revue de presse - Château Recougne

PRESS REVIEW
1 route de Savignac
33133 Galgon
Tél. : +33 (0)5 57 50 33 33
Fax : +33 (0)5 57 50 33 44
[email protected]
CHATEAU RECOUGNE – AOC BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR
"Il m'a été conseillé, il y a 35 ans lors d'une tournée par un restaurateur qui m'en a sorti un
flacon de derrière les fagots. Depuis, je n'ai cessé d'en commander chaque année. Il ne m'a
jamais déçu." PIERRE PERRET
VINTAGE 2014
 Bronze Medal – CONCOURS DE BRUXELLES 2016
 Silver Medal – LOS ANGELES International Wine Award 2016
 Commended – Decanter World Wine Award
VINTAGE 2013
 Gold Medal – CONCOURS DE LYON 2015
 Gold Medal – CONCOURS DE BRUXELLES 2015
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note 85-88 – April 2014
« Features good ripeness, with slightly soft plum and bitter black cherry notes lined with a
sinewy structure through the finish. »
 Guide Hubert – “Nez puissant et de bonne complexité, arômes de fruits noirs
d’eucalyptus, bouche dense, franche, avec des tanins serrés, des arômes persistants
et de la vivacité, pour ce vin particulièrement tonique et énergique ».
VINTAGE 2012
 Gold Medal – BERLINER TROPHY 2015
 Silver Medal – CONCOURS GENERAL DE PARIS 2014
 ROBERT PARKER : 87
 R.VOSS – WINE ENTHUSIAST – Note : 90 – Janvier 2015
« Spicy, ripe and fruity, this wine has enough structure to give shape to the broad black fruits
that are the stars. A smoky element comes from just the right amount of wood aging. Drink
from 2017. »
VINTAGE 2011
 ROBERT PARKER – “THE BEST OF THE PETITS CHATEAUX” – Note : 87-89 – April 2012
 R.VOSS – WINE ENTHUSIAST – Note : 85 – January 2014
 Silver Medal – SAKURA JAPAN WOMEN’S WINE AWARD 2014
« This is an austere wine that’s tough on the palate and with high acidity. The black currant
fruitiness is still developing, so the wine shouldn’t be drunk before 2016. »
VINTAGE 2010
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Gold Medal – CONCOURS GENERAL DE PARIS 2012
Silver Medal – CONCOURS DE BORDEAUX 2012
Bronze Medal – DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARD
 DECANTER MAGAZINE – Note : ***3 stars – November 2011
« Some firm black fruit evident, and good clean flavours, if a touch short. This wine is a
classic Bordeaux blend of 75% merlot and 25% cabernet sauvignon, and has a good balance.
Eminently drinkable. »
 R.VOSS – WINE ENTHUSIAST – Note : 82 - January 2013
 BERNARD BURTSCHY – LE FIGARO – Note : 14/20
« Un joli vin dense et serré, bien construit. De longue garde. »
 “Jane MacQuitty's 50 best red wines for Christmas – under £8”
The Times, November 2013
 GAULT ET MILLAU – Note: 14,5/20
« Ce vin bien né sur de beaux coteaux à proximité de Pomerol nous livre un vin proche de
son terroir et plein de sincérité. On retrouve le côté pulpeux du merlot de la rive droite avec
ses touches de cerises finement épicées tout en précision et à longue allonge fruitée. »
VINTAGE 2009
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 88 – March 2012
« This is liberally toasty up front, with a mocha edge giving way to notes of espresso and
spice, yet pure red currant, black cherry and plum fruit emerges from behind, with a roasted
cedar edge inlaid on the finish. Drink now through 2013.»
