Dame Wine®

The surreal California coastline seems like a dream to a young man from Burgundy, France, who was swept away by the place, the wines and the people who have a casual, warm temperament balanced by a fast-paced creative energy. He became completely inspired by the idea that anything is possible in this stunning paradise while meeting people from all over the world who have moved to “The Golden State” to live their dreams. The 24-year-old young man was to stay two to three years in California just after having graduated from the University of Dijon to gain international experience so he could return to his family’s wine estate, Edouard Delaunay, to work with his father, hopefully bringing valuable contributions back from his time spent in the U.S.

“You should come back! Your father is tired and he needs help!” said the young man’s mother on the phone one day after he had barely spent a year in California. And so, he didn’t question it but jumped on a plane back home where he would help his father. But something wasn’t right as the young man’s father did not seem like the same man that he was before he left. And his father’s ability to perform everyday tasks seemed to get more difficult for him as time went on; within a few months, his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. While mourning the loss of the father he knew, this young man needed to take over quickly during an unfortunate economic time in 1991. It was during the first Gulf War and inflation was high with a significant increase in the cost of living. Moreover, Burgundy’s property taxes had already become exorbitant and this young man needed to make sure his parents had enough money to live out the rest of their retirement.

So the young man reached out to one of his father’s longtime friends, Jean-Claude Boisset, who had already bought many vineyards and wineries in Burgundy to purchase Edouard Delaunay. That way, the young man’s parents would have a nice nest egg, even if it left him with nothing. So he decided to move down to the South of France with his future wife, a winemaker from the Rhône Valley (just south of Burgundy). She had heard that the Languedoc wine region in the South was the best place for young people with zero resources to start a winemaking business. 

No Money But a Strong Work Ethic 

That young man was Laurent Delaunay and his family’s estate, Edouard Delaunay, was named after the founder and his great-grandfather; in an ideal world, he would have been the fifth generation taking over. But life had other plans, so Laurent, with the help of his wife Catherine, went down to the Languedoc to figure out how they could make wine with “no winery, no vineyards, no money, no anything.”

“We were able to convince some local people to allow us to make our own wines in their wineries,” said Laurent. And with lots of hard work, they made wine while quickly developing new markets around the world, especially in the U.S., from 1995 to 2003. Then, one day, he received a call from an old friend back home as his friend’s father wanted to retire – he was an owner of a small company in Burgundy that distributed and marketed the wines of small Burgundy producers. It was an excellent opportunity to find a way back to Burgundy. Even though he and his wife had successful businesses in the South and they had very little time to dwell on the past, Laurent wanted to renew that connection with what he lost. They were back living in Burgundy and grew their business to represent 180 Burgundy producers, becoming the largest distributor of small, independent domaines¹. But as Laurent got older, frustration started to build as he wasn’t making his own wines in Burgundy. He had a few opportunities to buy some vineyards and then a négociant² house but none of those deals worked out and it didn’t seem right in his gut.

Then, one day, as fate would have it, Laurent saw Jean-Claude Boisset at a restaurant in the Burgundy village of Nuits-Saint-Georges and after Jean-Claude’s guests left, Laurent took that serendipitous moment to invite Jean-Claude to join him for coffee. At one point in their conversation, Laurent mentioned his old family’s estate that he sold to Jean-Claude and that he was seeing it on the market less and less, which Jean-Claude admitted that they had bought a lot of wineries lately and they hadn’t given the Edouard Delaunay name the attention that it needed. Laurent asked if he could buy his family’s estate name and winery back and Jean-Claude agreed as he always respected what Laurent did for his parents. But Jean-Claude would not sell back the vineyards, which probably would have been impossible for Laurent to buy anyways as some of their vineyards were in the very expensive village of Chambolle-Musigny.

Edouard Delaunay

When Laurent walked back into his family winery, he was struck by the intense emotions he felt that were buried deep within him. Seeing all the areas where he would play as a child and the smells that were unique to his family’s cellars brought back a flood of memories that mainly conjured all those times he spent with his father teaching him various winemaking techniques as an adolescent, an adolescent who dreamt of the day he would work side by side with his father as a man, which sadly never came to pass. At that moment, he swore he would bring Edouard Delaunay back to its glory by reestablishing the name among the top Burgundy wines of the world. So first, he completely renovated the winery with state-of-the-art equipment to accommodate small-volume, high-quality wine. Next, he hired his winemaker, Christophe Briotet, the chief winemaker and cellar master at the School of Viticulture in Beaune. Laurent’s father had always respected those chosen to be the chief winemaker at the School of Viticulture in Beaune as he felt they picked the people who had the best sense of how to express the terroir of the various vineyards in Burgundy.

The last thing he needed was to find grapes to buy, so Laurent reached out to everyone in his network to give him the contact information for the growers he most wanted to work with in Burgundy. And even though being from Burgundy himself, he knew that growers have long relationships with well-known winemakers and négociants², and they would never jeopardize those relationships by working with a new producer in town who wanted to give a go at making Burgundy wine. But never say never, especially when it comes to certain circumstances, as all the producers were thrilled that he was resurrecting his family’s estate and they were more than happy to sell him grapes; some would even set aside the equivalent of a couple of barrels of their grapes from their top Grand Cru vineyards just for him because as they saw it, it was his “birthright.”

His first vintage was 2017 and they produced wines from 20 different appellations³ from the heart of Burgundy in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Laurent slowly increased their offerings over the years and today they make wines from around 30 different appellations. He has also taken on the task of expanding into the vineyards of the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, where his winery is located, only three miles outside of the well-known red wine village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. He makes the case that the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, which makes up the most valuable Burgundy vineyard land known as the Golden Slope a.k.a. Côte-d’Or, were designated with incredible skill and accuracy by the monks many centuries ago yet no one has formally designated the vineyards of the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits has Jurassic limestone soil and the vineyards range in altitude between 980 to 1,300 feet; such altitude could be more ideal today with consistently warmer temperatures due to climate change.  

