Country: | France |
Region: | Bordeaux |
Winery: | Font du Jeu (Chateau) |
Grape Type: | Merlot |
Organic: | Yes |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge Cru Cotes du Rhone is made from 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Grenache Blanc.
Bright ruby color with cherry tinges. Complex black fruit aromas on the nose enhanced by spicy notes. Rounded palate with good length.
The wine is drinking well right now and can be kept for another 10 years.
Situation
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.
Terroir
On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.
In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.
The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.
We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).
As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques . Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.
Winemaking
We make two red wines at the estate. Terroir wines shaped by the two classic Côtes du Rhône varieties: Grenache and Syrah. We don’t follow any winemaking recipe but are constantly searching for the perfect expression of terroir and each vintage’s particular characteristics. We don’t go for overripe grapes and over-extraction, as we think the wine has to stay refreshing and balanced.
Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express
Serve with a meal especially red meat, game and cheese.
Review:
"Interesting blend, and it comes through on the nose - it's a fruity, floral style of Beaumes that's really appealing. Full-bodied, rounded, generous and fluid, with very fine tannins. This is a real success in 2021. Also contains 5% Mourvèdre and 4% Grenache Blanc. No destemming, aged 12 months in stainless steel."
- Decanter (September 2022), 93 pts
Bourdieu Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux is made from 87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Bourdieu Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux offers a beautiful red ruby color deep and intense. It exhales red fruits and blackcurrant aromas, completed by notes of redcurrant. The mouthfeel is round and juicy, with a smooth, well integrated tannins that offers a nice structure and a long finish.
Perfect with a magret de canard (duck breast) or a filet of beef.
Bourdieu Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux is made from 87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Bourdieu Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux offers a beautiful red ruby color deep and intense. It exhales red fruits and blackcurrant aromas, completed by notes of redcurrant. The mouthfeel is round and juicy, with a smooth, well integrated tannins that offers a nice structure and a long finish.
Perfect with a magret de canard (duck breast) or a filet of beef.
Review:
"Brooding blackcurrant, black cherry and cassis combine beautifully with fine tobacco and cedar notes. Persistent and concentrated with satin tannins and supporting acidity. Long and finessed."
-Decanter, (July 2024), Gold Medal - 95 points
Le Blanc du Chateau des Landes Bordeaux Blanc is made from 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillion.
Le Blanc du Chateau des Landes Bordeaux Blanc is a very fruity style of Bordeaux Blanc AOC. It has great aromatic intensity with white peach and citrus aromas.
No oak for this wine. The wine was aged on the lees for a few month in stainless steel tank.
Malolactic fermentation was completed as well in the process .
Excellent as an aperitif, it also goes very well with poultry and salads. If you have a chance to have access to fresh oyters, it is a great match as well.
The first vintage of this wine was made in 2018 as Nicolas Lassagne wanted to create an easy drinking wine that will be perfect as an aperitif in the summer time or to compliment salads and seafood in the winter time.
Le Blanc du Chateau des Landes Bordeaux Blanc is made from 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillion.
Le Blanc du Chateau des Landes Bordeaux Blanc is a very fruity style of Bordeaux Blanc AOC. It has great aromatic intensity with white peach and citrus aromas.
No oak for this wine. The wine was aged on the lees for a few month in stainless steel tank.
Malolactic fermentation was completed as well in the process .
Excellent as an aperitif, it also goes very well with poultry and salads. If you have a chance to have access to fresh oyters, it is a great match as well.
The first vintage of this wine was made in 2018 as Nicolas Lassagne wanted to create an easy drinking wine that will be perfect as an aperitif in the summer time or to compliment salads and seafood in the winter time.
Alain Jaume Cotes Du Rhone Rouge Haut de Brun is made from 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault
The colour is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavoured, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of liquorice and pepper. A Côtes du Rhône with great complexity for an every day drinking.
A classic Rhône to drink between 1 and 4 years. Best poured at 17°C.
Traditional wine making and ageing is performed in vats only. Bottling after 10-12 months.
Ideal throughout the meal, but particularly with poultry and other white meats, as well as mild cheeses.
Font du Jeu Cotes de Bordeaux is made of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc,10% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose is filled with blackberry and blackcurrant fruits, licorice and vanillin. Medium-bodied with a solid texture of dark fruit, roasted coffee, and spice flavors. Long finish.
Traditional vinification in small tanks. Four week maceration. Aging in 2-3 year old oak barrels for 16 months. No fining, no filtration.
great with "Entrecote a la Bordelaise" which is Beef Steak marinated in red wine with Shallots.
