How do you tame a grape like Merlot which actually has higher sugar and alcohol levels than Cabernet Sauvignon? What’s the little-known history behind the cult wines of Le Pin in Bordeaux that sell for as much as $10,000 a bottle when first released and then go up from there at auction? Why is it an advantage to have many stakeholders in family-owned estates?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Fiona Morrison, author of the terrific book 10 Great Wine Families: A Tour Through Europe.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Two of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, 10 Great Wine Families: A Tour Through Europe. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

How did studying literature at the University of Exeter spark Fiona’s interest in the wine industry?

How did Fiona meet her husband, Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin?

What’s the history behind the renowned Le Pin wines?

How would Fiona characterize the 2023 and 2024 vintages of Le Pin?

What is it like managing the limited production and high prices of Le Pin?

How Le Pin tames Merlot grapes into its highly sought-after wines?

What were the challenges Fiona faced in writing about the Thienpont family of which she is a part?

How does Fiona's book, 10 Great Wine Families, differ from other books on similar topics?

Which aspects of Maurice Healy’s book, Stay With Me Flagons, inspired Fiona’s writing?

What are some of the elements that characterize successful multi-generational wine businesses?

How did Fiona choose which ten families to profile in her book?

Key Takeaways

How do you tame a grape like Merlot which actually has higher sugar and alcohol levels than Cabernet Sauvignon?

Merlot is a grape that can be very fleshy, Fiona observes. It doesn't like hot weather. It likes to keep its feet wet. If you shade the fruit a bit and let the grapes ripen, this dappled light effect, then you get a lovely balance, and elegant wine. But if you crop strongly and take off the leaves, the wine can get quite vulgar quickly, very sugary, much more jammy. There's much more sugar and alcohol in Merlot than there is in Cabernet, which may surprise some people. So when we tame Merlot, what we do in the cellar is very little pumping over. We use infusions rather than pumping over and soaking the grapes to get the maceration, like when you’ve got your tea bag in your tea. You have to wet the cap so that it doesn't get dry and tannic. But you're just doing that. You're not punching down or anything like that.

What’s the little-known history behind the cult wines of Le Pin in Bordeaux that sell for as much as $10,000 a bottle when first released, then go up from there at auction?

As Fiona explains, Le Pin means pine tree. The estate was called Chateau du Pin before Jacques bought it in 1979. It's a fairy tale story. He had heard from his uncle, who had their sister estate, Vieux Chateau Certan, that a magical one hectare of land was coming up for sale. And the family thought it was too expensive to buy, so Jacques, who wasn't married at the time, said, well, one hectare, it's a vegetable garden, I think I can manage that myself. He started off very modestly with a barrel borrowed here, a tank borrowed there, and very artisanal winemaking. Then all hell broke loose in a good way with the release of the 1982 vintage which was tasted by top US expert Robert Parker and it became one of Parker's first 100 point wines. And the rest is history.

Why is it an advantage to have many stakeholders in family-owned estates?

Fiona notes that much of the book is about how you resolve family conflicts in a business and how you prepare the next generation to take over. She says that having lots of shareholders is actually easier than having just one or two heirs, who face a lot of pressure to take over in the business when in fact they may not want to. Whereas, if you've got 120 shareholders, chances are there's at least a few that are actually interested in wine, and will go into it. Lamberto Frescobaldi, who is 30th generation of his family, has instituted a very strict qualifying process for anyone who wants to come into the business. They have to be wine lovers, university-educated and have some business and wine experience. So you can't just be to the manor born. You really do need to have paid your dues before you get into this business. It's not a privileged business. It's probably one of the most complicated businesses, and it's very easy to lose money and it's quite difficult to make money.

About Fiona Morrison MW

Fiona Morrison is an international Master of Wine, author, writer and wine merchant who lives in Belgium and Bordeaux and holds both British and Belgian nationalities. She became a Master of Wine in 1994 after studying in America and France. Fiona is married to Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin and currently runs the Thienpont family wine merchant business in Belgium and France. The family owns three estates on Bordeaux's right bank: Le Pin (Pomerol), L'IF (St Emilion) and L'Hêtre (Castillon). Winner of several awards for her writing, including the James Beard Award, her latest book, "10 Great Wine Families", has been published internationally.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/326.

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