Chateau Rollan de By 2005
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Readers looking for a cru bourgeois made like a classified growth should check out this offering from proprietor Jean Guyon and consultant Dr. Alain Raynaud. The 2005 is a beautifully pure, medium to full-bodied effort displaying notes of unsmoked cigar tobacco interwoven with cedar, black currant, white chocolate, and a hint of new saddle leather. Enjoy this charming, seriously endowed Medoc over the next 12-15 years.
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The leader of the Crus Bourgeois, Domaines Rollan de By is one of the most significant properties in the Médoc region. The estate balances respect for the local environment while embracing modern technologies which further enhances the production of exceptional wines.
The vision of “Domaines Rollan de By – Jean Guyon” began in 1989 with Chateau Rollan de By’s acres (2 hectares) of vineyards in Bégadan, a village of Médoc. Only six years later, the vision and adventure gained momentum with the acquisition of a second property, Chateau Haut Condissas. In 2012, the purchase of the historic Chateau Greysac brought the holdings of the estates to a total acreage of 457 (185 hectares) Today, these prestigious chateaux form “Domaines Rollan de By – Jean Guyon” and offer award-winning, world-class Bordeaux!
The distinct characteristic of the wines of Domaines Rollan de By is derived from the diversity of the estate’s soils. Like a mosaic, the parcels distributed over the Terres de By offer unique soil diversity with gravel ridges deposited by the Garonne River from the beginning of the Quaternary era. These soils play the essential role in reflecting the sun’s rays and maintaining a moderate evening temperature -- an ideal conditions for optimal ripening of the grapes. A temperate oceanic climate protects the vineyard from the extreme weather conditions, and favorable sunshine and rainfall levels also contribute to exceptional terroir.
Originally an Interior Designer immersed in the artistic world, Jean Guyon decorated sumptuous residences and palaces throughout the world. It was during a visit to the Médoc that he discovered the Terres de By and their exceptional terroir. Self-taught, passionate, and attentive to every detail, he embarked on a winemaking journey with the simple ambition of making pleasurable wines for his friends.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
One of the most—if not the most—famous red wine regions of the world, the Medoc reaches from the city of Bordeaux northwest along the left bank of the Gironde River almost all the way to the Atlantic. Its vineyards climb along a band of flatlands, sandwiched between the coastal river marshes and the pine forests in the west. The entire region can only claim to be three to eight miles wide (at its widest), but it is about 50 miles long.
While the Medoc encompasses the Haut Medoc, and thus most of the classed-growth villages (Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe) it is really only those wines produced in the Bas-Medoc that use the Medoc appellation name. The ones farther down the river, and on marginally higher ground, are eligible to claim the Haut Medoc appellation, or their village or cru status.
While the region can’t boast a particularly dramatic landscape, impressive chateaux disperse themselves among the magically well-drained gravel soils that define the area. This optimal soil draining capacity is completely necessary and ideal in the Medoc's damp, maritime climate. These gravels also serve well to store heat in cooler years.