Tayac (Cotes de Bourg)

If I remember correctly, the last time we tasted Chateau Tayac wines was on a very cold winter day , somewhere in early march . This was at Caves Fillot , a wine store in the Gentilly, a Paris suburb . We wanted to pay a visit to the estate while in the region , so , after having called , we stopped during one of our wanderings north of Bordeaux , after taking the small Lamarque-Blaye ferry ( still big enough to handle a few cars ) . The estate sits along the Gironde river, in Saint Seurin de Bourg, between Blaye and Bourg, dominating the river at an altitude of 54 meter , quite exactly where the Dordogne and the Garonne merge into the Gironde . Good point of view, I guess, to look at the Mascaret, this once-a-year ( in september ) big wave going up the river and wich attracts each year hundreds of surfers ( not that this is such a big wave, but still a nice way to surf upstream a few miles inland ) and onlookers . Even apart from the Mascaret , tides here move the river up and down 5 meter everyday .As we reached Chateau Tayac immediate vicinity , even before we parked on the Chateau grounds , we saw two tractors working in the vineyard on the slope between the road and the river . I took a few pics and I learned later that this young woman (picture above) and the man on the other machine (lower picture) were working on Tayac's vineyard . She was plowing the ground between the rows , and he was carefully plowing close to the vineroot , with a different tool . The road wich runs along the river at mid distance between the Chateau and the river bank has been built in 1966, and the authorities who decided to build this D669E1 road, a variant of Departementale road D669, bear the responsability of having destroyed very good vineyards in the process . It echoes similar stories today where for the sake of gaining a mere 30 minutes time in a train trip from Paris or Lyons to the mediteranean coast, new tracks are built in Provence for the TGV, destroying in the way hectares of quietness and vineyards... The why of this road here was not very clear , but it seems it could have been asked by the french customs agency at the time to have a better surveillance of the river traffic .See the Gironde river beyond (Red Stem Merlot, also here).We'll learn later that these tractors were working on the best plots of the property : Red stem Merlot ( "Merlot a Queue rouge") grape variety , a pre-phyloxera variety that they discovered through their own research and massal selection back in 1967 . This variety can be found also in Chateau Petrus and other great properties in Bordeaux.
Clay-calcareous soil on the plateau part ( 30 cm clay, then, the rock ) .On the slopes to the river, sandy soil with lots of gravel and alluvium in the upper layer . When you look at the river , you see on the side an old tower, a sort of watch tower , which was built by the "black prince" during the 100 years war ( 1350-1415 ).
The Estate is in one block, 30 hectares, cut in two by the road . High standing vines, to better catch the sunlight . Here, they keep the leaves and don't follow the trend to cut off the leaves . This allows not to chaptilize, and here they reach 13° naturally . Hand harvest . 50 persons for that purpose, but they don't sleep on the property . They consider the possibility of using mechanical harvesters in the future as hiring people ( recurrent french problem ) is a headache and a lot of worries and administrative paperwork . At that time of the year, they are obliged to hire someone just to take care of all the administration-imposed paperwork... Long time ago, on this plot under the road , there were only white grape varieties : Muscadelle, Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Colombard Blanc... Red varieties were planted here in the 1960's .The second cask cellar

We walk into the 1st cask cellar , guided by Mrs Taverny , the owner's mother ( Mr Taverny is absent ) . Majority Taransaud casks in the room . The wine stays more than 18 months in casks . Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon separately . The 2003 wine will be bottled february 2006 . So, Harvest . Then vinified in cement vats . Levurage after 2-3 days maceration . Then free-run juice goes to tronconic-shaped wooden vats ( by
Seguin-Moreau) and the must is pressed ( very lightly ) . Microbubbling . Then, goes back to the cement vats to have the malolactic fermentation started . Malo is starting more easily in cement vats, due to the nature of the cement itself, wich keeps some living elements on its surface .
Second cask cellar . This is a nice old chai, more than 100 year old, see the beams on the ceiling ( picture above ). Casks come from several cooperages : Vicard, Trust (Hungary), Magsar (Hungary), Mendocino (California), Taransaud .
All along our visit, one of the two dogs of the owners followed us . I love these family estates where the dog enjoys the company of the visitors, laying down on each of our pauses ( as here on the left, in front of the first cask cellar ) and looking at us with obvious contentment as we sip the wines...
So, let's sip the wines now !
__1 Chateau Tayac, Rubis du Prince Noir 2002 . Merlot ( 80%), the rest in Cabernet Sauvignon . I remember the name , this is the first one from their wines that I tasted at the Caves Fillot tasting . 5,4 Euro w/o tax .
__2 Chateau Tayac Cotes de Bourg Cuvée Reservée 2001 . 50% Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon . Fine nose . Round . Good value at 8 Euro w/o tax .

__3 Chateau Tayac Cotes de Bourg, Prestige 2000 . Vines aged between 25 & 60 years . 20% Red Stem Merlot . Also old Cabernet Sauvignon . Very nice nose . Powerful . Glides in the mouth . 11,24 Euro w/o tax . Mrs Taverny says they have sizeable exports to Japan ( Through Mr Haku Michigami ) where the wine is sold under a different name. They opened a new market in Thailand and Singapore . Also Canada . The U.S. was a good market before the Iraqi war , with Dan Kravitz . Now, Glazers , in Texas , imports their wine .
__4 Chateau Tayac Cotes de Bourg "Les Terrasses" 2001 . This cuvée was made in 2001 and 2003 only . 16 months in 70% new Taransaud casks . 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon . . Vines aged 40 years on average . 12,08 Euro . A lot of substance . Fills well the mouth . Great . Rated twice 17,5 for Vinoveritas . That's Merlot ! Discreet wood . Wood aromas were toned down by bottling , she says .
__5 Chateau Tayac Cotes de Bourg "Cuvée Reservée" 1996 . Tile-red colour . Not easy to appreciate after this great wine we just had . Maybe it passed its peak already ( even if 9 years is not very old for a Bordeaux ) .
Shortly before reaching Chateau Tayac, we stopped along the nice little road along the Gironde to look at this curiosity : A World War II sunken ship . I forgot to check with the tide hours, to know if their are times in the day it can be wholly seen . Nice sculpture ...

Comments

[hikalu]

It was the first time to hear of Mr Haku Michigami Judo. It said that he was a Judo player and he's also a Bordeaux wine importer. it said that he'd visited all vinyard and tasted all wine in Bordeaux.

The last picture, I'm always impressed that the sky in France is wide open.

[Min]

Judo and wine...
I think it is a great match-up. Both they need the spirit and the time.

[Britt Davis]

I love your wines. I live in E Texas and would like to know where I can purchase them. I have one 2000 bottle of Cotes de Bourg and I am afraid to open it unless I can get more. Please help.

[Butch Patch]

Hello all,
I am interested in knowing what I should expect when and if I open a bottle of "Chateau Tayac,Cuvee Reserve, 1991, Cotes de Bourg"? I can't seem to find any blogs or information on it.I may not have a good web site for such information.
Would be pleased if anyone knew anything about it.
Happy Holidays,
Butch