The Rothschild’s connection to wine dates to 1868 with the purchase of Château Lafite by James de Rothschild. In 1973 Edmond de Rothschild, the great grandson of James, broke off on his own and purchased two “crus bourgeois” Château Clarke and Châteu Malmaison and founded Le Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild. Not content to stay in Bordeaux, La Compagnie started a joint venture with the Rupert family in South Africa at the foot of the magnificent Simonsberg Mountain. It also looked to Argentina and started Flechas de los Andes (named for the Rothschild family crest), in partnership with Laurent Dassault. This Saturday we’re tasting the results of these alliances as well as tasting a few other wines of the Southern Hemisphere influenced by Bordeauxish ideas. Come join us.
2014 La Motte Savignon Blanc $13
98% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Semillion
La Motte is located in Franschhoek but pulls grapes for this blend from several of South Africas wine growing regions. The touch of Semillon gives a nod to Bordeaux. The wine has crisp, herbaceous, citrus aromas, along with gooseberry and Granny Smith apple notes and steely finish.”
2012 Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Puntas de Flechas Malbec $10
Flechas de los Andes is located at 1100 metres altitude in breathtaking foothills of the Andes. Here, the pebble and gravel-strewn alluvial terrain bears certain similarities to Bordeaux’s famed Graves appellation. Their Malbec has a “Lovely focus of red and black fruits on the nose with lifted floral notes with excellent precision on the palate, sweet, velvety, rich fruit with underlying savory leather hints and minerality keeping everything fresh.”
2012 Rupert & Rothschild, Classique Red $16
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
Rupert & Rothschild partnership was formed in 1997 in the Western Cape of South Africa. The Classique Red “has a crisp and lively bouquet with raspberry, wild strawberry and dried herbs. The palate is well balanced with ripe black fruit infused with bay leaf, white pepper and tobacco, demonstrating fine weight and precision from start to finish. This is an excellent South African Bordeaux blend.”– 92pts WA
2011 Viu Manet, ViBo Vinedo Centenario $16
Viu Manet is one of the older wineries in Argentina. “The 2011 ViBo Vinedo Centenario is a Cabernet-Malbec blend from centenary vines completed with a dash of Petit Verdot. It is a serious red blend, with structure and meat, well-oaked, but with freshness and stuffing to reach better balance in bottle. Drink 2015-2020”
2012 Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Flechas de los Andes Gran Corte $30
60% Malbec, 30% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Franc
Bodega Flechas de los Andes is carved into the natural slope of the land and transfers the harvest by gravity. The Gran Corte comes from best plots in the vineyard and a selection of the finest barrels. The wine has intense nose of earthy black fruit aromas & licorice. This rich & powerful wine is full bodied with firm tannins with flavors of plums, anise and black fruits are supported by spice & well integrated savory French oak on the very long & lingering finish.
Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.