Lot presentation

Monbazillac Château Tirecul La Gravière Cuvée Madame Bruno et Claudie Bilancini 1996

The wine

Muscadelle (50%) imparts a rich array of aromas as well as great freshness, while Sémillon (45%) delivers opulence, body and roundness. The blend is completed by 5% Sauvignon. Wine lovers the world over are fighting over this breathtaking Monbazillac… When the vintage is good enough, the domain also produces a Cuvée Madame to rival the greatest Sauternes, and more generally the best dessert wines in the world. Like the cuvée Château, it is produced using botrytised grapes, harvested with successive selections between mid-October and late November. Its power, aromatic concentration and richness in liqueur, even higher than that of the cuvée Château, make this a great wine for cellaring. Five or six years of further aging will lend wonderful balance and even greater fullness to this wine’s aromas.

About the Producer Tirecul La Gravière

Ranked among Monbazillac's Premier Crus in the last century, Château Tirecul La Gravière has been lovingly maintained by Bruno and Claudie Bilancini since 1992. Extremely rigorous work in the vineyard, ruthless selection, and "haute-couture" vinification and ageing all contribute to produce a small marvel of balance and refinement. Muscadelle (50%) gives the wines a very rich aromatic range and tremendous freshness. Sémillon (45%) brings opulence, body and roundness. The blend is completed with 5% Sauvignon. An truly amazing Monbazillac, highly sought after by wine lovers all over the world. When the vintage allows it, the property makes a Cuvée Madame that is a match for many of the great Sauternes, and more generally any of the world's finest sweet wines. Like the Cuvée Château, it is made from grapes affected by Botrytis Cinera, picked in a series of selective harvests between mid-October and the end of November. Its power, aromatic concentration and rich residual sugar surpass the Cuvée Château, and give it an exceptional capacity to age, with another five or six years required for to reveal the full expression of its aromas and its wonderful balance.