1.
French fine Wines
Thibault de Lartigue

2. It all starts in the vineyard
Good Wine: grapes must be healthy, balanced and concentrated
Balance: Sugars / Acids / Tannins / Precursors Aromas
Homogeneous: all the berries in the cluster are ripe
Terroir of quality?

3. A good terroir must have
Constant water regime despite climatic conditions
Ex, Soil Haut Brion vs Petrus
Ideal exposure (see Chablis, St Emilion)
Buffering effect on temperature (sea, altitude)
Together gives ideal conditions for homogenous ripening of quality grapes.

4. Man’s reasonable choices
Choice of grape variety based on terroir.
Choice of rootstock (low yield, adapted to the soil)
Density plantation (8000 Capet)
Choice of the qualitative clone (ex Pinot 777)
Soil / petiole analysis for ripening
Vine management (leaf exposure, adequate photosynthesis)
Harvest and green harvest (yield, concentration, balance)

5. Man’s reasonable choices
Leaf-stripping to expose grapes to the sun (heat), help the ripening of grapes and ventilation against diseases.
Date of harvest - critical for balance, concentration of aromas, sugars, acidity, structure of tannins.
Selection of clusters - sorting machine VS hand

6. Vinification et ageing
Capet: Selection of ripe berries
Choice of vessel - thermoregulation (extraction of tannins)
‘Pigeage’ - more homogeneous and smooth extraction
4 weeks of static maceration (rounded tannins)
MLF in barrel (melted oak flavors)

7. Sum up Production and sorting of raw material
= Potential concentration, structure, balance
Vinification and intelligent farming
= Transformation of potential into concentrated, balanced, complex and long wine.

8. Long ‘influenced’ tradition The history of French wines spans a period of at least 2600 years
-600 BC : Greek introduce vine stock in Massalia (Marseille) South France
1100s : Eleanor of Aquitaine and the future King Henry II of England = Export to England sore
XVs : The dukes of Burgundy organize the production
1723 : First bottle production factory in Bordeaux
1800s : Dutch engineers improve irrigation system in Bordeaux
1851 : First Auctions in Les Hospices de Beaune (Beaune)
: Powdery mildew and phyloxera destroy 2/3 total
French vineyard (39M/hl to 11M/hl)
1966 : Pasteur accelerates the understanding of microbiology
1905 : Administration of frauds and irregularities 
1935 : Comité National des appellations d’origine des vins et eaux-de-vie, becomes today’s INAO in 1947
XVs – The dukes of Burgundy organize the production : Gamay is deemed not to produce good quality
Modern bottles created in 1632 by English Kenelm Digby

9. French Vineyard
Planted area:   ha (over one million football pitch)
Grapes: (white) Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chenin Blanc
(Red) Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Grenache
2nd producer in world
36,7M/hl in 2017 (-19% from 2016)
2nd consumers in world after US
Benefits to trade balance (7,6 billions €), 2nd in France after aerospace

10. Domaine Laoche, Chablis

11. Chablis Saint-Martin 100% Chardonnay Plots selection 60 ha vineyard
Low temperature vinification
Ageing 6 months on lees
10% oak
Lights spices, ripe white fruits, green apple
White fish, light white meats

12. Grand Cru Les Bouguerots 0,31 ha/15,85 ha in total.
0,77 acres/38,99 acres in total.
South exposure.
The westernmost grand cru of Chablis. It always offers real sinew and fruity charm. Produced in limited quantity.
Key words
Richness and balance
Among the best awards
Vintage 2012
92 Tanzer Review 2014
Vintage 2013
95 Decanter, Gérard Basset 2015
Vintage 2014
93 Tim Atkin 2016

13. Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3rd-4th century B.C
14th : wine boom (popes live in Avignon)
First AOP (1930’s) is Châteauneuf-du-Pape
21st century it’s never been so popular
Mediterranean climate, river Rhône
2 sub-region : North, South Rhône
Grapes (white) Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc
(Red) Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault

14. Ogier Clos de L’Oratoire des Papes
30% White Grenache 30% Clairette 30% Roussanne 10% Bourbalenc
Soils: Eclats Calcaires (limestone rocks) in the west part of Châteauneufdu-Pape on the areas named “Tresquoy” unless the Rousanne grape variety which grows on “Pradel” area
VINIFICATION Skin maceration during 6 hours and fermentation in new oak barrels of 300 l. for the Roussanne only – Direct pressing in a pneumatic press of 30 hl – Settling on the other grape varieties – fermentation in stainless steel vat at 18/19°C
Ripe, yellow stone fruits and exotic fruits

15. 300ha
“Baby” Chateauneuf
60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault.
Maceration with skin gor few hours
Light pumping over
Blackberry, redcurrant, black pepper
Roasted beef, dusck

16. Ogier Clos de L’Oratoire des Papes Red
Grenache 80%, Syrah 8%, Mourvèdre 7%, Cinsault 5%
Destemming – crunshing – pré- fermetation cold maceration for the Grenache grown on the soil of Safres, the Cinsault & Syrah – temperature controlled at 26/27°C.- For the other wines, temperature are maintained below 30°C.– 2 to 3 rackings during the fermentation – punching down the cap an d light pumping over during the macreation – vatting with cap submerged during 4 weeks for the Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre and of 18/20 days for the Cinsault
12 months in oak « foudres » ( hl) which are about 30 years old
Dark cherries, blackberry, soft blackpepper
Grilled duck is a great combination, moose and games too

17. Saint-Emilion Right bank Bordeaux Classifications of its wines
Saint Emilion, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé A and Classé B
First classification 1855, controversial in 2006, new one in 2012
Merlot dominated based
Elegant and feminine wines
Neighbor to another illustrious district: Pomerol

18. Château Capet Guillier
Noble house from 1800s
South facing coteaux, south of the appellation
Limestone-rich soils
40ha, 8000 plants/ha
Ambition to be Classé B soon
Investment in new chai à barrique
Stephane Derenoncourt as consulting winemaker
Rich style: ripe cassis, balckberrie, liquorice stick
02/11/2017

19. Thank you for your attention and time ! 
02/11/2017