The Irish Wines of Bordeaux

As part of our ongoing commitment to sharing the rich heritage of Bordeaux wines, David is delighted to present unique insights from "The Irish Wines of Bordeaux," a landmark book written by his father, T.P. Whelehan, in 1990.

We hope you enjoy. 

"Introduction

For thirty years Bordeaux has been my second home. Magnet-like it draws me, three or four times each year. The elegant city, its generous merchants and vignerons, its incomparable vinous treasures, have greatly enriched my pleasure in wine, and intrigued me for a thousand different and good reasons through this period. Being Irish, the great connection between the Irish and Bordeaux invariably surfaced at hospitable tables. Perhaps partly this happened as a compliment to my birthright, but mostly, I suspect, because the Bordeaux wine fraternity have a great sense of history and tradition.

Over the years I built up a file on this connection. It contained much anecdotal material covering personalities met and the historical data. Inevitably, there were astonishing bottles tasted from legendary vintages in the company of memorable men and women. These wines went back to 1858. The experiences and their incidental recording were vaguely considered as material for a modest volume of gleaning on my retirement. 

But then others took a hand. Ray Naughton had the idea for a small book on the Irish wine connections in Bordeaux. He was a devoted reader of Maurice Healy’s Stay Me with Flagons, and found in my writing a reflection of Maurice Healy’s enthusiasm and style. His concept favoured a light and readable account which would entertain and educate. Readers, he felt, should see the subject through Irish eyes, or from an Irish angle. The Vine Press offered to publish the book. It has been a rewarding exercise, not just in terms of research and tasting but also because it brought me into close working relations again with two old, wine-loving friends, each with a different skill. 

Cork wine historian, Ted Murphy, proved to be a great source of material himself, much of it original. He gave generously of it, as he did of himself. His repertoire covers the ‘Wine Geese’ far and wide, taking in Spain, Portugal and South America, as well as other French regions such as Cognac and the Loire.

Bruce Arnold, Literary Editor ofThe Irish Independent, author and connoisseur of life generally, was my wet-nurse. He gave directions to my endeavours, sensitively fined-tuned my copy and entirely defined this format. We worked together in the very early mornings when his good humour and enthusiasm greatly assisted my gestation. TO them; also to a legion of friends in the Bordeaux, British and Irish wine trade. I Send my heartfelt thanks. 

T.P. Whelehan

THE IRISH WINES OF BORDEAUX

One of Ireland’s Wild Geese of the twentieth century, the international rugby player, Andie Mulligan, was travelling in Bordeaux with its first citizen, Jacques Chaban-Delmas. The former French Prime Minister, and for many years Mayor of Bordeaux, is the architect of much of the modern revival of the world capital of wine. In the front of the large limousine in which the two men drove through the fine estates of the Médoc sat the silent and inscrutable secretary to the mayor. As circumstance required, and in fulfilment of his national duties to all great Irish men, living and dead, Andie Mulligan waved first to the right and then to left, indicating those estates and Château with which there were was an Irish connection; Clarke, Dillon, O’Brien. Johnston, Barton, Lynch, the names fell easily and musically from his lips. Inevitably, for there were indeed some gaps in the terrain which were wholly French, silence ensued. And in one of the pauses the secretary sitting in front, unaware of the fluent French which the Irishman beside his employer commanded, leaned over towards the chauffeur and said: “The Stations of the Cross?”

Mulligan tells the story with a certain relish, knowing all too well just how popular, with the French as well as his own countrymen, is the idea of the Irish, renowned as saints and scholars through Europe, should also have penetrated that most French of all territories, the world of wine, and should have done it where the very heart of quality and perfection beats out its heady measure, in the fields and on the slopes of Bordeaux.
In its misty romanticism, the story of the seventeenth century Wild Geese is an emotive one. A broken treaty, much betrayal and the defeat of the Catholic King James at the battle of the Boyne sent the flower
of the country's youth and nobility into the service of the King of France to continue their fight against the English. While many fought and died bravely, many of the highest calibre survived. Some were to achieve high rank in foreign armies, others moved into commerce. The wine trade especially in Bordeaux, Cognac and Jerez still reverberates with their names which have become synonymous with quality around the world.
It may come as a surprise to some that Irishmen were making wine long before their beloved Guinness was invented. Records also show that during the early eighteenth century, when Dublin was a gay and thriving city, shipments of Bordeaux wine were vast. In fact they were greater than the combined total for England and Scotland. The rather dour Lord Chesterfield, commenting on the then current scene observed that ‘one gentleman in ten in Ireland are impoverished by the great quantity of claret which, for mistaken notions of hospitality and dignity, they think it necessary should be drunk in their houses' and that the 'affectation of drinking wine has even got into the middle and lower ranks of the people.’
Jonathan Swift, Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, and the author of Gulliver's Travels was also a celebrated wine connoisseur of his day, preferring to drink claret above all other wines. The huge Deanery cellars were always amply stocked 'seldom without eight or nine hogsheads’. The following were his instructions for disinterring a 'great bottle of wine long interred.’

By the end of the eighteenth century there were many Irish families prospering in Bordeaux. In 1787 Thomas Jefferson, the first U.S. ambassador to France at the Court of Louis XVI. Paid a visit to the city. He advised President George Washington - then busily building a cellar – that the following were amongst the leading wine merchants in Bordeaux: ‘Gernon, Barton, Johnston, Foster, Skinner, Copinger and MacCarthy’, He could have included many other families of Irish descent such as Lvnch, Kirwan, Morgan, Phelan, Clarke, Dillon, Boyd, Burke, Roche, Lawton, Murphy.
The Irish connection, by name or by association, by marriage or by liaison, by merchant, producer, négociant or owner, provides a rich and extensive story, and penetrates to the heart of some of the greatest Bordeaux properties of all. In telling the story here, and giving an Irish flavour to that
most French of tastes, we are but setting the reader on a course of his own which must inevitably lead to further discovery, the most exciting of all being first hand experiences among the Irish vineyards in France."

PAUILLAC

"We begin our Irish tour through the vineyards of Bordeaux on the south side of the Gironde, in the commune of Pauillac. This is perhaps the most famous of all appéllations in the Haut-Médoc, and has within its relatively small territory three of the four First Growths: Latour, Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton-Rothschild. In the original classification of 1855 no less than seventeen Pauillac wines were included, the majority of which would comfortably hold their station today. Moreover, these seventeen control virtually all the acreage of the appéllation, so that very little cru bourgeois wine is made, giving a special distinction to this area. The wines are rich and full-bodied, with the scent of cedar and of blackcurrant on the nose.

CHATEAU LYNCH-BAGES, FIFTH GROWTH

Château Lynch-Bages is one of the finest, most famous and most sought after of all the wines of the region with an Irish connection.

   Though only a Pauillac Fifth Growth, it currently commands the price of a Second Growth. It is recorded as a single property as early as the sixteenth century, and in 1728 was purchased by the Drouillard family by which it then came through marriage to the Lynchs. It was inherited by Mme Lynch (née Drouillard), who also owned Château Dauzac, in 1749. She was the wife of Thomas-Michel Lynch, eldest son of John Lynch, who was born in Galway in 1669 and fought with King James at the Battle of the Boyne. He sailed from Galway with the departing French armies after the battle, and settled in Bordeaux, where he founded an important trading company and subsequently married a local beauty, Guillemette Constant. The family assumed French nationality in 1710, the year of Thomas-Michel Lynch's birth.

The famous Comte Jean-Baptiste Lynch, Mayor of Bordeaux, was born on the 3rd June 1749, at the family's other property, Château Dauzac (which, for a long time, was known as Dauzac-Lynch, and is dealt with later) the second of eight children. The most wily of politicians, James Seely in his book Great Bordeaux Wines likened him to the Vicar of Bray who could change religions according to the reigning monarch.

