Jean-Claude Berrouet

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Jean-Claude Berrouet Jean-Claude Berrouet1.jpg
Jean-Claude Berrouet

Jean-Claude Berrouet is a French winemaker. World-renowned in his field and in Merlot production, [1] [2] he is best known for his work with Jean Pierre Moueix at the famous Chateau Petrus and Dominus Estate, also owned by the Moueix family. The Oakland Tribune considers Petrus under Berrouet to be "arguably one of the world's most revered and most expensive wines." [3] He is known for making wines of subtlety and nuance that are considered the counterpoint of Michel Rolland.

Merlot dark blue-colored variety of wine-making grape

Merlot is a dark blue-colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.

Dominus Estate, is a California wine estate producing Bordeaux style blends, owned by Christian Moueix. The winery is located in Yountville within the Napa Valley AVA.

Michel Rolland is a Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries and influencing wine style around the world. "It is his consultancies outside France that have set him apart from all but a handful of his countrymen." It is frequently addressed that his signature style, which he helps wineries achieve, is fruit-heavy and oak-influenced, a preference shared by influential critic Robert Parker.

Biography

Berrouet was born into a Basque family in the Bordeaux region of France. [4] [5] From his schooldays he was a close friend of Jean Brana at Saint-Jean Pied-du-Port. [4] He became winemaker and technical director for Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1964. [1] There he was responsible for the production of their complete range of wines, such as Pomerol and St. Emilion. He produced some 44 vintages for Établissements, working at estates such as Chateau Magdelaine, Trotanoy and the famous Chateau Petrus. [1] He has been cited as a "great talent" of enology. [6] He achieved fame with his work at Chateau Petrus in particular, [4] [7] [8] where he worked for over forty years. Noted wine critic Larry Walker said that under Berrouet, the "wines have shown a huge improvement, becoming much more supple. [7] The Oakland Tribune considers Petrus under Berrouet to be "arguably one of the world's most revered and most expensive wines." [3] Berrouet is considered to be one of the foremost proponents of "classicist" winemaking, in that his wines are balanced, true to their origins and capable of longer ageing. [9]

Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, or JP Moueix, is a Bordeaux négociant house founded by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1937, situated on the Quai du Priourat in Libourne, in the Bordeaux wine region of France. While dealing in wholesale distribution of numerous Right Bank wines, the company also acts as a bulk grape merchant, operates exclusive distribution for select châteaux, and manages its own portfolio of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion estates. The company has 120 employees.

Pomerol Commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine near Bordeaux in southwestern France.

Larry Walker Canadian baseball player

Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a Canadian former professional baseball right fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). During his 17-year career, he played for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals. In 1997, he became the only player in major league history to register both a .700 slugging percentage and 30 stolen bases in the same season, on his way to winning the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). The first player in more than 60 years to hit at least .360 in each of three consecutive seasons from 1997 to 1999, Walker also won three NL batting championships. Honors include induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009, and acclaim from Sports Illustrated in 1999 as the 13th greatest sporting figure from Canada.

Jean-Claude Berrouet Jean-Claude Berrouet.jpg
Jean-Claude Berrouet

Berrouet began working for Dominus Estate as a technical consultant under Christian Moueix in the 1980s. He was chief winemaker, and was heavily involved from its outset in 1982, producing its first vintage in 1983. [2] [10] In May 2012, Twomey Cellars announced that they had hired Berrouet to assist Daniel Baron in the production of Twomey's Napa Valley Merlot. [1] Baron said of Berrouet's decision to join Twomey, "Much of my style of winemaking is based on his aesthetic. In fact, I often credit my time with him as one of the inspirations that led to Twomey Cellars. Jean-Claude knows how to combine subtlety, intensity and balance in a wine and his joy of living comes through in every glass." [1] Berrouet has also mentored numerous other notable winemakers over the years with his deep knowledge of viticulture, including Yamlick Reyrel. [11] Berrouet has said, "A wine should tell you the story of the place it came from. Innovation and change are important, but there should be limits on techniques that a winemaker can use and still have a wine classified as a Bordeaux. If I'm a conductor playing Mozart, can I add notes to it? Pretentious men do this. As long as I can make a living doing what I do, I will resist the move to a standard taste." [12]

Christian Moueix is a French winemaker and the president of the négociant house Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix in Libourne, overseeing production in several estates in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol including Château Pétrus and Château Trotanoy. He has managed the company since his father Jean-Pierre Moueix stepped down in 1978.

