Shanghaï, La Thailande...), un brassage incroyable d'acheteurs et de futurs acheteurs!

Un grand merci donc à Soo Hoo, le président d'Hermitage,et son associé, Arnaud Compas, à Nicolas Ovilgy de Red and White et à toute l'équipe de support qui a fait un excellent travail d'accueil.

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A short report by Hermitage and a few photos…An impressive event worthy of repeating…

Lots of people: many young, interested fans and some budding connoisseurs, collectors from all of Asia (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Thailand) - an incredible mix of buyers and future buyers!

We would like to extend a big thanks to Soo Hoo, President of Hermitage, and his associate, Arnaud Compas, as well as to Nicolas Ovilgy from Red and White and the entire support team, who did excellent work.

"The 3 days Ultimate Parker In Asia event ended extremely well; we have been and are still receiving compliments from customers. Thank you so much for your participation and assistance. It wouldn’t have made such a great impact without your presence.

 

94 top wineries around the world have come together to present some of their best wines during the Grand Tasting. There were more than 1000 people who attended the walk about tasting, of which 800 were allocated with master class. Everyone who has attended the event was very impressed with the wines selection. Les Fruits De La Vigne, the Adopted Charity Gala Dinner on the 3^rd day was also a success; filling stomachs with fine wine and great food, and the air with laughter and conversations. And thanks to our generous donors, more than Singapore Dollars 150,000.00 that night was raise for NUHS Patient Care Fund (PCF). This will go a long way to support the poor and needy patient as well as in the areas of medical research."

Joséphine Ng on behalf of the Hermitage Team

Photo captions:

The ballroom packed with enthusiastic tasters

Robert Parker in his book signing session

The Brane Master class

 

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The palate opens to capsicums, blueberry fruit and floral notes. Firm, crisp tannins and fresh finish. Good length. Fine.

Il y a deux ans, nous recevions The Vintners' Club of California et dégustions des Cabernets californiens... Cette année, nous découvrons les assemblages de cépages bordelais de Nouvelle-Zélande et plus particulièrement de la région de Gimblett Gravels!

 

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Two years ago, we hosted The Vintners’ Club of California and tasted Californian Cabernets… This year, we’re discovering Bordeaux grape blends from New Zealand and more specifically from the Gimblett Gravels region!

On the initiative of Steve Smith, MW from Craggy Range Winery and of Ch’ng Poh Tion, publisher of Chinese Bordeaux Guide and The Wine Review, Henri Lurton will welcome Bordeaux owners, merchants and brokers as well as members of the international press. The tasting will feature three vintages of the following wines:

Church Road 'Tom'

Craggy Range 'Sophia'

Craggy Range 'The Quarry'

Sacred Hill 'The Helmsman'

Trinity Hill 'The Gimblett'

Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet-Merlot

At the end of the event, the Bordeaux attendees and the press will vote for their 3 favorite wines! The tasting promises to be interesting, offering a fun tour through the vineyards of our ‘kiwi’ friends! View the results online the day after the tasting…

 www.craggyrange.com

La semaine dernière, les femmes de Margaux étaient photographiées devant Brane... Cette fois-ci, les spots sont tournés vers Henri Lurton et le terroir de Brane, dans un article de Roger Pourteau,  le 7 mai !

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Last week, the women of Margaux were photographed in front of Brane… This time, the spotlight is shining on Henri Lurton and the Brane terroir, in an article by Roger Pourteau dated May 7!

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“LEVELS OF RICHNESS AND INTENSITY I HAVE NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN BRANE CANTENAC!”

"Only 37% of the production made it in to the 2009 Brane Cantenac (slightly lower than most properties because the fruit was so good). This is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.87 and finished alcohol of 13.2%. It is another offering that reveals no evidence of wood even though 70% new oak barrels were utilized. A dense plum/purple color is followed by a lovely perfume of flowers, boysenberries, black cherries, and black currants. Seamless in the mouth with stunning concentration, a seductive style, an exquisite Margaux delicacy, and levels of richness and intensity I have never before seen in Brane Cantenac, it should drink effortlessly for 30+ years. (Tasted four times.)" The Wine Advocate , April 28 2010

Millésime 2009, déjà mythique!Le pédigrée des très grands bordeaux: 47, 29, 1893...mais pas aussi homogène que 2005 qui reste exceptionnelle à tous points de vue!

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The 2009 vintage is already a legend! The descendent of truly great Bordeaux wines: ‘49, ‘29, 1893…but not as homogenous as 2005, which remains exceptional from all viewpoints!

