Sweet Bordeaux – Official US Blog

EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR CHATEAU LA BOUADE AND CHATEAU GUIRAUD

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:38:08 -0500

The Sweet Bordeaux Château La Bouade 2009 and Guiraud 2009 obtained prestigious titles in the United States. They reward their exceptional qualities.  

Château Guiraud Sauternes 2009, first Grand cru classé 1855, ranked fifth over on the list of one hundred best wines of the year 2012, filed by Wine Spectator, an American magazine, with a score of 96 out of 100. Indeed, every year since 1988, Wine Spectator makes a list of the top 100 wines tasted during the year. The goal is to promote trends and producers, as well as wine regions and vintages from around the world. Château Guiraud 2009 has been selected among over 17,000 wines in blind tastings. 5500 wines with scores above 90/100 percent have been selected according to four criteria: quality, price, availability, and the “X factor” provided by the producer and the wine region it comes from. Thus, with 96 points, Château Guiraud 2009 is above the overall average (93 points). The magazine chose to “highly recommend” this wine to its readers. The description, conducted by the editors of Wine Spectator, assures: “2009 was a very good year for Bordeaux red and the sweet white wines of the region are also impressive. 2009 is the best year since 2001”. Good news for a great wine that has a worldwide reputation.  

Platinum Medal for Château La Bouade 2009

 Château La Bouade 2009 has, meanwhile, earned the most honorific title while competing in the 2nd edition of the “best French wines in the United States” challenge. This vintage shares its platinum medal with two other wines over the 589 in the competition. This means that the bonus rewarding excellence (by strict tasting) is important. The professional jury presented the medal to the Château La Bouade 2009, as it was given a score between 18.5 and 20 out of 20. The jury (owners of large hotels and restaurants from the southeast of the United States, sommeliers and wine experts from overseas) decided that “the château La Bouade 2009 brings together all the elements of a wine that has received the gold medal, but it also shows uncommon bottle scalability. This is an exceptional bottle, the kind to be collected or opened for a very special occasion. ” After the formal award ceremony that took place in Miami, the wine was paired with dishes with Mediterranean and Italian influences for a perfect match. Here’s an affordable wine, which will be talked about in years to come, for sure!

Summer, ripening period

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:23:00 -0400

Ripening is the ultimate stage in the vineyard’s cycle. This is when the grapes mature, before you harvest them. Ripening takes place in July and August and the timing depends on climatic conditions.

What happens during ripening in the Sweet Bordeaux vineyards? It’s simple, vines stop growing, and the grapes change color. Beginning mid-July, white grapes begin to ripen, but it’s less obvious than red grapes. Pale grapes of Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscat are more colorful when observed in the sunlight.

During summer, branches also change color, from green to brown. In this case, the phenomenon is called the “August phenomenon” (it occurs most often in August).

While observing his vineyards, the Sweet Bordeaux winemaker will have to be ready because the harvest approaches. Ripening is followed carefully in order to evaluate the Botrytis cinerea’s development. It will determine the exact moment when the grapes are perfectly ripe, and can be harvested. This decision is difficult to make and is different every year as conditions are never the same…

Tomatoes and anchovy tartines

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:16:00 -0400

Sometimes, unexpected guests show up. Hopefully, they have brought a bottle of Sweet Bordeaux wine… And you are able to prepare an appetizer in less than 14 minutes… The solution: Bread with sundried tomatoes and anchovies! This recipe is easy to make and is the perfect appetizer especially during the summer!

Recipe for 4 people:
10 minutes preparation - 4 minutes cooking time

Ingredients:

1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 can of anchovies in oil
1 jar of red pesto
Bread
Fresh parsley
Herbes de Provence
Ground pepper

Preparation:

Cut the bread in thin slices and put them in a toaster.
Remove the tomatoes and anchovies to let them drain.
Put a layer of red pesto on each slice of toast.
Add the dried tomatoes and an anchovy on each slice
Add the parsley, herbs, and a smidgen of pepper.

The toasts are ready - enjoy them with a Sweet Bordeaux wine!

White Sauvignon, full of aromas

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:05:00 -0400

Recognizable by its pale yellow grapes, Sauvignon Blanc is an essential grape for Sweet Bordeaux. Very popular abroad, the so-called “sô-vin-yon-blonk” in English, comes from Bordeaux. Cultivated for centuries, it has been used in the Graves vineyards since the 18th century.

