Napa Women Winemakers exchange with Bordeaux

Last week Bordeaux played host to a group of fifteen women winemakers and vineyard owners from the Napa Valley including Heidi Barrett the winemaker for the cult wine Screaming Eagle. It was infact the return trip of a group of ‘women in wine’from Bordeaux who visited the most coveted new world vineyard in January of last year. The group included the winemaker at first growth Chateau d’Yquem Sandrine Garby and Nicola Allison winemaker at Chateau de Seuil, Graves. The idea of bringing two of the world’s most famous wine regions together was conceived by Sharon Harris of Napa’s Amici Cellars winery during her recent time in Bordeaux when she studied for the University of Bordeaux Tasting Diploma at the Faculty of Oenology. The American wine experts were welcomed at Chateau de Sales on Sunday evening (11th January) with a tasting of a range of Pomerol wines and a visit of the tiny region’s largest producer and grandest chateau. The 2005 vintage was presented by the different proprietors

Chateau de Sales 2005 81% Merlot 11% Cabernet Franc 8% Cabernet Sauvignon Smokey aromatic violets on the nose. Sweet and creamy finishing with notes of coffee. Medium bodied.

Chateau Mazeyre 2005 (Allain Moueix) 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet Franc Smokey tobacco and grilled notes on the nose and palate. Nice concentration medium bodied wine with attractive sucrosity and bitter chocolate finish

Clos Rene 2005 (Jean Marie Garde) 70% Merlot 20% Cabernet Franc 10% Malbec Intense nose of sweet violets. Creamy elegant and thick on the palate.

Chateau Vieux Maillet 2005 (Griet Laviale) Attractive spice, noisette and vanilla. Creamy and weighty in the mouth.

Chateau Gazin 2005 (Nicolas de Baillancourt) 85% Merlot 5% Cabernet Franc 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Dense black colour. Intense nose of black cherry. Complex and silky texture on the palate.

Chateau Fleur Petrus 2005 Aromas of toffee, liquorice and violets. Very intense and fragrant. Intense sucrosity of ripe sweet black cherry on the palate.

Those participating in the exchange from Bordeaux:

Nicola Allison – Chateau du Seuil, Graves

Barbara Engerer – Chateau Paloumey, Medoc

Caroline Frey – Chateau La Lagune

Sandrine Garby – Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes

Griet Laviale – Chatau Franc-Mayne

Laure de Lambert des Granges – Chateau Sigalas Rabaud

Marie-Laure Lurton – Chateau Tour Bessan

Lyn Maltus – Chateau Teyssier

Wendy Narby – Ecole du Vin du CIVB

Myriam Ruer – Wineprod

Laurence Ters – Chateau Franc Mayne

Sophie Thierry – Chateau Kirwan

Those participating in the exchange from the Nap Valley:

Jane Ballentine – William Cole

Heidi Barrett – La sirena

Sandy Belcher – Arrns Family Winery

Carissa Chappellet – Chappellet Winery

Carolyn Duryea Smith – Hourglass

Ursula Hermacinski – Screaming Eagle

Sharon Harris – Amici Cellars

Erin Lail – Lail Vineyards

Pavi Lawson – Pavi Wines Cherie Melka – Melka Wines

Beth Milliken – Spotteswoode Winery

Mary Novak – Spotteswood Winery

Suzanne Pavitt – Phifer Pavitt Wines

Pam Starr – Crocker and Starr

Pierrette Titus – Titus Vineyards

Michele Torres – Trincharo Family Vineyards