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Chateau D'arlay Macvin BlancBlend from France

$19.98

List Price: $24.99

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Wine: "White liqueur wine. Blend of 2/3 of fresh must 50% Chardonnay & 50% Savagnin with 1/3 marc-brandy (aged for 7 years in casks), then matured for 3 years in old ba...

  • 94 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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Please note, this product is a 375 mL bottle.

About

Rating:

94

"The non-vintage Macvin Blanc is a similarly intense, unctuously textured, full-bodied effort revealing a slight sweetness and loads of glycerin because of its white liqueur component. It is nearly impossible to describe these wines other than to say they are very intense, wonderful in a freakish way, and should be show-stoppers at any dinner party. I'm sure they will last well given the fact that the wines I tasted had spent five years in wood and were still fresh."

"One of the most unusual wine estates in France is Chateau d'Arlay, an historic property that was acquired by the Laguiche family in 1960. They own 74 acres in the Cotes du Jura (a largely forgotten appellation) planted with everything from Pinot Noir to such indigenous grapes as Trusseau [sic], Poulsard and Savagnin as well as the more common Chardonnay. The wines are often released very late, and one of their specialties is their Vin Jaune, a sensational wine that makes a great accompaniment with foie gras. However, that cuvee is too expensive to include in this report. The non-vintage Macvin du Jura Blanc is a white wine blended with liqueur, usually made from equal parts Chardonnay and Savagnin mixed with brandy. A powerhouse with 17% alcohol, it is aged for seven years in cask before being released. These incredible curiosities are surprisingly remarkable wines that are definitely worth tasting, particularly if you have a sense of adventure and curiosity. Perhaps Chateau d'Arlay's greatest buys (and they are really spectacular) are their blends of one-third brandy combined with two-thirds grape must, the aforementioned non-vintage Macvin cuvees. The Macvin Blanc is usually composed of equal parts Chardonnay and Savagnin, and the Macvin Rouge is two-thirds Pinot Noir blended with one-third brandy. These offerings are aged four years in cask followed by one year in old oak before being released." (02/12)

Product Description:

Wine:
"White liqueur wine. Blend of 2/3 of fresh must 50% Chardonnay & 50% Savagnin with 1/3 marc-brandy (aged for 7 years in casks), then matured for 3 years in old barrels. To be served at cellar temperature." - Winery

Vineyard:
"Located in the heart of the Jura vineyards, the Arlay Castle produces a "Great vintage" of the guaranteed vintage "Cotes du Jura". In effect, this estate was created by the Counts of Chalon-Arlay, Princes of Orange, as early as the High Medieval Period at the foot of their powerful fortress. Later on, it became the Royal Vineyard of England, then of Spain and finally of France. Some authors have even written that Arlay was the oldest Vineyard Castle of France."

"Pleasant hill on the border of the Bresse region and close to the Jura foot-hills, Arlay has a favourable geology with plenty of water underground, which is composed of fossil lime stone and rich marls. Its full South exposure gives the vine-plants the benefit of plenty of sun which are protected from the Northern winds by the hill itself. This is, as the popular expression says, the "Good Country" which offers the Arlay Castle a distinctive place in the regional context."

"It was in 1960 that the Count R. de Laguiche undertook to create a well-known company. He set to shape a vast estate on the family land, where five fine vine varieties were planted: Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Poulsard, Chardonnay and Savagnin. In opposite to the local practice, he gave priority to finding more demanding on far away markets. Today, the estate has an area of approximately 74 acres, with some experimental wine-growing loop parcels. And the reputation of Chateau d'Arlay wines is well known over the five continents."

"His son, Alain, who is today responsible for the wine-growing operations, emphasizes the modern management of the vinifications, followed by traditional treatment in casks in the magnificent cellars of the Castle. The coral, red and white wines, the long-keeping yellow wine, the straw wine, the Macvin, the old destemmed grape eau-de-vie and old brandy are above all sought out for their elegant colour, the fineness of their aromas and the complexity of their bouquet. This natural noble character of the wines of the Arlay Castle are the culmination of a particular rather than general native quality. This is certainly the mark of a great vintage, isn't it?" - Winery

Product Detail

Item # 65503
Country France
Region Jura
Sub-Region Macvin
Ratings

94 - Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Vintage N/A
Color White
ABV 16.0%
Varietal(s) Chardonnay, Savagnin
Size 375mL
Closure Cork
Features Dessert
Taste apple, pear, peach, apricot, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, kiwi, butter, cream, vanilla, floral , orange , lemon , apricot , pear , grapefruit and spice
Nose apple, pear, peach, apricot, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, kiwi, butter, cream, vanilla, floral , orange , lemon , apricot , pear , grapefruit and spice