VINTAGE 2008
 RVF - LE GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS A PETITS PRIX 2011 – Note: 16/20
« Ce vin est certes boisé, mais il affiche en attaque de bouche une matière de belle
profondeur, aux tanins mûrs et suaves. Il offre une complexité très intéressante entre le
toast de la barrique et le fruit noir. Complet, long, moderne, un rien flatteur et universel, il
séduira le plus grand nombre. »
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 84 – 2011
VINTAGE 2006
 LE GUIDE HACHETTE DES VINS 2010
« La finale poivrée d’une bouche grasse et de bonne densité fait écho aux élans épicés et
boisés du nez. Une bouteille agréable à déguster sans attendre »
VINTAGE 2005
 ROBERT PARKER –eRobertParker.com #219 – Note : 89 – June 2015
“One of the best Bordeaux Supérieurs money can buy; this blend of 78% Merlot, 12%
Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon has an incredible track record of aging 20 to 30
or more years. The 2005 has a dense ruby/purple color, good acidity, sweet, ripe tannin,
impressive concentration and density, and a youthful mouthfeel. This wine could go on for
another two decades. It is a sleeper of the vintage.”
 ROBERT PARKER - Wine Advocate # 178 – Note : 87 – August 2008
« This reliable estate owned by the Milhade family has fashioned an attractive dark rubycolored 2005 regular cuvee displaying classic smoky, cedary, forest floor, and red as well as
black currant characteristics. It is a medium-bodied, old style Bordeaux with the sweetness
of fruit befitting this great vintage. »
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 88 – November 2010
« Ripe and suave, with polished tannins well-embedded in the core of mulled currant, fig and
blackberry fruit. Lots of tobacco, hot stone and roasted earth mark the fleshy yet focused
finish. Better than previously reviewed. »
 GUIDE HACHETTE DES VINS 2008 – 1*
« Des tanins soyeux soutiennent la matière bien concentrée, ample et persistante.
L’harmonie se fait déjà, mais une garde de deux à cinq ans ne peut être profitable. »
CHATEAU RECOUGNE - Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Terra Recognita
AOC BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR
VINTAGE 2014
 ROBERT PARKER - Wine Advocate # 218 – Note : 89-91 – April 2015
«It has a lovely, well-defined and vibrant nose, classic in style just like the old school label.
The palate is medium-bodied with fresh red berry fruit, a keen line of acidity, plenty of
vibrant cherries coming towards the graphite tinged finish. »
VINTAGE 2012
 ROBERT PARKER - Wine Advocate # 206 – Note : 85-87 – April 2013
«One of the more reliable names in Bordeaux, Recougne enjoys a reputation for making
wines that last three decades or more. The 2012 exhibits lots of herbaceousness, cedar
wood and black currants in a classic, old style that one rarely sees today. It still needs to shed
some tannins, but there is a lot going on. »
 GAULT ET MILLAU – Note: 14,5/20 – Primeurs 2012 – April 2013
« Notes entrelacées de fruits frais et vanille. Un touché fin en bouche, de l’ampleur, une
belle fraîcheur de fruit qui fait saliver. Une gourmandise. »
VINTAGE 2011
 ROBERT PARKER - Wine Advocate #212 – Note : 88 – April 2014
« A winner from the Milhade family, Chateau Recougne has a reputation for lasting 20-30
years in the bottle in many vintages. I do not think the 2011 has that much staying power, but
it over-delivers in body, richness, density and length. It is a shockingly good effort displaying a
dark ruby color as well as abundant notes of earth, licorice and black currants, surprising
body, richness and depth. A major sleeper of the vintage, it should drink well for 7-8 years. »
VINTAGE 2010
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Gold Medal CONCOURS FEMINALISE 2013
Gold Medal CITADELLE DES VINS 2013
Gold Medal - SAKURA JAPAN WOMEN’S WINE AWARD 2014
Silver Medal – SELECTION MONDIALE DES VINS 2013
Bronze Medal – INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE 2013
 Bronze Medal – DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARD
 ROBERT PARKER - Wine Advocate # 194 – Note : 87-88 - May 2011
«Admirers of the so-called “little” wines of Bordeaux will no doubt be familiar with
Recougne, which has been imported into the United States for nearly thirty years and can
last for two decades or more. The 2010, which they now call “Vieilles Vignes,” exhibits
aromas and flavors of cedarwood, spice box, black currants and berries. This mediumbodied, well-made blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc should drink well for 7-8
years. (Although last year I drank a 1952 that was still quite tasty).»
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 87 – August 2013
«Features a ripe core of plum and black currant fruit, lined with tobacco leaf and backed by a
charcoal tinged finish, with solid grip. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.»
