Cute Blinking Blue Cat

20 Jun 2016

[Visiting] Chateau Maucaillou



20. juin. 2016 

Chateau Maucaillou




1. Chateau Maucaillou

Meaning of "Maucaillou" = Mauvais Caillou (Bad stone)
the soil of the vineyard is white stones. 


2. Petit-Latoche was a previous owner of the chateau.

That's why there are the letters "P" and "L" on the top of the chateau.
This chateau was a gift for his wedding. 
Maybe that's why chateau Maucaillou rent a place for clients who want to to wedding.
The right part of chateau, the family Dourthe is living, 
and the left part of the chateau is offered for the couple who has just married for wedding.


3. Family "Dourthe" 

The current family who is operating the chateau Maucaillou.
Now, 5th(Philippe Dourthe) and 6th generation (Pascal Dourthe) is the main owner. 
They own some other vineyard not only in Medoc(Moulis) but also in Entre-deux-Mers(for example).
It seems like very big and rich family in wine industry.


4. Museum of wine (Un Musée des arts & métiers de la vigne et du vin)

When you take a part in the visit and tasting in Chateau Maucaillou, 
you can also visit the museum. 
This is an entrance of the museum and there are the 3 parts inside.


5. the first section of the museum

how to make oak barrel, corks and some history of glassware and bottles.



Daisy : "Daisy loves a strong guy.."


"like a guy who is making oak barrel....♡"


Way to make cork


diverse bottles


diverse bottles of chateau Maucaillou


Daisy: " Daisy loves wine...."

 



5-1. It was really really interesting. 

If you are interested in how to grow up the grape and produce wine, you should watch it carefully.
They made small model of the vineyard which is changed depends on the month, 
and they listed what they do at the each month. 
It was really really interesting for me.



6. the second section

In the second section, you can see some old tools for vineyard. 
Also there are some information of "illness of grape" such as mildew or pests.



7. the Third section (Harvest)

I was not able to understand this part to be honest, 
I think that this part shows you some tool and machine to produce wine and bottle them.


Daisy stays with bottles


the cork machine. Daisy likes to collect wine corks.









7. The last part of museum is video of chateau Maucaillou

The family Dourthe explains about chateau Maucaillou and the production of wine. 
There are a lot of visitors and they had many questions about oak barrels, corks, vineyard and production of wine. 
Therefore the family Dourthe decided to build a museum of wine in 1987. 



What I have heard from the video:


1. 41% Merlot, 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% petit Verdo (full body, tannins)

2. the age of grapes : 45 years (I think that they are already 50 years. because the video was produced in 2010)

3. wind mil in the vineyard : this is against the frost in the early spring. It gives hot air to grapes every morning.

4. Removing leaves on the east side

5. In general the harvest is in 5th~10th October from Merlot. 

6. When the pip is green, they don't harvest them. When the color is changed to brown, they harvest.

7. 50~70 % of oak barrel are new.

8. aging period : almost 18 months (could be 20~24months)

9. when the aging is finished, they blend the wine.

10. They are producing almost 7-8 different wines including white wine (AOC: Entre-deux-Mers)

11. Harvest 60% by hand / 40% by machine





8. the wine celler

it's big.
Metal vat gives freshness and fruity flavours. That's why they use metal vat thesedays.
Their wine production is stayed between organic way and chemical way. 
because of disease of grapes, they cannot concentrate on the organic production.
free-run wine needs more period to contact with skins and seeds (sediments)




The machine is as big as 2 floors.

9. At the end of December and the beginning of January, they buy new oak barrels.

the aging period is changed depends on the year from 18 months to 24 months.
For the distribution, 80~90% of the wine is handed over to wine merchant. 
They don't need to be worried about sales.



10. There are almost 1300 barrels.





11. wine tasting


Le Bordeaux de Maucaillou (2014)

12 % alcohol
100% of Sauvignon Blanc
AOC: Bordeaux (domain: Entre-deux-mers)

Appearance
 Clarity / Intensity / Colour
Clear / Pale / Lemon 
 Nose
 Clarity / Intensity 
Clean / Medium 
 Aroma characteristics
 Citrus fruity - lemon, grapefruits, orange floral -elader flower
 Palate
 Sweetness - Dry / Acidity - H / Tannin / Body - M / Finish - L
 Flavour characteristics
Lemon, Grapefruits, Orange
 Conclusion
 Balance O  / Length O(M) / Intensity O / Complexity O
 Good

would be good with fish like salmon

***


Chateau Maucaillou (2008)

13 % alcohol
52% CB, 41% MR, 7% PV
AOC: Moulis


Appearance
 Clarity / Intensity / Colour
Clear / deep / garnet (little orange, brown)
 Nose
 Clarity / Intensity 
Clean / pronounced
 Aroma characteristics
fruity- mure (black currant), black cherry, spices- white pepper
 Palate
 Sweetness - Dry / Acidity - H / Tannin - H / Body - F / Finish - L
 Flavour characteristics
Spices - pepper (hot) animal, leather, tabaco, smoke
 Conclusion
 Balance O  / Length O(M) / Intensity O / Complexity O
 Good


would be good with meats



12. Boutique


beautiful.
You pay 8 euros for visit and tasting here. 
It seems like that the visitors can participate in the visit and tasting every 2 hours. 
For example, 14PM, 16PM...






After the visit and tasting, chateau Maucaillou gave me a present. 
It's a nice glass of wine!! 
I was so happy :-)



Beautiful vineyard. 


🐰 🐰 🐰  

A beautiful and huge chateau,
nice and diverse wine, 
Chateau Maucaillou was quite well-organized and well-prepared for clients.
I was very satisfied and pleasant thanks to nice gift!!!