Some of you may have thought that my reference to the movie with this name, might be too arcane, so you might remember the television show with John Vivyan and Ross Martin; or you may just think that I have lost my mind and there might be some validity to it.  Any ways, I am feeling lucky for having won six bottles of Bordeaux wine from a drawing on Instagram.  It can even happen to a guy like me, and not to gloat, per se, but I will discuss the last three bottles that were in the carton.

The fourth bottle that I pulled out was Clos des Lunes Lune d’Argent 2016 from the Société Civile Domaine de Chevalier Famille Bernard.  Situated on prime property in Sauternes, of which there are a famed group of twenty-six Classified Growths, in 2011, Olivier Bernard and his Domaine de Chevalier team decided to create a dry white wine.  There is no designation or appellation for a dry white wine from the district, so it is a Grand Vin Blanc Sec and carries a Bordeaux A.O.C. The wine is a blend of seventy percent Semillon and thirty percent Sauvignon Blanc and the fruit comes from acreage in Sauternes, Bommes and Barsac.  The fruit is slow pressed in a pneumatic wine press without destemming or maceration, and is aged on the lees for six to seven months, with a quarter of the wine in barrels and the balance in small vats to allow the fresh fruit to shine.  According to the winery this is a light-yellow wine with pale green tints with a nose promising exotic fruits and florals, with a rich taste of fruit and a finish that balances salinity and terroir of the plots.  I seem to have run into some other Dry Bordeaux Whites, so perhaps we are seeing a new trend emerging in an area, that is slow to change.

The fifth bottle that came out of the carton was Chateau Haut-Bergey Pessac-Leognan 2014.  This appellation was created in 1987, as before then it was a sub-region of Graves, and many of the leading wineries that were recognized in the Graves Classification of 1959 are in Pessac-Leognan.  The ground is basically the same as Graves consisting of gravel and sand.  Chateau Haut-Bergey is recorded as going back to the 15^th Century, while the current chateau was built as a leisure residence when the vineyard was abandoned around 1850.  The current owners, the Garcin family have owned and operated the property since 1991. Its history as a wine producer reaches back to the 15th Century, while the current château, built as a leisure residence at a time when the vineyard was abandoned, dates to 1850. The Garcin family have owned and managed the property since 1991.  The current estate is twenty-eight and a half hectares, mostly planted with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with two hectares planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  There are no production notes, and I will presume that the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were aged in oak barrels, consistent with the traditions of the neighboring estates.  I will report on the wine, when it is opened. 

The final bottle of the shipment is Les Terrasses de Saint Christophe Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2014, the second wine from Chateau Tour Saint Christophe.  Saint-Emilion is a major supplier of wines from the Bordeaux region, including its four sub-regions.  The two major varietals grown in Saint-Emilion are Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  When I first learned about the Bordeaux region, this area was referred to as the feminine side of Bordeaux, because it was felt that the wines were softer and more elegant, and it is also known for some of the longest-lived wines from the region.  In 1954, a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru was created with restrictions, and the rules have been under scrutiny and criticism from the first day, as it seems that there is twice as much Grand Cru wine produced compared to Saint-Emilion wine.  The classification has been updated in 2006 and once again in 2012.  The wine is a blend of ninety percent Merlot and the balance is Cabernet Franc.  This wine is made from the terraces that were built in the 18^th Century and are being rebuilt by manual labor, section by section and the grounds of the terraces are eleven hectares in size, so it is a massive undertaking. Fermentation is done in concrete tanks and then the juice is aged for fifteen months in oak, a third new oak, a third used once, and a third used twice.  The tasting notes furnished by the winery claims a nose of crushed berries, with a balanced taste of black cherry and licorice with elegant tannins and a finish of terroir and oak spiciness.  Saint-Emilion wines were one of my first loves, because even as a kid they were much more affordable compared to the Medoc.  I am looking forward to trying all of these wines in the future.