Fans of the movie Sideways, the wine-drenched 2004 film following the debaucherous adventures of friends, Jack and Miles, in California wine country, will probably recall Miles’ disdain for one grape in particular…Merlot. His obvious, ahem, revulsion at the mere mention of it is really quite hilarious – click here to view but be warned, there’s a smidge of profanity!
The irony in the film, however, is that Miles’ most treasured bottle in his wine collection is a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc, a highly coveted, collectible bottle made of mostly…wait for it…MERLOT! Perhaps the wine’s status as one of the most revered Bordeaux wines in existence made it possible for him to overcome his Merlot-phobia? It’s hard to say, but thoughts of the film had us smiling as we eased into the gravel drive of Château Cheval Blanc on a hauntingly beautiful, overcast September day.
Located in rural Saint-Émilion among the lush greenery of Bordeaux’s Right Bank, we were looking forward to visiting this revered estate whose terroir has been highly regarded since the 15th century. The estate currently produces two wines, the eponymous Château Cheval Blanc as well as a second wine, La Petit Cheval, which made its debut in the 1988 vintage. In addition to its wines, the Château had also recently completed a major renovation which we were also very eager to experience.
But first, a little vinous history. Since the Saint-Émilion classification system’s inception in 1954, Cheval Blanc has been categorized as a Premier Cru Classe A, the system’s highest level. The Chateau shares this distinction with only three other producers: Château Ausone, Château Pavie and Château Angélus. While Cheval Blanc and Ausone have been exclusive members of this prestigious classification since the beginning, the 2012 update added Chateaux Pavie and Angélus.
The property now known as Château Cheval Blanc, French for “white horse,” was once part of a larger, 200-hectare estate known as Château Figeac. While vines have been grown here for centuries, it wasn’t until a man by the name of Jean-Jacques Ducasse purchased a portion of the estate in 1832, that the core of what many would consider the finest Chateau in all of Bordeaux was formed. Over the next 20 years, the family continued to add land to estate until it reached 39 hectares which is where it still stands today.
When Jean-Jacques’ daughter Henriette married Jean Laussac-Fourcaud, a Libourne wine merchant, a new chapter in the evolution of Château Cheval Blanc began. In the 1860’s, Laussac-Fourcaud’s keen intuition led him to replant the vineyards to half Merlot and half Cabernet Franc, the two grapes which, to this day, thrive on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. He also realized the importance of water stress in order to produce the finest grapes possible. Formerly known as vin de Figeac, the wine was first sold under the Cheval Blanc name in 1852.
For thirty years, Jean Laussac-Fourcaud dedicated himself to one thing only, making the wines of Château Cheval Blanc the best in Saint-Émilion! His hard work paid off and his wines won many awards over the years and developed a reputation of excellence. In the 1880’s Cheval Blanc was even considered on par with the finest wines of the Médoc, garnering similar prices as wines from the famed Chateaux Margaux, Latour, Lafite and Haut-Brion. Once Jean Laussac-Fourcaud passed away, his son Albert inherited the Chateau and perpetuated the work of his father and made even more improvements in the vineyard. By the time Albert’s two sons, Jacques and Joseph, inherited the estate, they too followed in the footsteps of their father and grandfather before them.
Over the ensuing decades, acknowledgements of excellence continued to solidify the family’s legacy including the aforementioned appointment in the Saint-Emilion Classification system as Premier Grand Cru Classé “A.” This exalted rank was perpetuated in each following classification update and Cheval Blanc became a member of the exclusive “Club of 9” comprising the first growths of Bordeaux. Perhaps cellarmaster of Cheval Blanc for 44 years, Gaston Vaissière, summed it up best when he deemed the vineyards’ terroir “magical.”
Another important chapter of the Cheval Blanc story commenced in the Autumn of 1998 when Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère, old friends and lovers of great wine, joined forces to purchase the fabled château. They brought on Pierre Lurton as Estate Manager and injected a dynamic new spirit into the Château while maintaining the utmost reverence and respect for its history. They also placed their complete trust in the winemaking team to continue their wonderful work. The priority today continues to be producing wines of the utmost quality, which calls for enormous attention to detail and winemaking precision.
With a vision towards the future, the duo embarked on the addition of a new, state-of-the-art cellar adjacent to the Château. The impressively modern structure was designed by Christian de Portzamparc, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1994, and was completed in June 2011. Reflecting the taste of the Château owners, the addition is both futuristic and in keeping with the surrounding historic vineyard landscape which is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The new Cheval Blanc cellar was extremely well-received and the first structure in its category to be certified for the High Quality Environmental (HQE) standard. With its uber-stringent criteria, this certification recognizes great care taken in choosing building materials, energy conservation, waste water management as well as acoustic comfort and employee well-being.
