ALELLA DO

CataloniaThis is a tiny, predominantly white appellation just north of Barcelona, where grapes are traditionally grown on windy granite hills, but due to urban development the DO was extended in 1989 into the colder, limestone vallès of the Cordillera Catalana. The red wines of Alella have good color, medium body, and a soft, fruity flavor. White and rosado are palecolored, fresh, and delicate, with good acidity when made with...
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ALMANSA DO

Castilla-La ManchaThis red and rosado appellation, which lies north of Jumilla and Yecla, bridges the heights of the central plains of La Mancha and the lowlands of Valencia. The red wines produced here are full-bodied and richly colored, with the best examples being quite smooth and fruity. Good examples of rosado can be fruity and clean.Airén, Garnacha, Meseguera, Monastrell, Tempranillo3–10 years (red), 1–3 years (rosado)Alfonso...
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ALICANTE DO

ValenciaThese mild-climate red, white, and rosado wines are grown on dark, limey soil in the hills behind Alicante. The red wines are naturally deep in color and, when made in a doble pasta style, they can be ink-black and astringent, but younger, fruitier styles are emerging, as indeed they are among rosados and whites. Fortified Moscatels from this region are light and refreshing. A fortified wine of local repute called Fondillón...
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ABONA DO

Canary IslandsThis new appellation was established in 1996 for white wines made in the south of Tenerife, where the vines are grown on terraces that are also planted with potatoes. Before they gained DO status, these wines were sold under the names of Granadilla, San Miguel, and Vilaflor.Listán, MalvasiaViña Per...
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SPAIN’S BEST WINES AND ITS APPELLATION SYSTEM

Vega Sicilia in the Ribera del Duero was once definitively Spain’s most expensive wine, leading many to believe that it must be Spain’s greatest. Others can now lay equal claim to be the most expensive and greatest of Spanish wines (Clos l’Ermita, Dominio de Pingus, and Cirsión are likely candidates), and many more are equal in quality if not quite as ridiculously priced, including Pesquera, Rioja Contino, Barón de Ley, Muga...
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The WINES of SPAIN

SPAIN CONTINUES TO OVERPERFORM, providing more wines of real interest and quality than the most optimistic critic could reasonably hope for. Why do I say that? For a start, as indigenous grape varieties go, Tempranillo is Spain’s only class act. Furthermore, although most Spanish vineyards are not totally lacking in potential (otherwise we would not have witnessed the revolution in Spanish wines that we have), there are no really...
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BLANC DE BLANCS

Non-vintage, vintage, and prestige Literally meaning “white of whites,” this wine is produced entirely from white Chardonnay grapes and possesses the greatest aging potential of all Champagnes. Blanc...
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BLANC DE NOIRS

Nonvintage, vintage, and prestige Literally translated as “white of blacks,” these Champagnes are made entirely from black grapes, either Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier, or a blend of the two. The most famous and most expensive is Bollinger’s Vieilles Vignes Françaises, which is a unique example of pure Pinot Noir Champagne made from two tiny plots of ungrafted vines, which between them cannot produce more than 3,000 bottles, hence...
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CHÂTEAU CARONNE STE. GEMME

AOC Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois SupérieurThis property is situated south of Château Lagrange—a superb island of vines on a gravel plateau. Matured in wood for 12 months, with 25 percent new oak.RED Full-bodied...
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CHÂTEAU CHANTELYS

AOC Médoc Cru BourgeoisOwner Christine Courrian Braquissac brings a gentle touch to the naturally firm wines of this district.RED Well-colored, medium-bodied, gently rich-flavored wines of some elegance.Cabernet...
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CHAMBAVE DOC

A subappellation of the regional Valle d’Aosta DOC, Chambave produces attractively scented, crisp red wines primarily from Petit Rouge grapes, plus up to 40 percent Dolcetto, Gamay, and Pinot Noir. Two...
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BARBERA

Although this grape can be a bit rustic, overly acidic, and may lack elegance if not grown in a suitable terroir, stunning vini da tavola, often aged in a barrique, are made in classic areas by producers...
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BARBARESCO DOCG

Generally more feminine and elegant than Barolo, Barbaresco has a greater suppleness,softer fruit, and a more obvious charm, although some producers overlap the weightier Barolo style. Produced from Italy’s...
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CLASSIC BRUT

SPARKLING WINESAll these wines are made by the traditional method.Upon purchase—for all regionsLombardy Bellavista Cuvée Brut• Bellavista Gran Cuvée pas Operé• Berlucchi Brut Cuvée Impériale• Berlucchi...
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VEUVE A. DEVAUX

