▻ Assemblage
▴ Château Montrose cellar, photo by Deepix
The art of blending great Bordeaux
Episode Summary:-
Assemblage is the French word for the operation in the production of fine wine of deciding which lots will be assembled in the final blend. The decision taken by the winemaker of which lots go into the grand vin, which lots go into the second wine or are sold off in bulk is crucial not only to the quality of the wine, but also the finances of the chateau. In this episode Sarah Kemp speaks to three of Bordeaux’s most prominent producers on how they approach the assemblage. Do they have an ideal blend in mind? What are they looking for when they taste each lot? If the wine is to be drunk in over a decade time what qualities are they looking for to ensure it lasts? Lilian Barton Sartorius of Ch Leoville Barton, Hervé Berland of Ch Montrose and Eric Kohler of Ch Lafite discuss the secrets of blending some of the world’s greatest wines.
““There are certain plots you are sure about but every now and again you can get surprises””
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 1.28
Assemblage - crucial decisions on which lots to use to ensure the best wines are made
"The grand vin can go for up to three times as much as the second wine"
While great wine is made in the vineyard, deciding which lot to use is crucial to the quality of the wine. In this episode Sarah Kemp talks to Lilian Barton Sartorius of Château Leoville Barton, Hervé Berland of Ch Montrose and Eric Kohler of Ch Lafite. -
1.28 – 4.24
Lilian Barton Sartorius talks about combining the taste profiles of each lot.
"There are certain plots you are sure about but every now and again you can get suprises"
Lilian Barton Sartorius, the 7th generation family member at Ch Leoville Barton and 9th generation in Bordeaux, talks about how the samples are lined up and tasted with the oenologist, Eric Boissenot, to find the best combination. -
4.25 – 11.25
Each plot has a unique expression, even though it is from the same vineyard and variety.
"These tiny differences are what makes the complexity in the wine"
Hervé Berland, the director of Ch Montrose, talks about how they taste all the individual samples from the different plots blind, without knowing the grape, the vineyard or the quantity. He describes how the signature of the estate is the most important element, whether in a long lasting or lighter vintage. -
11.26 – 19.29
Ch Lafite, decades and centuries of experience
"The voices of the real technicians are perhaps more important but the final agreement is Saskia or Baron Eric of course"
At Ch Lafite Eric Kohler makes the decision about the blend with his team, the oenologist, Eric Boissenot, and Saskia and Baron Eric de Rothshild. He stesses the importance of agreeing the base of Lafite with his colleagues and how important knowing the provenance of each plot is in order to link the sample to the vineyard.
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Further reading:-
Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson
The Complete Bordeaux by Stephen Brook
Wine map guru Chris Foulkes talks about the history of wine maps, and Jane Anson’s new terroir maps of Bordeaux.