Often used for making dry white wines, Sauvignon Blanc is also famous for its sugar content and its aromatic qualities. For these two reasons, this grape variety is part of the composition of Sweet Bordeaux wines.

To make a good Sweet Bordeaux with a golden color, Sauvignon Blanc is associated with Semillon and Muscat. Although Semillon is mainly used, there is almost 20% Sauvignon Blanc.

These two varieties are harvested late. Wine makers voluntarily let them mature to develop the aromas contained in the grapes. This gives the wine its richness, complexity and sweetness.

Sauvignon Blanc brings freshness and also citrus, lemon, tropical fruit, or white flower aromas.

Crab appetizers and toasts

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:57:00 -0400

Here is an easy recipe. These tasty crab verrines require only 10 minutes of preparation! The crab’s sweetness combined with a sweet fruity wine is a great combination as summer appetizer…

For 4 people: 10 minutes of preparation

Ingredients:

1 can of crabmeat
1 shallot
Fresh chives
2,5 oz of soft cream cheese
1 tablespoon of softened butter
1/2 pink grapefruit
1 smidgen of Espelette pepper

Preparation:

First, drain the crabmeat. Mix with a fork : the crab, butter and cream cheese.
Peel and chop the shallots, mince the fresh chives, grate the zest of half of a pink grapefruit. Mix with 5 tablespoons of grapefruit juice, and put everything in the preparation.
Put the mixture into small glasses and refrigerate them.
Sprinkle Espelette pepper and serve with grilled toasts.

Bon appétit!

Muscadelle, third element of Sweet Bordeaux wines ...

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:26:31 -0400

Muscadelle is the third and last grape that used in Sweet Bordeaux wines alongside semillon and white sauvignon. Less common than the other two species, Muscadelle is a white grape traditionally used in Bordeaux vineyards.

Sometimes used for dry white wines, it is also famous for its floral flavor in sweet wines. Muscadelle is characterized by its acacia and honeysuckle aromas, and even exotic fruits. It also brings a little musky flavor to Sweet Bordeaux wines. Unfortunately, Muscadelle is difficult to cultivate. This specie is more sensitive to diseases than other species.

Muscadelle matures very quickly. Its berries may, as Semillon, being invaded by the famous fungus botrytis cinerea. That’s the moment when the sugar content increase…

The Sweet Bordeaux wines have been noticed in Dalian!

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:18:00 -0400

Last July (12th to 15th) was held the first edition of the Wine & Dine Dalian Festival in China. This festival, dedicated to wine and gastronomy, has been positive for the Sweet Bordeaux wines which were able to present their delicious wines to visitors…

This first edition was a success for Sweet Bordeaux wines

During four days, 10 Sweet Bordeaux winemakers encouraged the visitors to taste their wines. A lot of people came to the booth. Almost 2000 tastings took place!

An amazing figure which confirms once again the interest of people for Sweet Bordeaux wines. “Whether in Hong Kong or in Bordeaux, Sweet Bordeaux wines’ tastings are always close to the record,” told Michel Boyer, a Loupiac winemaker.

The Wine & Dine Dalian Festival also allowed Sweet Bordeaux winemakers to meet with importers during half a day dedicated to professionals.

A real appeal for Sweet Bordeaux wines

There is a reason behind the success of Sweet Bordeaux wines : “Typically, the consumer is surprised by the astringency of Bordeaux red wines, very tannic. However, with Sweet Bordeaux wines, this is different,” says Michel Boyer “because sweet wines pair perfectly with Asian food.”

Sweet Bordeaux wines in the lights of the Conrad Hilton luxury bar

Friday, July 13th, 2012, Sweet Bordeaux wines were at the launch of the Conrad Hilton bar in Dalian. Over 120 people and many journalists were impressed by the sweetness of Sweet Bordeaux wines : “All the opened Sweet Bordeaux bottles finished empty,” said Michel Boyer. They discovered Sweet Bordeaux’ complex flavors. It was also the opportunity for Sweet Bordeaux wines to induct important personalities thanks to the Loupiac Wine Brotherhood. Thus, hotel manager, wine importers, teachers, wine lovers … had the privilege to be inducted.

The next appointment to find the Sweet Bordeaux wines will be the traditional Wine & Dine Festival in Hong Kong from November 1st to 4th 2012.