Domaine de Villeneuve10110 Bar-sur-SeineThis was the most dynamic cooperative in Champagne from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, producing richer, crisper, fruitier Champagnes than some Marne-based...
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VRANKEN

42 avenue de Champagne51200 EpernayThe house of Vranken is owned by Belgian Paul Vranken, whose ideas on quality I do not share but who undoubtedly has one of the most clever commercial brains in the...
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CHÂTEAU LA CARDONNE

AOC Médoc Cru Bourgeois SupérieurThis property was purchased by the Rothschilds of Lafite in 1973 and has since been expanded andrenovated. This wine is matured in wood for 12 months, with 50 percent...
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VINTAGE BRUT

Not more than 80 percent of any year’s harvest may be sold as vintage Champagne, so at least 20 percent of the best years’ harvests are conserved for the future blending of nonvintage wines. Some houses...
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NON VINTAGE BRUT

No wine depends upon the winemaker’s blending skills more than nonvintage Champagne, which accounts for more than 75 percent of all Champagne sold. Although nonvintage Champagnes are not usually the finest...
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SERGE MATHIEU

Les Riceys 10340 Avirey-LingeyMathieu, a small grower in the Aube, consistently produces excellent Champagnes that are beautifully focused, have much finesse, and a real richness of fruit for such light and elegantly balanced wines. Entire ra...
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CHAUVET

41 avenue de Champagne51150 Tours-sur-MarneA small, quality-conscious house situated opposite Laurent Perrier, Champagne Chauvet is owned by the Paillard-Chauvet family, who are wonderfully eccentric. They are related to Pierre Paillard in Bouzy, Bruno Paillard in Reims, and the Gossets of Aÿ. I have always enjoyed Chauvet’s Carte Vert blanc de blancs, which is an excellent nonvintage blend of exclusively grand cru wines, and...
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PAUL DÉTHUNE

2 rue du Moulin51150 AmbonnayAs one of the more consistent growers, Paul Déthune always makes good vintage and rosé, but is best known for his prestige cuvée, the luxuriously rich, big, deliciously creamy...
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DEUTZ (GM)

16 rue Jeanson 51160 Aÿ-ChampagneThe profitability and quality of Deutz suffered from underfunding until Roederer acquired it in 1983. Its resurgence began a little shakily with the 1985 vintage but was...
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CHÂTEAU CAPLÉON-VEYRIN

AOC Listrac Cru Bourgeois SupérieurSimply called Château Cap-Léon originally, the vines of this property are planted in two plots of claygravel soil over marl.RED Deep-colored, full-bodied, richly flavored...
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CHÂTEAU CANTEMERLE

AOC Haut-Médoc 5ème Cru ClasséIn 1980, new stainless-steel fermentation vats replaced the old wooden ones that had been responsible for some stingy vintages. Also discarded were all the old casks, so...
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CHÂTEAU CAMENSAC

AOC Haut-Médoc 5ème Cru ClasséSituated behind Château Belgrave, this property was renovated in the mid-1960s by the new owners, the Forner brothers, who are of Spanish origin, and later established Marquès...
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CHÂTEAU BRANAS GRANDPOUJEAUX

AOC MoulisThese excellent and rapidly improving wines are aged in wood for 18 months, with 100 percent new oak.RED Thanks to an increase in Merlot, this wine has plenty of accessible fruit, charming aromatic...
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CHÂTEAU BRILLETTE

AOC MoulisCru Bourgeois SupérieurThis château’s name reputedly derives from its glinting, pebbly soil. The wine is matured in wood for 12 months, with 40 percent new oak. RED These are attractively colored...
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CHÂTEAU CAMBON-LA-PELOUSE

AOC Haut-MédocCru Bourgeois SupérieurUnder the same ownership as Château Grand Barrail-Lamarzelle Figeac, this estate was classified cru bourgeois in 1932, but not included in the Syndicat’s 1978 list....
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CHÂTEAU LE BOURDIEU VERTHEUIL

AOC Haut-Médoc Cru BourgeoisSituated between Vertheuil and St.Estèphe, this château was classified cru bourgeois in 1932, but not included in the Syndicat’s 1978 list. This wine is matured in wood for...
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CHÂTEAU BOUQUEYRAN

AOC MoulisA big improvement in quality and value since this 32-acre (13-hectare) property was leased by Philippe Porcheron of nearby Château Rose Saint-Croix. Wines are matured in wood for 18 months with...
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CHÂTEAU BISTON-BRILLETTE

AOC MoulisCru Bourgeois SupérieurThis top-quality Moulis property ages its wines in wood for 12 to 15 months, with up to 35 percent new oak. RED Wines that are very rich in color and fruit with a full,...
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CHAMPAGNE