VINTAGE 2009
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 89 – March 2012
«Very solid, with a winey currant and damson plum profile, laced with tobacco and finegrained structure. There's a latent grippy edge on the finish, where a mesquite note lingers.
Drink now through 2015. »
VINTAGE 2005
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 88 – November 2010
« Ripe and suave, with polished tannins well-embedded in the core of mulled currant, fig and
blackberry fruit. Lots of tobacco, hot stone and roasted earth mark the fleshy yet focused
finish. Drink now. »
CHATEAU RECOUGNE - Cuvée Carménère
AOC BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR
VINTAGE 2014
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Gold Medal – CONCOURS DE LYON 2016
VINTAGE 2011
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Gold Medal – CONCOURS DE LYON 2013
CHATEAU RECOUGNE – Bordeaux Blanc
VINTAGE 2015
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Medal – OSCAR Bordeaux 2016
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Silver Medal – LOS ANGELES International Wine Challenge 2016
Commended – Sommelier Wine Award 2016
VINTAGE 2012
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Silver Medal – CONCOURS DE LYON 2014
VINTAGE 2011
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Bronze Medal – DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARD
VINTAGE 2010
 Silver Medal – CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL DU VIN 2011
 JAMES MOLESWORTH - WINESPECTATOR – Note : 86 – 2011
« Fresh, with a whiff of tarragon followed by a core of white peach. A flash of clementine
marks the finish. Drink now. »
VINTAGE 2005
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Gold Medal – CONCOURS GENERAL DE PARIS 2006
PRESS ARTICLES
« Gault & Millau Gourmand » (March-April 2015)
LIEN VIDEOS
Bordeaux Week: Finding Wines that You Can Drink (November 2013)
W. Blake Gray
What if I told you there’s a region with 6th-generation family-owned wineries, passionate
young winemakers, and distinctive red and white wines that are truly reflective of their
terroir?What if I told you these wines can be had for under $20? That the reds are
ageworthy, but can be drunk now? That the whites are food-friendly and delicious?
Such a region would be hip, right? And then I tell you, “It’s Bordeaux.” And maybe, you roll
your eyes. “Oh, that old place?” Bordeaux has an image problem. This is amazing given that
most wine lovers freely acknowledge that it is responsible for some of the world’s great
wines.
Bordeaux is rare on by-the-glass lists. I went to nine wine bars and restaurants in a row in
San Francisco without seeing a single Bordeaux by the glass, until I hit one place that had an
older vintage of a St. Emilion — for $55 a glass. Nothing cheaper, anywhere, even though
there are plenty of cheap Bordeaux wines to choose from.
There are a lot of reasons for this, including the constant search for something new. But I’ll
give a personal one that may be a little universal: Bordeaux pisses me off.
I resent the top chateaux of Bordeaux for pricing their wines above what I will pay, even if I
win the lottery. I’m not going to spend $1,000 for a current release of Château Latour. But
somebody will: some plutocrat in Shanghai or Dubai, who will flaunt it like a Rolex. I’ll never
drink Lafite-Rothschild again. (Continued below.) (…)
Château Recougne is more the norm. The winery was founded in the 1800s and purchased
by Xavier Milhade’s grandfather in 1938.
Fourth-generation owner Marc Milhade, in his early 30s, is doing the main winemaking now.
After graduating from university, he spent a year in Paris working as an engineer for
Peugeot. “Then I came back because I thought it would be stupid not to work with
something that had been built over three generations,” he said. “When you grow up amid
the vines, it’s hard to adapt to urban life.”
Marc Milhade of Château Recougne
Marc and his father are innovating within Bordeaux’s standards. They planted Carmenere,
the almost-forgotten sixth red grape of Bordeaux, and have released a small amount of a
Carmenere varietal wine. It’s not quite ripe-tasting enough on its own, but they’re planning
to be patient.
“Look at England. Today they produce Champagne,” Xavier says. “The last 10 years were
warmer in Bordeaux. I was seeing picking dates move earlier and earlier. My thinking was,
global warming and alcohol degree. When we grow Merlot in global warming, the alcohol is
higher and higher. I think Bordeaux should be closer to 12 1/2% alcohol than to 14%. In the
future, Bordeaux must think about other varieties.”
