This is the famous circular cellar cum concert hall (Chateau Lafite, Bordeaux)

circular barrel aging cellar ch lafite rothschild pauillac medoc bordeaux france

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Château Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac, Médoc, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is in the commune Pauillac in northern Medoc in Bordeaux. It is one of the chateaux that was classified as a premier grand cru (first growth) in the antique-ish 1855 classification. It is owned by a different branch of the Rothschild family than the neighbouring Mouton-Rothschild.

The property has just over 100 hectares of vineyards, planted with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, and petiti verdot, mainly on gravely soil. The winery building was recently rebuilt. the main barrel storage cellar has a famous circular design and is occasionally also used for concerts.

The chateau is perhaps more modest in size than some of the others (albeit much bigger than Mouton that is not much more than a 'simple' house) but is located beautifully on a small hill overlooking a pond and (unfortunately for the owners, fortunately for passers by) also the main road, La Route des Chateaux.

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Bordeaux Medoc Pauillac Chateau Lafite Rothschild - stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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Even the grandest sometimes make rubbish (Chateau Pavie, Bordeaux)

gate post chateau pavie saint emilion bordeaux france

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Chateau Pavie, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Chateau Pavie is a wine estate in Saint Emilion on the right bank in Bordeaux. It is classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé and belongs to Gérard Perse since 1998. Over the last decade the wines from Pavie have attracted much controversy when some famous wine critics have considered it to be over extracted, over-powering and unbalanced (e.g. Jancis Robinson), whereas others have judged it to be of outstanding quality (e.g. Robert Parker).

The chateau and vineyards are located on the lower lying land below the village of Saint Emilion, towards the railway station. It is, for Saint Emilion, a big vineyard covering 37 hectares of vines. it is planted with merlot (dominant), cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon. The vineyards are mainly on limestone and clay, and also some gravel and sand. At harvest a stringent selection of the grapes is done at reception at the winery.

The vinification is made with the plots vinified separately. After fermentation in tanks the wine is aged for up to 24 months in oak barrels. Much new oak is used. The resulting wine is of course very powerful.

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Bordeaux Saint Emilion Chateau Pavie - stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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Just the right size for us. And good wine too! (Chateau Moulin du Cadet, Saint Emilion)

chateau moulin du cadet saint emilion bordeaux france

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Chateau Moulin du Cadet, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Chateau Moulin du Cadet is a small winery in Saint Emilion, on the “right bank” (Rive Droite) of Bordeaux. It’s on the plateau just a kilometre above the village itself. It belongs to Isabelle Blois-Moueix and Pierre Blois.

The 5 hectares of vineyards are on mainly limestone soil with some clay, planted with merlot. It is one of the few vineyards in Bordeaux that is run fully with biodynamic farming. This is a step beyond organic farming, based on the principles defined by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s. “Farming biodynamically means that you really have to be present in the vineyard all the time”, says Pierre. “You spend more hours in the field compared to conventional farming. And you also have to have staff that believe in the methods!” He’s very happy with the results. His vines are healthier and his wines have become more “lively” and with more minerality, he says.

The wine cellar is relatively recent and is equipped with concrete fermentation tanks neatly painted in red and white. After fermentation the wine is aged in oak barrels for 12 to 18 months depending on the vintage. The total production is between 20 and 25,000 bottles.

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Bordeaux Saint Emilion Chateau Moulin du Cadet - stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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What goes round comes around (Chateau Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac, Saint Emilion)

circular barrel aging cellar chateau grand barrail lamarzelle figeac saint emilion bordeaux france

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Chateau Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Chateau la Chateau Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac is an estate in Saint Emilion on the right bank in Bordeaux, France. It belongs to one of Bordeaux's biggest négociant firms: Vins et Vignobles Dourthe CVBG (now part of the Thiénot Champagne group). Dourthe runs (but does not own) Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac since 2005 and has since invested heavily in the winery and in the vineyards.

The chateau is classified as Saint Emilon Grand Crus. You pass it on the main road when you drive towards the St Emilion village from Libourne. It is neighbour to the Chateau Barrail luxury hotel. It is, as most estates in Saint Emilion, a relatively modest size vineyard of 15 hectares. It is planted with 65% merlot and 35% cabernet franc. The vineyard is all in one plot surrounding the winery, on flat land on the Saint Emilion ‘plateau’.

