CHATEAU MILLET LARTIGUE 2008

Description and Press Reviews
Wine Style: Medium Bodied Red  

Chateau Millet Lartigue is owned by Jean-François Eymery who is also a wine consultant at  the Dordogne Chamber of Agriculture's Vine Academy and is involved in conservation work as well as the experimental vineyard at Monbazillac.   Millet Lartigue is a small family property with just under 25 acres of vines grown on silt and gravel soils.   Based in  Gardonne, Jean-François' vines are grown around the region of AOC Sainte Foy Bordeaux which borders the Dordogne, close to the AOC of Bergerac.   Wine making here dates back to Roman times and Gardonne itself was known as Villa Gardonna and coins and medals stamped with the heads of Emperors Teriens and Galiens have been found around the church.

The area is known as the Gate of Périgord  and has a great deal of rustic charm.  Vineyards are small in size and low in production, but they do produce some lovely wines that are bargains.   Jean-François adopts a simple and transparent approach to his wine making and the result is a fruity, soft, well balanced, easy drinking wine – the perfect representation of a blended red Bordeaux.  Millet Lartigue has notes of black cherries, blackcurrants, vanilla, dried herbs and cedar.   It will pair well with duck, game, goose, pork and beef, Asian cuisine – especially dishes prepared with soy, black bean and oyster sauce.

Gary White:  Chelsea and Fulham Wine Society
Tasted 03/09/11 with Beata, Sara and Jean Marc. 12% ABV. CS/M and CF. £7.99 from Bordeaux Undiscovered. Clear, mid-purple colour. Quite plummy nose but a little disappointing on the palate. Probably needs another year or so. From 2012, 13.5/20