The Honest Pour with John Lenart

Bordeaux can be expensive. At it’s lower price points it can present uninspired wines. But Diane Flamand and Domaines Barons de Rothschild [Lafite] have closed the price and quality gap with their Légende line of wines. These bottles take wine drinkers around Bordeaux, from blanc and rouge wines made from grapes grown throughout the iconic wine region, to bottlings from more specific areas like Medoc and Saint-Emilion and Paulliac. These wines present fantastic value and would be a great jumping off point for your own study of Bordeaux.  I met with winemaker Diane Flamand to talk about what it’s like to make these approachable, reasonably priced wines that you don’t have to wait decades to drink, all while maintaining the Lafite Spirit.

Diane Flamand, Winemaker, Bordeaux Collection Wines Domaines Barons de Rothschild [Lafite]

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2017 Légende Bordeaux Blanc

Aromas of honeysuckle, melon, apple and lemon meringue. Quite dry on the palate showing good minerality with linear acidity over the medium light body.

SRP: $17.99

2016 Légende Bordeaux Rouge

Aromas of dark berries, violet, toffee, milk chocolate, and baking spice. Fresh drinking, juicy with hints of oak and spice. An easy drinking red to consume now.

SRP: $17.99

2016 Légende Médoc

Spicy oak aromas with good finesse. Pleasing earthy notes and minerality.  Earth driven but still fresh, light fruit on the palate. Firm tannin and good acidity add complexity to this wine.

SRP: $24.99

2015 Légende Saint-Emilion

Lush texture with flavors of cherry cola. Great balance of velvety texture, earthy notes of mushroom and truffle, fresh fruit and spicy oak notes. Serve with food.

SRP: $36.99

2015 Légende Paulliac

Made partly with fruit from Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Duhart-Milon. Terrifically complex nose, Blackberry, tobacco, furniture polish aromas. On the palate this wine offers elegance and balance. Rich dark fruit with umami notes and hints of oak.

SRP: $49.99

Way back in episode 7 of The Honest Pour I interviewed Elise Losfelt of Moët & Chandon. In this episode I revisit the wines from this classic Champagne house with her colleague Marie-Christine Osselin. We sat down to discuss the task of creating consistency and quality for Moët & Chandon’s Non-vintage Imperial from over a hundred base wines, and expressing the quality of  each vintage Champagne,  while still distinguishing the bright fresh fruity house style of Moët & Chandon.

Marie-Christine Osselin, Wine Quality and Communications Manager Moët & Chandon

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Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut

Fresh, fruity, vibrant and easy drinking. Nothing too cerebral here just accessible hedonism

SRP: $39.99

Moët & Chandon Rosé Imperial

Lively fresh red berries with notes of black pepper. Pinot Noir brings great weight and texture.

SRP: $49.99

Moët & Chandon 2012 Grand Vintage

The first Grand Vintage declaration since 2009. Elegance and harmony in a glass. Neither too linear nor too sweet. This beautifully balanced Champagne shows ripeness, freshness, and complexity despite a difficult growing season. Age for 5 to 10 years to drink something very special.

SRP: $74.99

Moët & Chandon 2012 Grand Vintage Rosé

Vibrant color and delicate elegance on the nose. Restrained but present freshness provide impressive structure. Great balance between complex citrus and fresh ripe red berries. Another age worthy Champagne if you can wait that long

SRP: $84.99

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of visiting a number of producers in Chianti Classico. To hear those shows check back to episodes 61 – 67. Sadly, while there I missed the chance to visit one of the region’s most iconic estates, Ricasoli at Castello Brolio in Gaiole. Fortunately, when I returned home, I had the opportunity to meet with Francesco Ricasoli.

During his visit he previewed the release of Raritas, a line of three single vineyard Chianti Classico wines that are the highest most distinguished expressions of wines produced on the Brolio estate. Technically Gran Selezione wines, Francesco calls these “Cru” bottlings.

We met to discuss this project and how it fits into the idea of Gran Selezione, his research from which these wines were born, and of course to taste some delicious wines.

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Francesco Ricasoli, President and Owner, Ricasoli

2015 Brolio, Chianti Classico

Delicate aromas of cherry, earth, lavender and spices. Wonderful texture, high acidity and grippy tannin. Flavors of cherry, cocoa, and leather notes.

SRP: $24

2015 Brolio, Chianti Classico Riserva

Complex aromas of raspberry, cherry, espresso and cocoa. Lovely balance and elegant velvety texture. Layered flavors of black cherry, plum, milk chocolate, lavender, clove, and mocha. Fine tannins and mouthwatering acidity. Will mature for 5 to 10  years.

SRP:  $32

2015 Colledilà, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Very pretty aroma of earth and perfumed flowers. Very fresh fruit on the palate. Silky texture and finessed balance Elegant and complex flavors of cherry and leather. Lovely harmony. A special wine made to age.

SRP: $70