The property was administered by the Comte's younger brother Michel who died without issue in 1840. It had been sold prior to that, in 1824, to a Swiss wine merchant. The current owners are the Cazes family who have been making the wine here since 1934 and never better than in the last ten years. The dynamic Jean Michel Cazes is very proud of the Galway connection and is a regular visitor to the city of the tribes. The family also own the splendid Château Les Ormes de Pez in St.-Estèphe.

The style of the wine is rich, full, fruity, with an intense and classically Pauillac aroma. Professionals can often identify it blind. Like many Médocs the 1986 is a powerful wine, full of fruit but also very tannic. It should mature into an exceptional wine in 15 years' time. 1985 has a different style. Great body, wonderfully cassis aromas, but softer and more supple. In 10 years it will please greatly. Both 1983 and 1982 are among the top wines of the vintage and both need another 5 to 6 years at least. Tasted at the Château side by side, the 1982 was preferred. Now I am not so sure. The 1966 with dinner at the Château was disappointing. The 1961 is still quite stunning.

CHATEAU LYNCH MOUSSAS, FIFTH GROWTH

Château Lynch Moussas was formerly owned by the legendary Comte Jean-Baptiste Lynch, and is now the property of the Casteja family, of Château Batailley. The gravelly soil is similar to that of Batailley and Grand Puy Lacoste, but the wines tend to be light and undistinguished.

None the 1980s vintages have so far excited me. It continues to under-perform in relation to its classification.

CHATEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE - COMTESSE DE LALANDE, SECOND GROWTH

Pichon-Lalande has always been one of the great wines of the Médoc. Over the last ten years it has moved into a special category, widely known as "Super Seconds"; these frequently challenge the supremacy of first growths. This is the case with Pichon Lalande.

The property is a splendid one, its impressive main building approached through elegant gates and up a double flight of steps. It was built in the 1840s. Along with the wine handling facilities, it has received great and loving investment over the last 10 years. The story of the Château is interesting in that the Comtesse, a widow, had it built on land given by her lover the Comte de Beaumont, owner of Château Latour. The Comte was later to use the same architect to design Château Latour itself.

The property was acquired in 1926 by Edouard Mialhe. The family have been in wine for 200 years and the family tree includes Burkes, Lynchs and Mitchells. His daughter, Mai de Lencquesaing, wife of a distinguished general, took over the property in 1978. Rarely as powerful as nearby Château Latour it has more finesse and a softer, more supple style. This is partly due to the soil - a portion, roughly one-third, of the vineyard is actually in St.-Julien - partly due to the high percentage of merlot grape.

Then, of course, there is the character of the wine making. It is approachable after 6 to 8 years but the wine has a great lifespan. The 1961 tasted in 1986 was quite ready and magnificent; the Latour by comparison, on the same occasion, was still young. The 1987 is exceptional for this light vintage with depth and fruit. It is ready now but will last into the mid 1990s. The 1986 is certainly one of the top wines of this great vintage and ahead of many first growths. It has richness, structure and complexity. In 20 years' time surviving bottles will be fêted. The 1985 is excellent in a more open and fuller style. It is soft, fat, fruity and already delicious. 1983 is an incredibly big Pichon with a very big structure, wonderful fruit, stunning bouquet of cassis and vanilla. It will evolve sensationally into the next century. 1982: huge, rich, concentrated, and wonderful ripe fruit aromas. It will mature a few years ahead of the 1983.