Review:
The 2015 Font du Jeu Cotes de Castillon offers ample dark fruits, plums, and leafy herbs notes to go with a frontend-loaded, textured profile that’s ready to go. A blend of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in used barrels, it’s a terrific value and will offer plenty of pleasure over the coming 5-7 years. - Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points
The Chateau Font du Jeu Estate
This current owners Helene and Frederic Lapeyronie represent the fourth generation of winemakers in the family. Frederic is the vineyard manager, Helene is the winemaker. She also teaches viticulture and enology in Saint Emilion.
The Chateau Font du Jeu Vineyard
The estate, which belonged to Frederic's family, is located on a 2.5 hectare vineyard (6.2 acres) in Côtes de Castillon AOC, on a slope situated at 86 meters above sea level, with southern sun exposure.
The soil is a mix of clay and limestone. The average age of the vines is 40 years old. The vineyard is planted to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
They also have 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) in Côtes de Francs AOC, on a slope situated at 77 meters above sea level. The soil is a mix of clay and limestone. The average age of the vines is 35 years old.
The vineyard is farmed using culture raisonée method, guyot double, disbudding, thinning out of the leaves, and fertilization. Manual harvest. Only the best grapes are selected. Production: 2,200 cases.
Pommeau de Normandie a mistel type of beverage. Same process as Floc de Gascogne, Pineau des Charentes and Ratafia de Champagne.
It is made with 2/3 Unfermented sweet fruit juice (apple and pear) with 1/3 distilled alcohol at 51% ABV (Calvados).
Excellent with desert, such as French crepes (very thin pancakes).
Rubus Special Edition Barossa Shiraz is made from 100 percent
The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.
Deep red with a slight purple hue on release. The wine has a rich mix of dark chocolate infused with coffee bean and black liquorice, then scents of tar, aniseed, raw (pure) soy and black olive on the nose. The palate is expansive, and yet balanced and finessed. An amalgam of dark berried flavors and textural sensations. The 100% new oak is completely absorbed, meshed with ripe tannins, completing a palate of impressive length and youthfulness.
Sourced from Thorn-Clarke’s St Kitts vineyard (Block 7) in the far north of the Barossa, the Rubus Reserve demonstrates both the strengths of the region and the unique characters of the vineyard.
A thin layer of topsoil over weathered marble, schist and shale mean the vines work hard to source water and nutrients. The result is naturally low yields concentrating the power and density of the fruit. Diurnal temperature variation is another important aspect of St. Kitts. Warm daytime temperatures are followed by cool nights with variations of up to 30°C (55°F) from the peak during the day into the cool night minimums.
Review:
“Earthy detail develops in this sleek and juicy shiraz, a tarry streak under fresh plum and bruised strawberry. The tannins have gravity and precision, their bracing intensity and concentration integrated into what panelist David Hawkins described as “a big, powerful wine with great liveliness.” While suited to aging, this is accessible now if you’re grilling meats to serve with it.”
- Wine & Spirits (February 2023), 94 pts
"Made by Thorn-Clarke for the US market, this has a rich and vivid nose with blueberry, violet, dark plum and subtle oak spice in play. The palate has a succulent feel with plenty of rich, open-knit blackberry and blueberry flavor. Smoothly delivered tannins carry long and even. Drink over the next decade."
- James Suckling (November 2021), 94 pts
Archery Summit Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Archery Summit Dundee Hills Pinot Noir touts all the hallmarks of this storied appellation. It begins with hints of ripe plum skin, ocean air, baking spices, and cocoa powder dustiness on the nose. The palate is just as expressive, with fresh, juicy red fruit backed by graceful tannins, a complex brininess, and a mouth-watering acidity. Finishing with spiced oak and a mouth-coating basalt minerality, this wine is great now and will be for years to come.
The Dundee Hills Pinot Noir touts all the hallmarks of Archery Summit's storied appellation. It begins with brambleberry, ripe rainier cherry, blackberry blossoms, cocoa powder, and spice on the nose. The palate is just as lively, with fresh, juicy red fruit backed by graceful tannins and acid. Finishing with spiced oak and a mouth-coating minerality, this wine is a case study in the magic of the Dundee Hills.
Yet, thanks to water reserves in the soil itself and some timely viticultural movements, the vineyards persevered through the heat and water limitations. The dryer season accelerated picking times, making the fruit ripen a bit earlier than normal. September rewarded us with cool nights and the lower-than average yields set us up to make wines with abundant character, intensity and balance. The winery is so grateful for the moisture-abundant, microbially-rich and chemical-free soils that lovingly nudged the vines towards the finish line.