Within a short time, Laurent’s winemaker, Christophe Briotet, has won awards from the International Wine Challenge (IWC), first winning Red Winemaker of the Year in 2020 and then White Winemaker of the Year in 2021. And last year, Laurent was asked to become the president of the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB), a non-for-profit organization of wine growers/winemakers and négociants that handle the present and future challenges of the Burgundy wine region. As someone who had already been through a multi-generational wine family’s worst nightmare of having to sell, as well as being a great businessman and marketer by building a successful business with global distribution out of nothing, there is no one better suited for the job. And so Laurent goes around the world talking to various wine enthusiast groups to inform and inspire them about the current state of Burgundy and where the wine region wants to go in the future. One of the things he would like to implement is to inform English-speaking countries like the U.S. that the name of Burgundy in French is Bourgogne (pronounced bor·gaan·yuh) as they are the only wine region in France where the name is changed in English.

Stronger Foundation Avoids Desperation

Laurent had everything anyone wanted: successful businesses, fulfilling work and a great partner in life with his talented wife Catherine, however, there was still something missing as one should never live in regret, especially when life forces one’s hand. He did the right thing when it came to taking care of his parents but it was undoubtedly a very unfair position for someone who wasn’t even 25 years old to have to navigate. Overwhelmed with a bad economy, escalating inflation and excessive property taxes, he needed more than ever to talk to his father and lean on him for advice and comfort. But his father needed him and the clock was ticking so he did what he had to do, only thinking of his parents.

And so, although it doesn’t make business sense to try to reinvigorate and reestablish a neglected family estate in a highly competitive Burgundy fine wine market, when one hears Laurent’s story, it makes complete sense, as a part of him was taken the day he sold. 

Laurent is grateful for every grape that enters his winery from all the wine grape growers who are willing to sell him his “birthright” as no one knows more than he does what it is like to have great vineyards, that are part of one’s legacy, to be swiftly lost by the cruelty of the randomness of life. 

He has never felt closer to his father, as all the precious time he spends in the winery and cellars is filled with memories that are as vivid as if they happened yesterday. The transition of one generation to the other did not happen the way Laurent’s father wanted it to happen but Laurent has more than made up for that over the past five years. And as unfortunate as the initial selling of his family’s estate may seem, it gave him the drive to go down to the South of France to build a booming wine business gaining marketing savvy and global distribution know-how. And he is now part of helping other small, independent Burgundy wine producers build a strong business foundation for their multi-generational estates, so what happened to him decades ago never has to happen to another family again. 

***Link to original Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathrinetodd/2022/11/27/a-family-wine-estate-lost-while-dealing-with-fathers-alzheimers/

The French word Bourgogne is used below instead of the English word Burgundy:

2018 Edouard Delaunay, Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru “Les Baudines”, Côte de Beaune, Bourgogne: 100% Chardonnay. Lovely Anjou pear, crumbled hazelnuts and a touch of warm spice on the nose with juicy nectarine fruit on the palate intermixed with dried lemon verbena and good mid-palate weight with a long, expressive finish.  

2020 Gruhier & Delaunay – Associated Cousins, Chablis Grand Cru “Les Preuses”, Chablis, Bourgogne: 100% Chardonnay. Intense chalky nose with a fierce stony minerality highlighted with lemon blossom that becomes mouthwatering on the palate with flavors of lemon zest and white peach that has lots of energy on the mineral-laced finish.

2020 Edouard Delaunay, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Les Rouards”, Bourgogne: 100% Pinot Noir. This non-designated vineyard called Les Rouards is near the Vosne-Romanée border and so it has similar beautiful floral notes with a silky texture that has plenty of backbone – interesting to see how this will age in time. Ripe black cherries, cinnamon stick and broken earth dominate the flavor profile at this time but there seems to be so much more underneath waiting to evolve with time.

2019 Edouard Delaunay, Nuits-Saint-Georges Village, Côte de Nuits, Bourgogne: 100% Pinot Noir. This Nuits-Saint-Georges village wine is a blend of three vineyards that come from older vines. One is north-facing and so the fruit is more aromatic with high acidity and the other two plots are south-facing and so they bring the richness and body to balance out the other plot. Crushed rocks, fresh tarragon and a touch of cumin seeds with concentrated and zingy flavors of raspberry coulis on the palate that has fine tannins and a linear drive to the finish.

2018 Edouard Delaunay, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1^er Cru “Aux Murgers”, Côte de Nuits, Bourgogne: 100% Pinot Noir. Wet stones and dried cranberries on the nose with an intoxicating smoldering incense aroma in the background that has dark, brooding fruit and finely etched tannins with a long, flavorful finish.

2019 Edouard Delaunay, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1^er Cru “Les Crots”, Côte de Nuits, Bourgogne: 100% Pinot Noir. Lifted aromatic nose with lilacs and cherry blossom grounded in an underlying compelling undergrowth aroma with extremely silky tannins that caress the palate with fleshy red cherry and a stunning delicacy on the finish with pristine fruit and minerality.

2019 Hospices de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1^er Cru “Les Porrets St. Georges”, Côte de Nuits, Bourgogne: 100% Pinot Noir. A very pretty wine with lots of violets and blueberry fruit that has plum pie flavors on the palate intermixed with ripe red cherry fruit that has an overall elegance balanced by fruit generosity. Laurent talked about how the Hospices de Beaune is very well-known but the Hospices de Nuits needs to be rediscovered. It is much smaller than the Hospices de Beaune auction and it is focused on the 1er Crus of Nuits-Saint-Georges. The Hospices de Nuits, which owns 30 acres, is the largest land owner of 1^er Crus of Nuits-Saint-Georges, according to Laurent. The auction happens on the 3^rd Sunday of March and so it is later than the Hospices de Beaune, and hence, the wines are already tasting better and MLF has almost finished. The auction takes place at Château du Clos de Vougeot and it has recently been opened to the public.

2019 Edouard Delaunay, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits, Bourgogne: 100% Pinot Noir. This wine’s aroma was wafting from the glass the moment it was poured, begging the Burgundy lover to try an extraordinary wine that was multi-layered with black truffles, forest floor, pressed rose petals and jasmine flower; supple fruit on the exquisitely textured body with velvety tannins and sexy concentrated red fruit that is at the same time charming with its nuanced delivery of the fruit with an outstandingly long finish. Stellar wine!

¹Domaines are parcels of land under the control of the winemaker/owner in Burgundy.

²Standard wine négociants buy wine and handle the packaging, marketing and sales. Also, there are some négociants that will buy grapes or unfermented wine juice and do the winemaking themselves, or they buy fermented wine and make tiny improvements to the wine as well as age it.

³An appellation is a designated wine area many times to indicate quality status with it specifically used in Burgundy under categories such as villages (communes), 1er Cru (Premier Cru) vineyards and Grand Cru vineyards.

