[Journal] Christmas in Bordeaux

[Tasting] Wine tasting at La Vinothèque

16. Decembre 2017

Wine tasting at La Vinothèque, Bordeaux

Special events before Christmas. 

You can taste diverse grand wines at La Vinothèque in Bordeaux.

On 16th December, there was a wine tasting of Château Brane-Cantenac.

Because this chateau is my favourite wine producer, I went there with my camera!

The tasting is opened between 15PM to the closure of the shop.

It was able to taste vintage 2015!!!!!! 

The vintage 2015 is one of the best years in Bordeaux area, 

therefore I'm so interested in it.

There were 3 wines from Château Brane-Cantenac.

The first wine Château Brane-Cantenac, AOC Margaux.

The second wine, Baron de Brane, AOC Margaux.

The third one, Margaux de Brane, AOC Margaux.

They have their own characteristics as like:

1. Margaux de Brane

This wine was made from young vines. 

You can consume it from right now, although it is quite strong. 

It is very fresh as well. 

The majority of this wine is Merlot. 

Merlot 55%

Cabernet-Sauvignon 45%

2. Baron de Brane

Thanks to this wine, I got to know château Brane-Cantenac.

One day, I went to a restaurant in Margaux, 

As most of wines were quite expensive, I chose a glass of this wine of vintage 2008. 

It was so nice itself and with my main dish.

From that time, I fell in love with this chateau. 

Wherever related to wine I visited, I tasted wine of this chateau, 

they had never made me disappointed.

Of course, they were perfect this time again!

Baron de Brane is the second wine of this chateau.

The majority grape variety is Merlot.

The vintage 2008 had 80% of Merlot, but this time, it has 57% of Merlot.

(Cabernet-Sauvignon 39%, Cabernet-Franc 4%)

Softer than the third one, More aromatic. 

You can keep it in cave for 10 years. 

From 5 years, you can consume it.

3. Château Brane-Cantenac

The main wine of the chateau.

It consists of 70% of Cabernet-Sauvignon, 26% of Merlot, 3% of Cabernet-Franc and 1% of Carmènere. 

It is quite special because I've seen many chateaux producing Petit Verdot.

But this is the first time that I've seen a Bordeaux wine contained Carmènere.

Even they have produced it always! Wow (Just I didn't know it)

This is very very very young, that's why it is strong and something feeling like closed.

However, it has already a smell of perfection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry that I have no place to keep this wonderful wine for 20 years...

(and no money as well)

So, this wine can be kept around 20 years. You can keep it more, or less than 20 years.

The price

It is definitely cheap...!!!!! We have to buy them right now...

in case that you have a proper cave...

Unfortunately I have nothing... 

I hate myself... who have nothing...

Actually I visited the wine shop La Vinothèque to buy a sweet white wine for Christmas dinner last week.

When I visited, I asked about the vintage 2015 of Medoc area, 

and by accident, the monsieur told me that there will be several free tastings at the shop.

Fortunately, Château Brane-Cantenac was organized on the last weekend.

So lucky!

In addition, Château Climens in Barsac which is also famous as Bordeaux sweet white wine will come to offer wine tasting on this Saturday 23 December!

YEAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I guess that you can go there. There will be tasting everyday by before Christmas.

[Journal] Beaujolais Nouveau 2017

27 Novembre 2017

A day of Beaujolais Nouveau

The season for Beaujolais Nouveau has come back without exception!

Unfortunately, I had not really enjoyed Beaujolais Nouveau last 3 years. 

This year, to celebrate my successful visa extension and MBA degree, 

I prepared a dinner and Beaujolais Nouveau. 

Beaujolais Nouveau

Domaines des Nugues

Producer: Gilles Gelin

More information : Click

Where I bought it

Badie wine shop

www.badie.com

60 - 62 Allée de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux

[Journal] Loense Neut (Netherlands Liqueur)

20 Novembre 2017

Netherlands liqueur named as "Loense Neut" that I've received as a present 

last few weeks ago!

Finally I opened and tasted it!!!!!!

That's awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

It has diverse tastes something like sweet spices and coffee things!

Very deep amber to brown colour! Tawny colour as well!

The aroma is definitely Cinnamon, liquorice, some dried fruits like prune and little medicine thing.

Because of 30% alcohol, it's very very thick and full bodied touch on the tongue.

Also, it's sweet.

On the tongue, the aromas get stronger with coffee, mocha, nutty and honey flavour.

