| Vintage 2007
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20/09/2007 |
What a wet summer! june july and august have been rainy and cold.
We where desperate wine growers.
Miracle! its a miracle as september has been warm and sunny during the day, cold and windy during the night making a natural sorting on the bunches.
The whites will be very aromatic specialy the sauvignon.
We started harvesting the merlot this week.
A lot of colour ( antocyanes) but a lak of consistency on the bunches.
Its too early to have a precise idea on the cabernet but the potential is good.
Should the weather continue to be kind with the growers we should be abble to produce
at least a good 1999 or 2001 if not a 1995.
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| HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007
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01/01/2007 |
Thank you for drinking our wines.
We are proud to announce the launching of
two organic CLARET Rouge Nature and Blanc Nature.
Best wishes
Benoit & Valérie Calvet
Tous nos voeux.
Benoit Valerie Calvet |
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| PROWEIN 2006
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06/01/2006 |
Wir haben einen neuen Blog, für Sie auf deutsch.
benoitvaleriecalvet.blogspirit.com |
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| Vintage 2005
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05/10/2005 |
The grappes and juices I tasted have the potential to make the best vintage since the 89 / 90's.
A fast and early ripening, dry spring,hot summer with cold nights are the perfect
conditions to make a great Claret.
The weather in september has been warm and dry. The merlot have been harvested and the cabernet should be in the cellars at the end of next week.
Some merlot are showing too much alcohol but the blendings with the cabernet will
balance the wines.
We have now to wait three more weeks to confirm what I saw and already tasted in the cellars.
Bordeaux is back!
Benoit Calvet |
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| Vintage 2004
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01/09/2005 |
Very classic with stong tanins the 2004 claret can be drunk now or kept in
the cellars if oak aged or fine wines.
The white dry Bordeaux wines are exceptional.
Fruity, crispy ,floral with a perfect acidity balance.
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| 2003 vintage
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11/11/2003 |
Bordeaux has now terminated its harvest.
The juices I tasted are of high standard even if there is not a consistant
quality everywhere.
The surprise came during the vinification.
The grappes acidities where low . At the end of the fermentations it has been observed that the average acidity level came back to a normal situation for both reds and whites!
I was yesterday at chateau Franc Mayne. Merlot are deep in colour with
a lot of powerfull red fruit and riped tanins.
Cabernet Franc are powerfull and well structured.
Generaly speaking the yield will be small in Bordeaux, something like 30% below a regular harvest.
Sauternes could be an exceptional "botrytis year". Nine days only of harvest. Rich in alcohol and in flavours it could be an even more powerfull vintage than the amazing 2001.
The heat during the summer combined with the cold and sunny weather during the picking of the grappes are compared to the year 1947.
On my point of view we will have to wait for the result of the second fermentation this winter to give a final opinion to this "unusual" vintage.
Sauternes would be exceptional. Therefore it could be the first time we have both sweet and red wines with a great vintage.
Last information: Mr Parker was in Bordeaux last month to taste the 2002.
Just to let you know he liked the vintage.
Don't hesitate to invest on this vintage as some of you did with the 1990. |
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| AWARD
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10/10/2003 |
We are proud to announce that Chateau Franc Mayne cru classé saint emilion has been elected "BEST of WINE TOURISM".
We are proposing bed and breakfeast rooms and opportunities to
visit our XVth century stone carriers.
Please contact the chateau on 33557246261.
FRANC MAYNE 2000 **** at the cecanter tasting. |
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| HARVEST 2003
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01/09/2003 |
The Spring has been sunny but cold, making for a difficult flowering for the Merlot ( known as 'coulure'). The summer months were very dry and exceptionally hot, with a lack of rainwater for the vines.
This had the effect of reducing the potential yield for both White and Red grapes.
The White grape harvest started on 13th August which is the earliest date since 1947!
The juices that I have tasted are deep in colour, with a lively fruit, but low in acidity, with high alcohol content. Volume could be 20% less, compared to last year.
