Pauillac, Margaux and Walla Walla—A Great Way to Start off the New Year!

One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends, have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. 

We’ll explore the Margaux Appellation. Silky, seductive and polished are the words that characterize the best wines from Margaux, the most inland appellation of the Médoc on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. This appellation was the first Bordeaux area cultivated for wine production and contains 21 cru classé properties from the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. 

The Pauillac Appellation is considered one of the most famous regions in Bordeaux due its star power. Three out of the five First Growths are found here. Situated north of Saint-Julien and Margaux, Pauillac is all about powerful, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines grown on gravel soils.

Walla Walla Valley is home to many of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest and most acclaimed vineyards dating back to the 1850s. Its ideal conditions are perfect for growing and producing an elegant and beautifully aromatic Cabernet Sauvignon, with bright acidity. Wines sourced primarily from Red Mountain, display structure, richness and a focused mouthfeel that have come to characterize Red Mountain Cabernet.

2011 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac

71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot

The history of Lynch-Bages, situated in the lands of “Batges” at the entrance to Pauillac, is emblematic of the Médoc region. Its vineyard (1855 Grand Cru Classé) overlooks the Gironde estuary and stretches over a beautiful gravelly hilltop. The wine displays deep and complex notes of cassis, black cherries, espresso, gravelly soil tones, a touch of anise and lead pencilly new oak. On the palate, the wine is deep, full-bodied, quite well-balanced, with fresh acidities a very good core of fruit, fine focus and a very long, tannic and chewy finish. 

2012 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot

In the early 18th Century, Francois Pontet bought and consolidated several plots of land located northwest of Pauillac. Several years later his descendants bought neighboring vineyards in an area named "Canet", thus creating one of the largest estates in the entire Medoc (1855 Fifth Growth Grand Cru Classé). The 2012 vintage is considered one of the top Left Bank wines with aromas of cigar box, underbrush, leafy herbs, black currants, and tobacco wrapper, with a creamy quality to the sweet, red fruits. On the palate, there is a presence of dried meat, blackberries, blueberries, and hints of mushroom, very polished silky tannins and a chewy finish.

2015 Les Forts de Latour Pauillac

63%Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot with minor additions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc

Les Forts de Latour is produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, Chateau Latour, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The wine was first labelled with this name in 1966 and constant work on developing its quality has resulted in its achieving the level of a Médoc Grand Cru Classé. In the glass it reveals a bright crimson color with aromas of chocolate coated currants, cigar box, flowers and tobacco leaf. On the palate, fabulous notes of cassis, jammy currant and black fruits come through with a medium/full-bodied, concentrated, firm, fresh, juicy and lively, with a creamy textured, sweet finish.

2016 Chateau Giscours Margaux

81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot 

Located in the famous Margaux appellation, this estate was first mentioned in a document dating back to 1330, although it wasn’t until 1847 that the cornerstone of this remarkable château was laid.  Giscours' quality was confirmed by its inclusion as a Third Growth in the 1855 classification. It is seductive on the palate thanks to its refined, silky tannins. It is a powerful, enchanting, hugely charming wine. The wine offers beautiful, complex (and classic Margaux) perfume of smoke tobacco, black currants, truffly earth, and spring flowers with a palate of ripe red plum and red berries. It is finesse-driven, medium-bodied, and seamless on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins and no hard edges.  

2014 Long Shadows Winery Pirouette

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc

Long Shadows Winery is a collection of seven ulta-premium Columbia Valley wines.  Napa Valley’s Philippe Melka partnered with Long Shadows’ winemaker, Gilles Nicault, to produce this old world style blend. Using small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards they crafted this enticing red blend into a stunning wine. The 2014 Pirouette is multi-layered with aromas of plum, cranberry, cigar box, blackberry, café au lait and smoke. The palate reveals flavors of dark red and black fruits, hints of sweet oak, licorice and cocoa that gain complexity with every sip. The wine is richly textured, with refined tannins and a beautiful mouthfeel that provides a lengthy finish.

A Special Italian Tasting:  A Piedmont World of Gaja Wines

Located in Piedmont in northwestern Italy, the Gaja winery is widely considered to be one of the greatest estates in the world, producing coveted and collectible labels. Five generations of impeccable winemaking have made Gaja a pioneer and guardian of tradition, setting the standard for excellence in the world of winemaking today.

