France
63 Co-exhibitor(s)
The primary mission…From Tokyo to New York, from Shanghai to London and from Paris to Montreal, the members of the Union pursue their primary objective in cooperation with distributors, brokers and merchants: to meet some 50,000 or so professionals and wine lovers each year around the world and present their latest vintages to them. Hosted by estate owners or their operational staff, some 80 events take place each year in over a dozen countries. As well as France, of course, they include Europe (Germany, UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia), North America (US and Canada) and Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore). The Union has often played a pioneering role in opening up these markets, especially in Asia.
In addition to its primary promotional mission, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux is also an ambassador for French culture, in which wine plays a prominent part. Underpinned by the values of sharing and conviviality, these encounters in foreign countries very often lead to long-standing links of friendship.
The Union was also the originator of another highlight of the Bordeaux wine calendar, Primeur Week. An opportunity to reserve fine wines at preferential prices while they are still in the barrel, the annual event draws 5 – 6,000 wine professionals from all over the world.
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Origin
Jean-Baptiste Braneyre, the founder of the estate in 1680, saw the potential of the superb gravelly terroirs near the Gironde estuary, confirmed by the 1855 Classification. From 1988 to 2017, Patrick Maroteaux woke up this sleeping beauty. Since then, François-Xavier, his son, has
continued the family story. Marketing En Primeurs by the Bordeaux trade.
Terroir
Grape variety: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc
Average age of the vineyard: 35 years
Vineyard area: 60 hectares
Soil: deep quaternary gravel on clay
Manual harvest
Vinification
75 stainless steel vats, filled by gravity, insulated and allowing a precise plot-by-plot vinification.
Fermentation temperature: 25-27°C.
Maceration time: 3 - 4 weeks, adapted to each quality of harvest. Every effort is made to express the terroir without over-extraction or heaviness.
Maturation
Ageing in barrels: 16 to 18 months, with 60 to 65% of new wood. Fine grain selected from several French forests for the quality of their aromas and tannins. Low toasting of the wood to respect the character and fruit of the wines.
Wine style
Each vintage of Branaire-Ducru embodies the “House Signature” : pure, expressive fruit, fine tannins and balanced freshness, with exceptional depth, density and refinement.
Tasting advice
To be enjoyed from 5 to 8 years after production. Can be kept for 30 years or more depending on the vintage. Château Branaire-Ducru reveals itself in daring pairings that will allow to explore the multiple facets of the personality of this pleasure wine.
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Le Château Phélan Ségur, situé au coeur du village de Saint-Estèphe, surplombe avec une certaine majesté la Gironde depuis le début du XIXe siècle.
Fondée par Bernard Phélan, irlandais d’origine, la propriété sera développée par son fils Frank et elle deviendra le Château Phélan Ségur au début du XXe siècle. Son chai et son cuvier sont intégrés au château offrant une particularité architecturale historique et technique.
La propriété s’étend sur 114 hectares dont 44 hectares de parcs, forêts, prairies, ruisseaux et étangs qui constituent une remarquable réserve de biodiversité. Ses 70 hectares de vignes profitent de la régulation thermique de l’estuaire de la Gironde ; réparties en quatre îlots, elles reflètent la diversité des sols de graves argileuses.
La viticulture y est résolument environnementale : baisse des densités pour favoriser l’accès à l’eau de chaque pied, orientation Est/Ouest des rangs pour éviter une exposition trop intense au soleil, couverts végétaux pour prévenir l’érosion des sols et maitriser la vigueur, porte-greffes adaptés.
Côté chai, chaque parcelle est vinifiée avec ses propres levures naturellement présentes sur la peau des raisins, révélant la complexité de nos terroirs. Nos vins allient puissance, fraîcheur, finesse et équilibre. La qualité de leur structure tannique vous permet de les apprécier dans leur jeunesse ou les laisser vieillir.
Aux côtés d’une équipe engagée, Philippe Van de Vyvere, grand amateur de Bordeaux, applique ses valeurs entrepreneuriales à la recherche de l’excellence esthétique et technique dans le respect des équilibres environnementaux.
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Vinexpo Asia