“Father and son winemakers don’t make good a team in the same winery.” We kept hearing this comment from several small family estates in Bordeaux, and France in general.

 Following this popular wisdom, when Jean-Louis Despagne retired a few vintages ago in 2003, he didn’t move into the house next door to still keep an eye on the business. Instead he moved as
far as possible from Bordeaux, to Brazil.

 His children, Thibault and Basaline Despagne are now in charge of the family’s five properties in
Bordeaux: château Rauzan Despagne, château Mont-Pérat, château Tour de Mirambeau, château Bel Air Perponcher and château Lion Beaulieu - and now are getting more recognition and accolades from the wine critics than ever. The 2009 Girolate, Despagne’s top cuvee from a small parcel of high-density Merlot in Entre-Deux-Mers, received a commendable 93 points from Robert Parker. And if you have traveled on British Airways in the past 25 years you’ve probably had the Entre-Deux-Mers white wine from Tour de Mirambeau.

The château Mont-Pérat red became one of Asia’s most popular red wines after its appearance in volumse 1, 3 and 4 of the famous best-seller Japanese manga “Drops of God” (a mus- read for any
wine enthusiast); after taking a sip of the 2001 château Mont-Pérat red, the main character of the manga imagined he was in the middle of a live Queen concert.

We at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits are proud to announce the two new wines from château Rauzan Despagne, Thibault Despagne’s home property.

They are offered at $12.99, an every-day affordable price for these high quality wines.

Château Rauzan Despagne Réserve red 2009 – Bordeaux, France

85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc: “Plump and forward, with soft, fleshy plum and blackberry fruit laced with a cocoa powder note. Drink now. 87” Wine Spectator





Château Rauzan Despagne Réserve white 2011 – Entre-Deux-Mers, France

The 2011 Rauzan Despagne white is 34% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Sémillon and 33% Muscadelle. The wine is a super value for Entre Deux Mers with grass and gooseberry aromas, crisp citrus fruit and racy acidity to match shellfish, grilled fish and grilled poultry.

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas