Patrick Maroteaux was one of the most popular owners in all of Bordeaux. Since he took over Branaire Ducru, the wines have never been better. Patrick left a large footprint in Bordeaux. He will be missed.
For the wine of the week, it is not so much the wine that matters, it is the reason some bottles become the wine of the week that counts.
Series of dangerous fires burning in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, are causing damage to structures, threatening people and vineyards, forcing evacuations.
There are countless reasons why wines are special. Perhaps the most important is that some bottles create memories that stay with us. This bottle of 1961 Chateau Pontet Canet is one of those bottles.
There are those wines that you know are good, but do not expect to see. Perhaps they are too young, or hard to find. The surprise comes when this unexpected pleasure hits your glass, and then your palate! In this case, it was the 2005 Chateau Haut Bailly.
2015 is the best vintage since 2010 in Chateauneuf du Pape. The wines offer a beautiful sense of purity, lush, textures and ripeness, without being too much. There are several great wines this year that belong in the cellar of every Southern Rhone Valley, wine lover!