(Sweet) Bordeaux Wine Festival in Quebec

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:21:00 -0400

The Sweet Bordeaux pavilion was a huge success at the last Bordeaux Wine Festival with over 35,000 wine tastings! What about the Bordeaux Wine Festival in Quebec?

The mayor of Quebec decided to organize this festival in his city because he really appreciated the event’s concept, which he attended several times.

In honor of the Grand Prix Cycliste of Quebec and the 50th anniversary of the twin cities of Quebec and Bordeaux, the Wine Festival is taking place in Quebec during 4 days! From September 6th to 9th 2012, the Bordeaux Wine Festival will be held at Quebec harbor. The Quebecois will be discovering French wines, especially Sweet Bordeaux wines!

The Bordeaux Wine Festival in Quebec is organized as a large village, where Bordeaux wines are divided into six pavilions. The Sweet Bordeaux pavilion is conveniently located at the entrance of the event. Sweet Bordeaux winemakers will be there every day from 1 pm to 11 pm. The “tasting passport” holders will be able to taste Sweet Bordeaux wines and winemakers will answer questions.

The Wine Tanguay Wine School, in collaboration with the Bordeaux Wine School, offers tasting workshops. Sweet Bordeaux wines will be presented during these workshops every day until Saturday at 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm.

If you go to the Plaza Gourmande, you will find 40 stalls dedicated to Quebec gastronomy. A good way to try the Sweet Bordeaux wine and food pairing!

Bordeaux Wine Trip à Québec from Vins de Bordeaux on Vimeo.

1 appellation, 1 recipe... by Georges Gotrand - Roquefort cheese biscuits

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:03:00 -0400

Chef Georges Gotrand, personal chef, has a passion for Sweet Bordeaux wines. He gives you secrets on how to follow easy recipes and how to pair food and wine for each of the 11 appellations of Sweet Bordeaux.

Discover the Roquefort cheese biscuits recipe which pairs perfectly with the Sweet Bordeaux Bordeaux Supérieur wine appellation. Easy to cook, these biscuits will surely impress your guests.

Roquefort cheese biscuits

Ingredients:

2/3 of a pound of butter
2 1/2 cups of flour
0,66 pounds of Roquefort
2/3 of a pound of Roquefort cheese

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a blender (except the eggs) and mix them until you have a homogeneous mixture
Wrap the mixture in plastic wrap to form a large roll
Refrigerate or freeze it to make it hard
When it’s ready, cut slices (3 or 4 mm wide) and put them on a baking sheet
Brush them with the egg yolks and bake the biscuits at 200°C (435°F)

Serve the Roquefort cheese biscuit with a chilled bottle of Sweet Bordeaux wine!

Onion tarts paired with Sweet Bordeaux wines

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 10:33:00 -0400

Your guests will surely appreciate these delicious onion tarts with a glass of Sweet Bordeaux wine! This recipe is easy to follow. You can eat them warm or cold, depending on your taste !

Recipe for 4 people

Preparation: 20 minutes - Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

shortcrust pastry equivalent to one big pie plate
1 1/4 lb of onions
10 fl oz cream
5 eggs
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
nutmeg
salt
pepper

Preparation:

Peel and chop the onions before sautéing them for 20 minutes in a pan with butter and olive oil. Add salt and pepper.
Preheat your oven to 380°F degrees (No. 7). Roll out the pastry and with a glass, cut circles and slightly raise the edges. Prick the pastry pieces with a fork and spread the onions on them.
In a bowl, beat the eggs and the cream with a fork. Add some salt, pepper and a smidgen of nutmeg. Cover the onions with the sauce.
Bake the tartlets for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sweet Bordeaux 2011 vintage by Jacques Dupont

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 12:19:10 -0400

Jacques Dupont, famous journalist at The Point newspaper, tasted the Sweet Bordeaux 2011 wine vintage.

This passionate wine expert gives his impressions and feelings about the latest vintage!

Watch the video!

Sweet Bordeaux wines: how it started...

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 10:39:53 -0400

Sweet Bordeaux presents Xavier De Pontacq, owner of a Château in Barsac.
He was interviewed and talks about Sweet Bordeaux wines and how it all started!

Watch the video if you want to learn more about sweet wines…

The second Sauternes Marathon!

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:04:00 -0400

More than 500 runners started Sauternes’ Marathon on Saturday June 2nd 2012 at 8:30 am. The run started at Château Guiraud and the 26.1 miles of the marathon took place across the Sauternes region.

