Chateau Beychevelle Grand Bateau Bordeaux Blanc Part 2

We have previously written a blog post on this excellent white wine from Chateau Beychevelle in Bordeaux, entitled "The ship has come in for white wine fanciers". 

Since then it has had some excellent reviews.

It was reviewed in a trade magazine National Liquor News article on sauvignon blanc and received the highest score amongst all of the sauvignon blancs submitted from Australia, New Zealand and France. They gave it 94.5 points.

Great opening @NatLiquorNews to see @Beychevelle1855 Grand Bateau #Bordeaux Blanc highest rated #sauvignonblanc pic.twitter.com/D50Ket4exD

— DiscoverVin (@discovervin) December 7, 2015

It was also reviewed by iconic aussie wine writer Winsor Dobbin who made it one of his wine of the week In December 2015.  "Looking for a white wine that offers a little bit more than simple fresh fruit flavours? You've come to the right place. Grand Bateau is a collaboration between Maison Barrière and sister Bordeaux company Chateau Beychevelle, and made by Beychevelle winemaker Philippe Blanc. Sometimes a blend with a semillon component, the 2014 vintage is made from 100% sauvignon blanc with some parcels vinified in oak barrels and others in vats. The end result is a complex palate, full of interest, in which toasty vanillin oak co-exists alongside rich stone fruit characters. A wine of balance and interest'

Our friends The Wine Wankers also tried it and said this..

Invitingly leads you into lovely fruit, vanilla and toast complexity. Very quaffable #wine! In Aus by @discovervin. pic.twitter.com/VrikreEyoA
— The Wine Wankers (@winewankers) January 13, 2016

Also mentioned in a blog recently by Madeline Puckette at Wine Folly on best value Bordeaux wines. 

And Sean Mitchell in the Grape Observer "In the glass, this release has charming aromatics of lemon, stones, minerals and old cedar.  Food friendly, the palate is fresh with good acidity and great balance."

It has been impressing us recently as a lovely wine to drink and as a great match to many summer foods including salads. Pick some up here at our website or ask your favourite independent liquor store to get it in. Also available at wholesale price to trade (price on application to info@discovervin.com.au) 

New wine: Chateau Rollan de By 2008

Our new wine from Bordeaux Chateau Rollan de By 2008 has attracted some attention this week being named wine of the week by wine writer Winsor Dobbin.  He wrote....

"The price of some the more prestigious Bordeauxs has put them beyond the reach of mortals with budgets; but there is still some great "claret" available to those without a black American Express card. This is a case in point, a very impressive Cru Bourgeois from the ever-growing stable of Jean Guyon, who also owns the renowned Chateau Greysac. This Medoc blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot is soft and understated without any hints of greenness. There are moccha and ripe fruit aromas while the medium-bodied palate is blessed with an appealing structure with dark blackcurrant and restrained oak to the fore. Perfumed and elegant, it was an excellent match for a beef casserole. I liked this a lot. $59. Imported by DiscoverVin " ...

This wine has won many other awards including 2 stars in the French wine review bible The Guide Hachette and a Gold Medal at the Paris wine show.

All published scores for this wine are here on wine-searcher 

Wine Enthusiast	90/100
Wine Spectator	90/100
CellarTracker	87/100
Jean-Marc Quarin	85/100
Decanter	16.7/20
Gault & Millau	15/20
Jancis Robinson	15/20
Vinum Wine Magazine	14.5/20

Jean Guyon is the owner of Château Rollan de By. Twenty years ago, when he purchased this domain, he began to improve quality and extended the vineyard.  Traditional vine growing systems were adopted.  Vines were replanted and natural fertilizers used to support the recovery of the natural ecosystem.  On an impressive deep soil of gravel, Jean Guyon produces wines that were every bit as good as the classified-growths.  The vines on the 45 hectare vineyard have an average age of 35 years.

Berry Brothers in London describe this Chateau as "a very reliable source of good value Medoc"

Region/Terroir:  Médoc –Cru bourgeois

Grapes:  Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Merlot (70%), Petit Verdot (10%).

Soil:  Clayey-chalky gravel hills.

Alcohol:  13% VOL

Wine making: Grapes picked by hand.  Fermentation occurs at low temperatures in stainless steel, temperature controlled vats.  Malolactic fermentation occurs partially in new oak barrels.  The wine is aged in oak for 16 months.

Cellaring potential:  A wine that will achieve full maturity a decade from the vintage, but which enjoys such balance that it can be enjoyed in its youth.  Parker suggest drinking over the next decade (see below)

Our Tasting notes:  This wine had a WOW factor in a large line up of wines from the Médoc.  Lifted nose with some floral (violet) notes and blackcurrant/cassis.  Gorgeous mouth feel,soft, round and long with great balance.  Complex palate , blackcurrants, liquorice notes and tobacco.  As good as many classified growths.

It is a pleasure for DiscoverVin to bring this wine to Australia. It can be found on our website by clicking here. Trade prices on application 0260206016 or info@discovervin.com.au

Château La Fleur Poitou review by Winsor Dobbin

Well known Australian wine writer (and twittersphere legend)  Winsor Dobbin has published another review of one of the wines imported by DiscoverVin. This easy drinking and good value ($25) Bordeaux red wine from Château La Fleur Poitou is one of our favorites and one of the first wines that we have in stock from the great vintage of 2010. The wine comes from the appellation (region) of Lussac Saint Émilion .
Six satellite villages that once sold their wines under the Saint Émilion AOC surround Saint Émilion.  Of these villages, four now add Saint Émilion to their names to form the Saint Émilion satellites.  They are separated from Saint Émilion by the Barbanne River (more like a creek), an ancient frontier between those in the south who spoke the Langue d’Oc and those in the north who spoke the Langue d’Oil. Wines from these lesser-known regions produce some interesting wines at a fraction of the cost of their more famous neighbours.
Lussac-Saint Emilion’s history dates to Roman times.  Its terroir is varied with clay soils in the north, clay-limestone soils in the southeast.



Lussac Saint Émilion is a northerly “satellite” appellation of Saint Émilion on the right bank of Bordeaux.  The combination of Merlot dominating Cabernet Franc is distinctive of this appellation.  Cabernet Sauvignon is much less commonly planted as the soils of this area are thought to be more suited to merlot and cabernet franc. 


This is a good value drinkable Bordeaux from a highly regarded vintage. In the great vintages such as 2010, there is often value to be found amongst small producers such as this. This generous wine is a good example of the type of value for money wines that DiscoverVin is trying to bring downunder.


And here is the review by Winsor Dobbins:




SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 2012

Chateau La Fleur Poitou 2010

A delightful drink this one, from a small producer in Lussac St Emilion on Bordeaux's right bank. There is plenty of concentration on the nose while the palate reveals dark berry and currant flavours with oak (30% new) playing a mere support role. A blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, it is a supple wine, soft and round with excellent balance and complexity, but more importantly drinkability. It's a very clean wine, smooth and characterful and with medium-term cellaring potential. A very good introduction to affordable Bordeaux from a well-regarded vintage. $25. Imported by DiscoverVin.www.discovervin.com.au.