It's so interesting and I like it :-)

I've never believed that high alcohol can keep body warm because I don't need to keep warm seriously.

Now I'm living in 200 years old little house, it NEVER keep heat inside.

Therefore sometimes it's 3 degree inside!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG impossible.

And I drunk liqueur, I felt the alcohol make me warm.

OMG thank you so much.

french toast and Loense Neut!

This liqueur it specialty in the town "Loenen" in the Netherlands.

I think that you can get it there.

Address:

Wijnkoperij Vriezekolk

Coldenhovenseweg 4, Eerbeek

0313 769096

[Visiting] La Cite du Vin "La vinification en Qvevri"

#LesJourneeduPatrimoine

La Cite du Vin

17 Septembre 2017

On the day all the museums and monuments in France open for public in free, 

La Cite du Vin was not really free.

However, there was a very interesting wine tasting, so I paid 6 euros for it!

These days, there is an temporary exhibition of Georgian wine. 

This wine tasting was related to this exhibition.

I was little bit late, and I was fool because I was not able to find where I should go,

anyway...

At first, I watched two very old Georgian movie.

Because I went into the cinema quite late, I could not really understand the first movie, but the second one was so funny. 

It was an episode related to Qvevri which is a traditional wine container in Georgia.

After that, we learned about Georgian wine, Terroir, and grape varieties etc.

The wine history in Georgia is 8000 years. This country is the first place of wine production in world history.

There are 525 grape varieties. wow

Like Jeju island, most of Georgian people seem to have vine plants at home.

There is a humor in South Korea. 

Jeju people said that not everyone in Jeju has citrus trees at home.

But my grand mother has one.

I'm wondering if Georgian people are same or not. LOL

Originally, the scale of vine yard was 150,000 ha before Soviet Union regime.

After that, today, 40,000 ha of vineyard last.

AOC, 18 Appellation

The vineyards in Georgia get the impact from Black sea, mountains and a variety of soil types. (15 major types)

The west part (near Black sea) is cooler because of maritime climate, 

and East part (the most famous wine production area: KAKHETI) is warmer.

70% of wine production belongs to KAKHETI area. 

The wines from the area next to Black sea is becoming famous.

The style of wine is similar to Loire Valley's.

* Wine making process * 

(white wine)

Crush grapes in wooden crusher ( Satsnakheli 사츠나헬리)

Pour grape juice with certain percentage of skin and stems into Qvevri

Bury Qvevris under the ground and seal the lid not to contact to light and air

In western region, Qvevri would be buried outside.

After 4-6 months, the sediments move down.

In Korea, we have similar thing named as "Jangdok". 

It's for fermented food like Kimchi. 

* Wine Tasting * 

1. TBILVINO QVEVRIS RKATSITELI (2014)

grape: Rkatsiteli

Region: Kakheti

12.5%

The characteristics of this wine:

Thick skin / High phenolics(석탄산) / Medium Acidity / 

Qvevri fermented / Age worthy

Beautiful amber colour

High Intensity in terms of aroma

not traditional white wine aromas

Toasty, Smoky, Tropical, little Jammy note, Floral

Dry / Medium body / Medium Acidity 

And Tannins!!!!

2. VINOTERRA KISI 2014

Grape: Kisi

Region: Kakheti

13%

beautiful beautiful amber colour! more amber colour than the first one!

Aromas like cognac (little bit)

Tropical, more honey! Jammy (Confiture) coing...?

Dry / High Acidity / M-H Alcohol

L-M body / More tannic than the first one

Smoky, Toasty, Mineral (humidity), Petrol?, Kerosene?

Like it! :-)

3. Alaverdi Monastery Marani (2011)

grape: Saperavi

Region: Kakheti

14%

The grape 'Saperavi' is similar to Syrah and Cabernet.

Characteristics:

thick skin

Frost sensitive

High Acidity

Age worthy

Aromas: Licorice, berries(blue berries), smoke

Deep Ruby colour

High intensity of aroma

something like Cognac, 

Jammy, Blue berry, fig, Herbaceous, Licorice, Grape, 

Toasty, Smoky, Herbs, Mint

Dry / High Alcohol / Medium Acidity/

Medium Body / Medium Tannins

It was really interesting tasting.

Specially, Georgian white wine was so impressive.

Unlike normal white wine, the colour was very deep, with smoky and toasty aromas because of Qvevri and even tannins on the tongue because of skin and stems connection.

Perhaps I should visit the Georgian wine exhibition!