The winery has been completely renovated. A completely renovated, circular barrel cellar was inaugurated a few years back. The winery is equipped with all the latest technology (as always at the Dourthe properties). A latest generation sorting machine is used, the strange-looking Egraineur Socma.

At the winery there is also a wine shop, selling many different Saint Emilion chateaux.

http://www.dourthe.com/

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Bordeaux Saint Emilion Chateau Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac - stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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It is soon time for this (cabernet sauvignon, Chateau Kirwan, Margaux)

Bunches of ripe grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon. Chateau Kirwan, Margaux, Medoc, Bordeaux, France

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Cabernet sauvignon grape variety photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Cabernet sauvignon is perhaps the world's best known red grape variety. It is of course a vitis vinifera grape. The classical heartland of cabernet sauvignon is Bordeaux, albeit not the region's most planted variety. It is the major grape in the Medoc and Graves regions where it is generally blended with merlot and with cabernet franc (a close relative). One of the reasons for its popularity is that it adapts very well to different wine regions and is therefore planted in many countries all over the world, from Bulgaria to New Zealand, often producing good to excellent quality wines.

Cabernet sauvignon ripens relatively late and is typically harvested one to two weeks after merlot. However, it is also a hardy variety that can survive and give quality fruit in both hot and cold climates, provided ripening is not too late.

Cabernet sauvignon gives wines that are often quite deep in colour thanks to its thick skin (which also protects against some diseases), without going to the really dark shades of some other grapes. In their youth the wines typically have a bluish or purple tinge, changing to ruby red and later to brick or even terracotta.

Cabernet sauvignon-based wines can often be recognised by their cassis (black currant) aromas sometimes with the addition of (depending on the region and the vinification) cedar-wood, earthy notes and pronounced tannins. In warmer climates cabernet sauvignon wines become more full-bodied and softer, with ripe fruit and sometimes a certain jamminess.

In many cases cabernet sauvignon is blended with other grape varieties, often to make so-called 'Bordeaux blends' (an increasing trend), but it is also very common to find pure "cab" wines.

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon - stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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How much alcohol? A probing question. (Raimat, Costers del Segre)

Grape delivery with tractors and containers. Probe to test the grape must at reception. Raimat Costers del Segre Catalonia Spain

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Raimat, Costers del Segre, Catalonia, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Raimat is today Spain's biggest wine producer. The history started in 1914 when Manuel Raventos, boss at the cava producer Codorniu, bought 3500 hectares of land outside of the town of Lerida. It was an arid, stony and wild landscape. Before the phylloxera there had been wine growing here, but of lesser quality and when Raventos bought the land there was no vines left. He knew that there were an irrigation channel being built from central Spain, which was part of his equation. He also understood that the soil structure needed improving and he started an immense project that was to take 60 years (planting of forests...). The first vintage was made in 1978. Now they make a wide range of wines: from good to very good wines.

Their winery is famous for its architectural style - a good example of the Catalan modernista style popular in Catalonia in the late 19th century. It was one of the largest concrete constructions when it was built.

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Catalonia Raimat Winery stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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An empty feeling inside (Vallformosa, Catalonia)

Bottles aging in the cellar. One bottle broken, exploded. Vallformosa, Vilobi, Penedes, Catalonia, Spain

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Vallformosa winery, Catalonia, Penedes, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Vallformosa is a family owned winery in Vilobí del Penedès, in the DO Penedes, in Catalonia in the north-eastern part of Spain. Their main production is the sparkling wine, cava, made with similar processes as in Champagne, e.g. a second fermentation in bottle. But they also make red, white and rosé wine. They have a total 400 hectares of vineyards. At the winery you can see some curioius old wooden fermentation vats, several hundred years old. It is a mid-sized winery, much smaller than the behemoths Freixenet and Codorniu, but still substantial in size. The second fermentation of the sparkling cava wine is made in bottle and the bottles are aged a certain time before the sediment is removed by the turning, "riddling", today done in automatic 'girasols' (gyropalette, giropalette).

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Catalonia Vallformosa stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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Hard hat winemaking (Torres, Catalonia)

Tubing on top of the fermentation vats. Fermentation tanks. Torres Penedes Catalonia Spain

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Torres winery, Penedes, Catalonia, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Torres is one of the precursors of Spanish quality wine and of the development of international markets for Spanish wines. They are today producing wines in three different continents. The roots though are firmly placed in Catalonia, in Vilafranca del Penedes in north eastern Spain, where they also have a big winery. They own 1300 hectares of Catalan vineyard. The production is large scale and very modern. They have been experimenting with many different grape varieties, e.g. the internationally popular cabernet sauvignon (e.g. in Mas la Plana, previously known as Gran Coronas Black Label), chardonnay, gewurztraminer and many more. But they are also keen to preserve local traditional grape varieties.