As the group descended the seemingly endless flights of stairs, the temperature significantly dropped with many throwing on a jacket they had brought. At the bottom of this downward journey, deep below the ground, was dim lighting sporadically placed at the top of the tunnels carved within the solid chalk soil. It was so quiet that one of the men in the group could hear his heartbeat as he walked down these passages. A tremendous amount of excitement started to build within him because this was his initiation into becoming an essential part of a great Champagne house with a longtime chief winemaker who is a living legend within the Champagne world. 

Suddenly, there it was, the purpose for such a journey finally presented itself after various smaller caves were passed until they arrived at the place where an extremely important induction would take place; the new chief winemaker for Piper-Heidsieck, Emilien Boutillat, was about to taste his first old vintage of Piper with the previous chief winemaker Régis Camus. In a section of the small cave in which Régis and Emilien entered was written “1982” on a sign with a stack of bottles behind it that seemed to have decades of dust on them. 

There Régis would choose one of the Extra Brut Vintage 1982 bottles that would be tasted with a twin 1982 bottle, a twin that was alike in almost every way except for one stage of its life, and that one change would end up placing the twins on different journeys.

1982 Vintage Hors-Série Edition 

Last year, the new chief winemaker at Piper-Heidsieck, Emilien Boutillat, released the first edition of his own personal Piper project called Hors-Série – a name used by French magazines to indicate a “special edition.” The Hors-Série project allows Emilien to be completely free in expressing his creativity, whether it is releasing an older vintage that displays an exciting aspect of Piper’s past or illustrates something new such as a winemaking technique or how they are combating climate change. The second edition of Hors-Série, just recently released, shows how Piper-Heidsieck was ahead of the trend, several decades ago, by making Extra Brut Champagne which is drier than Brut Champagne.¹ 

This Piper-Heidsieck Extra Brut was called ‘Brut Sauvage’ as it displayed the “wild” side of Piper; it was an extremely unorthodox choice in the 1980s as Extra Brut wasn’t a trend and barely known at the time and the fierce acidity that many times were present in these wines was too much for the consumers back then. Of course, the ‘Brut Sauvage’ of the 80s should not be confused with the Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage of today as that is a Brut Champagne Rosé and today Piper has an Extra Brut Champagne under the name ‘Essentiel.’

Emilien talked about how releasing the 1982 Extra Brut Champagne was a way to show consumers the “bold side” of Piper that was beyond its time and besides it being the first old vintage of Piper-Heidsieck he tasted, the vintage is similar to the current 2022 growing season; 1982 was considered a warmer vintage like 2022 yet what was considered warmer back in the 1980s is entirely different than today. The 1982 vintage produced concentrated grapes so it was ideal for making as an Extra Brut only adding four g/L (grams per liter) during the dosage² as the acidity wouldn’t have been as sharp. And in a way, it was unknowingly a first step in finding balance with climate change even though permanent changing conditions, such as higher average temperatures, weren’t considered the severe threat it is today.

And down the line, Emilien said he has some exciting bottlings to release that will show how Piper-Heidsieck finds harmony with much warmer vintages.

Twins with Different Life Experiences 

Not only will Champagne enthusiasts be able to try the limited edition of the Hors-Série 1982 bottle just recently released onto the market but they will also be able to taste two 1982 twins that have gone on two different journeys. There will be another release that will be extremely limited within a two-bottle box, including the Hors-Série, which was disgorged³ in January of 2022, and the other, the Brut Sauvage, disgorged in 1992. Both of the bottles not only come from the same vintage, but they are the same blend and went through the same winemaking process (both have four g/L residual sugar added during dosage), yet when it comes to disgorgement, they have taken two different paths. It is fascinating to taste them side by side, tasting two older Vintage Champagnes that have the same heart and soul, which are noted in both the core of each wine, yet there are several nuances of variations between the twins.

This new release of the 1982 Hors-Série, especially the box set of the twins, is multilayered in the wines’ expressions and their combined story; a story that shows the deep respect Piper-Heidsieck has for the past but is ready to make giant leaps into the future.

And in a way, these two bottles represent the changing of the guard from the legendary former chief winemaker Régis Camus to the current, Emilien Boutillat. Both men were born and raised in Champagne and have a passion for excelling by making the best Champagne in the world. Still, Régis started immediately working for a Champagne house. In contrast, Emilien worked in various wine regions such as iconic producers in Bordeaux, the Southern Rhône, as well as New Zealand, California, Chile and South Africa. One journey is not better than the other as they both have what they need at the core, but certainly, a different life experience is navigating Piper-Heidsieck into the future.

This is a future that still holds a lot of surprises and it is only just the beginning of this new chapter, a chapter that started when Emilien took his first sip of the 1982. 

***Link to original article published on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathrinetodd/2022/11/18/exciting-release-of-an-extra-brut-vintage-champagne-wine-that-is-40-years-old/

There are 2,500 single boxes of the 1982 Hors-Série and 500 dual boxes of the 1982 Hors-Série and the 1982 Brut Sauvage. Emilien and his team have tasted all the bottles to ensure that all bottles released onto the market are in great shape. And the labels of the wines are similar to the past Extra Brut Sauvage labels, with the dual box set highlighting the twins as there are two holograms which, when moved side to side, shows the changing names of Hors-Série and Sauvage alternating from box to box. 

Single Box release of Hors-Série:

Hors-Série 1982: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. There is a lifted brightness on the nose with intense minerality and notes of citrus flower that becomes more like juicy peach on the palate with vibrant acidity – a beautiful balance of complex aromatics, fresh fruit and lots of energy with a very long, expressive finish with notes of salty lemon and toasted bread. Suggested retail price is $599. 

Dual Box release of Hors-Série and Brut Sauvage:

Hors-Série 1982: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay; tasting note given above. 

Brut Sauvage 1982: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. There is more evolution with the Brut Sauvage 1982 compared with the Hors-Série 1982. Decadent notes on the nose such as honeycomb, pineapple upside down cake and brioche with a creamier palate that feels lush in the mouth with a long, flavorful finish and a touch of caramelized apples. It is interesting how the 1982 Brut Sauvage is creamier and richer on the palate than the Hors-Série as one might think that the one on lees longer (the Hors-Série) would have more creaminess on the palate but the post-disgorgement aging, known as the maillard reaction between the sugars (added at dosage) and amino acids, can create a richness that might explain why the Brut Sauvage is creamier. Suggested retail price is $1,500.

