Country: | France |
Region: | Burgundy |
Winery: | Courtault-Michelet |
Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
Organic: | Yes |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Michelet Petit Chablis is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Golden color. White flowers, fresh, lime and citrus aromas. Pleasant mouthfeel, supple, crisp, fruity flavors.
Machine harvested at full maturity (around Sep. 25th - lasts 12-18 days); pneumatic press; fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 8-10 days; M.L (2 months after the harvest); aging on the lees until February; racking; fining if necessary; cold stabilization; filtration right before bottling in April.
Ideal as an aperitif, the wine is an excellent companion to seafood.
Michelet Courtaullt Chablis AOC is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Golden colored and very aromatic with white flowers, fresh fruit, lime, citrus aromas as well as a bergamot. Pleasant mouthfeel, supple, crisp, fruity flavors. There is a touch of acidity, revealing a deliciously integrated minerality.This Chablis is produced from vineyards located on slopes benefiting from a mainly south, southwest sun exposure in villages of the Northwestern part of the Chablis area (Lignorelles, Beine, Villy and Chablis).
Ideal as an aperitif, the wine is an excellent companion to seafood, smoked salmon for example.
Cellier du Chateau de la Chaume Petit Chablis is made from 100 percent Chablis.
Color: Pale yellow
Bouquet: White flowers, honeysuckle, linden tree and dried fruits.
Palate: Very pleasant, balanced with tension and nice minerality
Drink as an Aperitif or pair with fish, shellfish.
G.D. Vajra Bricco Delle Viole Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
The Barolo Bricco delle Viole shows the signature verticality of its vineyard. The wine is beautifully layered and - while restrained as it’s always the case in the youth of Bricco delle Viole - it also shows a complexity of layers with purple flowers, sweet spices and mineral tones. The palate is noble, with a refined acid spine and profound tannins that promise a long aging potential.
Among the historical vineyards of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is the highest and the closest to the Alps. It rises from 400 to 480 meters above sea level, on the Western ridge of the village. Its name, “Hill of Violets”, originates from the flowers that blossom early here due to the perfect south exposure. Up above the fogs, Bricco delle Viole enjoys the earliest sunrise and the last sunset every day. Thanks to its vines dating back to 1949 and -now- 1931, a dramatic diuturnal temperature range and this pure light, Bricco delle Viole generates a sophisticated and profound Barolo DOCG of bright aromatics, chiseled tannins and subtle minerality. 2018 is a vintage that shows many nuances of Bricco delle Viole: beyond the signature verticality of this site, the wine offers high tones laced with mineral nuances and plenty of energy and youth.
Review:
A juicy Barolo, with vibrant acidity and a fluid profile that exudes cherry, raspberry, mown hay, mineral and eucalyptus aromas and flavors. Tight yet long, with excellent potential.
#26 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2023
The last wine poured at my tasting at the winery is the G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Bricco delle Viole. With its high vantage point in the hills west of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is a world apart in terms of soils (with Sant'Agata marl and fossils) and even harvest times. Slow and careful ripening like the kind that characterizes fruit in 2019 renders a very delicate and ethereal expression with floral tones, wild mint and licorice. This organic wine is solid in build and structure. Indeed, Isidoro Vaira remarks that Nebbiolo tannins have changed since the 1970s and 1980s.
-Wine Advocate 97+ Points
Jeweled in appearance, the 2019 Barolo Bricco Delle Viole may be the best wine I have tried yet from Vajra. Its gorgeous and alluring perfume of fresh roses is followed by a Burgundian, elegant red with incredible length and no harsh edges, fine and present tannins, and beautiful, graceful concentration. It is drinking well now, and I will be trying to get my hands on as much of this as possible. Drink 2025-2045.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Pearmund Cellars Petit Verdotis made from 100 percent Petit Verdot.
Blackberry aromas with rich plum flavors. Well-rounded tannins and a smooth finish. Earthy, rustic, and warm. Limited production.
Siegel Single Vineyard Los Lingues Petit Verdot is made from 100 percent Petit Verdot.
The grapes were grown on the Los Linques "Reserve" hillside, blocks 23, 24 & 25. The wine offers elegant notes of tobacco, mocha and roasted coffee beans. It presents soft tannins, wine of great balance with a persistent and long finish.
Pairs with red meat, particularly lamb.
Golden color. White flowers, fresh, lime and citrus aromas. Pleasant mouthfeel, supple, crisp, fruity flavors.
Machine harvested at full maturity (around Sep. 25th - lasts 12-18 days); pneumatic press; fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 8-10 days; M.L (2 months after the harvest); aging on the lees until February; racking; fining if necessary; cold stabilization; filtration right before bottling in April.
Ideal as an aperitif, the wine is an excellent companion to seafood.
Review:
"The ammonite on the label gives a pretty clear direction as to the style of this fine Petit Chablis, crisp and pure on the palate ... - Andy Howard MW"
- Decanter (Top Scoring Petit Chablis, December 2020), 90 pts
Domaine Courtault-Michelet Estate
This is a new Estate, founded by Stephanie Courtault and her husband Vincent Michelet.