On our tour of the new facility, we felt like we were walking on truly hallowed ground. The new cellar’s intimate yet airy feel exuded elegance with its monochromatic colors and diffused natural light. One of the most striking interior vistas features six rows of curvilinear Italian concrete vats stoically flanking a walkway and stairwell down to the barrel room. The number of vats correlates exactly with the Chateau’s fifty two vineyard plots, allowing each one to be vinified separately, a very important component in the production of the Cheval Blanc wines. Each bespoke vat is individually tailored to the size of its assigned vineyard plot and labelled with its corresponding plot number, grape variety and the number of hectoliters the plot produces. The temperature of each vat is also individually controlled and monitored by a super sophisticated control panel. The integration of tech-savvy features and sophisticated aesthetics in this impressive structure was truly amazing!
One level below the tank room was the extensive underground barrel cellar where French barriques cradled the aging wine. The artfully displayed barrels were illuminated by the soft glow of stylish, low-hanging pendant lighting. The cellar’s beautiful Mashrabiya walls, inspired by traditional Arabic wooden screens, served the dual purpose of concealing machinery and equipment while facilitating ventilation. Standing amidst the barrels, the intimate, elegant space felt more like a chic hotel lobby than what you’d expect to find in a musty wine cellar.
After we toured the cellar’s interior we were led up to the rooftop which featured beautiful gardens and panoramic views of the bucolic splendor surrounding the estate. The view also included the vineyards of another world renowned estate, Chateau Pétrus, which is only a stone’s throw away in neighboring Pomerol. While the prestigious Chateaux and vast holdings of the Left Bank are certainly very impressive, we were truly smitten with the verdant lush greenery and relaxed charm of the Right Bank.
Finally, we toured the estate’s vineyards and were able to walk among its revered vines. As we meandered down the gravel paths we were able to pluck some of the Cabernet Franc grapes straight from the vine. Since it was September just before harvest, the grapes were juicy and perfectly ripe. After we had each sampled a few of the delightful jewels, we were ushered away from the vineyard in order to avoid cutting into their profits!
Understandably, the soil types the vines are grown in is particularly important for maintaining the character of the Cheval Blanc wines. While some estates in Saint-Emilion have excellent gravelly soil, and others have very good clay soils, Cheval Blanc is blessed with both types of soil in fairly equal proportions. Château Cheval Blanc is also one of the rare estates whose vineyard configuration has remained practically identical for nearly a century and a half, since 1871. This continuity can also to be found in the proportion of grape varieties. In 1911, the share of Cabernet Franc was also close to 50%.
The vineyards at Château Cheval Blanc are planted to three classic Bordeaux grape varieties: 49% Cabernet Franc, 47% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. The average age of the vines is 42 years, but the oldest plots go back to 1920. Replanting is done at a very slow rate – only one hectare every three years. This means that, year in and year out, the heart of Cheval Blanc’s vineyard remains intact.
Each vineyard plot has its own specific profile due to the age of the vines, surface area, kind of soil, type of rootstock and grape variety. As a result, the wine produced from each plot has its own unique profile. Those from clay soil are powerful with velvety tannin, while those from gravel soil are more aromatic and elegant. A blend of the two results in a wine that is both powerful and elegant with expressive aromatics as well as the complexity of Bordeaux’s greatest wines.
After our fabulous tour of Château Cheval Blanc we sampled the Chateau’s 2006 vintage, a blend of 54% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 2006 was a year which highly favored Merlot, resulting in a wine with rich, ripe, expressive fruit which melded beautifully with the elegance of the Cabernet Franc. The full-bodied wine was rife with layered notes of violet, cassis, cocoa, leather and cigar box which continued to evolve and mesmerize in the glass. The wine’s opulence was balanced by its elegant frame and fine tannins, which demonstrated remarkable balance and poise. We took our glasses up to the rooftop garden to fully savor and indulge in the experience…right down to the very last drop.
Are you a Bordeaux fan? Why or why not and if you are, which bank do YOU prefer, Right or Left? Please let me know in the Comments section below!
Bon appétit,
The post A Visit to Bordeaux’s Iconic Château Cheval Blanc appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
Perhaps it’s because of the screening of SOMM later this week (Thursday, August 22, click here for details) or the fact it’s 100 degrees outside and the chilly, central AC has been beckoning but recently I’ve been revisiting some of my most favorite food and wine flicks. I find these films not only entertaining, but also very inspiring, each for different reasons. If you are a fan of food and/or wine, these films are mandatory so get comfy, whip up a batch of Black Truffle Popcorn (recipe below) and get watching! In no particular order, here are my top five:
1.) Jiro Dreams of Sushi: This touching and insightful 2011 documentary follows 85-year-old Sushi Chef Jiro Ono on his quest for culinary perfection. Ono has dedicated 75 years of his life perfecting the art of sushi which has culminated in a three-star Michelin rating for his world-renowned Tokyo restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro. The film follows his daily routine at the restaurant, the heart and soul of Ono’s existence, which includes his 50 year old elder son, Yoshikazu who is expected to assume the business after Ono retires (which doesn’t look likely, even at 85) or upon his death. This film explores a life dedicated to perfecting one’s craft, stresses the importance of respecting our natural resources and explores the inner workings of the traditional Japanese family all viewed through a culinary lens.