¹ The Brut Champagne category is allowed to add 0 to 12 g/L of sugar to the dosage but many times, in practice, the amount added is between 10 to 12 g/L to balance the high acidity. The Extra Brut category is only allowed between 0 to 6g/L as it is a drier style.

² Dosage is the tiny amount of wine that tops off the Champagne bottle after disgorgement.

³ Disgorgement is the ejection of the deposit collected in the bottle’s neck due to the remuage process. Remuage is the process that allows the sediment (lees created by the second fermentation in the bottle to develop bubbles) to collect in the neck of the bottle in preparation for disgorgement.

One of the great chefs and hunters of Tuscany, Omar Barsacchi of Osteria Magona, took a deep breath as his boisterous and playful demeanor melded into a peaceful calm. Presenting the final dish from a wonderful Tuscan wine lunch in the heart of Soho, in New York City, he spoke about a good friend and fellow chef who gave him the recipe for the exquisite apple tart that was beautifully enhanced by a cream made with a rare sweet wine that the great Super Tuscan producer Ornellaia makes in minuscule quantities. But then, when he stated with a grieving heart that his friend passed away last year, it became apparent that this final dish was a heartfelt pause to remember all those who have died in the past couple of years.

One of the many fascinating things about New York City is that some of the most inconspicuous buildings usually have the most wondrous surprises behind their doors. Sometimes it can be an enchanting garden, a noteworthy historic enclave or it can encompass glorious spaces that are quintessentially New York. That day, the prestigious Super Tuscan wine producer Tenuta dell’Ornellaia brought Tuscany to one of those quintessential downtown NYC places. The space, 214 Lafayette, is said to have been originally built to house all of the power lines for downtown Manhattan during the turn of the century. The soaring ceilings accented with beams and the exposed brick walls transport one into the movie version of the perfect look of downtown Manhattan in New York City.

Ornellaia’s estate director, Axel Heinz, started the lunch by addressing the idea that there is no substitution for coming together in person and if some found it hard to travel then they would bring Tuscany to New York City. A special treat of that day was that the famous Tuscan chef Omar Barsacchi, whose restaurant Osteria Magona is nestled in the small village of Bolgheri, surrounded by some of the most respected Italian wine producers, was in charge of the meal. Axel presented a small vertical of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s top wine, Ornellaia, and a couple of the rare Ornellaia white Bianco wines as well as the rare sweet Ornus dell’Ornellaia.

Ornellaia 

The guests were spoiled from the first moment they entered the building with incredible Italian meats and cheeses covering a large, rustic wooden table. Then lunch started in a grand space complete with a gourmet kitchen and it was kicked off with the two vintages of Ornellaia Bianco paired with an aromatically enticing spinach flan highlighted by a truffle fondue, representing the truffles and spinach that can be found in the Tuscan area. Then the newest release of the red Ornellaia, the 2019 ‘Il Vigore’, was presented with wild boar ragout as boar is commonly hunted in Tuscany by the locals as there is an overpopulation issue. Chef Omar Barsacchi is quite the accomplished hunter who honors the wild animals by making sure not to get in the way of featuring the fantastic natural flavor. And it would not be a proper Tuscan meal without bistecca, Tuscan prime rib roast cooked to a juicy pink perfection accompanied by the 2012 and 2007 Ornellaia, giving a peek into the 2019’s future.

Axel became the winemaker for Ornellaia back in 2005 and was promoted to estate director for both Ornellaia and Masseto estates in 2015. He brings an outsider’s perspective to Bolgheri, spending his previous wine education and experience in Bordeaux, France. “The area of Bolgheri has everything in abundance,” noted Axel, and he continued by talking about the tremendous amount of sunshine they receive. In some ways, he feels fortunate that there are no issues with ripeness, yet he is cautious as even though he wants to make wines that do have a generosity of spirit, like the local Bolgheri people themselves, he keeps that ripeness in check as he always wants the wines to have an elegant restraint and overall finesse. Since many of Ornellaia’s vintages can be enjoyed in their youth, Axel felt the need to express that even though he is not against “occasionally opening a young bottle” of Ornellaia, the wine is really for the “long-term,” as with age it reveals “all its facets and complexities.”

The aging window depends on the vintage but Axel gives a broad window of between eight to 15 years for the wines to reach their peak and that many of the great vintages could easily go for 30 years if not way beyond, as the Ornellaia wines that he has tasted recently from the mid to late 1980s have been impressive. He figures that the 2019 Ornellaia ‘Il Vigore’ (‘Vigor’) shows the “strength of the healthy growth of the vines” as it has such an irresistible ripeness balanced by bright acidity and overall multifaceted complexity of flavors and texture. Axel chose the 2012 and 2007 vintages as they were similar to the 2019 in their youth; the 2012, which was forward and friendly in the beginning, is now showing some real “muscle” after ten years and it still has some more time to go, according to Axel. But the 2007, in Axel’s opinion, is a true “parallel vintage” to the 2019.

Axel discussed how the great vintage of 2007 had the misfortune to follow another great vintage, 2006. At the time of the 2007 release, he felt that its more subtle character was overshadowed by the more “flamboyant” 2006, yet through time, he thinks that the 2007 has become one of the most “graceful and harmonious vintages”. The 2019 reminds him of the 2007 in its primary stage, hence, he believes tasting the 2007 now will give a glimpse into how the 2019 will evolve.  

Appreciating the Challenges 

At first, the shutdowns of 2020 and beyond seemed like a gift in some ways, once the hospitals were able to treat and manage Covid patients, enabling people to have a slower life with no crowds and more rest. Events were non-existent, many were working from home and everyone’s main responsibility was to stay away from people. It gave many a chance to reexamine their previous lives, of always being on the run with constant stress, as unhealthy existences. But as time has gone on, the mind starts to become numb and depression sets in; people have realized that the multitude of people challenging one through their day is an essential jolt to stay in the present. Even seemingly unpleasant challenges caused by others in the moment can become deeply rewarding and fulfilling once they are resolved through mutually beneficial compromise.