Brane-Cantenac 2009: 

Olive, black fruits, slight note of blackcurrant, the plateau is very present, supple, smooth, fresh palate, fairly light in the mid-mouth, fresh, tender finesse…16.5

Grenat-pourpre, bouquet élégant, fin , baies mûres, pruneaux, montrant une douceur décente. Noble en bouche avec des tanins de velours, finale de cassis. Un des meilleurs millésimes de Brane Cantenac!!!A boire entre 2016 - 2035

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Purple garnet, elegant, fine bouquet, ripe berries, prunes, showing decent softness. Noble in the mouth with velvety tannins, a finish of blackcurrant. One of Brane-Cantenac’s best vintages! Drink between 2016 and 2035

'Sattes Purpur-Granat. Elegantes, fein ausladendes Bouquet, reife Brombeeren und schwarze gekochte Pflaumen, dabei aber nur eine dezente Süsse zeigend. Im Gaumen nobel, erhaben mit viel veloursartige gegliederten Tanninen, Black Currant im Finale. Gehört zu den besten Brane-Cantenac Jahrgängen. Trinken: 2016-2035

Si l'on en croit l'email reçu d'Allan Liska de Cellar Blog, la dégustation verticale d'Henri Lurton à Reston, Virginie (USA) s'est bien déroulée et il a remporté un vif succès auprès des amateurs présents.

"The tasting was incredible and the evening did not stop there, we kept poor Henri out until midnight enjoying great Brane wines, good food and very good company (there were 12 of us who wound having dinner together).

...everyone really liked him and enjoyed learning from all he had to say"

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According to the e-mail we received from Allan Liska from Cellar Blog, Henri Lurton’s vertical tasting in Reston, Virginia (USA) went smoothly and met with great success among the fans in attendance.

"The tasting was incredible and the evening did not stop there, we kept poor Henri out until midnight enjoying great Brane wines, good food and very good company (there were 12 of us who wound having dinner together).

...everyone really liked him and enjoyed learning from all he had to say"

To view photos of the tasting, click the following link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=171192&id=505032730&ref=mf

And to read the full article by Allan Liska from Cellar Blog and his tasting notes: http://www.cellarblog.org/2010/05/chateau-brane-cantenac-at-vinifera.html

Le 2 mai, en marge du salon d'Hermitage qui se tenait au Fullerton Hotel, Robert Parker donnait une masterclass à l'American Club de Singapour. Belle dégustation de plusieurs types de vins allant du champagne à l'Australie en passant par la Bourgogne, l'Oregon, Bordeaux, la Californie et le Rhône...culminant avec un magnifique Château Margaux 1996.

Voici les notes que j'ai prises pendant cette session fort intéressante. Bien qu'ayant rencontré Mr Parker il y a très longtemps ...( j'ose à peine le dire!)... j'ai été séduite par le personnage qui est resté le même en dépit de sa célébrité: captivant, passionné, et surtout humble et très courtois avec tout le monde. Tout l'après midi précédent sa masterclass, il a signé avec le sourire et un mot gentil et aimable pour tout le monde, son dernier livre... Malgré sa fatigue et la souffrance que lui impose son dos, il n'a jamais montré d'impatience, de lassitude et a su véritablement être à l'écoute de chacun! Un exemple inoui de professionnalisme...

En dépit de ce que toutes les mauvaises langues peuvent dire, il reste le meilleur ambassadeur de Bordeaux.Il n'hésite pas à le dire haut et fort au monde entier et très honnêtement,  nous lui devons tous beaucoup car où qu'il soit,  il vente sans relâche les mérites de nos vins, grands et petits! Merci Monsieur Parker...

 

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On May 2, in tandem with the Hermitage event at The Fullerton Hotel, Robert Parker gave a Master Class at the American Club of Singapore. It was an impressive tasting of several types of wines ranging from Champagne to Australia to Burgundy, Oregon, Bordeaux, California and the Rhone Valley, which climaxed with a superb Châteaux Margaux 1996.

Here are the notes that I took during this fascinating session. Although I’d met Mr. Parker a very long time ago… (I hardly dare to say it!)…I was captivated by this person who has stayed the same in spite of his fame: he is fascinating, passionate and most importantly, humble and polite with everyone. Throughout the afternoon before his Master Class, he smiled and had kind words to say as he signed his latest book. In spite of his fatigue and aching back, he never seemed impatient or uninterested and was truly attentive to everyone! A first-class example of professionalism!

Contrary to what some ill-intentioned people may have you think, he is still Bordeaux’s best ambassador. He doesn’t hesitate to proclaim it loudly to the entire world and quite honestly, we all owe him a lot because wherever he goes, he tirelessly praises the merits of our wines! Thank you, Mr. Parker!

