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Posts with the label "francois mitjavile"


Vintage Report: Bordeaux 2019

Vintage Report: Bordeaux 2019

Wednesday 27th May 2020
by Tom Jenkins

"Tout est Grand en 2019!"

These are the words of our dear friend, Denis Durantou, who passed away on the 14th of May this year. 2019 will be remembered by us as his last vintage in a spectacular career spanning four decades. Denis was always succinct because he had so much to do! Reviving the great L’Eglise Clinet, starting new projects, planting new vineyards, running a négociant business. He was a force of nature. It seems fitting to quote his analysis – it captures everything one needs to know using the absolute minimum number of characters… “There was water when it was needed from July to September, a rapid flowering, cool nights, colour change which varied according to the grape varieties but which was homogeneous overall, and a harvest in fine dry conditions. Everything is great in 2019!”

A distinguished guest, Francois Mitjavile

A distinguished guest, Francois Mitjavile

Friday 10th May 2013
by Chadwick Delaney

We host many dinners, but Justerini & Brooks's private dining room in St. James's hosted what proved to be a very rare one on Wednesday night. Francois Mitjavile, the owner of the iconic Bordeaux estates of Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes, made a special visit to London to showcase his wines to a group of Justerinis customers.

For those who haven't watched our video blogs, or visited his estate themselves, Francois is quite the fascinating orator. He spoke about his passionate approach and philosophy to wine. His utter meticulousness and attention to detail in the vineyards, but equally his determination to ultimately let the vintage and his terroirs dictate the character of wine, not a winemaker. 
The wines of François Mitjavile

The wines of François Mitjavile

Monday 16th May 2011
by Tom Jenkins

François Mitjavile is one of the most philosophical characters in Bordeaux and is usually one of the most verbose too, so we were astonished when he retorted to our 'un mot' question with consummate ease... 

If you haven't already seen it, there is a link to 'un mot' below.

Arriving at his tranquil estate in the commune of St.Laurent-des-Combes on a beautiful, hot, spring evening in April, the Justerinis team descended into the pitch black vaults to taste. It was only when we were groping around for a banister that we realised sun glasses were no longer necessary. François' cellar is like being teleported to the Cote d'Or. There's nothing futuristic or glitzy, just cold stone walls and a gutter to spit in (reluctantly). It is always one of our favourite tastings as the wines are as colourful as the man himself. Roc de Cambes 2010 is the finest effort to date in our opinion. It is decadent, opulent, hedonistic, sumptuous, yet possesses classical freshness, velvety tannins and impeccable balance. 
Video: Francois Mitjavile from Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf

Video: Francois Mitjavile from Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf

Wednesday 5th May 2010
by Tom Jenkins

Anybody who has tasted Francois Mitjavile's sumptuously individual and esoteric wines might well be forgiven for wondering just how he achieves the sublime balance between ripeness, precision and aromatic complexity that so sets his wines apart from others in Bordeaux. 

He is a man with a visionary quality, based on firm philosophical beliefs about the nature of true ripeness.

In our interview the question is put to him as to how he achieves this balance and such ripeness without losing any of his purity. The answer is enlightening.
(Added to this, off camera, he rather modestly remarked that the praise or criticism he receives for his wines were really neither here nor there, his being a mere conduit through which vineyard might express itself most naturally.)