Ch. d'Arsac

The Winemakers' Collection, No. 2 - Denis Dubourdieu, Haut Medoc (750ml) Rated 90-92 points Wine Advocate

$49.99 a bottle, $270.00 ½ case, $479.88 an unbroken case-Due spring 2009

Wine Makers' Collection Cuvee Number One was produced by the famous world wide wine consultant, Michel Rolland. It sold out in a heart beat at $599.99 a case upon arrival. Cuvee Number Two, which we are pricing at $479.88 as a "future purchase" is due here in a year or so. It will be produced by Denis Dubourdieu.

Dubourdieu, nicknamed "the professor", is the owner of Château Reynon. Jancis Robinson calls him "an academic Bordeaux luminary". He is one of the most influential people in the Bordeaux wine industry and consults for the following great Châteaux: Ch. d'Yquem, Ch. Rayne Vigneau, Ch. Cheval Blanc, Ch. Carbonnieux, Ch. Haut Bailly, Ch. Lafon Rochet and Domaine Ott, among 100s of others scattered world wide. He, first and foremost looks for "elegance" in his wines. Winemakers' Collection, No. 2 embodies these principles and is an elegant, refined wine with finesse, silky tannins, great balance and understated power.

The Wine Advocate rated Winemakers' Collection, No. 2 90-92 points and wrote, "Professor Dubourdieu fashioned a dense, ruby/purple hued wine displaying notes of black cherries, cassis, licorice, pain grille, and earth. More structured than the 2005, with less tannin, it is richly fruity, deep, medium to full bodied and impressively endowed. The Winemakers' Collection, No. 2 should drink well for 15 or more years. These wines are meant to be a cinematic study of the same terroir with the philosophy of the winemaker imprinted on each vintage, and the winemakers are given carte blanche authority to do whatever they want. It will be fascinating to compare these offerings as they evolve, but there is no doubt that some of the world's greatest winemaking talents are being lined up to continue this creative concept."

Winemakers' Collection, No. 2 , from the 2006 vintage, has more elegance, finesse and intensity than the more powerful 2005. More new oak barrels were used than previously: 51 % new, 24% one year old barrels: 25 % two years old barrels. The oak is already well integrated into the wine which is fruit driven. The wine has great finesse and purity on the nose and palate with blackcurrant and cherry aromas and flavors. The wine, which is cabernet sauvignon dominated with a blend of 70% cab and 30% merlot, is full, suave and elegant with silky tannins that are already melted and refined.

The proprietor of Château d'Arsac in Margaux, Philippe Raoux, came up with a new, unique Bordeaux concept. His idea is to every year offer an invitation to a different 'guest star' winemaker. The wine maker each vintage will then choose 15 hectares (about 37 acres) of his 72 ha property at Ch d'Arsac with total autonomy to decide on the style of pruning, vineyard training, harvesting and all vinification methods. The wine produced is to be called "the Winemaker's Collection".

Raoux wants to show that it's the person who makes the wine that matters, not the appellation, grape variety or whether it's Old or New World. 'We want to recognize the author of a great wine,' Raoux told decanter.com. 'The man who labors the vines, decides on the moment of harvest and works on the grapes until bottling.' The wine will be distributed by a new company called Once Upon A Wine, co-owned by Raoux and two 'very well known' partners who wish to remain anonymous.