Athletes came to run and to discover the area. They went through the vineyards of some of the famous châteaux of Sauternes - Barsac.

Check out the video of this event !

Sweet Bordeaux Wines at the Dalian Wine & Dine Festival in China

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:37:56 -0400

The first edition of the Dalian Wine & Dine Festival just started! 100,000 visitors should attend this event. They will be able to enjoy four days of celebration with the most famous wine producers in the world and aspecially the Sweet Bordeaux.

The festivities have already begun for Sweet Bordeaux wines. On Monday, July 9, 2012, teachers from the Bordeaux Wine School tasted Sweet Bordeaux wines in Beijing. Now, Sweet Bordeaux winemakers are at the Wine & Dine Festival on Xinghai Square in Dalian. Every day until Sunday, July 15, 2012, from 10am to 10pm, Sweet Bordeaux winemakers welcome you. They will explain how they are produce their wines, offer wine tasting, food and wine pairing…

On Friday, July 13, 2012 from 12am to 2pm, the Sweet Bordeaux organize an amazing lunch. Journalists and VIPs are invited to enjoy a Chinese food and Sweet Bordeaux wines pairing with Chef Hyman, at the Dongbei restaurant in Dalian.

The Brotherhood of the Loupiac Wine Cooper Craftsmen, one of Sweet Bordeaux’ 11 appellations, came to China to introduce new famous Chinese people as members…

Sweet Bordeaux wines are on their way to Dalian and the first Wine and Dine Festival!

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:30:00 -0400

Just after the Bordeaux Wine Festival, where Sweet Bordeaux welcomed over 35,000 people, the Sweet Bordeaux wines and winemakers are off to Dalian!

For the first time, the China Dalian International Wine & Dine Festival will be held in Dalian, a big city which draws a lot of tourists. It’s one of top 10 cities for wine consumption in China!

The China Dalian Wine & Dine Festival will be held from July 12th to 15th, 2012, on Xinghai Square, in the Centenay Monument of the City, facing the sea. This event is organized by the China Tourism Association and the Dalian Municipal People’s Government, with support from the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Like the Bordeaux Wine Festival or Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, China’s Dalian International Wine & Dine Festival will last four days during which you will be able to take part in the festivities and be able to discover over 170 international booths dedicated to wine.

Sweet Bordeaux will welcome you in its dedicated area where you will be able to meet many winemakers. They will explain how they produce their wines and you will be able to taste these sweet wines! You will discover the sweet and delicate Sweet Bordeaux wines. Experience the fruity and aromatic taste which is a perfect match for many Chinese dishes.

Dalian Wine & Dine Festival… 4 days of wine celebration, a unique opportunity to discover Sweet Bordeaux wines!

Full program:

Monday, July 9th, 2012: Tasting at Beijing from 3 to 6 pm.
Thursday, July 12th, 2012: Trade tasting 12 to 3 pm. I 55 restaurant on the festival grounds / Wine and Dine Festival: 8:30 to 10pm
Friday to Sunday:
Wine and Dine Festival : from 10 am to 10:00 pm
Friday, July 13th: Chinese food and Sweet Bordeaux wines - Food and wine pairing in Dong Bei restaurant with Chef Hyman

Sweet Bordeaux at the 2012 Brussels Wine Week!

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 19:02:00 -0400

It was a “premiere” for Sweet Bordeaux in the streets of Brussels…

During “Brusselicious”, the year of gastronomy, the Brussels-Capitol area organized the Brussels Wine Week on the first weekend of June. The city offered a wide range of events from June 1st to 3rd in the Mont-des-Arts in downtown Brussels. For wine amateurs, tastings took place in different wine cellars or you could also have a walk in a small “Bordeaux Wine Festival” with the Bordeaux & Bordeaux Supérieur appellations and Sweet Bordeaux. Forty Bordeaux winemakers participated in these three days of entertainment. It was an opportunity for visitors to meet Sweet Bordeaux winemakers (first time in Belgium) and to learn more about the Sweet Bordeaux wine and its vineyard!

This first edition was a great success with 2,000 tasting passes sold despite the rainy weather!

