Chateau La Roncheraie 2005 Bordeaux: Winner: “Best qualité/prix value” RdVF
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The hiilside vneyards around La Roncheraie in Cotes de Castillon
I’m always interested in great, little petit chateaux from Bordeaux. Aren’t you? I must drink at least two bottles a week. So, I eagerly snatched up the latest issue of La Revue du Vin de France and turned to the article about Bordeaux, ” Land of Great Values – offerings with excellent rapport qualité/prix” and there it was front and center:
A large picture of a bottle of Chateau La Roncheraie 2005!
“vigorously fruity nose, perfectly ripe, very seductive with large aromatics. One appreciates the soft tannins and the mineral profile in the finish. It is one of the very great successes of our tasting.” – La Revue du Vin de France of Cuveé Sereine 2005
Our little favorite Bordeaux came out on top with La Revue’s BLIND tasters, among no doubt hundreds of bottles of contenders. Formidable!
Not that I am in the least surprised, but how wonderful for Franck and Laetitia Toquereau to get some credit for their fabulous winemaking which you and I have been appreciating for a couple of years now.
Oh, and of course, La Roncheraie is a 2005! You all know by now that 2005 is considered to be the best vintage ever produced in Bordeaux. Yes, better than the 1982s and better than 1990 or 2003 – it’s just spectacular.
Chateau La Roncheraie is a Cotes de Castillon wine. You’ve heard me talk about Cotes de Castillon before.
Cotes de Castillon is very beautiful with green rolling hills. The chateaux are more modest than in the Medoc. The owners wear the rubber boots and work in the fields and make the wine. The region is on the cusp of becoming well-known because the area has all the same agricultural conditions of St Emilion, its very famous neighbor just to the west. It’s got the great clay-limestone soil and the fabulous exposures. THIS PLACE HAS IT ALL and it shows in the wines.
Many of the most famous growers in St Emilion like Nicolas Thienpont (Le Pin) and Comte Neipperg (Canon Gaffeliere and Clos de l’Oratoire) and Gerard Perse (Pavie, Pavie Decesse, Monbousquet) realized the potential of the area many years back and bought properties in Cotes de Castillon. Stephane Derenoncourt, Bordeaux’s top tier wine consultant chose to create his Domaine in Cotes de Castillon (Domaine de l’A). The list is long and growing of smart vineyard owners buying up Cotes de Castillon terroir.
Chateau La Roncheraie is a small domaine of 7 hectares (about 15 acres). Franck’s total production is about 3,000 cases. The soil is that dream combination of clay and limestone (limestone on the top for drainage and clay near the roots for water retention). This is the perfect insurance in case of drought. The cepage of the wines is about 80% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc for a beautiful aroma. The average age of the vines is 20 years.
Patrick makes two cuvees: Sereine which is aged in only 20% new oak. The aroma is that of wild red fruits with a dash of vanilla, smoke, and leather.
Prestige is the second cuvee and only a tad more expensive (but worth it!) It is aged in 100% new oak. Prestige is a powerful, structured wine with aromas of wild red and black grilled fruits. It is full-flavored with a hint of licorice. Prestige has that rounded quality which feels so smooth in your mouth.
Both wines have long finishes and are reminders that there are no better sources for affordable wines than the nooks and crannies of Bordeaux where the standards of winemaking are higher than anywhere in the world.
Don’t miss this and drink some tonight. Cynthia Hurley