The exclusive private reserve of François Louis Vuitton, the great great grandson of the founder of the French fashion powerhouse, is now available to pre-order!
Full disclosure - going into this tasting we thought the whole thing quite gimmicky and were a bit sceptical of the quality of the product. Boy were we wrong! All of the wines tasted (and offered today) were of the utmost quality and were truly representative of their respective appellations - nothing out of place, just gorgeous fruit and silky texture balanced by pitch-perfect freshness and structure. The packaging is also stunning, with the bottles presented in beautiful black boxes - perfect for an early Christmas gift... Unfortunately, these wines are quite limited, so make sure you don't miss out!
FRANÇOIS LOUIS VUITTON
Like all the boys in the family, François-Louis inherited his forename from his great-great-grandfather. His friends simply call him “FLV”. He spent his childhood near Paris, in the family home which now houses the tailor-made workshops of the iconic luggage manufacturer. A lover of all that is good and beautiful, appreciative of fine food, rare wines and cigars, he is the epitome of hedonism and French lifestyle. He continues to pursue his passion for wine, being for years extremely fond of Bordeaux and the laidback, relaxed ambience of the Bay of Arcachon.
This passion for great wines led him to meet the Bouey family, owners and wine merchants who first set up business in the Médoc vineyards in 1821. Patrick and Jacques Bouey enabled him to fulfil his dream of a Personal Collection of great Bordeaux wines, encompassing his favourite estates, all Classified Growths. His collection embodies his style, with wines of outstanding pedigree, from the finest terroirs and crafted to celebrate friendship and the pleasures of culinary art.
Anxious for people to enjoy the delights of his Collection without having to wait too long, François-Louis Vuitton has focused, for this first edition, on the more recent vintages. With each owner, he therefore chose a selection of wines to produce a Private Cuvée, eminently personal and crafted especially for him. Such special, individual gems offer a journey through elegance, revealing the intrinsic character and diversity of the Bordeaux terroirs.
As a worthy representative of French-style luxury, François-Louis Vuitton was duty-bound to design an exclusive presentation for his new collection. Each bottle, after patient maturing in the château cellars, is labelled and packed by Maison Bouey. These magnificent caskets, whose elegance is matched only by the attention paid to every detail, are stamped with the three initials “FLV”, the same as those engraved on François-Louis’ first set of cufflinks. Thus presented, each bottle in the collection is a unique gift: a pleasure to treat yourself or to offer to your best friends.
MAISON BOUEY
Back in 1821 Jean Bouey acquired the first family vineyards, in the heart of Médoc. The passion for the wine marks a milestone in 1958 when Roger Bouey creates his wine Bordeaux negociant house with his two sons, Serge and André. At the end of the 20th century, Serge hands over to his own sons, Patrick, CEO, and Jacques, Artistic Adviser. Maison Bouey has become one of the leading independent and family-owned wine merchants in Bordeaux. It proudly maintains its vine-growing roots through its numerous properties and vineyards, including several Crus Bourgeois in the Médoc.
THE WINES
2014 Château La Gaffelière, 1er Cru Classé, St-Émilion - $255 $225
Silky, rich and elegant, from a bright and pure vintage. Very typical of the appellation!
The « Cuvée privée du Château La Gaffelière 2014 » is the great expression of its terroir and origin. It offers fruity and crispy notes of morello cherries and violets. The attack is supple with soft tannins. The good length is enhanced by spicy flavors and finely woody notes.
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 100% Organic
2015 Château Dauzac, 5e Cru Classé, Margaux - $255 $225
Quintessential Margaux, fragrant, silky and textured. This was our favourite and from an exceptional vintage!
The « Cuvée privée du Château Dauzac 2015 » reflects splendid grapes at optimal maturity. The mouthfeel is impressively elegant, smooth and suave. The subtle balance between the tannins’ richness and the wide diversity of the fruity flavors, highlighted by an incredible suppleness, is the archetype of great wines for laying down.
68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot
2015 Château Malartic-Lagravière, Pessac-Léognan - $255 $225
One of our favourite estates here at TWE. This iteration is polished, spicy and textured, and from one of their best vintages.
The « Cuvée privée du Château Malartic-Lagravière 2015 » shows fabulous depth of fruit and ripe tannins. It is a dark, rich, firm and serious wine with well-extracted fruit. The delicate and powerful palate ends with a really long and mineral finish.
65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
2014 Château Léoville-Poyferré, 2e Cru Classé, St-Julien - $370 $325
This St-Julien is beautifully elegant, complex and concentrated and, being from an pure and fragrant vintage, quite approachable now.
The « Cuvée privée du Château Léoville-Poyferré 2014 » is a nice combination of balance, finesse and roundness. This wine is marked by the Petit Verdot which brings characteristic notes of warm spices.
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
To purchase any of the wines in today's newsletter please phone Phil Stanton on (07) 3252 1117, or email at phil@thewineemporium.com.au. Prices valid until 28th of September 2020 and wines due to arrive early October.