CHATEAU BATAILLEY, FIFTH GROWTH

The delightful Château of Batailley was built in the early 18th century and stands in a lovely 13-acre park greatly enhanced by some splendid old trees. The vineyard itself is quite large with about 110 acres under vine .
It was classified as a Fifth Growth in 1855 and that would seem to be its correct rating today. The style of the wine tends to be austere and generally needs cellaring to show well. It is a good, though not very exciting growth, and is currently overshadowed by its neighbour, Château Grand Puy Lacoste, also a fifth growth but worthy of a higher rating.
The current owners are the well known Casteja family, who are also proprietors of Château Lynch Moussas. In 1819 it was acquired by Daniel Guestier, Barton's partner in Barton & Guestier. On his death a half share went to his two sisters Mmes. Lawton and Phelan. This was sold on in 1866.

The 1986 vintage is big, strong, and full-bodied. It has plenty of fruit and a tannic structure. It is for long term cellaring and should be superb at 20 years. 1985 is typical of the vintage: soft, with lovely ripe fruit flavours. It will be ready long before the 1986 and should be at its prime at the age of 7 to 10 years. 1984, by contrast, is light, elegant and ready for drinking now.

CHATEAU LATOUR, FIRST GROWTH

Château Latour is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux. Its 120 acres of vine changed hands in early 1989 at a valuation of about IR£130 million. Its poor, but precious, Gunzian gravel soil has an annual production in the region of 20,000 cases.
Justifiably, it has a legendary status in the world of wine and is remarkable for its consistency and ability to produce good wine even in off years. Young raw, immature vintages are currently on offer at around £50 per bottle. In the mid sixties the 1961 - one of the finest ever - was acclaimed by me in The Irish Times but with the reservation that £3.50 was a rather high price. Today, this same wine fetches £300 per bottle on the open market.
  In style, Latour is the most masculine of the great Pauillacs: full-bodied, rich, concentrated and complex. It is slow maturing and great vintages need a quarter of a century to reach their true potential.
In 1833 Barton & Guestier, together with Nathaniel Johnston, started building up a stake which ultimately reached 27%. It would appear that their partnership with the other shareholders was not a happy one. They bought out the new shareholders in 1841 for a sum which must today leave the present Barton and Johnston heirs more than a little envious. Between £28 and £30 million would seem to be the current value of that early holding.
The 1986 Latour has an impressive, deep colour, and the typical bouquet of cassis, vanilla and walnut. It is full-bodied with depth and length, but appears to lack the massive dimension expected of Latour. 1985 is not as fine as 1986, lacking the traditional depth of Latour. It is medium-bodied with nice ripe fruit flavours, and should develop fairly quickly. 1984 is light, elegant and pleasant. Ready for drinking, it will keep for 5 to 7 years. 1983 is a disappointment for the vintage. One would expect a bigger, stronger, more structured wine."

MARGAUX

"From Pauillac we travel into the commune of Margaux, where six properties have Irish connections.
The village of Margaux gives its name to the most southerly of the great Haut-Médoc appéllations. It is also the most sprawling. There are the four villages of Arsac, Labarde, Cantenac and Soussans, in addition to Margaux itself, which are entitled to use the Margaux appéllation. In the 1855 classification a total of 21 Châteaux from here were included, as against 11 in St.-Julien, 17 in Pauillac and just 5 in St.-Estèphe.
There is a diversity of soil here, but one finds the lightest most gravelly type with the deepest levels of pebbly earth, especially on the three small plateaux. This allows for the production of some of the most delicate, elegant and fragrant wines of Bordeaux. Although they lack the power of Pauillac wines they have the capacity to last a very long time. In fact they generally need cellaring to show their true quality. The two outstanding wines presently are Château Margaux and Château Palmer.
Travellers to the region should note the restaurant Larigaudière, in the village of Soussans. The regional specialities include the delicious Cêpes Bordelaises, Lampreys, Escargots and Entrecôtes grilled over vine cuttings. The Auberge de Savoie in the village of Margaux itself is also excellent, with a fine list of Médoc wines.