Spring and summer : The blooming period

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:53:00 -0400

The winemakers have a lot of work to do in order to produce Sweet Bordeaux wines that you will be able to enjoy at home! In June, following the first buds, the Sweet Bordeaux vines enter in their reproductive cycle, called blooming. This is a key period in the life of the vine. The flowering period doesn’t last long (on average 10 days) and will have impact on the quantity and quality of the grapes but will also help in deciding when to harvest. Again, weather conditions play an important part. Cold and rainy weather during pollination can lead to a sagging phenomenon which will decrease the number and size of the grape berries.

All along the vine’s growth, there are many steps which take place…

As springtime comes along, vines grow quickly, from 5 to 15 centimeters per day. In order to control the vine’s shape, the winemaker must guide the branches by tying, that’s the hitch. The branches touching the ground are lifted up between the rows’ wires. Branches must grow straight towards the sky in order to encourages the ripening of grapes and help machinery go through the vineyard. Once the lift has been done, the winemaker does the topping, also called trimming. By hand or machine, he cuts back the top of the branches that have grown in height. He will have to repeat this task several times in order to have nice regular rows.

This is also the time during which the winemaker removes weeds that grow between rows during winter. During this time, vineyards are particularly vulnerable and can be attacked by fungus and insects. The winemaker has to ensure sufficient phytosanitary protection.

The next vine cycle is the veraison. Semillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle grapes turn from deep green to a new range of colors…

Delicious chorizo madeleines

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:08:00 -0400

Why not revisit the traditional “madeleines” for cocktails? Sweet Bordeaux gives you a delicious recipe for chorizo madeleines to spice up your next cocktail hour with friends! Discover the surprising mix of the chorizo’s spiciness and the sweetness of a Sweet Bordeaux wine. Serve warm or cold according to your taste!

For 12 madeleines appetizers
Preparation: 10 minutes - Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1.8 oz of chorizo
2 eggs
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
3,5 oz Special cake flour
2.7 g of butter
5 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
A pinch of salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F
Remove the chorizo’s skin and cut it into small cubes.
Melt the butter slowly.
Mix eggs, sugar and salt, add flour, melted butter and milk. Mix until the dough is smooth. Add the grated parmesan and chorizo dices.
Fill your silicone madeleine pans with the preparation. Bake the cakes for 10 to 12 minutes until the madeleines are golden on the outside.

Bon appetit!

Hong Kong Chefs guests at the Bordeaux Wine Festival

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 06:12:00 -0400

The Bordeaux Wine Festival is THE place to be for whoever likes wine. The Festival will be held from June 28th to July 1st 2012. A unique opportunity to discover Aquitaine and Bordeaux’s 80 appellations which will be present along Bordeaux’s docks. Sweet Bordeaux wines will be among them of course!

Hong Kong city, the guest of honor

For this eighth edition, the city of Hong Kong is the festival’s guest of honor. Given that Hong Kong is the Asian capital for gastronomy, it was naturally chosen for this festival’s edition. Two pavilions are dedicated to Hong Kong in order to show its different cultural aspects. One pavilion presents the territory (tourism, culture, art) and the other one presents Hong Kong’s gastronomy with some exceptional Hong Kong Chefs.

“Wine and Hong Kong delicatessen” workshops

Four starred and award-winning Chefs show Hong Kong’s best gastronomy during the ”Bordeaux wines and Hong Kong delicatessen” workshops. These Chefs have been awarded Hong Kong’s best culinary award: the “Best of the Best Culinary Award”. Chef Sing Wai Ho and Chef William Ma will present their recipes which can be paired with Sweet Bordeaux wines. On Friday June 29^th 2012, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., Eastern and Western flavors will be mixed!

Discover the unique alliance between Asian dishes (“crab shell and its assortment of mushrooms”, “Fried Chicken fillet and wok vegetables, peppers and black bean sauce”) and Sweet Bordeaux wines…

Proof that Sweet Bordeaux wines pair well with Asian food!

Lunch Box Day – House of the 5 senses – 11/05/2012

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:53:09 -0400

On May 11th, the House of the 5 senses in Bordeaux proposed a rather unusual culinary workshop!

Throughout the day, Chefs showed off their “cuisine” and served meals in small boxes that you can easily take-out! Of course, all the recipes could be paired with a glass of Sweet Bordeaux!

Look at the video of this lunch box day with chefs Olivier Straehli, Christophe Girardot, Aurelien Crosato, Franck Descas, Frederic Lafont and Nicolas Masse.