If you have become accustomed to the quality and character of good Champagne, there really is no other sparkling wine that will satisfy you—and the very best of Champagne’s competitors are just as expensive...
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BURGUNDY

Villages with double-barreled names are the key to Burgundy’s greatest wines. This is because these villages hijacked the names of their most famous vineyards, so that humble village wines could sell...
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ASTI DOCG Piedmont

Formerly sold as Asti Spumante, the spumante (which means “sparkling”) has been removed because it has become tarnished by cheap products that also use the term. It is now known simply as Asti and has...
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CHÂTEAU BERNADOTTE

AOC Haut-MédocConsistently performing above its class, this château is situated on fine, gravelly ground that once had the right to the Pauillac appellation and formed part of a cru classé. The quality has improved since the property was purchased in 1996 by the redoubtable Madame Lencquesaing, who also owns Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande. This wine is now matured in wood for 12 months, with 30 percent new oak.RED These...
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ARNEIS DI ROERO DOC

PiedmontThese wines are produced from the ancient Arneis grape grown in the hills north of Alba. Formerly a vino da tavola, the high price and reputation of these wines ensured they would eventually become...
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CHÂTEAU BEL-ORMETRONQUOY- DE-LALANDE

AOC Haut-Médoc Cru BourgeoisThis property has a confusingly similar name to Château Tronquoy-Lalande, St.-Estèphe. Steady improvement since the mid-1990s has turned the once four-square character of these wines into a more classically structured style. This wine is matured in wood for 12 to 14 months, with 10 percent new oak.RED These are firm, fruity, classically structured wines. Cabernet Sauvignon 35%, Merlot 55%, Cabernet...
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NORTHWEST ITALY Wine

This area includes the great wine region of Piedmont as well as the regions of Liguria, Lombardy, and Valle d’Aosta. Generally, the wines are fuller and richer than those of northeastern Italy, which...
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CHÂTEAU BELGRAVE

AOC Haut-Médoc 5ème Cru ClasséSituated on a good gravel bank behind Château Lagrange, the wine, which is matured in wood for 24 months with up to 50 percent new oak, has improved consistently throughout...
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CHÂTEAU BEL-AIR LAGRAVE

AOC Moulis, Cru BourgeoisThis growth was classified cru bourgeois in 1932, but not included in the Syndicat’s 1978 list. The wine is matured in wood for 18 to 20 months, with 70 percent new oak.RED These...
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Types of Grape: ALIGOTÉ

This is a thin-skinned grape of unexceptional quality grown in Burgundy and Bulgaria. It makes tart wines of moderate alcoholic content, but in exceptionally hot yearsthey can have good weight and richness....
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CHÂTEAU BEAUMONT AOC

Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois SupérieurA large property that consistently produces wines of good quality. This wine is matured in woodfor 12 months, with 30 percent new oak.RED These are aromatically attractive...
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CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX AOC

This was introduced in 1990 to replace the old Bordeaux Mousseux AOC (which was phasedout on December 31, 1995). Although preferable to a lot of poorly produced Loire sparkling wines, there is nothing...
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Types of Grape: SÉMILLON

In Sauternes and Barsac, this is the grape susceptible to “noble rot.” Some say its aroma isreminiscent of lanolin, but as pure lanolin is virtually odorless, the comparison hardly conveys the Sémillon’s...
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CHÂTEAU D’AURILHAC

AOC Haut-Médoc Cru BourgeoisA relative newcomer that has quickly developed a cult following. The grapes are machine harvested, and the wine is matured in wood for 12 months, with 35 percentnew oak.RED...
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BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR ROSÉ AOC

This appellation has a small cast—and Château Lascombe’s Rosé de Lascombes still tops the bill. ROSÉ As few examples of these medium-dry, medium-bodied wines exist, it is possible togeneralize and describe them as fuller, richer, and having more class than any Bordeaux Rosé AOC wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot1–2 ye...
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Types of Grape: VIOGNIER

This individual, shybearing variety was until relatively recently confined to a tiny part ofthe Rhône Valley, where it produced the famous wines of Condrieu and Château Grillet. Although this variety...
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CHÂTEAU D’AGASSAC

AOC Haut-MédocCru Bourgeois SupérieurThis is one of the best unclassified wines in the Haut-Médoc. The wine is matured in wood for 15 months, with one-third new oak.RED Dark-colored, plummy wine, with...
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BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR AOC

Technically superior to Bordeaux AOC by only half a degree of alcohol, yet most of these wines do seem to have a greater consistency of quality, and, therefore, value. All generics are variable, but this...
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THE CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETIES OF BORDEAUX