Angelo Gaja was the first to produce single vineyard wines in Piedmont and revolutionized wine making practices in the region, introducing Bordeaux varietals and the use of barriques. Today, the Gaja Winery owns 240 acres of vineyards in the Barbaresco DOCG (Barbaresco and Treiso) and the Barolo DOCG (Serralunga d’Alba and La Morra).

Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region and reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. All three must produce wines of 100% Nebbiolo.

Gaja Rossj-Bass Langhe 2022

This Gaja white wine, a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, shows vibrant character and aromatic complexity. Its pale straw color catches the eye, while the nose is greeted by notes of wisteria, acacia, and a subtle hint of sulfur reminiscent of a matchstick. Delicate pear and mint flavors appear on the palate, accompanied by the essence of musk and cedar. Juniper berries and lemon sage add further layers, leading to a spicy finish that lingers on the senses. This wine evokes the essence of the forest and Mediterranean scrub, with a soft mouthfeel that gracefully complements its rounded, savory finish. Balanced acidity imparts freshness and vitality without overpowering, ensuring a full-bodied experience with a persistent aftertaste that leaves a lasting impression.

(The name Rossj is the nickname of Angelo Gaja’s second daughter, Rossanna.)

2005 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss

The 2005 Sperss is simply gorgeous in its layers of super-ripe black fruit, smoke, licorice, French oak, new leather and spices. This symphony of sensations continues on the palate with firm yet ripe tannins coiling around a striking core of fruit concentration. A noticeable delivery of mineral undertones and sweet spice makes a lasting impression on the finish, reflecting the formidable charm of Langhe Nebbiolo from an unforgettable vintage. Gaja’s vineyards in Serralunga are some of the best-exposed plots in the zone, and that clearly was a help here.

2014 Gaja Barolo Sperss

The 2014 Sperss comes from two crus in Serralunga, and like Gaja's Barbarescos, and is aged in a combination of barriques and large barrels. As so often is the case, it is a wine that combines power and finesse. The 2014 Barolo Sperss opens to gorgeous aromas of dark fruit, ranging from elderberries and black cherries to brambleberries, wet earth, white truffle, and Chinese spices. On the structured elegant palate, taut refined tannins and fresh acidity provide an age-worthy framework for raspberry compote, juicy Marasca cherry, orange zest, white pepper and star anise. It shows layers of depth and loads of finesse, with a very long finish. 

(Vintages of this wine between 1996 and 2013 are labelled Langhe Nebbiolo DOC.)

2010 Gaja Barbaresco

This Barbaresco remains faithful to its DOCG. Showing off notes of dried cherry, rose petals, truffle and earthy undertones, punctuated by balsamic notes. It is robust but not aggressive, full-bodied yet maintains a graceful elegance. The wine delivers seductively rich concentration and integrated oak that is offset by a delicate portfolio of chiseled mineral, dried berry fruit, Spanish cedar, crushed herb, anise and blue flower. Sweet floral notes reappear on the finish, adding lift and brilliance. All the elements fall into place in this supple, beautifully balanced Barbaresco that represents the essence of the vintage.

2015 Gaja Barbaresco

A rich and layered Barbaresco, this expressive wine opens with pure floral notes of rose petals and elderflowers.  Warm spices like black pepper and tobacco give roundness to the bouquet.  Structured and extremely elegant, its focused palate shows juicy red and black fruit--cherry, strawberry, plum and blueberry--with baking spice and star anise set against taut polished tannins that provide seamless support. It is well balanced with fresh acidity ending with a chewy finish.

(Gaia Gaja, Angelo Gaja’s eldest daughter, was waiting for the right moon before commencing bottling.)

For our first tasting this Fall, we’re excited to showcase the wines of Domaine Serene located in Dayton, Oregon. Domaine Serene is one of the benchmark wineries in Oregon.  Founded by Grace and Ken Evenstad, Domaine Serene released their first wine in 1990.  Domaine Serene owns dozens of acres of vineyards in the Willamette Valley and purchased the historic Chateau de la Cree property in Santenay, the heart of the Cote d’Or in Burgundy.  Domaine Serene Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines have consistently earned awards that put them among the best in the world.

We are delighted that a member of the Domaine Serene wine team will join us to host the tasting.  The current plan is to taste Oregon and Burgundy wines side by side – a unique opportunity to taste the differences in wines from two essential wine growing regions. We look forward to enjoying this evening with you!