Sophie Schÿler Thierry of Château Kirwan (owned by the Schÿler family) was in Washington DC to present Château Kirwan at the 2016 Heart’s Delight events.
Heart’s Delight is an annual four-day celebration, bringing together winemakers, celebrity chefs, gourmands, and wine enthusiasts to raise money for the American Heart Association. The events are not cheap, but high-class and tax deductible (partly). Over the past 14 years, the events have raised over $12 million for the American Heart Association, helping to support research into the number one cause of death in the United States.
This year, Heart’s Delight took place from Wednesday, March 9 to Saturday March 12, 2016. As every year, there were exciting dinners with celebrity chefs and winemakers at embassies, private homes and top restaurants, tastings, receptions, after-dinner-parties as well as auctions. See: Auction Item #514: Seven-Day Wine Tour through Germany’s Riesling Country - Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting and Auction (2016), Washington DC, USA
At a side event, Annette and Christian Schiller hosted Sophie Schÿler at Evo Bistro in McLean, Virginia, for a luncheon with 20 Bordeaux lovers.
We had developed the idea a couple of weeks earlier, at a private dinner after the UGC tasting in Washington DC on January 31, 2016. See: Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGC) on the 2016 North America Tour - Schiller’s Favorites
Invitation
Hello wine friends in the Washington DC area,
I would like to let you know about a fabulous opportunity to share a luncheon with the owner of one of the iconic 1855 classified Bordeaux Châteaux.
Join Sophie Schÿler of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appelation Margaux when she talks about her wines on Saturday, March 12 at 12.00 PM at EVO BISTRO, 1313 Old Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22101.
We are very excited to also have wines from RdV, Virginia’s premier wine estate for Bordeaux blends. This is a unique opportunity to taste Top Bordeaux and Top Virginia next to each other.
Driss Zahidi, renowned chef in the metropolitan Washington area, prepared the following menu to match the wines:
MENU
FIRST
Duo of Quail & Fresh Fois Gras, leeks étouffée, chestnut, balsamic reduction, sea salt air
2012 Charme de Kirwan, Château Kirwan, Margaux
2009 Rendezvous, RdV, Virginia
SECOND
Petit Filet Mignon Médaillion, pomme robouchon, brussel sprouts, truffles sauce
2013 Château Kirwan, Margaux
2012 Lost Mountain, RdV, Virgina
THIRD
Fresh Berries Tiramisu
2010 Marienburg, Falkenlay, Clemens Busch, Mosel
The luncheon is strictly limited to 20 people. Reserve your seats for this event at $ 65 plus tax and gratuity now by sending an email to: aschiller@ombiasypr.com First come, first serve. Payment will be directly with the restaurant when you arrive for the luncheon.
À la votre!
Annette
See: Invitation: Meet the Owner of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, for a Wine Pairing Luncheon at Evo Bistro in McLean, Virginia
Château Kirwan
Château Kirwan is a 3ème Cru Classé property in Margaux. It is owned by the Schÿler family.
The history of Château Kirwan begins with the English merchant Sir John Collingwood, one of the first négociants in history. For nearly a century he reigned over the noble "de Lasalle" land, acquired in 1751 and adjoining the Ganet property.
Château Kirwan takes its name from the Irishman Mark Kirwan, who became part of the estate's history by marrying one of the daughters of Sir John Collingwood. In 1760 he inherited the estate. He united the "de Lasalle" and Ganet lands. Rather unfortunately, he was guillotined in 1792.
Thomas Jefferson, then Ambassador of the United States in France, visited the Bordeaux vineyards in May 1787. He was not only the future president of the United States, but the greatest emissary of Bordeaux wines. In his travel diary and his book "Jefferson on Wine", he elevated Kirwan wine - then spelled "Quirouen" - to second classified growth, making it much more recognizable on the far shores of the Atlantic.
