Return on our specific vintage elaborated with Marcel Richaud
One year later, our sommelier Tom looks back on his time at WineryRichaud to concoct our exclusive cuvée. Here is the story.
Meeting at 12 noon at the cellar of WineryRichaud with Claire and Marcel. They remind me that only 20% of the Cairanne is aged in wood (demi-muid), the rest is in concrete tanks. There is a total of 540 HL (54400 litres) of Cairanne bottled !!!! So before the Cairanne bottlings (several bottlings), they blend 80% vat and 20% wood-aged.If we plan to make a single half-muid, we already have a wine that is different from all the others. These bottles will only come from a wood ageing process. It remains to choose at a given moment the half-muid that we want. We agree that it is a choice at a certain moment in the maturing of the wine and that in a week's time, the wines will still taste different.
Half and full glasses
We begin the tasting of the demi-muids (600L) which are all different: age, supplier of the demi-muid, different heating... different order of putting in demi-muid etc...
There are the new demi-muids which mark the wines... that we have not selected, the demi-muids of
at Billon's, at Alary's, at Rousseau's, the ones on the top, the ones at the bottom of the cellar etc...
In total we tasted 7 completely different demi-muids: the closed, the reduced, the structured, the supple, the nervous. As we go along, Claire Richaud notes.
During the tasting, Thomas, the son, then an employee, then two of Marcel's friends arrive. In short, everyone makes their own comments. We taste separate grape varieties, then the Ebrescade 2015 in tuns, in barrels, in casks, the Ebrescade 2014, Ebrescade 2012 still maturing
old grenaches, then a series of grenaches still fermenting in 4 different barrels. Grenache that will be used for 6% of the final blend of Cairanne. In short, it's becoming difficult to follow. In my head I remembered 3 demi-muids. Then Marcel opens a bottle of Ebrescade 2009 for the aperitif :-). I agree.
Marcel, Claire and Thomas, suggest that I calmly come back to make my choice after lunch. Good idea. We leave for lunch, the weather is great, we eat in a small bistro in the shade of the plane trees... Everything's fine. Marcel is not bad, or at least he internalises very well.
Alone with my pipette
2.30 pm, back to the cellar. I go down alone with my pipette, my chalk, my glass and I taste again the 3 that marked me before lunch. The 1, beautiful fruit, structured mouthfeel, rather short finish (old half-muid Billon). The 7, a more reserved fruitiness but a supple and already rounded body (old Billon demi-muid). The 4, open nose is expressive, nice juicy and nervous substance, finish on liquorice, black fruits, nice length (old half-muid Billon from 2004).
After a few minutes of intense reflection :-) I decide that it's the 4th that interests me, I take my chalk and mark "Petitecaves", before taking a photo for the souvenir.
Now, this number 4 of Richaud and 100% unpublished is in the bottle, a thousand thanks to all the team of WineryRichaud! Especially to Claire and Marcel for their patience and talent.
This vintage is dedicated to Marie Richaud.