Smiles

Last Monday I had the visit, with my friends Jacques and Jeanine, of several properties, following Izak Litware’s visit who with a friend to taste some of our 2008 and 2009 vintages.

Visits: first, Chateau Troplong Mondot who was just beginning to harvest, very friendly atmosphere and where the smiles of the employees and owners said more than words. The grapes were beautiful. This property is not pretentious and yet nothing is missing; in addition it’s a beautiful place.
They gave us a guided tour despite the harvest and that's a rare privilege that needs to be mentioned. In addition we were invited to share the dinner for the harvest with Christine and Xavier and the staff from the property. It was the opportunity to meet fellow wholesalers from Bordeaux (these dinner are quite known).
Troplong Mondot 2007 and 2004, both drank with pleasure. This is part of the joys of this profession: the possibility of friendly relations and share around a table.

Between the tour and the meal at Troplong Mondot, we had time to visit the Union des Producteurs de Saint Emilion (Producers Union of Saint Emilion) that I had not seen in operation since its expansion and modernization. We change environment, of course, 800 hectares (1980 acres) are vinified in this vine-growers cooperative, which is probably one of the most modern in France (?)
The grapes arriving in trailers were, for some, clean and beautiful, the capacity of analysis and separation of batches impressive.
Technology at the service of quality, everyone wins, including wineries who defend the same appellation: Saint Emilion.
We were received by the president himself, who was at work and saw us. There too, we were treated like VIPs, thank you Mr. Danglade and congratulations to UDP de Saint Emilion. They are bound to receive more and more small producers who are unable, financially and physically, to comply with all the current and future rules and obligations. When will a la carte system like American wineries have will be available?

In the afternoon, we stopped at La Dominique where smells of fermentation tanks and beautiful juice pumped-over already show the success of this vintage at Chateau La Dominique.
Following, the neighbors in Pomerol Château La Conseillante. Need we say more than what everyone knows?
Here, serenity and calm, simple tool but with first-class terroir, between Pétrus and Cheval Blanc, hard to beat. A new cellar will soon be built. Meanwhile, the 2009 is just wonderful.
Quick visit with my friends at Le Gay: Everyone is busy, full vinification, keeps you busy. Still lots of grapes not harvested but, again, the quality of this vintage makes everyone smile.

At Rouget, The value is one of the best in Pomerol, calm and serenity. The 2008 we tasted is quite consistent with what I thought of the harvest of this vintage at Chateau Rouget, 2009 and 2010 look promising!
A great tour of Pomerol and a simple dinner in a restaurant with a good bottle of Patris 2007 Saint Emilion Grand Cru, quite good, produced by Michel Querre and family.