The heirs of the Kirwan family sold the estate in 1827, in the midst of a severe economic crisis after the upheavals of the Revolution and the First Empire. After a period of instability, the owner of Château Kirwan and mayor of Bordeaux Camille Godard left the estate to the city, which used it for a time as a hotel and reception venue.
In 1925, it became the property of the Schÿler family, whose family trading house had already been distributing the wine for several years.
The property is located in the commune of Cantenac and consists of a beautiful 18th century château and 35 hectares of vineyards. The wine is typically a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. The grapes are hand-harvested and then fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks. The wine is then matured in oak barriques (30-50% new) for 18 months. It is bottled after a light fining and filtration. Its second wine is called Les Charmes de Kirwan. Château Kirwan produces on average 16,000 cases per year.
RdV
RDV is a rather new, small winery about an hour west of Washington DC, founded, owned and run by Rutger de Vink. RDV produces some 2,000 cases of ultra-premium wines: the Cabernet Sauvignon driven Lost Mountain and the Merlot driven Rendezvous, which both costs close to US$ 100 ex-winery. Jim Law of Linden Vineyards, who many consider as the father of the Virginia wine boom, has described his close friend Rutger de Vink as “the next generation of Virginia wine.”
With 6.5 hectares under vine, the vineyard is divided into eleven parcels and planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (40%), Petit Verdot (12%) and Cabernet Franc (8%).
When he started RdV, Rutger de Vink also hired Eric Boissenot, a Bordeaux consultant, to blend his wines. Still today, samples of RdV are overnighted from Dulles International Airport to Paris, and from there to Bordeaux, so Eric Boissenot can taste and analyze them and electronically transmit recommendations back to RdV. He also visits RdV on a regular basis. Interestingly, Eric Boissenot also is a consultant at Château Kirwan.
Weingut Clemens Busch
Weingut Clemens Busch is one of the top producers in Germany. And not only that. In a region where the humidity and extremely steep vineyards make most wine makers to rely on some level of pesticide, Clemens Busch is 100% organic/biodynamic. And: In a region where noticeable residual sugar in the finished wine and low alcohol is the calling card, Clemens Busch’s focus is on dry premium Rieslings that can compete with the best dry whites in the world. But Clemens Busch also produces off-dry wines as well as powerfully complex, nobly sweet wines.
Vineyard area: 10 hectares
Annual production: 55,000 bottles
The winery is since 2007 member of the VDP (Association of German VDP)
Interestingly, Clemens Busch was in town (Washington DC) just a few weeks ago and we enjoyed a lovely wine pairing dinner with him and Gernot Kollmann (Weingut Immich Batterieberg) and Dominik Sona with Franzi Schmidt (Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht) at BToo on 14th Street NW. See: Post-Rieslingfeier and Pre-Big Glou Dinner with 3 Top Winemakers from Germany at BToo in Washington DC: Clemens Busch, Immich-Batterieberg and Koehler-Ruprecht, USA
The Luncheon
FIRST
Duo of Quail & Fresh Fois Gras, leeks étouffée, chestnut, balsamic reduction, sea salt air
2012 Charme de Kirwan, Château Kirwan, Margaux
27 % Cabernet Sauvignon - 53% Merlot - 10 % Cabernet Franc - 10 % Petit Verdot
Notes: It displays a brilliant ruby red color. Its nose offers elegant notes of black and red fruits such as cherry and red and black currant. Delicate woody notes round out the palette of aromas. A fresh and lively quality immediately enchants the taste buds, while quickly giving way to sweeter sensations with a pleasant roundness. Creamy notes add a touch of extra roundness to the wine and the tasting finishes with lovely spice scents. This wine is bountiful, gourmand, and will be delicious as of 2015. (Château Kirwan)
Wine-Searcher average price: US$ 27
2009 Rendezvous, RdV, Virginia
Notes: Rendezvous has a brilliant core of deep ruby color with a delicate nose hinting at sweet notes of pastry. On the palate, the wine reveals a ripe tannin structure that is both harmonious and flattering, leading to a supple approachability. It finishes with an energized backbone that sings of minerality from the hillsides’ granitic soils. (Eric Boissenot)
US$75 ex-winery at release.