Twomey Cellars

Twomey Cellars is a California winery. It was established in 1999 by the Duncan Family, who have operated the successful Silver Oak Cellars in California since 1972. The Duncan Family started Twomey Cellars to pursue varietals other than Cabernet Sauvignon. Twomey has two wineries; one in Calistoga in the Napa Valley, and one in Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley, and produces mainly Pinot noir, Merlot and Sauvignon blanc. Twomey’s Sauvignon blanc is a blend of Sauvignon blanc grapes from their estate vineyards at their wineries in Napa Valley and Russian River Valley.

Daniel Baron American winemaker

Daniel Baron is an American winemaker. He is best known for his work with the Duncan family-owned Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Cellars, and is Director of Winemaking for both. Originally a field worker for John Rolleri at Chateau Montelena, he gained experience in the Bordeaux region of France and was mentored by the likes of grape geneticist Professor Harold Olmo, and winemakers Jean-Claude Berrouet and Justin Meyer. He became general manager of Christian Moueix's Dominus Estate in the 1980s. He became winemaker for Silver Oak, an exclusive Cabernet Sauvignon producer, in 1994, and was trained by Justin Meyer to follow in his footsteps as Silver Oak's winemaker before Meyer’s retirement in 2001. In 1999, Baron was instrumental in persuading the Duncans to establish Twomey to pursue Merlot, Pinot noir, and Sauvignon blanc after discovering high quality Merlot grapes on Silver Oak’s Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard. He has served on boards such as the American Society of Enology and Viticulture and the Napa Valley Wine Technical Group.

Berrouet retired formally from winemaking in 2007, but with the help of his son, Jean-François Berrouet, he has continued work as technical consultant for wineries in Israel, Argentina, China and France. [13] The Petrus Estate, as of 2010, it now run by Jean Pierre Moueix's son Jean-François Moueix, and Berrouet's other son, Olivier Berrouet, is Director of Winemaking. [14] Berrouet also owns the 6 hectare Vieux Chateau St-Andre in Montagne St Emilion, which he runs with his son Jean-François. [15] Upon his retirement, Christian Moueix said "Jean-Claude Berrouet's contribution has not only been lengthy, but also, immeasurable. With a lifelong passion in poetry as well as wine, his philosophy has been for the wines to express their terroir, always favoring elegance over extraction." [16]

Related Research Articles

Château Pétrus Bordeaux winery; considered to be the finest producer of Pomerol

Pétrus is a Bordeaux, France, wine estate located in the Pomerol appellation near its eastern border to Saint-Émilion. A small estate of just 11.4 hectares, it produces a red wine entirely from Merlot grapes, and produces no second wine. The estate belongs to Jean-François Moueix and his children.

Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix), later Château La Tour du Pin for a brief period, is a former Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Saint-Émilion which produced wine up until 2011. The estate was purchased by owners of neighbouring Château Cheval Blanc in 2006, who managed the estate as a separate property up until 2011. The estate in effect ceased to exist after this, being absorbed into its grander neighbour.

Château Figeac winery

Château Figeac is a wine estate in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux. It is the largest estate in Saint-Émilion, with 40 hectares of vineyards. Due to its soil, which is dominated by gravel, it is planted in grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Cabernet Franc (35%), and Merlot (30%). Most other Saint-Émilion wines are dominated by Merlot, and Figeac therefore bears a certain semblance to the wines of Médoc and Graves despite being situated on Bordeaux's right bank. The wine, which is one of the most famous of Saint-Émilion, is aged in 100% new oak barrels.

Château Ausone is a Bordeaux wine from Saint-Émilion appellation, one of only four wines, along with Château Angélus, Château Cheval Blanc and Château Pavie to be ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located on the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the Gironde department, close to the town of Saint-Émilion.

Château Valandraud, or Château de Valandraud, is Bordeaux wine producer situated in the Saint-Émilion appellation, promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 2012 Classification of Saint-Emilion wine. The winery is located on the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion.

Château Bélair-Monange, named until 2007 Château Belair, is a Bordeaux vineyard from the appellation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, ranked Premier grand cru classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde. The estate was considered a leading producer of Saint-Émilion until the 20th century.

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Premier Grand cru classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde.

Château Fonroque is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Grand cru classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde.

Château Trotanoy, archaically Trop Ennuie, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde. As all wine produced in this appellation, Château Trotanoy is unclassified, but the estate is estimated among the great growths of the region.

Château Quinault is a winery from the appellation Saint-Émilion within the city of Libourne, producing Quinault L'Enclos, a Bordeaux wine counted among the Bordeaux Right Bank "supercuvées" or "vins de garage". The estate also produces a second wine, Lafleur de Quinault, and a special cuvée called L'Absolut de Quinault.

Château Teyssier

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Château Hosanna, formerly Château Certan-Giraud, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde. As all wine produced in this appellation, Château Hosanna is unclassified, but Certan-Giraud has historically been estimated among the great crus of the region.

Château La Tour du Pin Figeac is a Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Saint-Émilion, and is currently owned by the Giraud family.

Château La Tour Figeac is a Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Grand cru classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, and is currently owned by the Rettenmaier family. It is situated between Château Cheval Blanc and Château Figeac near the border to Pomerol.

Pomerol AOC Bordeaux wine appellation

Pomerol is a French wine-growing commune and Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) within the Libournais in Bordeaux. The wine produced here is predominately from Merlot with Cabernet Franc playing a supporting role. Unlike most other Bordeaux communes, there is no real village of Pomerol, although there is a church. The houses are set among the vineyards.

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Blankiet Estate

Blankiet Estate is a California wine estate owned by Claude and Katherine Blankiet. Located in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains in the Napa Valley, the estate produces a portfolio of wines from their Paradise Hills Vineyard.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jean-Claude Berrouet Joins Twomey Cellars as Winemaking Consultant". PR Newswire. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 Shepherd, Gordon M. (2012). Neurogastronomy: How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters. Columbia University Press. p. 12. ISBN   978-0-231-53031-6 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 Yadegaran, Jessica (14 October 2008). "Misunderstood Merlot grape grabs its spot as a star varietal". The Oakland Tribune, accessed via HighBeam Research. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Stevenson, Tom (17 October 2005). Wine Report. Dk Pub. p. 74. ISBN   978-0-7566-1320-4 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  5. ↑ The Wine Spectator. Wine Group. 1999. p. 17. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Núñez, Diego (October 2007). Los grandes vinos de Burdeos: claves y secretos (in Spanish). Editorial Visión Libros. p. 139. ISBN   978-84-9983-315-6 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  7. 1 2 Walker, Larry (17 March 2005). The Wines of the Napa Valley. Octopus. p. 62. ISBN   978-1-84533-625-7 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Colman, Tyler (11 November 2008). A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys, and What to Sip for Each Season. Simon and Schuster. p. 173. ISBN   978-1-4165-9414-7 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  9. ↑ Coates, Clive (1 September 2004). The Wines of Bordeaux: Vintages and Tasting Notes 1952-2003. University of California Press. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-520-23573-1 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  10. ↑ Brook, Stephen (7 March 2011). The Finest Wines of California: A Regional Guide to the Best Producers and Their Wines. University of California Press. p. 78. ISBN   978-0-520-26658-2 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  11. ↑ The Wine Opus. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 1 October 2010. p. 330. ISBN   978-1-4053-6634-2 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  12. ↑ Ward Anderson, John (10 March 2006). "A Wine With Iconoclastic Notes; Success of a Garage-Made Vintage Challenges Bordeaux's Traditions". The Washington Post, accessed via HighBeam Research. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Jean-Claude Berrouet Joins Twomey Cellars as Winemaking Consultant". China Weekly News, accessed via HighBeam Research. 29 May 2012. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Lawther, James (7 September 2010). The Finest Wines of Bordeaux: A Regional Guide to the Best Châteaux and Their Wines. University of California Press. p. 232. ISBN   978-0-520-26657-5 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  15. ↑ Clarke, Oz (7 May 2007). Oz Clarke's Bordeaux: The Wines, the Vineyards, the Winemakers. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 183. ISBN   978-0-15-101300-5 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "Pétrus Winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet to Retire". Wine Spectator. October 11, 2007. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
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