2.) Julie & Julia: The film that started it all – well, for me anyway! I was so inspired by this film back in 2009 that I started my first blog Stephanie Savors the Moment in which I cooked my way through the Junior League of Boca Raton’s James Beard Award-winning cookbook, Savor the Moment. Nostalgic moment aside, this wonderful film follows the parallel lives of legendary Chef Julia Child, played by the inimitable Meryl Streep, and blogger Julie Powell, played by the delightful Amy Adams, who learns to cook by working her way through Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, cooking all 524 recipes in 325 days while blogging about her experience. This film was written and directed by the fabulous Nora Ephron so there’s absolutely nothing not to love about it and it also has a wonderful soundtrack which I keep on regular rotation in my office – I find it very inspiring!
3.) Bottle Shock: This 2008 film is based on the legendary Judgement of Paris, the 1976 blind wine tasting competition which pitted the wines of France against those from California, a relative winemaking newcomer. The competition was the brainchild of Steven Spurrier (played by Alan Rickman), a floundering British wine shop owner living in Paris who decides to hold the competition in order to generate business and PR for his shop. The beloved Dennis Farina plays Maurice, seemingly one of Spurrier’s only friends and customers. Spurrier travels to California in search of wines to feature in the competition and runs into the ornery Jim Barrett (played by Bill Pullman) of Chateau Montelena. Barrett is wholeheartedly against entering his wines in the competition, suspecting Spurrier’s main goal is to humiliate California vintners; however, his son Bo Barrett, played by Chris Pine, is determined to find a way to get the wines to France without his father knowing.
4.) A Good Year: This 2006 romantic comedy based on the Peter Mayle novel of the same name stars Russell Crowe (yes, you heard me, ladies!) as Max Skinner, a cocky, arrogant British banker who inherits a French Chateau and vineyard from his estranged Uncle Henry (played by Albert Finney) who has recently passed away. Upon the news of his inheritance, Max travels to Provence to see the property with the express intention of selling it. As you might expect, flashbacks of his childhood and time spent with Uncle Henry at the Chateau overcome him and, let’s just say he ends up spending more time than he originally expected. Filmed mostly in Luberon, which is very close to Provence, the scenery in this film is completely enchanting not to mention Crowe’s love interest, Fanny, played by the stunningly gorgeous Marion Cotillard. This movie is a veritable feast for the eyes and ears, featuring a truly fantastic soundtrack as well!
5.) Sideways: This 2004 Merlot-maligning film based on the Rex Pickett novel of the same name follows melancholy Miles Raymond (played by Paul Giamatti), a middle-aged, struggling author with a passion for wine, as he accompanies his philandering best friend Jack (played by Thomas Haden Church), on a wine soaked weekend in Santa Barbara County wine country. On the surface Miles is a very unlikable character who steals money from his own mother, constantly obsesses about his ex-wife and is prone to bouts of extreme wine snobbery (“I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!”) yet you somehow can’t help but like him. Alot of the movie was filmed at actual wineries including Foxen Winery, Firestone Winery, and Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard to name just a few. Throughout their journey Miles and Jack get into all kinds of hilarious trouble and leading ladies Virginia Madsen, who plays Maya, and Sandra Oh, who plays Stephanie, lend lots of interest and depth to the storyline.
No matter which movie you choose, I find Black Truffle Popcorn pairs well with just about everything! I could seriously eat an entire bowl of the stuff myself. To make it, I highly recommend using microwave Black Jewell Gourmet Popcorn, the shiny black kernels become a beautiful snow white color when popped and there’s alot less hull than yellow popcorn. Once popped, just add melted butter to taste, toss, and liberally sprinkle the popcorn with Black Truffle Salt which is usually available at your local gourmet market. If you happen to live near Boca Raton, you can find it at The Spice & Tea Exchange at Mizner Park. In addition to the film this popcorn also pairs remarkably well with a glass of bubbly – just sayin’.
I hope to see you at our screening of SOMM on Thursday at The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale. For more information on the event, please click here. Also, I’d love to know what your favorite food and wine films are – do tell!
Cheers,
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