SECOND
Petit Filet Mignon Médaillion, pomme robouchon, brussel sprouts, truffles sauce
2013 Château Kirwan, Margaux
Notes: Sweet, vanilla nose, quite different from the rest. Cherry flavors, vanilla, creme anglaise, this is charming but overly sweet, really an early drinker, will find its target but not one to be laid down for years. But wouldn't be surprised at all if this is a food early drinker that gives lots of pleasure. 85-86. Recommended. Drink 2019-2031. (Jane Anson)
US$ 38.50 Sherry-Lehmann (New York City)
2012 Lost Mountain, RdV, Virgina
Notes: Brooding and masculine on the nose, the 2012 Lost Mountain embodies depth, complexity and richness. A cloak of velvety Cabernet tannins support an abundance of black fruits and minerality concentrated in a dense mid-palate. Generosity and energy define this noble wine that has tremendous ageing potential. (RdV)
Cabernet Sauvignon 46%, Cabernet Franc 40%, Merlot 14%
US$ 95 ex-winery
THIRD
Fresh Berries Tiramisu
2010 Marienburg, Falkenlay, Riesling, Clemens Busch, Mosel, Germany
Notes: It's not classified as a GG since there's probably 11-12 grams RS; this puts it in "feinherb" territory, with creamy richness and flavors of tangerine and apricot. Superior length, breadth, ornate detail and a clear, vivid finish make this a most stunning wine. This is a textbook example of the Busch style and everything they do so well. (Chambers Street Wines in New York)
Around US$ 55 retail in the US
Annette Schiller and ombiasy PR and WineTours
The event was organized by Annette Schiller from ombiasy PR and WineTours. For 2015, Annette Schiller has scheduled 5 boutique wine tours to Germany-South, Germany-East, Germany-North, Bourgogne and Bordeaux. The tours to Bourgogne and Bordeaux, which will include a visit at Château Kirwan, are full.
See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY
Bye-bye
Thanks you very much Chef Driss for an outstanding meal. For earlier wine maker dinners with Chef Driss Zaidi, organized by Annette Schiller, see:
Winemaker Dinner with Friedrich Jülg, Weingut Jülg, Pfalz, Germany, at Evo Bistro in McLean, Washington DC, USA
Riesling and Couscous at Chef Driss Zahidi’s Le Mediterranean Bistro in Fairfax, Virginia USA
A German Riesling Pairing Event at Evo Bistro in McLean, Virginia - A Royal Wine Visit from Princess Sabine Wagner, US
schiller-wine - Related Postings
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY
Auction Item #514: Seven-Day Wine Tour through Germany’s Riesling Country - Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting and Auction (2016), Washington DC, USA
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGC) on the 2016 North America Tour - Schiller’s Favorites
Invitation: Meet the Owner of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, for a Wine Pairing Luncheon at Evo Bistro in McLean, Virginia
Bordeaux Meets Virginia: Visiting Rutger de Vink and his RdV Vineyards with Anne Cuvelier from Chateau Leoville Poyferre in St. Julien, Bordeaux
Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Clemens Busch – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Post-Rieslingfeier and Pre-Big Glou Dinner with 3 Top Winemakers from Germany at BToo in Washington DC: Clemens Busch, Immich-Batterieberg and Koehler-Ruprecht, USA
Winemaker Dinner with Friedrich Jülg, Weingut Jülg, Pfalz, Germany, at Evo Bistro in McLean, Washington DC, USA
Riesling and Couscous at Chef Driss Zahidi’s Le Mediterranean Bistro in Fairfax, Virginia USA
A German Riesling Pairing Event at Evo Bistro in McLean, Virginia - A Royal Wine Visit from Princess Sabine Wagner, US
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