Description

Château Tirecul La Gravière 2011 Les Pins Monbazillac (500mL)
Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle, Sémillon | Alc: 12% – Sweet, Rich and Creamy
Southwest, France

Winemaker’s notes:
Tirecul La Gravière 2011 Les Pins Monbazillac – This is a true testimony to the dedication of Claudie & Bruno Bilancini when at harvest time they make many visits into the vineyard each day picking only the ripest berries and those with the white fungus Noble Rot. It is sweet and rich peachy with apricot and just a hint of candied peel yet there is enough freshness to balance to lighten and lift the flavours. It begs for Foie Gras and slightly salty blue cheese. 2013-2022
From the famous Château Tirecul la Gravière. Gold colour, bright, delicate fruity nose of a classic liquoreux, fresh and bright on the palate.

Critical Acclaim:
“Selling these wines has never been easy because of the difficult marketplace for sweet wines and the even more troublesome marketplace for Monbazillac, which has fallen out of favor over recent decades. However, these are great wines, and Eric Solomon has convinced this top-notch estate to basically declassify these wines to a lower price point as he is trying to get them some sort of penetration in the marketplace. For example, Les Pins is what used to be their basic cuvee and is now being discounted… These are unreal values for such complex wines that can compete with the finest of Barsac and Sauternes at a fraction of the price. If you don’t believe me, insert them in a blind tasting of top vintages of Barsac and Sauternes and you’ll see for yourself.
Monbazillac is well-known in French history. The vineyard is planted with a high percentage of Muscadelle (50%), along with Semillon (45%), and Sauvignon (5%). These grapes are picked grape by grape (as they develop the noble rot), not by bunch. The proprietors, Claudia and Bruno Bilancini, actually pass through the vineyard a minimum of four to five times a day. It is an understatement to say these are the greatest wines I have ever tasted from Monbazillac; in fact, they are among the greatest sweet wines I have tasted … from anywhere!” – Robert Parker

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