When Axel had his first harvest at Ornellaia in 2005, he was thrilled to be able to calculate the ideal day to start picking the grapes – but it was, unfortunately, a Tuesday. The vineyard manager informed him that local superstitions don’t allow them to start anything on a Tuesday or Friday, so it was out of the question. Axel thought that it was ridiculous to allow superstition to dictate the harvest, still, he was disciplined and thoughtful enough not to convey his frustration but instead show respect to the vineyard manager and try to figure out a way around the superstition. And so he proposed they pick one crate of grapes on Monday and do the rest of the harvest on Tuesday, that way, they officially started on Monday. The vineyard manager thought it was a good idea, so he gave it a try. It ended up being a problematic harvest with lots of rain so the following year the vineyard manager told Axel, “No tricks this time, you see what happens when you try to cheat.” And ever since then, Axel says that he has honored the superstition.

All his previous years working in Bordeaux, Axel could never imagine that he would run into such a challenge or an illogical way of handling one of the most critical decisions in the vineyards. But it has made him grow in ways he could not imagine and the challenges certainly keep him on his toes. And many people, after the shutdowns, have come to realize how much they are missing by not having those challenges from people with different perspectives. And yes, many have felt the loss of people who they could never have imagined passing away at a relatively young age, such as chef Omar Barsacchi’s friend, and it is apparent that he is determined to keep his friend’s memory alive by pairing the apple tart with Ornus dell’Ornellaia cream paired with the scarce sweet wine 2019 Ornus dell’Ornellaia that day. The Ornus is a wine meant for friends and family and at that moment, it was the exemplary pairing of the day as everyone felt connected by the losses in their own lives.

The locals in Bolgheri are known for having a strong personality, carving out unconventional paths, as who else would be able to bring in international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon to a country known for having the largest quantity of well-known grape varieties in the world? The wines not only succeeded in Italy but were able to go head to head with the most notable Bordeaux wines, becoming some of the most sought-after wines in the world. In the beginning it seemed crazy to do such a thing but as Axel has learned, many things may not make theoretical sense as they need to be experienced. And it is this challenge that makes Ornellaia so special – the combination of Axel’s meticulous nature combined with the unbridled passion of the locals produces a wine that is dangerously delicious while young yet it reveals itself through time in ways that one finds surprising for such an initially friendly wine.

And that is the path many are on now, avoiding those challenges that are toxic to one’s very being yet seeking out the challenges that help bring one to a place that is more extraordinary than one could ever imagine.

The 2019 Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista project includes a label styled by the artists on one of the six 750ml bottles in every case of Ornellaia. As in previous years, the project includes a limited release of 111 large-format bottles (one hundred Jeroboams (3 liter), ten Imperials (6 liter) and one Salmanazar (9 liter) which are numbered and personally signed by the artists. Every year a selection of these bottles is auctioned by Sotheby’s and the profits go to support the Mind’s Eye program at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Ornellaia has raised over two million dollars for the Mind’s Eye program – assisting visitors who are blind or have low vision to experience art by using all the senses.

Rosso – Red Wines

2019 Ornellaia “Il Vigore” (translates to Vigor): 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Ornellaia is historically known to have more plantings of Merlot than other top “Super Tuscan” producers but over the years they have been planting more Cabernet Sauvignon in areas where it will do well and 2019 was a great vintage for the Cabernet Sauvignon, according to Axel. This wine has a nose that sings from the start with notes of violets, rich blackberry and blueberry fruit with spicy and herbal notes intertwined that has a touch of lushness on the mid-palate yet balanced exquisitely by bright acidity and lots of vitality along the fine, silky tannins that has an extraordinarily long length of flavor, finishing with a refined saline mineral note.

2012 Ornellaia “L’Incanto” (translates to Charming): 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. An enticing nose of cumin and sandalwood with plush red cherry fruit on the palate with dried blueberries balanced by hints of earth displaying muscle in regards to structure yet the texture has a velvety quality.  

2007 Ornellaia “L’Armonia” (translates to Harmony): 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Multilayered nose of fresh Mediterranean herbs, black truffles and a mixture of fresh and dried black and blue fruit with seamlessly integrated oak and well integrated tannins; a fine texture with a superb length of flavor on the finish.

Bianco – White Wines

2019 Ornellaia Bianco: 81% Sauvignon Blanc and 19% Viognier. An enchanting nose of crushed stones and citrus blossom with zesty lemon rind on the palate and fierce stony minerality that finishes with ripe white peach and honeysuckle.

2014 Ornellaia Bianco: 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Viognier and 5% Petit Manseng. Richer aromas of baklava and lemon confit with that same intense stony minerality also present in the 2019 with jasmine flower and green mango on the palate and a persistent finish.

Dolce – Dessert Wine

2019 Ornus dell’Ornellaia: 100% late-harvest Petit Manseng that was harvested in several pickings – four different times. Candied violet petals, orange marmalade and Earl Grey tea on the nose with a lush mouthfeel that accompanied the decadent flavors of peach pie and drizzled honey balanced by bright acidity.

The pounding of his heartbeat was the only thing he could hear as he surveyed the traditional European room accented with crystal chandeliers. For this adventurer who had climbed one of the highest peaks in the Southern Hemisphere, this was the biggest and most thrilling challenge he had ever faced. But as some of the most well-known European wine tasters started to finish up their blind tasting, that tremendous adrenaline rush subsided and an overwhelming panic overtook the adventurous man. Doubt began to creep in and he wondered if he had made the biggest mistake of his life, that would not only affect the image of his wines, but all of the wines produced in Chile.

Eduardo Chadwick, multi-generational Chilean vineyard owner and wine producer, had gathered some of the most prestigious wine professionals in Europe to conduct a blind tasting inspired by the Judgment of Paris blind tasting back in the 1970s, that first brought Napa Valley wines to international fame; but this time it would be Chilean fine wines against some of the top Bordeaux and Super Tuscan wines at an event called the Berlin Tasting, as it took place in Berlin, Germany.

Eduardo had already traveled the world several times, evangelizing Chile’s fine wine potential, especially his beloved Aconcagua wine region. But unfortunately, Chile’s “short international history” and its image as a producer of “value wines” made it impossible for critics and key players in the wine industry to take his fine wine claims seriously. Today, Chile’s diverse topography is undoubtedly much better known as it is a long country that is very narrow and travelers who have taken the journey from North to South have experienced its extreme diversity with places such as the Atacama Desert to central coast Chile to the Patagonia Icefield.

