schiller-wine

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Pictures: Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Château Sociando-Mallet is a non-classified estate. However during the past decade the wines regularly outperformed other well-known estates and are regarded as wines of highest quality. The origins of the château go back to the year 1633 when the Basque nobleman Sièvre Sociando established his residence at this location. In the mid 19th century the widow Mallet bought the estate and linked the names to create Château Sociando Mallet. Château Sociando Mallet was a forgotten and dilapidated property with only 20 acres of vineyards when Jean Gautreau, a “négociant” from Lesparre bought it. He saw the potential in the fantastic vineyard sites right off the Gironde estuary and quickly expanded and replanted vineyards and brought the winemaking facilities to state of the art standards. Today Sociando Mallet has 200 acres under vine in the filet pieces of Haut Médoc.

Sybil Marquet was our host. We toured with her the winery and tasted some wines.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

Lea and Sandeman: Sociando Mallet

Lea and Sandeman: The first village as you travel north out of Saint Estèphe is Saint-Suerin-de-Cadourne, home to a small cluster of cru bourgeois, not the least of which is Château Sociando-Mallet commanding fine views over the River Gironde to the east of the village. In the early 17th Century it was the estate of a Basque family called Sossiondo, the other half of the name coming from naval captain Achille Mallet who married the owner in 1831.

Pictures: Vineyard Tour at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

As with many Bordeaux estates, the late 19th and early 20th Centuries were not kind to Sociando-Mallet, so when local merchant Jean Gautreau happened upon it in 1969 it was in a sorry estate. Realising the potential, Jean bought the estate and owns it to this day. With only 5ha under vine, no cellar and the buildings in decay he had a lot to do. Vineyards were replanted, and plots were purchased from neighbours – today Sociando-Mallet, on various plots around the village spreads to 85ha – and the château and winery were refurbished and restored.

Pictures: Chai Tour at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

The amount of Merlot in the blend has slowly risen over the years and now accounts for 47% of the vineyard alongside 48% Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc; average vine age about 30 years. The wines of Sociando-Mallet were once relatively under-priced but demand for the wine has risen as more people have come to know it, although being from outside the famous Haut-Médoc villages and the 1855 classification keeps the price under some control. Quite robust wines.

Pictures: Barrel Cellar Tour at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

The Future: Sylvie and Arthur

On the eve of his 90th birthday, Jean Gautreau (born in 1927) is passing on management to his daughter, Sylvie, born in 1967. She is the only child of Jean and Colette Gautreau.

Pictures: Tour of the Bottleing Area at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

Sociando-Mallet was Sylvie's playground as a child. She accompanied her father from a very early age and learnt to observe the vines closely and to watch the grapes ripen. Nowadays she takes part in the regular technical tastings and enjoys choosing the final blend with the team.

She lives and breathes Sociando-Mallet, her land, and exemplifies the spirit of the château. She is Sociando. Furthermore, Sylvie is gradually instilling this spirit in her son, Arthur.

Picture: The late Jean Gautreau with his Daughter and Grandson

Tasting

Château Sociando-Mallet produces 3 wines: Sociando-Mallet, La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet and Jean Gautreau.

Sociando-Mallet: Château Sociando-Mallet produces full-bodied wines with a deep, dark colour. Their complex bouquet is usually dominated by black fruit aromas with a touch of minerality and well-integrated, elegant oak. Often somewhat "virile" when young, the wines gain in balance and complexity with age. They are fresh, straightforward, and have a wonderful length. Château Sociando-Mallet has always been a wine with great ageing potential. A wine to be enjoyed even after 30 years in great vintages.

La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet: The Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet is produced from the younger vines of the property and the plots whose soil is more favourable to the production of very good Merlot. This grape variety represents half of the final blend of this wine. The vines for our Demoiselle cover around twenty hectares and receive the same care and are tended in the same way as the rest of the vineyard throughout the year. The "demoiselle" is a sort of dragonfly found in the Médoc. Like the dragonfly, this wine of the same name is light and elegant. The ageing of our Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet is carried out mainly in vats, to preserve the freshness and fruitiness of the Merlot. This easy-drinking wine can be enjoyed young. It is an ideal match for grilled meat and fish or shellfish dishes.

Jean Gautreau: During the vinification at Sociando-Mallet, each vat is filled with grapes from well-defined plots. Depending on the year, a full crop represents about 20 vats' worth of wine. For many years, we have set aside three barrels of wine from each separate vat when the wine is run off to have a specific idea of the quality potential of each plot.

Pictures: Tasting

In 1995, our cellarmaster had the idea of selecting fifteen barrels from among these sixty to make a blend called "Jean Gautreau". The choice of barrels is made during a blind tasting after one year of barrel ageing. A committee consisting of the cellarmaster, the oenologist, Sylvie Gautreau, and Jean Gautreau evaluates wine from each barrel. The fifteen highest scoring barrels are blended and put into special bottles. These are brown and taller than the bottles used for Sociando-Mallet to avoid any risk of confusion between the two wines.

