VertdeVin Wine Magazine Winter 2024/2025

Welcome to this 27th edition! It is with real pleasure that I want to introduce to you this 2024-2025 Winter edition of VERTDEVIN magazine. For this issue we have chosen to focus on some wines from Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Red Bourgogne, Red Sancerre, Languedoc & Roussillon, Rhône, Austria, Porto vintage, Virginia, Sicily, Tuscany, Nizza and from Hungary. You will be able to read more than 1.600 reviews in the following pages! Some spirits as Whiskies and Rums are also presented. In the first part of the magazine, you will discover more interviews and general articles as usual such as Breaux Vineyards (US), Château Smith Haut-Lafitte (Bordeaux), Château d’Armailhac (Bordeaux), Bouchard Père & Fils (Bourgogne), Gravner (Italie), Fattoria Augustali (Italie); but also articles about great French winemakers/oenologist consultants as Dany Rolland and…

JONATHAN CHOUKROUN CHICHEPORTICHE Jonathan is a French journalist, wine & spirits critic and editor. He began his career working for other wine media (paper and digital) as well as wineries (Bordeaux, USA). Passionate, curious and epicurean, he chose in 2010 to create Vertdevin in order to highlight all the beauty and diversity of wines & spirits, always with high standards in the work. JOANIE METIVIER Sommelier, Wine writer, Whisky ambassador, her official title is a little vague and her path rather atypical. Her studies are ongoing and will probably ever be. She may be the youngest Wine writer in Quebec, but her adventures are rich and esteemed. joaniemetivier.com Instagram: @joaniemetivier VALERIA TENISON Valeria Tenison is a MW student, skilled sommelier and wine writer with a passion for sharing her knowledge…

Château-Figeac, the Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” of Saint-Emilion, is distinguished not only by its unique terroir for the Right Bank and its unusual proportion of planted grape varieties, but also by a scientific approach to the work, intended to reflect the terroir in the wines and the character of Bordeaux. Frédéric Faye, the General Manager for over 20 years, presents the identity and future of Château-Figeac. VertdeVin: Could you talk about the history of Château-Figeac? Frédéric Faye: The origins of Château-Figeac date back to the 2nd century AD, it has a very ancient history, as evidenced by the Gallo-Roman remains found on the property. Agricultural activity was always present there, and vines appeared around the 15th century. But the important date for Figeac is 1892 when the Manoncourt family…

Château Duplessis, a Médoc estate with 200 years of history, was acquired by Philippe Ferrier in 2015, who completely renovated it. Today, the property has a new gravity cellar and the grape varieties of its vineyard have been adapted to reflect the terroir of Moulis-en-Médoc, as well as to give the wines a common thread and a recognizable character when tasting. VdV: What made you buy this property? To change your life/job? Philippe Ferrier: I was already a winemaker, I was born in the vineyard. I had a property that was in the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation, but it was not very interesting. Château Duplessis belonged to Marie-Laure Lurton, which she sold. So, for my 60th birthday, I wanted to offer myself the Château Duplessis and to renovate it. We built…

It is natural to wish to leave something on this planet, a mark. And obviously a positive one. Château Smith Haut Lafitte history started in 1365! You can imagine that each owner has done something to improve, to expend, to reveal… the success of the estate, the fame of the wine, the beauty of the terroir. It is thoughtful and brave to put everything in your power to pursue a goal and to embrace a whole team to follow you on this path. Then, when Florence and Daniel Cathiard bought the Château in 1990, they already had a clear vision of what they wanted for their vineyard. It is why VertdeVin Magazine had the privilege to spend a full day at the winery to discover their mark. The day begins…

The Pradel de Lavaux family has been established as winemakers for nearly four centuries. Today, they own eight properties in different appellations of the Right Bank, bring their terroirs to life, preserving the agricultural and historical heritage and producing elegant and silky wines. VertdeVin: Tell us the story of your family, how you acquired the eight properties? Axel Pradel de Lavaux: My ancestors on my grandmother’s side have been the owners of Château Bellevue, a grand cru classé in Saint-Émilion, since 1642. In 1740, they founded a trading house, which is today one of the oldest in Bordeaux, and became merchant-owners of eight châteaux on the Right Bank (in Fronsac, Lalande de Pomerol, Saint–Emilion), which came into the family through inheritance. In the 1920s my great-grandfather acquired Château Saint Pierre…