 

The role of a wine critic is:

1)      To be independent, so has to be credible. Be unsensored and unmanipulated

2)       To have the courage of your own convictions. Sharing what you think with the consumer, speaking from the heart

3)      To be accountable. There’s a fine line with the wine trade… It’s a privilege to be let in the door. The grower have a once a year chance only for a whole year’s worth of hard work. The critic must be HONEST and accountable. If he doesn’t like the wine, he must have a good reason not to. One can criticize but not be vicious.

4)      To support the good artists… the ones making the best wines in their area

5)      To be faithful to his palate. There’s a great diversity of tastes and of wines. The greatest palate is YOURS and that goes for everyone.

(“mine ‘s insured for a million dollars”)

 

I write for my readers. I focus on values because of them.

It is a myth, I am not a monster, I’m approachable!

 

The best wines of the world are the balanced ones, with singularity. They stand the test of time and have their own individuality. Wine has to satisfy the senses we possess. We drink wine for pleasure! there’s a place for every wine. The great, great wines are wines which challenge us. You want to back to intellectual attraction. The great wines improve in a measurable sense (Age+2; age +10 etc) But I am very American and disagree with the British: a bad young wine will always remain a bad wine! whereas they believe that wine always improve with age.

Great wines can be identified in their youth!!!

To be good a wine should be pure, clean. It is better to drink a wine earlier than too late.

Wine is fun, civilized. It promotes conversation.

A wine has to smell good. It it does, you’re going to be inclined to liking it…

We’re only interested in the greatest vintages but we have to wait the longest for them…We should go for the lighter vintages that are drinkable sooner.

 

Bordeaux is still the capital of wines! It’s proven by what they produce and the value of Bordeaux wines at Auctions. The first growths are branded luxury items like Bentley, or works of arts. They are liquid investments which give pleasure.

 

The word ‘terroir’ is a nebulous expression. It is important, and it entails many things (climate, soil etc) It also means winemaking technics and man’s influence. It all plays in!

Wisdom comes from seeing the whole picture. Terroir is only part of it.

Storage is everything… you can keep your wines long very long if you keep them well…

Glasses are important, not in favor of the huge sommelier glasses. They are too big! They promote oxydation of the wine at too speedy a rate. After 30 minutes no more aromatics. They are beautiful and impressive but useless.

 

His most noteworthy comments were:

 

‘I can drink a whole bottle of Margaux but not of a California wine !’

‘I drink my fare share of Bordeaux’s’

'I never take anything for granted. I feel privileged to taste all these wines'.

‘I had this wine (Rung Rig 03) at a black tie dinner on the great wall of China… that night I could not detach the wine from the whole experience’.

'A Triumph' is the title of his review, volume 16 from April 18 2010...

."..2009 [is] a profound, hugely-constituted vintage of historic proportions, and a beautiful reference point for years to come. It is a rich year, full of surprises, great achievements and gorgeous articulation....I find myself stunned by the results of the first tier wines from most estates... and for 2009 there is plenty of proof to validate its status as a first rate vintage."

Brane-Cantenac 2009: 94-96

This is a stunning achievement by Henri Lurton! It is a beauty, offering an opaque ruby-purple hue followed by white flower perfumes, crushed-pencil, plum/cherry liqueur, a la plancha meat juice, and wet-stone that reveal extraordinary purity. There are thrilling plum liqueur flavors, a medium to full body, an elegant mouth-feel and a mass of fruit that reveals such length. This wine grips the palate with extract and gorgeous flavors that has to be tasted. Delicate precision is the hallmark of this nuanced, intellectual wine. A remarkable Brane-Cantenac for the next 25 years! Maturity period 2015-2038

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'A Triumph' is the title of his review, volume 16 from April 18 2010...

."..2009 [is] a profound, hugely-constituted vintage of historic proportions, and a beautiful reference point for years to come. It is a rich year, full of surprises, great achievements and gorgeous articulation....I find myself stunned by the results of the first tier wines from most estates... and for 2009 there is plenty of proof to validate its status as a first rate vintage."

Brane-Cantenac 2009: 94-96

This is a stunning achievement by Henri Lurton! It is a beauty, offering an opaque ruby-purple hue followed by white flower perfumes, crushed-pencil, plum/cherry liqueur, a la plancha meat juice, and wet-stone that reveal extraordinary purity. There are thrilling plum liqueur flavors, a medium to full body, an elegant mouth-feel and a mass of fruit that reveals such length. This wine grips the palate with extract and gorgeous flavors that has to be tasted. Delicate precision is the hallmark of this nuanced, intellectual wine. A remarkable Brane-Cantenac for the next 25 years! Maturity period 2015-2038