CHATEAU BOYD-CANTENAC, THIRD GROWTH

Châteaux Boyd Cantenac is a vineyard without a Château and it is doubtful if there ever was a residence there. The property was acquired in 1754 by Jacques Boyd who was, by then, a member of the French nobility. The Boyds were a prominent Belfast merchant family engaged in the woollen trade during the latter half of the seventeenth century.
Belfast then had important trading links with Bordeaux. The archival records from there show that, in 1700, a Boyd imported 29 cwts. of lead and 22 cwts. of wool in 30 barrels. Boyd's explanation to the Controller General is of great significance for it shows that the infamous 'Irish Wool Prohibition Act 1699', introduced by the English government to protect their own woollen industry, was biting. Boyd observed as follows: 'In view of the impossibility of shipping from Ireland without disguises, its export being prohibited under penalty of death, it was essential to place lead in the barrels to bring up the weight to salted beef.'!
The economic impact of this legislation was widely felt throughout the country but nowhere more severely than in the 'woollen counties' of Ulster. Here it had a devastating effect, bringing sudden impoverishment to the farming and merchant communities. The young men were forced to emigrate to the continent, many settling in Bordeaux. The choice of this city is not surprising when one considers the long existing trading links. The Act was also instrumental in fostering wool smuggling on an unprecedented scale.
The vineyard, which was acquired from M. de Sainvincens, a former treasurer of France, remained in the Boyd family until 1806 when it was acquired by John Lewis Brown of nearby Châteaux Cantenac-Brown.
Boyd's daughter married David Skinner, a partner in the well-known wine business of Skinner and Fenwick, and a brother married Skinner's sister, Marie. Further Irish links were woven through the marriage of Boyd ladies into the Barton and Baudry families.
In 1860 Brown Cantenac was sold to M. Lalande, wine shipper, then owner of Château Léoville Poyferré (see pages 24-26), fatherin-law of Edward Lawton of the great Cork wine family. It would appear that the wine continued to be sold under the Brown Cantenac label until around 1920.
It was acquired in the 1930s by the Guillemet family of nearby Château Pouget and, until 1982, was vinified under the same roof. Since moving into its ownchaisacross the road results seem mixed. The 1982 was most attractive: full, rich, concentrated with lots of fruit and soft tannins. It should peak in around 7 to 9 years. The 1983 is also full and well-structured with tannins; it needs more time to mature. 1985 is less than exciting as is the 1986 when related to the property's exalted classification. Production from 40 acres comes to around 7,000 cases in an average year. 30% new oak barrels are used for ageing, yet most experts feel the property is greatly underperforming.

CHATEAU CANTENAC-BROWN, THIRD GROWTH

The Château itself is one of the more extraordinary in the Médoc, resembling the Victorian architecture one would associate with the home of a successful English industrial tycoon of the 19th century. It was acquired by John Lewis Brown, whose family came from England and traded successfully as wine shippers in the early 1800s.

Brown was a person of substance and a painter of some ability. Toulouse-Lautrec was a regular visitor and, it is said, enjoyed both good wine and young girls. Perhaps Brown's tastes contributed to his bankruptcy in the mid-1800s.
The property was acquired by Armande Lalande (see Château Léoville Poyferré). Lalande's daughter was married to Edward Lawton of the Cork family and their son Jean Lawton acquired the property in 1935.
The latter was a regular visitor to Ireland during the 1960s both to sell wines on behalf of the Lalande company and also for shooting. The property was sold in 1968 to the Vivier family.
It is a wine rarely seen in Ireland although the production is fairly substantial (15,000 cases). It is traditionally rather austere and perhaps a bit charmless. The new owners are trying for a softer style. A recent vintage of quality was the 1986: extremely well made, full bodied, deep, rich, with strong Cabernet aromas and plenty of grip. It needs a minimum of 10 years cellaring.

