SunnyOnScene – Wine, Spirits, Meals, Journey & Lux Life-style on Instagram: “Back to my commonly scheduled programming: WINE. And no, wine dynasties don’t chase traits… They construct legacies. … my…

Back to my commonly scheduled programming: WINE.

And no, wine dynasties don’t chase traits… They construct legacies.

… my greatest take-away on the Maison Albert Bichot USA Roadshow masterclass — Disruption and Dynasty — that includes 3 legendary producers rewriting the superb wine narrative in Champagne, Languedoc, and Napa.

🥂 Champagne MANDOIS (Champagne)
Tasted a vertical of their Victor Brut Blanc de Blancs (1998, 2007, 2013) — and the kicker? This library choice isn’t out there in the marketplace, solely on the maison. At almost 30yo, the 1998 was shockingly contemporary with vivid acidity and roasted hazelnut complexity. Proof that superb Champagne doesn’t simply age, it evolves. And when somebody says they don’t like Chardonnay, I reply: So you don’t like Blanc de Blancs both? IYKYK.

🍇 Maison Lorgeril (Languedoc)
Family-owned since 1620 (sure, 400 years — even visited by King Louis XIII)… they champion freshness and magnificence within the Languedoc — France’s greatest wine area and one among its best-kept worth secrets and techniques. Tasted a lineup of GSM and GSM-esque blends (with M being Malbec and Merlot — and cameos from grapes like Cab Franc and Carignan)… they understood the project with construction and stability.

But their Ô de Rosé is the true OHHH — a gastronomic rosé bursting with floral raise, vivid citrus vitality, and mineral complexity that looks like Spring by way of Fall in a bottle.

🍷 MERRYVALE VINEYARDS LLC (Napa)
Founded in 1983 by one among Napa’s most iconic names, Bill Harlan, Merryvale reminded us why Napa is Napa: mountain fruit + elevation + well-drained soils = energy with precision. Their flagship Profile isn’t constructed for hype — it’s constructed for longevity. Their 2014 classic was held again 11 years earlier than launch to tame the tannins. That’s not advertising — that’s technique.

And a finale of Profile XXXVI (36) — a wildly progressive experiment mixing library wines from 36 vintages (1983–2019) with insanely opulent outcomes. DROP THE MIC. 🎤 Then choose it again up for a shout-out: their Silhouette Chardonnay!

Because essentially the most thrilling wineries at the moment aren’t trend-chasers… they’re legacy-builders.

So that are you consuming: Champagne, Languedoc or Napa? Me: AOTA!

Recap reel:

#wine #winetasting #winemasterclass David Okay. Gordon Mey Vega Lyn Farmer Korinne Munson Fred Cabrera Elizabeth Pesante Kim Kachmar Claude Mandois claude Mandois Henri De Lorgeril Jeff Crawford Janet Mick Elizabeth Conklin Adela villa de rey maximilien de billy