This was never designed to be what is called a "garage wine" with extra-low yields and unusual winemaking techniques. "Jean Gautreau" is simply another version, indeed another vision, of the Sociando-Mallet spirit, offering a different blend from the estate's main wine, the taste of a captured moment. It is not more concentrated, or better, or a luxury product, or a marketing gimmick. It is just another way of apprehending Sociando-Mallet.

The "Jean Gautreau" has a higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon than Sociando Mallet and is a somewhat austere wine in its youth, requiring longer ageing in the bottle to reach its full potential.

We tasted:

2017 La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet (wine-searcher average price in US$:19)
2012 Château Sociando-Mallet (wine-searcher average price in US$:49)
2002 Château Sociando-Mallet (wine-searcher average price in US$:74)

Pictures: The Wines

Lunch at Restaurant Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe

Following the visit of Château Sociando-Mallet, we had lunch at Le Peyrat. This unassuming, very traditional French restaurant, right on the banks of the Gironde, is always packed for lunch, because it is the favorite hangout for the winemakers of the neighboring châteaux. During harvest the pickers of Château Sociando-Mallet and other close by châteaux have lunch here.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

12 Categories: Germany's Best Wines - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020

Picture: Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach. See: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 was released on Thursday, October 31, 2019. The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 reviews on about 1000 pages more than 11.000 wines of 1000 wineries. Its rating symbol is a star and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five stars. The wines are rated on the 1 to 100 scale.

12 winemakers received the top rating of 5/ 5 stars in the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020.

See:
Germany's 12 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020

The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 honored the following three outstanding personalities of the German wine world with Winemaker of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and Discovery of the Year awards:

Winemaker of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Matthias and Hansjörg Aldinger, Weingut Aldinger (Württemberg)

Rising Star of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Carl Ehrhard, Weingut Ehrhard (Rheingau)

Discovery of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Carsten Saalwächter, Weingut Saalwächter (Rheinhessen)

This posting lists the #1 wines in 12 different categories in the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020.

Picture: WeinGuides Deutschland 2020 (Photo: Weingut Corvers-Kauter - Facebook)

Postings/ Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020

I am releasing 4 postings with regard to the Vinum WeingGuide Deutschland 2019:

Germany's Best Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 Awards
Germany's Best Wines: 12 Categories - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020
Germany's 12 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020
Winemaker of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Matthias and Hansjörg Aldinger, Weingut Aldinger (Württemberg), Germany

12 Categories: Germany's Best Wines - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020

SEKT

Vinum: Volker Raumland from Rheinhessen is (almost) unbeatable in this category. In the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020, four of the ten best Sekts are from him, including this year's winner, the 2010 Raumland X. Triumvirate Grande Cuvée Sekt Brut (95 points). "A truly profound sparkling wine, carried by a prancing lightness," enthuses the jury. "More is not possible - at most different."

Picture: Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

SPÄTBURGUNDER

Vinum: In the Pinot Noir category, the winner came from a tiny producer in the South Palatinate Region, which alread wone gold as a surprise last year. With 96 points the 2017 Pinot Noir l’Artiste by Hans-Erich Dausch (Pfalz) "dances between fruit and structure. The Pinot Noir of the year has immense length and depth." His biggest competitor this year was he himself, because his "simple" Pinot Noir came in second, ahead of Knipser, Koch, Huber, Fürst and Rebholz.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden, with Yquem Viehauser and Julian Huber – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

WHITE BURGUNDY GRAPE VARIETIES

Vinum: Not beatable however was Rebholz when it came to white Burgundy varieties: With 95 points, the 2018 Birkweiler Mandelberg Grosses Gewächs set itself apart from the competition for the second year in a row. "Hansjörg Rebholz brings elegance and harmony into the bottle in all respects," Matthias Mangold praises the white Burgundy of the year. "Fruit, play and spice - all elements are in perfect balance."

Picture: In the Cellar of Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz and Sabine Wagner - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

OTHER RED WINES

Vinum: For the first time, the jury honored red wines that are not Pinot Noirs with their own category. This list is made up of domestic and international red grape varieties, which made the tasting exciting - and also challenging. In the end, Hanspeter Ziereisen (Baden) came out on top with his 2016 Syrah "Jaspis". "A fragrance emanates from the glass like the great models from the Rhone Valley," said the judges. "Cool, graphite and with a hint of black pepper, the winning wine relies entirely on structure, character and individuality."

Pictures: Massive Tasting at Weingut Ziereisen, with Hanspeter and Edeltraud Ziereisen. See: 2 Cellar Tours and 1 Tasting at Weingut Ziereisen in Efringen, Markgräfler Land, Baden, with Hanspeter and Edel Ziereisen - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

SILVANER

Vinum: At VINUM, the Silvaner has had its "traditional place among the major German white wines" for a longer period of time. The most outstanding wine in this category - and thus Silvaner of the year - is, according to the experts led by Harald Scholl with 93 points, the 2018 Sulzfelder Creutz from Weingut Zehnthof Luckert in Franken, which was already among the winners last year. The roughly 400 ungrafted vines planted at the end of the 19th century always produce a wine of great finesse and elegance. "The 2018 will really start to open after days only," said the jury. "It is worth trying!"