But that day, on January 23rd, 2004, when the Berlin Tasting took place, was Eduardo’s last chance to prove that Chilean Bordeaux-blends could make wines that would rival some of their best counterparts in the world. He placed three of his top wines in the lineup and although there was no other Chilean wine producer’s reputation on the line to worry about, he knew that, for better or for worse, Chile as a whole winemaking country would be judged that day. But he felt that he was given no other choice as every door for acceptance had been slammed in his face and either Chile resigned themselves as a country that would never be allowed within the fine wine world or they would fight to the very end.

Eduardo was just hoping that all three of his wines wouldn’t end up at the end once the scores were tallied; if only one could make it in the top five, it would perhaps start to open minds in regards to wines from Chile. As the list of the top ten wines was read, starting from the bottom and working its way to the top, his 2001 Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve was announced at ninth place, and although it was better than last place, there was still a sense of disappointment if that was it for Chile. Then his 2000 Viña Seña was announced at fourth place, tied with 2001 Château Margaux and Eduardo started to relax as it proved Chilean wines could go toe to toe with the greatest of the greats. Third place belonged to 2000 Château Lafite-Rothschild, which was no surprise, but then, second place was given to 2001 Viña Seña, and if that didn’t already catch the room filled with wine luminaries off guard, first place would be a complete shock – Viñedo Chadwick, the wine that honors Eduardo’s father. At first, there was “complete silence,” according to Eduardo, that then turned to murmuring followed by a “long, hard round of applause.” He was beside himself in “disbelief,” and if he was dreaming, he certainly didn’t want anyone to wake him.

Although Eduardo is a part of a multi-generational family of vintners in Chile, with his great-great uncle pioneering the Aconcagua wine region as far back as the 1870s, it was the wineries that he started, Viña Seña (a.k.a Seña) and Viñedo Chadwick, that would go on to make history. Viñedo Chadwick became the first Chilean wine awarded 100 points by James Suckling (for the 2014 vintage) and it would make history again by receiving 100 points for the 2017 vintage as well. His beloved Seña, which he started in partnership with Robert Mondavi back in 1995, who significantly influenced him, received 100 points for the 2015 vintage. 

Chile’s First Iconic Wine

Perseverance is certainly in Eduardo’s DNA as during the land reform that took place from 1962 to 1973, the land was confiscated from some of the largest estates, and 1,174 acres (475 hectares) were taken away from the Chadwick Errázuriz family estate, leaving them with only 62 acres (25 hectares). Eduardo’s father eventually bought back their old winery in 1983, Viña Errazuriz, and Eduardo took the opportunity to study vineyards and winemaking in-depth in Bordeaux. The family spent the next 30 years buying back land and replanting new vineyards that would produce high-quality grapes.

The legendary Robert Mondavi decided to first visit Chile in 1991 and Eduardo Chadwick was chosen to be his driver; during the visit, Mondavi realized he saw himself in Eduardo. Together they formed a partnership to start a project that would produce Chile’s first iconic wine to help the country gain respect in the wider wine world and hence, Seña became a reality in 1995. They would spend four years looking for the ideal location for Seña’s vineyard, which ended up on the hillside in an area called Ocoa, in the Aconcagua Valley, only 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean; the Mediterranean climate allows for grapes to fully ripen yet the cool nights, averaging 66 Fahrenheit at night during the growing season, would help to retain acidity and delicate aromatics. 

Just like Mondavi’s unwavering belief in Napa Valley wines, he also believed that Chile’s Aconcagua wine region had the same potential. The Chadwick family had the means and the resources to make a great wine in some of the exceptional vineyards in Chile. Still, just as important, it would take a strong personality with a fierce tenacity at his core to constantly face the snickering, patronizing comments, sneers and the worst of them, most of the time just being completely ignored. Mondavi had been there, as even with the fanfare over the Judgment of Paris it still took decades to get people outside of California to take the wines seriously when they were compared to their European counterparts; in Eduardo, he saw such tenacity.  

Even with Eduardo and his family as the sole owners of Viña Seña, he still feels the pioneering spirit of Mondavi with him, that American spirit that not only applies to the U.S. but to South America as well. And so he has been a relentless advocate for Chilean wines, just like Mondavi was for Napa, traveling the world and organizing blind tastings. 

Ability to Age 

But Eduardo took it a step further as he knew that the ability to age with grace was a key marker for a high-quality fine wine; so he again traveled the world, conducting blind tastings, but this time it was with back vintages of Seña against the same vintages of some of the most prestigious wines in the world. And not only did a Seña always come in first place, but many times various Seña vintages would take the top three. And he knows that the work is far from over, and happily, he can hand over his wineries and the special Seña project to his four daughters. One of them, Magui Chadwick, leads the way as marketing director to the two iconic estates of Seña and Viñedo Chadwick. 

Now Magui is organizing events that celebrate the 2019 Seña that has been released in unique packaging to celebrate its 25th anniversary and Magui designed the label as well as being part of deciding the final blend with her father and their longtime team who have been there from Seña’s inception. 

Magui has also decided to offer a 2009 library release to the market that has a unique label and it is packaged within a wooden collector’s box at a suggested retail price of only $150, continuing her father’s evangelizing of Chilean fine wines by allowing the fine wine drinkers of the world to decide for themselves.   

Eduardo understood early on that the fight to gain respect for fine wines from Chile would be a long battle that would have no end. Eduardo is thrilled to hand the reins over to his daughters as he knows that the only way the wines of Chile will be able to evolve is if they are led by young leaders that have a fierce fire within them, such as he had in his youth.

Bringing Your Own Chair

And he speaks about Mondavi still today as an extraordinary example of answering an impossible question: how does one get a seat at the table when the hierarchy hasn’t given you an invitation? Mondavi brought his own folding chair to the table, took his seat proudly and defiantly and kept showing up until Napa received the respect it deserved. Many would try to dissuade Mondavi by calling him arrogant due to his nerve in talking about the greatness of Napa Valley wines when it was only the hierarchy’s place to do so. Passage of time always gives perspective and not only was he right in his statements about Napa but he opened the door to the idea that greatness is not only a privilege for those that were born into it but it was everyone’s right as long as they did the tremendous amount of work and they consistently over-delivered. That is not arrogance but simply justice.