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Catalonia Torres Winery stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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Small winemakers need your support! (Sitges)

Human tower competition, castellers, Hands grabbing. Sitges, Catalonia, Spain

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Sitges, Catalonia, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Sitges is a good place to stay when you explore Catalan wine regions. (It's located just 35 kilometres south of Barcelona.) Don't choose Barcelona - it'll take ages to get out of and in to the city. Sitges, on the other hand, has easy access to most wine regions, Penedes of course but also (within an hour or two drive) Priorat, Monsant, Costers del Segre... It's not in the middle of the vineyards but they're not far away. It's beautifully located on the coast, easy access to the airport and plenty of hotels and restaurants.

It also has many tourist attractions. The beach, of course, with a beautiful beach walk all along the sea; the church San Barthomieu i Santa Tecla; museum Museu Maricel de Mar; Museu Romantic "Can Llopis" and much more. It has a bit of a reputation for being a holiday destination for many gay, but that is not really anything that you notice much when visiting. It is equally a very popular family holiday destination.

If you're lucky you might experience the carnival (in February and March) or a competition between teams trying to build the highest "human tower" (castell) - a genuinely Catalan sport.

All images © copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine. Images may not be used without our permission.


Catalonia Sitges stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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God's Ladder. One can almost see why. (Scala Dei, Priorat)

The village. Scala Dei, Priorato, Catalonia, Spain

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Scala Dei winery, Priorat, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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La Conreria de Scala Dei is one of the traditional wine producers in the small village Scala Dei in the remote mountains of Priorat (Priorato). They use a lot of Garnacha, slow fermentation and long maceration with the grape skins to extract as much colour and aromas as possible for the wines. One of their best wines, Negre Scala Dei, is made in a more modern style though. The winery is in located in the village of the same name. The mountains of the Montsant is towering above.

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Catalonia Scala Dei stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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Is this what makes the Priorat wines so 'powerful'?

Wind farm on hilltop with wind power turbines. Priorato, Catalonia, Spain

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Catalonia Priorat, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Priorat (or Priorato) is a small wine region in Catalonia, in the province of Tarragona. It is notable for its high altitude vineyards grown on very poor soil in hot and arid climate. A typical terroir is the slate (schist) llicorella. A few decades ago a handful of pioneering winemakers settled in this almost forgotten corner of Spain and started to produce outstanding wines. The wines are very powerful, generally high in alcohol. Common grape varieties are cariñena (carinyena, carignan), garnacha (garnatxa, grenache), cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, samso and others. The capital of the region is Falset but from a wine point of view Gratallops is the focal point. It is a mountainous wine region with narrow winding roads and terraced vineyards, often difficult to cultivate. Some of the most famous wineries / wine producers are Clos Mogador, Costers del Siurana / Clos de l'Obac, Scala Dei, Mas Igneus, Buil I Gine, Rene Barbier, Alvaro Palacios...

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Catalonia Priorat stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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"This is the secret of my wine, llicorella" (Mas Igneus, Priorat)

Rocks in the hand. Llicorella soil. Francesc Vernet Rigual, winemaker. Mas Igneus, Gratallops, Priorato, Catalonia, Spain.

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Mas Igneus, Priorat, Catalonia, stock photography samples, by Per Karlsson, BKWine.

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Mas Igneus is a vineyard and winery located near Gratallops in Priorat (Priorato), Catalonia, in north eastern Spain. It was founded in 1996 as a joint venture between Josep Maria Albet of the Catalan winery Albet I Noya, and Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets. The vineyards are cultivated organically and are certified as an organic winery. The modern wine cellar has an original architecture by alfons Soldevila. The vineyards extend over 11 hectares, are planted with garnatxa negra (grenache) and carinyena (carignan), plus some syrah, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Most of the soil is the typical slate (schist) llicorella. They make several different red and white wines: e.g. Costers, Igneus FA206, Barranc.

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Catalonia Mas Igneus Priorat stock photo samples - Images by Per Karlsson

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