making much more affordable wines. The reds are typically blends of what are commonly referred to as the “bordeaux varieties,” mainly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc, along with small amounts of petit verdot and malbec, all blended in various proportions depending on the location of the vineyards and the vintage. The wines age exceptionally well, are perfect for fall dining, and are great with all kinds of roasted meats, steaks, prime rib of beef, venison, game birds, and even Thanksgiving dinner. Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 2010, $289 : Other than ponying up for one of the first growths like Château Mouton Rothshild, Château Latour or Château Lafite Rothschild (they’ll run you $600 to $1,000s per bottle),
make up its beautiful bouquet. It continues on to the palate with solid dark fruit and earth tones. It is deep yet balanced and classy, with moderate tannins and a long, lingering finish. Drink now and over the next 5-8 years. Why is this such a great value? Château Bernadotte is a 30-hectare vineyard in a superb location in the commune of Saint Sauveur. It is very close to Pauillac and just beyond Saint- Estèphe. Built in 1860, it was originally known as Château Fournas until it was purchased in 1997 by Madame May de Lencquesaing, former owner of Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande. She changed the name and put the crack team from Pichon to work, completely renovating the property and making major investments in the vineyards and cellars, dramatically raising the quality of the wines as a result. In 2007, Pichon Lalande and Bernadotte became the property of Champagne Roederer, further increasing the quality under the guidance of the Rouzaud family. ABOUT CREE WINE COMPANY Cree Wine Company was founded by Chris Cree, New Jersey’s only Master of Wine, and one of only 56 Masters of Wine in the country and 418 worldwide. Their goal is to offer wine lovers of all types a better way to experience, taste, and purchase wine. Inspired by Chris’ many visits to wine regions around the world, tasting and learning along the way, the Cree Wine Company aims to recreate those experiences in a casual setting where guests can expand their knowledge and appreciation of wine, all while having fun and enjoying a glass (or two) from their Wine Spectator Award-winning wine list. Visit their Wine Bar & Kitchen, stop in and try before you buy, and pair your wines with delicious food from their seasonal menu. It’s also a great place for private events of all kinds — bridal and baby showers, corporate dinners, and birthday and holiday parties. They offer a wide range of wine and spirits classes, tastings, and dinners. Cree Wine Company’s online collection is a curated selection of wines from artisan growers around the world, from everyday-affordable to fine and rare collectibles, all tasted and approved by Chris and his wine team and shoppable from the comfort of your own home for pickup, shipping, or local delivery. Cree Wine Company • 176 Perryville Road, Hampton, New Jersey • 908-200-7772 • CreeWine.com.
RED BURGUNDY Domaine Arlaud Charmes-Chambertin grand cru 2021, $425 : Domaine Arlaud is located in one of the finest terroirs in the world for the pinot noir grape. But it takes more than that to create some of the best burgundy on earth. Currently the winery is run by Cyprian Arlaud, who has taken his family estate to entirely new levels. He employs organic and biodynamic farming methods, plowing by horse to avoid soil compaction, with zero use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides in the vineyard. In the cellar, minimal intervention is the goal, with elegance, precision, finesse, and complexity the focus. The cellar in Morey St. Denis is one of the coldest in the Côtes de Nuits, allowing a slow, gentle vinification with minimal use of SO2. All of his wines are also bottled unfined and unfiltered. This is simply an outstanding wine. Drink it now with decanting or cellar it for a decade or more. Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard bourgogne rouge 2021, $45 : When looking for value one of my strategies, especially in Burgundy, is to go to the top producers and buy the entry level wine. In this case it’s Fontaine Gagnard, and the wine is their bourgogne rouge. Sourced from vines in and around the village of Volnay, one of the best in the Côtes du Beaune, it offers a classy expression of burgundy and a very reasonable price. Ready to drink now and over the next decade, it would be perfect with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, roast loin of pork, duck breast, or a standing beef rib roast. BORDEAUX Located in the southwest of France on the Atlantic coast, this region produces powerful yet elegant long-lived red wines that are among the most expensive and sought after in the world. But along with the grand cru châteaux there are also thousands of small growers and domains
you can’t do much better than Château Pichon Lalande. Always at the top of the ratings, this classic Pauillac is what is referred to as a “super second,” one of the deuxieme grand cru classés that would be considered for promotion to 1er grand cru classé if they redid the classification today. From the outstanding 2010 vintage, this wine displays a beautiful Pauillac character — dark earthy aromas on the bouquet, cassis, cedar, cigar box, graphite, warm dark fruits, and integrated oak from its time in barrel. It is a blend of 75 percent cabernet sauvignon, 21 percent merlot, 4 percent cabernet franc, and is just entering its prime of life. Decant and enjoy now or cellar and enjoy over the next decade or more. Château Bernadotte Haut Médoc 2016, $19 : This drinks way above its modest price and is a classic Bordeaux left bank blend of 50 percent cabernet sauvignon, 44 percent merlot, 4 percent cabernet franc and 2 percent petit verdot. It leads off with lovely aromas of cedar, cassis, earth, and oak that
35 ROMAN JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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