And so, Eduardo sought out his justice; justice for the Aconcagua wine region, justice for Chilean wines and justice for the other America – South America. And it all started with that first leap at the Judgment of Berlin, not knowing his fate, Chile’s fate, still deciding that it was better to risk a humiliating modest showing, that would at least result in the knowledge that Chile is striving to make fine wines, rather than to give up on the notion of Chilean fine wines completely. In the end, it turned out better than he could have hoped and since that time, he has only continued to amaze famous personalities and connoisseurs in the wine world.

Eduardo brought his folding chair and set up his own seat at the table and he not only challenged misconceptions, but he blew them out of the water. He is confident that his daughters will crush those misconceptions in the future and bring Chile’s first iconic wine to the next level.

***Link to original article on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathrinetodd/2022/08/03/the-first-chilean-wine-producer-to-score-100-points-releases-over-decade-old-back-vintage/

Seña hillside vineyard employs biodynamic farming practices for 100% of its vines. 

1996 Seña, Aconcagua, Chile: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Carménère (Carménère was initially planted in Bordeaux and brought to Chile, but it has found its home there). 1996 was the first vintage they released onto the more extensive market as the first vintage they produced was 1995. Tim Mondavi (Robert’s son) wanted to pick the grapes earlier, so the wine has marked acidity, which still gives it lots of vitality and this vintage is considered the “old style” of Seña, according to Eduardo. Smoldering sandalwood incense with still fresh fruit such as red raspberries and black cherries with fine tannins and mouthwatering acidity.

2005 Seña, Aconcagua, Chile: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Carménère, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Once the Robert Mondavi family sold their wineries to Constellation in 2004, Eduardo bought the remaining 50% share from Robert so he and his family would own 100% of Seña. And so the 2005 vintage starts a new era by trying to find more balance of ripeness that includes the skins and seeds of the grapes as well as the sugar levels, retaining acidity and deep concentration. It has a very pretty floral nose with violets enhanced by baking spices and juicy blackberry fruit on the palate with complex notes of espresso and earth that has well-manicured broad tannins.

2009 Seña, Aconcagua, Chile: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carménère, 16% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 2009 was a “warm and ripe vintage,” according to Eduardo, and it shows itself with a delicious rich cassis flavor balanced by notes of broken earth and graphite that still has an intense focus with wonderfully silky tannins. 

2015 Seña, Aconcagua, Chile: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 12% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The 2015 Seña was awarded 100 points. Eduardo notes that the growing conditions in 2015 were “perfect” as it wasn’t too hot or too cold and he loves the balance of this wine. A very expressive wine with spring flowers, new leather, stony minerality and pristine red and black fruit that has tremendous vitality on the palate with lots of finesse along the extraordinarily long finish. 

2017 Seña, Aconcagua, Chile: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 15% Carmenère, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. Eduardo addressed the horrible fires in Chile in 2017, as many of the wine reports made it seem as if all of Chile was on fire, and he wanted to make it clear that Seña’s vineyard was not affected. And the proof is in the wine bottle in this case. Delicate mineral and floral aromatics with blueberry cobbler flavors and hints of underbrush notes with deeply etched tannins giving structure and lift to this wine. 

2019 Seña, Aconcagua, Chile: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot. 2019 represents the 25th anniversary of Seña and the bottle has a special packaging. The 2019 vintage was warm, so it is considered to be between 2015 and 2017 in terms of climatic conditions. A stunning harmonious wine with enticing aromas of citrus blossom, jasmine and blackberry pie with hints of cigar box with silky texture and good weight on the mid-palate balanced by bright acidity along the flavorful and outright delectable finish.

The smell of lavender filled the air while an enchanting scene was created by the purple flower spikes accenting tops of green foliage planted throughout the land. The sun, with its golden beams, gave everything a divine light so the olive and mulberry trees glowed and the landscape was further enhanced by the red clay soil adorned with limestone rocks and broken gravel. As shown in the paintings of the greats like Paul Cézanne, Provence, in southeastern France, was stunningly magnificent and even standing there in person, Marcel Ott still couldn’t believe what he was seeing with his own eyes. The picturesque scene was not only unbelievable for its sheer beauty but the fact that many owners were giving the land away almost for free was even more shocking. It seems impossible today that a piece of this French Mediterranean paradise could have been bought for so little, as it is known so well today with many people desperately wanting to win the lottery so they could have their slice of Provence heaven.

In 1896, Marcel Ott had just graduated from an agronomy engineering program in the northeastern French region of Alsace, which borders Switzerland and Germany, so he traveled around France to check out the vineyards in various wine regions. Phylloxera, an insect pest, had already devastated much of Europe, so much so that it is estimated that phylloxera cost France 10 billion francs (back in 1870’s money!). For over a decade, no solution to fix the phylloxera issue could be found and as one can imagine, having one of the most critical sectors of a country’s economy, growing grapes and making wine, taken away with no hope in sight was terrifying. By the end of the 1800s, a solution seemed to be found however, yet it was still risky considering that it would take time to see if phylloxera could truly be defeated, or perhaps another incurable blight could wreak havoc on the vines in the near future.

But Marcel took that gamble and bought his family’s first estate, Château de Selle, in 1912 in the Côtes de Provence, with a mission to elevate rosé wine to an ultra-premium category that would show how this style could express the captivating terroir of Provence. Eventually, his family wines, Domaines Ott, would become world-renowned and open the door for many other premium rosé wines.

Domaines Ott 

Over a century later, Marcel’s great-grandson, fourth-generation winemaker Jean-François Ott, oversees their estates and ensures his great-grandfather’s high standard for Provence rosé wines continues to live on with Domaines Ott. The bad image that still lingers on about rosé frustrates Jean-François, such as the misnomer that rosé cannot age, and when the subject is raised, he quickly replies to this misconception by simply saying, “No, a bad wine cannot age.”  

One of the things that created a cult following for Domaines Ott rosé wines among fine wine enthusiasts was their ability to express three distinctive terroirs in Provence. The first estate acquired by Marcel was Château de Selle, located in the appellation (designated wine area) called Côtes de Provence, which is situated on high limestone inland slopes with mild winters and dry summers with lots of sunshine. The second, which Marcel and his son acquired in the 1930s, Clos Mireille, also in the Côtes de Provence, overlooks the Mediterranean with the vineyards cooled by the sea’s spray but then warmed by the hillside air. Finally, in 1956, the last estate was acquired in another appellation of Provence called Bandol AOC – less than an hour west of Clos Mireille, named Château Romassan; the wine area of Bandol is unique as it is known for great red wines made mainly from the powerful Mourvèdre red grape variety. Clos Mireille is located in the heart of Bandol, where Mourvèdre does well in the poor, limestone soils that enjoy the extremely dry climate and abundance of sunshine – Bandol is one of the sunniest places in Provence.