CHATEAU LASCOMBES, SECOND GROWTH

The estate of this Château is one of the largest in the Médoc with around 200 acres under vine. Its standing was obviously very high in the mid-19th century, being classified high among the Second Growths. The residence itself was best described by James Seely, in Great Bordeaux Wines, as Victorian, Scottish Baronial. Its acquisition by the ubiquitous Nathaniel Johnston after the French revolution provides the Irish connection. The name of Johnston - from Armagh - will keep cropping up in the course of the following pages. The family is dealt with more fully under Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (St.-Julien). The current owners are the British brewery, Bass Charrington. Much money has been spent on the Château which is used as a hospitality centre for their visiting customers.
Despite the resources of the brewery the wines have not lived up to their inherited rating. Its most glorious year may have been 1929. Tasted from a jeroboam at 40 years it was sheer perfection. However, like many other underperforming owners of precious soil, recent vintages suggest a renaissance.
The 1986 vintage does not have the immediate appeal of the a 1985. Like most 1986s it shows more tannin and just may surprise us all. But there is a question mark at this early stage. The 1985 is quite attractive in a full, soft style, and is developing fast. It has lovely ripe fruit flavours. The 1983 has a deep rich colour. The bouquet is of blackcurrant, vanilla, and spice. There is good structure and depth. Give it 10 years. The 1982 has rich, ripe flavours with berrylike aromas and vanilla from new oak casks. It is full-bodied and concentrated, with soft tannins. The 1981 is on the light side. It is pleasant but will not last. Earlier vintages, through the 1970s, were all rather disappointing for a Second Growth classification.

CHATEAU DAUZAC, FIFTH GROWTH

Château Dauzac - once known as Dauzac-Lynch - is one of the oldest vineyards in continuous production. Built in the early 1700s, the property came as a dowry with Elizabeth Drouillard on her marriage to Thomas Michel Lynch in 1740. Thomas Michel continued to work with his brother, Jean Arthur, in the family wine business. Jean Arthur married a French from Galway while his sister Jeanne Catherine married a Kirwan also from a Galway family.
Down through the years Château Dauzac has had other Irish connections. Nathaniel Johnston acquired it in 1863 and it remained in his family for 57 years. It was during this period that an unexpected viticultural leap forward took place. Johnston's manager was plagued by passers-by who helped themselves to grapes from the vines near the road. To control this, he sprayed the grapes with a mixture of bluestone and lime, which coloured the leaves a sickly blue-green colour, and had the desired effect. After a couple of seasons it was noticed that the sprayed vines did not suffer from mildew. The famous Bordeaux mixture was born and is still used today, although now being superceded.
In 1966 Château Dauzac was acquired by Alain Burke Mialhe whose family has many Irish connections. The family also owns Château Siran, Château Pichon Lalande and Château Coufran. Inheritance problems forced him to sell in 1976. The property has so far failed to show its true potential. The 1982s and 1983s are light, easy drinking and already maturing.

CHATEAU KIRWAN, THIRD GROWTH

Château Kirwan is located just outside the village of Cantenac and was classified as a third growth in 1855. Its performance over the last twenty years or so does not justify this high rating. This would appear to reflect on general husbandry rather than the soil, for recent vintages show dramatic improvement. It can resemble Margaux with great elegance and fragrance and may be one to follow now.

Two hundred years ago, the Château was known as the Domaine de Lasalle. In 1751 it was acquired by Sir John Collingwood, an Englishman and merchant from Bordeaux. One of Sir John's daughters married Mark Kirwan from Galway and he inherited the Château and vineyards in 1781. The name was then changed to Kirwan. Kirwan sired 11 children before losing his head and his property in the French revolution. The family managed subsequently to regain possession of the Château, and it remained in their hands until 1827. Today it is owned by the Société Schröder et Schöler who are also reputable wine shippers in Bordeaux. 

