The grape variety used in the production of this wine is Semillon. This grape is picked exclusively by hand. To obtain the “noble rot” – not to be confused with wine writers’drivel – we go through the same vines two or three times, choosing with meticulous care the bunches of grapes which have reached maturity. As a result of a fungus, called “botrytis”, this grapes become withered and take on a characteristic purplish colour, but unfortunately not all the bunches are affected at the same time : the harvesting period can thus extend from 15 October to 15 November. To select the grapes, it is necessary to have been trained. Their visual aspect is important; sometimes it is necessary to take one’s professionalism to the point where one tastes a bunch in order to dispel a doubt… It isa question then of a true craftsman’s wine, demanding and unfailing attention and providing very few bottles each year. Sometimes, when climatic conditions are catastrophic, it can even be that there is no crop at all! Once the vinification is finished, the Saussignac wine remains in barrels for a year. During this “magic” period, it clarifies naturally. Winter passes and, under the influence of the wooded tanins, the wine clears and the deposits are precipitated to the bottom of the barrels. The nectar then acquires the amber colour which makes it known as “The Gold of the Périgord”. With its incomparable nose, it can be said without false modesty that Château Lardy produces one of the most celebrated sweet wines of the region, rivaling with the best Sauternes.

2006, 2007, and 2009

Between 6 and 8 years.

As a aperitif, with foie gras, or as an accompaniment to dessert. Roquefort can also  go well with Saussignac, but not necessarily with other blues. It is a sweetness of the wine that complements the saltiness.

To be served lightly chilled between 6 and 8°C

Produced with a mix of merlot and malbec, this wine has been matured in American oak barrels, which give it nutty taste and a musky wooded aroma. Our aim being to obtain a wine out of the ordinary, we wait until the very last moment to carry out the harvest. After they have been picked, the grapes are separated from the stems, eliminating any remnants of vegetation. After 15 days of fermentation at 30°C, we await the second so-called “malolactic” fermentation, either tranferring the wine into another vat, or into barrels where it will remain for a minimum of 6 months. This second fermentation, the existence of which was not even suspected in the time of my grandfather, puts to work bacteria which transform the hard and astringent malic acid into lactic acid, which is softer and smoother. The idea is that all the constituents of the wine – alcohol, acidity, fruit – should be in harmony, the wine becoming more palatable, with a hint of spice and delicate flavour of grilled almonds.

2009

2009 can be kept between 3 and 4 years.

With strong cheese, richly flavoured roasts and red meats. Avoid Boeuf Wellington. The pastry dulls the palate.

Should be served at room temperature. Best opened one hour beforehand.

We also own a neighbouring vineyard in the Bordeaux Appelation. In memory of my other great-grandfather, who was a violinist in the New-York conservatory, we have given the wine the name “Romanesque”, which comes with a beautifully designed label. Light and delicate like an artist’s touch, this wine could symbolize our family. (I myself am fond of music, making my own arrangements, and writing and singing with my group Manujubile, which is quite successful in the Périgord.) I invite you to sample this music along with a sip of “Romanesque”. This wine come from soil which contains more silt and clay than the “Lardy”. We call this in french a “boulbène”. The subsoil is cooler and gives the wine a lighter colour than the Bergerac.

2008 and 2009

To be drunk young to enjoy its fruity flavor.

With any meat or fresh rindless cream cheese.

Around 18°C.

The “Romanesque” is being matured in oak barrels. Its 13 degrees of alcohol and the smoothness of its tannins herald and amazing wine. It is already great, one of the best wines we have seen in a long time.