Domaines Ott makes an ultra-premium rosé wine from each of these estates, which are bottled separately, to showcase the sense of place of each individual terroir and to display the fine wine ability of Provence rosés. But they also make a small amount of red wine from the Château Romassan and Château de Selle estates as well as a small amount of white wine from the Clos Mireille estate. 

Jean-François Ott says that it was a battle through the decades to get people to take rosé wine seriously, and even now, despite the overwhelming popularity of anything pink, he feels in some ways, the popularity itself has hurt the image as the market is mainly saturated with easy to drink, simple rosé wines that limit its image as being a non-serious libation that is best enjoyed when one doesn’t want to overthink what she is drinking. There is undoubtedly a time and place for such wines, but Jean-François is afraid that with its popularity, the idea that there are some rosé wines that are ideal for pairing with an exquisite meal, or ones that can show an incredible depth of complexity after being laid down to cellar, will be lost among the overall rosé wine trend that has been taking the world by storm. 

But today, Jean-François is highlighting their commitment to illustrating the high-quality potential of Provence rosé with the stricter selection of their Étoile bottling. 

Étoile Rosé 

It was important to Jean-François’s great-grandfather to show the world the profound sense of beauty of Provence by capturing the different appellation terroir expressions from three different estates. He also had a vision of giving a sense of the stunning coastline by creating a bottle with curves that Provence itself inspired. Eventually, in the 1930s, Jean-François’s grandfather René Ott settled on the final shape, inspired by ancient Roman amphorae, which were tall, oval-shaped vessels with a narrow cylindrical neck. The shape of the Ott bottle is patented, but other Provence rosé producers have found a way to design a somewhat similar bottle that hints at the Domaines Ott bottle without infringing on the patent. It is still remarkable to think that one of the most iconic wine bottles did not come from a savvy marketing team, but instead, a small multi-generational producer who put everything on the line to bring respect to an underappreciated wine.

And Jean-François has stayed true to his paternal lineage, who has gifted him with some of the most outstanding rosé wines in the world, by keeping the bottle shape, keeping the individual bottlings of each estate and continuing the mission to always seek improvement in the winery and the vineyards by bringing more precision and clarity to the terroir expression.

And so, in 2019, a bottling that blended the portions from each of the three estates was released under the name Étoile which means “star” in French. “My family used to make this cuvée but only for ourselves,” Jean-François noted and he thought the time was right to show the next level of Provence rosé. The Étoile bottling expresses a “deep taste and silky texture” that is balanced by freshness and purity of fruit expression and it brings together all the best attributes of each estate together giving a complete picture of Provence, the place that captivated his great-grandfather all those years ago.

But honoring his lineage goes beyond just keeping the high standards that were first established, he is also determined to continue to push the envelope to keep raising the bar, even if it is by unconventional means. There is nothing odd about some of the changes, including starting the organic certification process (they will be officially certified organic for the 2022 vintage despite already being organic in practice) and aging in spherical ceramic vats for some of the wine for the Étoile bottling as it brings out more “aromatic precision” according to Jean-François. But he is conducting an unorthodox experiment in the vineyards by planting the Italian noble red grape variety Sangiovese on their estates in Provence, France, as he feels that maybe in 15 years it could be needed with rising temperatures due to climate change but time will tell if he does indeed use it in Domaines Ott rosé wines.

Through it all, he still keeps alive what has always been the most important thing to his family: the vineyards. “We spend 600 hours every year per hectare [2.5 acres] working outside,” and the quality comes “100% from the grapes,” noted Jean-François.

A Star Rooted in Humble Beginnings 

One could only imagine what Marcel Ott was thinking long ago as a young student risking it all to invest in land that seemed worthless at the time. Did he have any inkling that he would establish one of the greatest rosé wines in the world that was perfectly contained by one of the most iconic bottles in the world? Or was he just taken by the place, knowing he could end up penniless? Even if the French wine industry died at the hands of phylloxera, at least he lived in the closest thing that he could imagine to be heaven.

The one thing that is for certain is that an idealistic young man from humble beginnings was able to break barriers beyond anyone else’s imagination, and today, his high-quality rosé dream has become a standard that many other Provence rosé producers try to live up to yet still none are able to surpass.

2020 Domaines Ott, Étoile Rosé, Vin de France, France: Étoile 2020 is the second vintage of Étoile as 2019 was the inaugural vintage. A blend of 80% Grenache (from Château de Selle and Clos Mireille) and 20% Mourvèdre (Château Romassan). This wine greets the taster with generosity and includes enchanting floral notes of citrus blossom and lavender that has ripe strawberries on the palate with zingy grapefruit and intense stony minerality with marked acidity along the superb length of flavor.

2021 Domaines Ott, Château de Selle, Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France: 55% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, and 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah. At first it invites with savory notes of fresh thyme and rosemary that has mouthwatering acidity on the palate with lemon zest and quince flavors that finishes with wet stones and lots of energy.

2021 Domaines Ott, Clos Mireille, Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France: 70% Grenache, 25% Cinsault and 5% Syrah. A thrilling saline minerality from the first sip with bright acidity balancing the creamy texture with green mango and white peach flavors that has hints of desert scrub, finishing with seashell notes.

2021 Domaines Ott, Château Romassan, Rosé, Bandol, France: 55% Mourvèdre, 30% Cinsault and 15% Grenache. Cherry blossoms and raspberries on the nose intertwined with crushed stones that has a silky texture on the palate with a good amount of flesh mid-palate and has hints of anise on the finish.

2018 Domaines Ott, Clos Mireille, Blanc, Côtes de Provence, France: Blend of Sémillon and Rolle (Vermentino). Oyster shell, sea salt and lemon confit with honeysuckle in the background that evolves with savory notes on the palate such as bay leaf and a hint of white pepper with a creamy texture.

2017 Domaines Ott, Château Romassan, Rouge, Bandol, France: 90% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache. Multi-layered fruit with black, blue and red berries that are enhanced by chili powder and smoked paprika notes that are grounded in smoldering earth with broad-shouldered tannins, which are well tamed and silky in quality, that are balanced by plush fruit finishing with power and delicious decadence.