The vintages of 1986 and 1985 offer us two contrasting styles: there is a depth, richness and structure to the former which suggests a slower but happy development in bottle. The wine needs 10 years in bottle. By contrast, the 1985 is immediately appealing. It is stylish and elegant with good structure. The present aromas are of cassis and oak. I expect this to evolve rapidly and nicely. These two vintages indicate a renaissance which is welcome. The 1983 has good depth of colour, is quite rich and well structured. It is worth cellaring and should keep well. The 1982 is a disappointment. It is full, but soft and rather loose-knit. It lacks depth and concentration and should be drunk young.

CHATEAU SIRAN, CRU BOURGEOIS SUPERIOR

Château Siran is unquestionably an underclassified gem. Its scholarly owner, Alain Burke Mialhe, has Mitchell, Lynch and Burke blood. Pierre Mitchell from Swords, was a captain in an Irish regiment serving the French crown, whose son set up the first glass factory in Bordeaux. The Lynch connection comes from Pierre's grandson's marriage to Elyse-Peggy Lynch, and the Burke connection from Pierre's maternal grandfather, Desbarats Bourke, a prosperous Bordeaux merchant and a partner in Gernon, Desbarats. At one stage Burke acquired Château Ducru-Beaucaillou from the Johnston family. This Burke line can be traced back to the Burkes or de Burghs of Portumna Castle. One of them, Honora Burke, widow of Patrick Sarsfield, married the Duke de Berwick Marechal of Louis IV, son of James II and commander of a famous Irish regiment. M. Mialhe is an expert on the Irish Bordeaux connection and published a book on Le Comte J-B Lynch in 1972.

Château Siran itself is something of a showpiece with an 18th century chartreuse-style residence, an anti-nuclear shelter filled with fine wine and a heliport. The best time to visit is in September when the magnificent 15 acre park is carpeted with cyclamens. There are 50 acres under vine yielding on average 12,900 cases annually.
The output has been a model of consistency. In style the wines have great delicacy, elegance and fruitiness and are quite full for its classification. They need at least 5 years to develop and keep quite well. 1985 and 1986 are both outstanding in contrasting ways. The former is full, rich and quite forward, the 1986 is more closed and more tannic. Both deserve attention. Give the 1986 a few extra years. The 1982 is rather powerful, blackcurranty and ripe tasting. The lesser rated 1983 vintage may even be better and will keep extraordinarily well. 

M. Mialhe's sister, Mai de Lencquesaing, owns the magnificent Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande while cousin Jean Mialhe runs Châteaux Coufran, Verdignan and Soudars. Though they are not in Margaux we take here the other three Châteaux owned by the Mialhe family."

Haut-Médoc

CHATEAU COUFRAN, CRU GRAND BOURGEOIS, HAUT-MÉDOC

"Jean Mialhe is also proprietor of Châteaux Coufran in the northern part of the Haut-Médoc. He, too, is a grandson of Frederic Mialhe, husband of Adèle Mitchell. Adèle's father, Francois-Patrick was married to Elyse-Peggy Lynch and started the first glass factory in Bordeaux. Jean Mialhe is also a first cousin of the owners of both Château Pichon Longueville Lalande and Château Siran. Jean's sister, Mme. Cesselin, owns the very important Cru Grand Bourgeois exceptionnel, Château Citran.

His other properties include Châteaux Verdignan, a Cru Grand Bourgeois, and Château Soudars - both in the Haut-Médoc and adjacent to Coufran. Production is large and the 135 acres yield around 33,000 cases on average. Uniquely, in the Médoc, the Merlot grape totally predominates (85%). This gives a very forward, fruity, supple, quick maturing wine. It could hardly be called stylish, nor does it have great character, but it has an easy appeal and is reasonably priced. The vintages in the eighties have been consistent and successful. The 1982 perhaps being best of all with extraordinary richness and fruit. Enjoy it from now until 10 years old, when it will show best. The 1986 and 1985 are both splendid. The former easily being the better. The 1985 is already quite mature, but the latter will go on for longer than any other recent Coufran."

Reproduced with the kind permission of Bruce Arnold.