AHD Vintners and Vertical Detroit were the hosts for an evening with Jean-Baptiste Bourotte celebrating the Hundredth Anniversary of Chateau Clos du Clocher of Pomerol.  Now, I will preface this by mentioning that this was by invitation from The Fine Wine Source of Livonia, Michigan.  I do mention this shop often, as sometimes my Bride thinks I have a home away from home.  I do mention the shop constantly, but I guess I should also mention the background of the shop.  Jim Lufty began selling wine at his family’s business called Cloverleaf Market about forty years ago, while he was attending Oakland University, and he eventually took over the business.  Over the years, his knowledge of wine and his fine palate, plus his fine business acumen has brought him accolades from trade publications and local news media.  He and his wife Livvie, are steeped in the wine industry, they have two children Remy and Margaux, and the family dog Piper.  In 1993, he moved to Livonia and opened The Fine Wine Source.  He has since opened the restaurant Vertical Detroit in Downtown Detroit in the historic Harmonie Park district in 2015.  I must stress that every wine in the store and at the restaurant has been curated by Jim and his staff, there are no “popular crowd-pleasing labels” unless they can actually be selected for quality.

The reception was to honor the Hundredth Vintage of Clos du Clocher of Pomerol.  Representing Clos du Clocher was Jean-Baptiste Bourotte, the great-grandson of Jean-Baptiste Audy.  Jean-Baptiste Audy is a family operated negociant firm based in Libourne and owner of a number of chateau estates on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, with properties in Pomerol, Lussac-Saint-Emilion, and Lalande de Pomerol. The firm has ownership of: Clos du Clocher, Chateau Bonalgue, Chateau Monregard La Croix, Chateau du Courlat, and Chateau Les Hauts-Conseillants.  The firm also has negocient labels like Audy Bordeaux Rouge and Jean-Baptiste Audy Brut, a Cremant de Bordeaux.  Michel Rolland is a consultant for some of the estates.

To begin the reception, all of the guests were served glasses of Champagne Pierre Moncuit Grand Cru Cuvee Moncuit-Delos Blanc de Blancs NV.  In 1889 Pierre Moncuit and his wife Odile Moncuit-Delos, established the house of Champagne Pierre Moncuit at Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.  In 1928, they begin making their own wine, with Cuvee Moncuit-Delos paying homage to the beginning.  In 2007, they build a modern new winery.  Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is a sub-region of the Cotes des Blancs, which is a sub-region of Champagne.  This wine is pure Chardonnay from ninety-year-old vines, with about three years of aging in the cellar.  The light gold colored wine offered notes of white fruits, citrous, exotic fruits, white flowers, creamery butter and vanilla.  On the palate a medium-weight wine with brisk acidity offering tones of pear, peach, lemon, pineapple, kiwi, butter, and vanilla with a soft mousse and a nice lingering finish of earthiness, and chalk (terroir).