
Vignobles Rodet Recapet Estate Vignobles Rodet is owner of Château Brulesecaille and Château La Gravière in the Cotes de Bourg AOC. Jacques is a viticulture engineer (graduated from Bordeaux Science Agro) specialized in Nature Protection and focuses viticulture. Guillaume (graduated from DUAD Bordeaux) oversees vinification operations in the cellar. Jacques believes in using more natural methods to encourage ripening; he utilizes canopy mangement techniques, removes leaves and thins bunches as necessary. In September 2016 the estate received High Environnemental Value level 3 Certification. This covers mainly four key areas : biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategy, optimized management of fertilization and water management.
Date Founded: 1840 Owner: Martine and Jacques RODET Winery Philosophy: Making great wines, using both modern winemaking and traditional viticulture. In 1924, The RÉCAPET family bought Château BRULESÉCAILLE. In 1974, the estate was handed down from M. Pierre RÉCAPET to his daughter and son in law, Martine and Jacques RODET. It is now included in a structure named G.F.A. RODET RECAPET. Winery Acreage: 74 acres (30 hectares) Winery Production: 12,000 / 9L cases Varietals Produced: 54% Merlot 25% Cabernet Sauvignon 9% Cabernet Franc 4.5% Malbec 7.5% Sauvignon Blanc and Gris Winemaker: Jacques RODET (graduate agricultural engineer) and his son Guillaume. Located in the heart of the Côtes de Bourg region, BrûleSécaille is a 28 hectare vineyard classed "Cru Bourgeois" since 1868.
The name ‘Brulesécaille’ derives from Gascon; “Bruler” means “to burn” and “sécaille” is from the latin “secare” meaning “to cut”. According to tradition, we burn the cut vine branches during pruning. Brulesécaille is situated on a clay limestone outcrop. This particular soil composition dominates the Dordogne valley and allows excellent drainage in winter and spring. The vines enjoy excellent sun exposure, encouraging consistent ripening vintage after vintage.
Because the vineyard survived the particularly hard winter frosts of 1945, 1956 and 1991, there are some significant older vines, up to seventy-five years old. Château BruleSécaille : 23 ha Château La Gravière : 5 ha Château YON St Christophe : 2 ha Every care is taken by Jacques RODET (graduate agricultural engineer) to respect nature, maintaining a biological balance from growth to harvesting in particular by thinning out leaves and excess grapes in order to produce a natural wine. The grapes are picked by hand. Great care is taken with the manual picking over, de-stemming and crushing. The wine needs a long fermentation and maceration period (3 to 5 weeks) in stainless steel tanks, controlled by an automatic temperature monitoring system, to ensure a rich full-bodied wine.
Brulesecaille Blanc Grande Reserve is made from 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Sauvignon Gris.
Average age of the vines is 25 years.
Manual harvest from September 19th-20th 2016.
Direct press at low pressure (whole cluster) with low amount of SO2, settling at 10°C.
Addition of yeast and alcoholic fermentation in casks 400 liters.
Raised on the lees for 6 months with regular batonnage (stirring of the lees).
Bottling in april 2017.
Fish, seafood, white meats, fine goat cheeses.
Brulesecaille Rouge Sans Soufre Ajoute is made from 50% Merlot and 50% Malbec.
Deep purple color, powerful nose of blackcurrant and floral as well. Full on the palate with soft and ripe tannins with a fresh aromatic return.
Aging potential 5 years.
Pairs with boeuf Bourguignon, grilled vegetables and strong cheeses.
Graviere La Rouge Cuvee les Terrasses is made of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep red color with a narrow purple rim. Attractive aromas of ripe, juicy cherry and blackberry over spice, integrated toasted aromas. The palate is balanced and full-bodied with supple tannins, displaying rich cherry flavors combined with gentle toasting characters and a touch of spice. The finish is lasting with a bitter almond aftertaste.
Average age of the vines is 25 years.
Upon arrival at the winery, only the best grapes were selected using a sorting table.
Skin contact maceration during 2 weeks in temperature controlled vats.
75% of the final wine was aged in stainless steel tanks with French oak staves and blended with 25% of wine aged in barrels.
Serve with red, white meats, poultry and fine cheeses.
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is made from 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Shiraz .
Encompassing everything the Hill-Smith family stands for and the perfect representation of Yalumba’s history and ethos, The Signature is a sentimental favorite. A classic Australian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, the first vintage release of The Signature was in 1962. Since then, this outstanding wine has acknowledged more than 57 Signatories; people who have enhanced the traditions and culture of Yalumba.
Seductive and alluring florals, cool mints, red pomegranate with fine blackberry fruits and dark cherry aromas. The palate is delightfully generous with dark red cherry fruit that merges into ironstone tannins. A medium to full bodied wine with a long, flowing tannin profile.
Review:
A full-weighted, archetypal Aussie blend. Cabernet and shiraz, both from the Barossa. The top wines of Yalumba have undergone considerable refinement in recent years. The tannins, better managed; the fruit, more restrained; the oak, judicious. Here, an example. Fresh and lithe. Scents of anise, bay leaf and kirsch, with a nourishing core of beef bouillon. An expansive sweetness grows in trajectory, with a douse of menthol at the finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Ayni Malbec Paraje Altamira is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Ayni is the Quechua term for the principle of reciprocity, practiced for centuries by the Andean people - "in order to receive, you first have to give." Chakana's renowned Paraje Altamira vineyard, which sits 3,300 feet above sea level, bears the name Ayni & is the source of the Ayni wines.
Deep ruby-red in color with violet hints. Complex and intense bouquet, featuring blackberries, cherries and plums, with delicate floral notes and spices. Balanced and fresh; full-bodied with good length of spices.
Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.
Review:
"Chakana is an organic and biodynamic producer in Mendoza, that harvests from a vineyard in Paraje Altamira to produce this terroir-focused, minimal intervention Malbec. Aged in a mixture of casks and barrels for 12 months, this is a pure, energetic red in which fresh red fruit aromas combine with spice, herbs and mineral notes. In the mouth, it’s fluid with lively acidity and firm, chalky tannins. A potent, long-lasting wine. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030"
- Decanter Magazine, 94 pts