Stephany is the daughter of Jean Claude Courtault, who runs a family winery founded in 1984. Jean Claude arrived in Lignorelles in 1974 to work as a vineyard manager for one of the village's wine estates. In 1984, JC Courtault purchased 1.5 hectare of 4 year old vines in the Chablis area. Then, he rented a piece of land in the Chablis appellation area that he planted with the help of his wife, Marie-Chantal. This dynamic estate aims to fuse tradition with modernity.
Date Founded: 1984
A native of Touraine, Jean-Claude Courtault arrived at Lignorelles in 1974 to work as Vineyard Manager for one of the village's wine estates.
In 1984, JC Courtault seized the chance to buy 1.5 hectares of 4 year old vines in the Chablis area. Next, he rented a plot of land in the Chablis appellation area, which he then planted up with the help of his wife, Marie-Chantal. And so the Estate Jean-Claude Courtault came into being.
JC Courtault enlarged and worked his vineyard over time, whilst still fulfilling his duties as Vineyard Manager. He began producing wine, and in 1987, the process of bottling and marketing started. That year's wine was rewarded with a gold medal at the "Concours Général des Vins de Paris" competition. This medal was just the first of many awards and prizes that have punctuated JC Courtault's career, a mark of the quality and consistency of his wines.
The 1994 edition of the Guide Hachette gave something of a commercial boost to the Estate Jean-Claude Courtault, after it awarded the 1992 Chablis a favourite buy distinction.
In 1995, with the estate boasting a dozen hectares of Chablis and Petit Chablis, Jean-Claude Courtault decided to devote himself to wine-growing on a full-time basis. He built a wine storehouse that included all the features necessary for optimal operating efficiency.
The estate has continued to develop its vineyard and now boasts a total of 17.60 hectares in production. This development drive is due to continue, with the arrival of Stéphanie, daughter of JC and MC Courtault, and her husband, Vincent Michelet. From now on it will be up to them to take up the challenge of producing Chablis wines.
The estate produces three of the four appellations found in the Chablis wine-growing region : Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru and Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
Some 50,000 bottles are sold in France and abroad.
Domaine Courtault-Michelet Vineyards
The wines of the Estate Jean-Claude Courtault are particularly renowned for their strong fruit character, the wine-grower's signature, if you like. These wines are regularly singled out for their quality, as can be seen in the Guide Hachette and various competitions - concours de Paris, Mâcon, Vignerons Indépendants. The Estate Jean-Claude Courtault sells and produces wines that have come from the estate's own vines.
The estate's vines are planted in accordance with the tradition of the Lignorelles area, in other words, every 5 rows, sufficient space is left for a tractor to pass. Planting density is on average around 6000 to 7000 vines per hectare, roughly equivalent to the mean for the Chablis wine-growing region.
This vineyard is sited on relatively hilly ground. Some plots have required considerable work on them before planting, with gradients of up to 1 in 2.5 (40%) possible. The oldest plots have 35 year-old vines.
Grape Harvest generally begins at the end of September and lasts between 12 to 18 days, depending on the year. Our main aim is to harvest the grapes at their optimal ripeness. This allows us to obtain a higher sugar content in the grapes whilst still maintaining pH and acidity at the levels needed to make a well-balanced wine.
W & J Graham's Vintage Port 2016 is made from 37% Touriga Nacional, 42% Touriga Franca and various others.
Like most parts of the world, the Douro has not been isolated from the effects of climate change, and unusual weather conditions over recent years have often departed from those typically associated with classic vintage years. Fortunately, in 2016 the stars aligned and the year brought superbly structured and balanced wines, allowing Graham's to announce a full vintage declaration.
The 2016 is a classic expression of the Graham's style: concentrated and opulent with layers of fresh, ripe, black fruit flavors. Aromas of mint and eucalyptus with chocolate notes. The Graham 2016 combines superb complexity, structure and balance.
Reviews:
Extremely complex aromas that show the classic Graham character of black-fruit marmalade and burnt oranges. Follows through to a full body with great grip at the finish. Lightly sweet. Chewy and powerful. Such a focus at the end.
-James Suckling 99 Points
This is lush and captivating in feel, with a velvety flow to the mix of plum, blackberry, boysenberry and açai berry compote flavors. A bold streak of licorice runs through the finish, underscored by a brambly note that imparts balance. A stunning display of fruit. Best from 2030 through 2050.
-Wine Spectator 98 Points
Super-ripe with an expressive plum and dark chocolate aroma. Rich opulence backed by dark chocolate intensity and spicy tannic grip – big and bold on the finish. Voluptuous with fabulous richness, big and bold on the finish. This is one for the long haul but it’s already very impressive.
-Decanter 98 Points
Produced in South Benedetto di Lugana. 100% Turbiano (clonal type of Trebbiano di Lugana)
The grapes are harvested exclusively from our own vineyards; harvesting is strictly manual in small 17kg-crates. Guyot, double arc training method.
A brief contact on the skin, stainless steel-controlled fermenting.
Intense straw yellow color with green tinges. Exotic notes, candied fruit and citrus, warm and very deep on the nose. Widespread expressive finesse; to the palate the texture is rich and persistant. Pairs best with fish-based plates, soup, pasta or rice, white meat.