Picture: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

RIESLING DRY

Vinum: In the Riesling dry category, Theresa Breuer (Rheingau) created with her 2018 Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland (97 points) “an exceptional Riesling from an otherwise difficult year,” says Joel B. Payne. "Race and strength at the same time, fine wood, inner density, great draw, salty reverberation - Chapeau, Madame!", he continues his hymn of praise. It was a long time ago that a Rheingau was at the top. Theresa Breuer is following in the footsteps of her father Bernhard, one of the pioneers of the new dry wave in Germany.

Picture: Theresa Breuer and Christian Schiller in New York City

GUTSRIESLING

Vinum: Another new category is Gutsriesling/ Estate Riesling, entry-level Riesling. These wines are the calling card of every winemaker, that is, the "simple" drops that you really don't have to kneel down to drink - and in many cases they are still reasonably priced. This year one was surprisingly good too! The 2018 Schieferterrassen from Weingut Heymann Löwenstein (Mosel) is in the book with 90 points. Although the entry-level Riesling of this estate, this honor says a lot about the other, even higher-quality Rieslings of the house. "Here the consumer can buy blindly," recommends the editor-in-chief.

Picture: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein in Winningen, Mosel, with Reinhard Löwenstein - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

RIESLING FEINHERB

Vinum: "A special knack for the Riesling feinherb category" attests Harald Scholl to the Weber family from Hofgut Falkenstein (Saar). Their 2018 Niedermenninger Herrenberg Spätlese - 21 - took first place with 94 points. The wine of the same name with barrel number four reached fourth place with 93 points - behind Molitor and Loewen.

Picture: Johannes Weber of Hofgut Falkenstein, Mosel in New York City. See: The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA

RIESLING KABINETT

Vinum: In the Riesling Kabinett category, the producers in the Mosel wine-growing region are again among themselves this year: all ten top wines come from estates on the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer. The tasters describe the winner, the 2018 Kanzemer Altenberg, auction wine of the Saarweingut von Othegraven (94 points) as "dream", which is now owned by the well-known TV star Günther Jauch. "A thoroughly hedonistic wine, smoky and yellow-fruity at the same time," praised the jury. "It is juicy, has endless pressure and tension. What more do you want?" ask the experts.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Ress and Gunther Jauch. See: A Riesling Feast in an Historic Setting: Riesling Gala 2016 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany

RIESLING SPÄTLESE

Vinum: One is hardly less impressed by the number one in the Riesling Spätlese category, the 2018 Enkircher Ellergrub (95 points) from Weingut Weiser-Künstler (Mosel): "The Ellergrub Spätlese from this estate has always been good," says the description of the editors. «This time it is almost perfect. Dense and powerful, fresh as a clear mountain stream!

Picture: Weiser-Künstler, Traben-Trarbach (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) - Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Künstler of Weingut Weiser-Künstler at the Rieslingfeier2016 in New York. See: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

RIESLING AUSLESE

Vinum: In the past, German producrs could only make Rieslings of the "Auslese" grade two or three times a decade, but thanks to global warming, these exquisite drops of golden, fully ripe grapes are now made almost every year. The Mosel Region also dominates in this discipline: Egon Müller (Saar) showed the best Riesling Auslese of the year 2018 with his Scharzhofberger Goldkapsel Versteigerungswein (98 points), just a tick ahead of a Selbach-Oster with the same points.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Egon Müller in New York City. See: The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA

RIESLING NOBLE-SWEET

Vinum: Selbach-Oster (Mosel) has also won first place in the noble-sweet Rieslings category with its Trockenbeerenauslese. Joel B. Payne describes the “breathtaking Trockenbeerenauslese” from the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr vineyard as an “elixir of infinite life”. In the opinion of the jury, it is one of the very rare perfect wines with 100 points! With a second Trockenbeerenauslese from the same vineyard, Johannes Selbach also won bronze with 99 points.

Picture: Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach. See: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Earlier Years

Germany's Best Wines: 10 Categories - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2019
Germany’s Best Winemakers – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2019 Awards
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 Awards
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2016 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Best German Wines and Winemakers: Gault Millau Awards – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2014
Best German Wines and Wine Makers – the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013 Awards
2012: Best German Wines (Awards) – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012
2011: Gault Millau WeinGuide Germany 2011 – Ratings
Gault Millau Wine Germany 2010

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Announcement: Upcoming ombiasy Wine Tours 2020 - (1) Alsace and Germany South, (2) Rhône Valley, (3) Bordeaux and (4) Germany: Christmas Market, Wine, Concert Tour

Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)

schiller-wine

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

12 Categories: Germany's Best Wines - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020

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