Contrary to what one might expect, it is Merlot, not Cabernet Sauvignon, that is the most important grape variety in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon represents only 27 percent of black grapes cultivated in Bordeaux, whereas Merlot accounts for more than 58 percent. It is nearer the truth, therefore, to say that Cabernet Sauvignon gives backbone to Merlot, rather than to suggest that Merlot softens Cabernet Sauvignon (which is the...
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Types of Grape: SYLVANER

Originally from Austria, this variety is widely planted throughout Central Europe. It isprolific, early maturing, and yields the dry wines of Franken and Alsace. It is also widely believed to be the Zierfandler...
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BORDEAUX CLAIRET AOC

“Clairet” is a term that refers to a red wine that is light in body and color. It derives from vin claret in Old French, a term of respect; this suggests that Bordeaux achieved a reputation for limpidity...
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THE CLASSIFICATION OF BORDEAUX WINES

Of all the Bordeaux classifications that exist, it is the 1855 Classification that is meant whenever anyone refers to “The Classification.” It was commissioned by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce, which was required by the government of the Second Empire to present a selection of its wines at the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris. For their own ends, the brokers of the Bordeaux Stock Exchange traditionally categorized the most...
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ST-ESTÈPHE AOC

The potential of St-Estèphe is exemplified by Cos d’Estournel, which is one of the best deuxièmes crus in the Médoc, but the strength of this appellation lies in its range of crus bourgeois. The area under vine is slightly less than that of Margaux, which has the largest area, but St.-Estèphe has far more unclassified châteaux, and even the best wines are wonderfully cheap.RED If Pauillac is the stallion of the four famous appellations,...
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ST-JULIEN AOC

St-Julien is the smallest of the four famous appellations and the most intensivelycultivated, with almost 50 percent of the commune under vine. There are no firstgrowths, but there are as many as five seconds, and the standard and consistency of style is very high. This AOC overlaps part of the commune of Pauillac, and, historically, châteaux Latour and Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande could as easily have become St-Julien...
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PAUILLAC AOC

This commune vies with Margaux as the most famous appellation, but is without doubt the most rock solid and consistent of Bordeaux AOCs, while its premiers crus of Latour, Lafite, and Mouton make it the most important. RED Dark and virtually opaque, great Pauillac is a dry, powerfully constructed wine, typically redolent of blackcurrants and new oak. It might be unapproachable when young, but is always rich with fruit when mature....
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MOULIS-EN-MÉDOC AOC

MOULIS AOC OROne of the two communal appellations located on the Atlantic side of the Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc is smaller and potentially more interesting than its neighbor Listrac. LikeListrac, it has no cru classé châteaux, despite adjoining Margaux, the appellation thathas the highest number of such properties in the Médoc.RED These dry, medium-bodied, sometimes full-bodied, wines have more power than those of Margaux, but far...
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MÉDOC AOC

Technically, this appellation covers the entire Médoc, but most wines actually come fromnorth of the Haut-Médoc in the area that was formerly called the Bas-Médoc. Its vineyardshave undergone a rapid and extensive expansion since the mid-1970s.RED The best of these dry, mediumbodied wines are similar in style to good Haut-Médocs, although the style is less sophisticated.Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec,...
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BORDEAUX AOC

As with any large, and thus variable, appellation, the generic Bordeaux AOC is responsible for the good, bad, and ugly wines of the region. Overall, quality is of a decent standard, although the best...
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MARGAUX AOC

The best Margaux are potentially the greatest wines in the whole of Bordeaux, but this is an appellation that covers five communes encompassing a great diversity of soil and some of its wines not unnaturally...
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LISTRAC-MÉDOC AOC

Significant funds have been invested in a number of high-performance châteaux in this commune, although its heavy clay soil does not have anything like as much potential as the gravel ridges found in...
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HAUT-MÉDOC AOC

This AOC encompasses the Médoc’s four finest communes—Margaux, St.-Julien, Pauillac, and St.-Estèphe—as well as the less well-known Listrac and Moulis communes. Wines produced outside these six appellations...
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Factors affecting taste and quality of Médoc wine

LOCATIONThe Médoc lies on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, stretching northwest from Bordeaux in the south to Soulac in the north.CLIMATETwo large masses of water on each side of the Médoc—the Atlantic...
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RECENT BORDEAUX VINTAGES

2003 Unlike in the rest of France, this was not a drought year. In fact, precipitation levels were slightly above average. However, as in other French wine regions, 2003 was a very hot and sunny vintage,...
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LADOIX PREMIER CRU AOC

Premiers crus: Basses Mourottes, Bois Roussot, Les Buis, Le Clou d’Orge, La Corvée, Les Gréchons, Hautes Mourottes, Les Joyeuses,La Micaude, En Naget, Rognet et Corton. These premiers cru vineyards were...
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