The addition of 20% Carmenere to Château Recougne Vielles Vignes Bordeaux Supérieur
2010 keeps the alcohol at 14.5% and adds a nice spiciness to a round, ripe wine. You can
really smell the Carmenere, which makes the wine distinctive, yet completely within the
rules.
It’s from a 4th-generation winemaker. It’s terroir-driven. It’s delicious. And it’s about $20 a
bottle. Which is great. If you can find it. Which is the problem of Bordeaux today.
“The price of Bordeaux Supérieur has never been so low,” Xavier says. “Bordeaux is so wellknown. If the price is very very low, it will make your decision easier.”
Issues 150 & 151 (November 2013)
« ELLE A TABLE » (september – october 2013)
« GAULT ET MILLAU» (september – october 2013)
« LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE» n°572 June 2013
Where Will the Next Generation Take Bordeaux?
The challenges of the Millennial winemaker play out in sharp relief in this most traditional region
Posted: May 21, 2013 By Ben O'Donnell
[…]
Marc Milhade took the reins at St.-Emilion's Château Boutisse in 2005, when he was 25. "The only way I found
to be efficient and to learn fast was buying a lot of books and reading a lot by night," he said. "At the beginning,
you absolutely need a very good phone connection" to call pére in a pinch.
The wine biz has spent several years now wringing its hands over What to Do About Millennials. Not so long
ago, it was a received truth of this big, problematic, new generation of wine drinkers that they dismissed
Bordeaux as an old man's game. But stop in at any Bordeaux walk-around tasting and it's immediately obvious
that both sides of that formulation are wrongheaded today: More and more, what young Americans drink,
young Frenchmen (and women) made. I asked a few of these young Bordelais what it's like trying to fit 2,000
years of tradition into our modern wine climate.
On the Right Bank especially, more château than you're probably aware are run by guys and gals not so far out
of university. Of those who lead or share winemaking duties at Cheval-Blanc, Ausone and Pétrus, Olivier
Berrouet is the eldest. He's 34, and he's been at Pétrus since the 2008 vintage, following his father to guide the
storied cuvée. He agreed that the job can be nervewracking, and always gets second opinions on his blends.
But perspective helps: "How can we say—it's wine. So the pressure to reach the level of quality for Pétrus of
course is very high, but we are on a magic spot" in terms of terroir.
I asked Hervé, Milhade and Berrouet how their Bordeaux will look compared to dad's Bordeaux. Nobody's
calling for big changes at Pétrus, but Berrouet diplomatically offered this point, echoed by Milhade and Hervé:
"Maybe the power of winemaking was very high in the last two decades" in the cellar. "And the winemakers,
especially the young generation, are doing more in the vineyard, with a new approach in the viticulture, with
less and less intervention. Everything starts there."
"We are young, but we are old enough to understand that Bordeaux has to really change the way of thinking in
terms of environment," said Hervé. "Clearly the biggest challenge for us is to understand that we are no longer
people from old families with very bad [environmental] habits." Hervé and Milhade are taking explicit steps to
make their wineries greener.
Another new development is the hustle, especially crucial to châteaus still building their markets. "My father
was only involved in the wine production. But I have to be in the wine production, the communication,
information, social networks, the promotion of my wines, all those things. All that is very new and going really,
really fast." said Milhade. "It's more and more important to be in contact with the final consumers. It's
something that the buyers expect more and more." The Milhades are in the U.S. three times a year nowadays.
Fine wine today, of course, is no longer château against château: It's Bordeaux (or any other region) against the
world. But this has fostered a more social, collaborative attitude toward winemaking. "We taste together
many, many times, meeting to organize events. We have dinner together," said Milhade of his confreres. "It's
very important for me to develop together rather than only thinking of competition and selling better than the
others next door."
Dinner parties are nice, but when I asked about Right Bank nightlife, Hervé responded: "Eh, a tractor." He lives
in the city of Bordeaux proper now (too old to be living with his parents, he said), but foresees the day when
he'll be the 17th generation called home. "It's going to be more and more complicated not to be at the château
because we are a really small business." His dilemma is a miniature of the tension the next generation of
Bordeaux winemakers faces. "This is the challenge: trying to change but to understand the traditions and the
habits we have. I mean, we still need to have our own identity."