EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR CHATEAU LA BOUADE AND CHATEAU GUIRAUD

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!

Last Tasting Flight

Nice shot of James Molesworth’s last tasting flight during a recent trip to Bordeaux.



Could you imagine tasting all these sweets?!

Photo courtesy @jmolesworth1

Wine Review: 2007 Castelnau de Suduiraut - Honey from Heaven

Here’s a recent wine review of Castelnau de Suduiraut 2007

Orange marmalade, honey, quince on the nose. On the palate, it’s sweet. Can be enjoyed before dinner as an aperitif. Would pair well with creme brule, pineapple upside down cakes, or blue cheeses. $15 - $28 for a half bottle.



Check out the review on Vimeo along with other Bordeaux wine reviews. Have you tried this wine before?

New York Wine Experience with Chateau Coutet

This week we had a chance to meet up with the head of strategic marketing and communications for Chateau Coutet: Aline Baly. We met at the Wine Spectator’s annual New York Wine Experience at the Marriot Marquis, right in Times Square. She gave us a taste of how she got involved with the liquid gold, and a glass of the 2007 vintage to sip as well!

Describe Chateau Coutet in 3 words. Dynamic, Delicious, Distinct



What makes Chateau Coutet stand out from other sweet wines?
Chateau Coutet benefits from an exceptional terroir. The vines’ deep roots extract elements from a limestone and clay-based soil, giving the grapes freshness, richness and strength. For this reason the wine carries the name “Coutet,” derived from the Gascon’s word for knife, to signify the fresh, lively and crisp palate that is the estate’s signature style. In its youth, the property’s wines display generous notes of white flowers, citrus fruits, honey and vanilla. Time brings out deeper, warmer notes in which spices combine with exotic nectars and candied fruits. Age also enhances the harmony of its roasted Botrytis character and its distinct aromas to give Chateau Coutet a delicate and unique bouquet that is unsurpassed.

What is your title and responsibilities at Chateau Coutet?
I am the director of marketing and communications. I co-manage the family estate with my uncle. We’ve been working together for three years now — We make a good team, bridging the cultural and general gap — this makes for a very dynamic work experience. I have also lived in Boston, Hong Kong, and Madrid. After 20 years, I’m thrilled to be finally home and extremely lucky to spend time traveling to share Chateau Coutet with the world.

How did you get involved in working at Chateau Coutet?
It took only one wine tasting to realize that this is what I wanted to do. I was in London substituting for my dad and translating for my uncle at an event. This tasting is still one of my favorite events, gathering some of the best wine of the world and the passionate people responsible for these wines. Most importantly, meeting the wine enthusiasts who really value what we do was eye opening. Two hours into it, I turned to my uncle and asked him if he’d be open to working with me. He didn’t hesitate in his response and two years later I moved back to France.



What’s one of your first moments experiencing sweet Bordeaux?
I am definitely too young to remember…But the first time I realize that these wines were more than just any wine was probably during at my family’s first Thanksgiving in the late 80s. My family and I had just relocated to Boston and my mom prepared a turkey to celebrate in the spirit of giving us the full American experience. This was the first holiday we celebrated in our new home — in our new country. This was also the first holiday celebrated without our extended family. Having Ch. Coutet at our table was a way to combine our old and new homes and cultures. More than 20 years later, I still fly back to Boston every Thanksgiving from wherever I might be and enjoy a glass of Coutet with my mom’s perfected turkey (a la Americaine). For those who have never tried Sauternes and turkey - you are missing out on one of the most unexpected pairings. There is only word to describe it: delicious.

What’s your favorite wine/food pairing?
Well turkey and Coutet have a special place in my heart, but my absolute favorite pairing would have to be Coutet with lobster. The sweet meat compliments perfectly the sweet nectar plus the texture of lobster with these gold wines is an unbelievably good contrast. And if you haven’t tried, may I recommend planing a LOBSauTERnes night?

Visit our Flickr page for more photos of the New York Wine Experience with Chateau Coutet! Follow Chateau Coutet on Facebook and Twitter. And visit http://www.chateaucoutet.com/ to learn more, cheers!

Harvest with Grand Cru Classe - Chateau Guiraud

The first grapes sortings began in the Sweet Bordeaux. Friday, September 2nd, in Sauternes successive sortings of botrytised grapes began. An earlier year, with more than 15 days in advance.



The pickers have given their first shots of scissors in the vineyards of Chateau Guiraud Sauternes, 1er Grand Cru Classe (1st classified growth in 1855 and now certified organic). This team of pickers began with a plot of Sauvignon under the watchful eye of Xavier Planty, co-owner. He is very happy with the quality of the grapes, which have fresh citrus flavors and good acidity.



He remains attentive to the hard work of the pickers for sweet wines, the quality is made in the vineyard at harvest time where the selection of grapes is an essential point.

Visit our Flickr site for more pics of the harvest. For more information on Chateau Guiraud, click here.

Sweet Recipe: Smoked Salmon on Swedish Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices of Swedish Bread
• 2 pickled tomato tartar
• Cheese spread with garlic and herbs
• Smoked salmon

PREPARATION

Spread the cheese on one piece of bread and the tomato tartar on the other. 

Assemble into a sandwich with the smoked salmon. 

Don’t forget your glass of Sweet Bordeaux!

Cabécou Cheese Crisp

INGREDIENTS

• 3 sheets of brick pastry
• 6 discs of Cabecou cheese
• 1 apple
• Honey
• Fresh thyme

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the brick sheets into 2. Spread and arrange the Cabecou cheese, the tomatoes, a drop of honey and a sprinkle of thyme into each sheet. Cut the apples into thin slices and add on top of each sheet. 

Fold the brick sheets into squares. Oil baking tray and arrange the squares on it. Bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Roasted Shrimp Scampi with Pink Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• Shrimp scampi
• Pink potatoes
• Xeres vinegar
• Salt, pepper, shallots

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shell the shrimp.

Boil the potatoes (they must remain firm). Cut them into slices about 1cm thick. Lay them on baking paper.

Put the shrimp on each slice with chopped shallots, add salt, and pepper. Bake for 6-7 minutes.

Sprinkle a few drops of Xeres vinegar before serving.

Sweet Recipes: Scallop Kebabs

INGREDIENTS

• Scallops (medium size)
• Bacon
• Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Wrap the scallops with bacon slices and fix with a stick.

Cook in a frying pan, add pepper while cooking.

Bon appetit!

Chorizo, Ricotta, and Pickled Tomatoes Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 7/8 cup flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 7/8 cup chorizo
• 2/3 cup grated cheese
• 7/8 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tbsp picked tomato puree

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper. Add flour, baking powder, ricotta cheese and oil. Then, add grated cheese and chorizo. 

Fill muffin tins (2/3 of the way) and bake for 20 minutes.