We are expecting a price increase for wine from the better appellations.
The Merlot and Cabernet sauvignon grapes are thick-skinned and there
are few bunches per vine. Aciditiy levels are already lower than usual and
alcohol high.
Some vineyards could start harvesting next week, but the tannins, polyphenols and skins are not yet mature.
From my point of view, it may be better to wait to harvest the Merlot and Cabernet in two or three week's time.
It could be a good vintage for the Red wines.
Wait and see!
Benoit Calvet |
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| PRIMEURS 2002 - II PART
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11/04/2003 |
VALÉRIE & BENOIT CALVET "EN-PRIMEUR" TASTING
Not tasted : Châteaux LATOUR, MARGAUX & LEOVILLE LAS CASES
"COUPS DE COEUR" :
CH BRANE CANTENAC
CH CANON
CH CANON LA GAFELLIERE
CH CLERC MILON
CH CLINET
CH D'AIGUILHE
CH GRAND MAYNE
CH HAUT BAILLY
CH HAUT BRION Red & white
CH LA TOUR HAUT BRION
CH LAFITE ROTHSCHILD
CH LE CROCK
CH LEOVILLE BARTON
CH LEOVILLE POYFERRE
CH LES ORMES DE PEZ
CH MOUTON ROTHSCHILD
CH PAVIE DECESSE
CH POUJEAUX
CLOS DE L'ORATOIRE
LA MONDOTTE
"BONNE SURPRISE" :
CH CHANTEGRIVE Red & White
CH D'ARMAILHAC
CH LA DAME DE MONTROSE
CH LARCIS DUCASSE
CH LAVILLE HAUT BRION Blanc
"WE LIKED" :
CH BASTOR LAMONTAGNE
CH CARBONNIEUX
CH DE FRANCE Red
CH DU TERTRE
CH DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU
CH DUHART MILON
CH FRANC MAYNE
CH GUIRAUD
CH LA LOUVIÈRE
CH LARRIVET HAUT BRION White
CH LARRIVET HAUT BRION Red
CH MALARTIC LAGRAVIÈRE
CH MOULIN RICHE
CH PICHON COMTESSE
CH PRIEURÉ LICHINE
CH RAUZAN SEGLA
CH SMITH HAUT LAFITTE
DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER
SEIGNEURS D'AIGUILHE
"FOR MY OWN CELLAR" :
CH CANON LA GAFELLIERE
CH D'AIGUILHE
CH HAUT BAILLY
CH HAUT BRION
CH LEOVILLE POYFERRE
CH MONTROSE
CH MOUTON ROTHSCHILD
I really liked : Saint Estèphe & Graves red
Such an interesting vintage, thanks to yieldings kept naturally low and nice ripening
of the grapes up to the beginning of October.
Outstanding wines with a judicious extraction to succeed to perfect balance between
tanin and good fruit.
I will happily buy these wines as long as prices are sensible ! |
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| TASTING PRIMEURS 2002
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26/03/2003 |
First tasting today.
Generally speaking we met dark colours and a lot of fruit.
My first impressions are that the cabernet sauvignon will be predominent this very vintage.
On Saint Emilion I liked
Angelus
Canon la Gaffelière- lot of fruit-silky-
Franc Mayne -elegant-
Beausejour Becot
Canon-the best since few years on my opinion-
Clos Fourtet-very concentrated-difficult to judge-
La Dominique-lot of red fruits-
La Gaffelière-much more concentrated than usual-
Larcis Ducasse-new wine maker did very well-
Pavie-top dispite the price-
Thats all for the moment
I will continue next week |
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| VINTAGE 2002 REPORT
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30/10/2002 |
Today I am in a position to confirm my previous assessment of the 2002's vintage.
Despite a very dry year and a cloudy August and with the help of the modern viticultural developments, the vinegrowers took a special care of the soil and vineyard management. They then benefited from a stunning September combining cool nights with more than five weeks of strong sun and dry wind. No doubt today, very good wines are going to be vinified.
An outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon: colourful, ripe, high alcohol content (13% and more), with intense fruit aromas. Cabernet Sauvignon is a late grape, mainly grown on specific terroirs that came to maturity up to the beginning of October often making up for the certain lack of sun during August.
The Merlot is fresh and elegant, soft in tannin and strong in anthocyanins; this component present in the grape skin gives the young must its purple taint.
For good results each producer must carefully control his vatting and fermenting time to achieve a perfect balance betwen the alcoholic strength, tannins & anthocyanins.
The wines we have already produced in Château Franc Mayne, a Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emilion and Château Montlabert , a Grand Cru Saint-Emilion show a nice balance between strong fruit and elegant tannins.
We are also counting on a malolactic fermentation to soften up any slightly astringent wine.
A special mention for the white wines.
The dry white Bordeaux are extremely aromatic thanks to the perfectly clean state of the crop, added to cold nights in September. The Semillon is rich , the Sauvignon Blanc is deep in structure and well-balanced with intense aromas of white flowers.
The great noble-rotted wines are "fiery" with a Botrytis Cinerea developing as early as September up to the last picking of botrytised grapes in a misty and sunny late October.
Benoit Calvet |
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| HARVEST 2002
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08/10/2002 |
2002 could be an amazing surprise!!
A strange year & one of excesses ar that encompassed a very dry winter, a difficult flowering, a cloudy August and an exceptionally sunny September despite a heavy storm destroying locally parts of the crop.
The 'Year of the Vigneron' then and yes another one.
The winegrowing techniques will pay off this year (de-leafing, green harvesting etc..) & would allow the grapes to concentrate on the vine and profit to the maximum from the sun of September.
Do you know that a hot September-October in Bordeaux is called "an Indian Summer" as it is in England.
Attention has to be paid to the yields. Lower by 30% for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. We are expecting for a small harvest with a risk
of price increases.
Berries are small and very concentrated.
The juices I have already tasted in Saint-Emilion (Franc Mayne) and
the Médoc are highly coloured and perfumed with high levels of
alcohol.
Many 2002's could be very good if not great!
We have to wait until the end of the fermentations to have a final opinion.
The dry white wines are elegant , perfumed and unusual .
It is too early to give you an idea on the sweet wines.
I will come back to you next month.
Benoit Calvet |
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| Rewards Patrice Calvet UK wines
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20/09/2002 |
DECANTER
chateau de France 99 ****
chateau Haut Nouchet 99 ***
chateau dassault 99*****
chateau Franc Mayne 99 ****
chateau Fontesteau 99****
chateau Le Crock 99****
chateau la Chandelliere 99***
chateau deyrem Valentin 99 ***
chateau Marquey 99 ***
D de Dassault 98 ***
D de Dassault 2000 ***
INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION
chateau Segonzac oak aged 2000 silver medal
Seigneurs d'Aighuile 2000 gold medal
chateau Haut Nouchet 99 bronze medal
INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE
Seal of approval
-Rouge nature 2000 organic
-chateau la salle de Poujeaux 1998
-Seigneurs d'Aighuile 2000
-Cellier Nature 2000 organic
Bronze medal
-chateau Segonzac oak aged
Silver medal
-chateau Valombré 2000
GUIDE HACHETTE 2003
Chateau de France 2000 *
Chateau Bastor la Montagne 99 *
Chateau Haut Nouchet white 2000 *
Chateau Labbadie 99 *
Chateau Deyrem Valentin 99 **
Chateau Pavillon de Boyrein 2001 *
Chateau Biston Brillette 2000 *
Chateau le Crock 99 **
Chateau Tour de Gilet 2000*
Ermitage Chassespleen *
Chateau Beausejour Becot **
Chateau Vrai Canon Bouché 99 *
Chateau Haut Mondain 99 C
Chateau Moulin Riche 99 C
Chateau Coustolle 99 C
Chateau Franc Mayne 99 C
D de Dassault 99 C
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