Haut Medoc, Rognons a la Bordelaise and Wine

Haut Médoc is part of the Médoc appellation and it's name means Upper Médoc as it sits at a higher altitude. The appellations of Pauillac, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Saint Julien, Saint Estèphe are encompassed within it. The Haut Médoc lies on the Left Bank of the Gironde Estuary and its vineyards cover 10,500 acres. Due to its size and composition Haut Médoc produces a wealth of different wine styles as the vineyards lie on varying soil types each with its own micro climate.

There are 15 other appellations which are exclusive to the Haut Medoc and eight are located along the waterfronts of the Rivers Garonne and Gironde: Blanquefort, Parempuyre, Ludon, Macau, Arcins, Lamarque, Cussac and Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne. Seven communes lie inland: Le Taillan, Le Pian-Médoc, Avensan, Saint-Laurent-Médoc. Saint-Sauveur, Cissac and Vertheuil.

For most of its history, the Haut Médoc was a vast region of salt marshes used for animal grazing rather than viticulture. In the 17th century, Dutch merchants began an ambitious drainage project to convert the marshland into usable vineyard area. Their objective was to provide the British market a wine alternative to the Graves and Portuguese wines that were dominating the market. Using technology that was advanced for that time, the Dutch were able to convert enough marshland to allow large estates to form all along the Gironde. Soon the Bordeaux wine regions of Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac and Saint Estèphe took shape. By the 19th century, the wine region of the Haut Médoc was one of the most prosperous in France, with wines that had an international reputation that would be unparalleled till the late 20th century.

Although the Haut Medoc was too marshy to grow vines in Roman times there are vestiges of the Empire dotted throughout the area. A Roman Road tracked through the area linking Burdigala (Bordeaux) to Noviomagus (Soulac sur Mer). Blanquefort takes its name from the Latin blanca fortis meaning “the white fort” and the 11th century fort stands in ruins as a white silhouette against the green from the marshes. During the English occupation of Aquitaine, the fortifications were expanded into a Royal fortress at the end of the 13th century by Edward I King of England. At the end of the Hundred Years War the fortress became French. A wine-producing village grew around the fortifications, probably worked predominantly by serfs. During the 17th and 18th centuries, a number of small châteaux were constructed in the prosperous village by wealthy wine merchants and the Château Dillon was built in Blanquefort by the Dillon family who migrated to Blanquefort from Ireland.

Parempuyre also has Roman roots – its name comes from the Latin emporium, meaning market. It is also home to Château Clément Pichon which dates back to the 14th century when it was known as La Motte Caupène. After having belonged to successive families and twice hosting King Louis XIV, the château was rebuilt by the Durand-Dassier family in 1881 after a fire. This architectural curiosity which is of Renaissance inspiration, was acquired by Clément Fayat in 1976 and has links to the famous Châteaux Pichon Baron and Pichon Lalande in Pauillac via the Barony of Parempuyre.

Cissac takes its name from a Roman military leader named Cissus sent by Caesar to complete the conquest of Gaul. The first traces of the building that is now Château Cissac go back as far as the Romans and tombs have been found in the village and in the grounds dating from the period of King Merovee, ancestor of Charlemagne. Château Cissac is owned by the Vialard family who sold Château Clerc Milon and Château Anseillan to two branches of the Rothschild family in the 1940s from their estate.

Ludon is home to several beautiful châteaux which are famous for their wines. Château d'Agassac is one of these jewels, taking its name from the Roman Gassus who had his villa there. According to local tradition, a Latin inscription indicates that d’Agassac’s underground tunnels date back to the 11th century. These vast underground tunnels are still used to day to cellar the wines. Before the French revolution d'Agassac was named Château Pomiès but it has reverted to its more ancient name in recent times. Today it is owned by Groupama Assurances who purchased it in 1996 and have invested heavily in the estate. The motto of the Château is “the irreverent Bordeaux” due to its free thinking and open spirited principles.

Ludon is also home to Château Cantemerle which relocated from the original château in the Middle Ages, which bordered the Garonne River making up part of the line of fortifications that defended the banks of the region, just over half a mile from the present château. The original château lies in ruins and there is a legend as to how it acquired its name. A cannon named Merle was part of its defences and when an attack was imminent the locals would shout “Sing Merle!" (cante merle).

The soil in the Haut Medoc is made up of well drained alluvial gravel terraces which are best suited for the growing of Cabernet Sauvignon with clay and limestone lying underneath. Wines from the Haut Médoc are bright, generous red wines with a delicate bouquet of dried cherries, vanilla, wood, liquorice and black fruits. The colour tends to be a rich ruby or garnet red. They age well and as they develop they acquire wonderful aromas of leather, roasted coffee, prunes and truffles. Haut Medoc wines will pair really well with classic Bordelaise dishes and the following recipe is a traditional choice.

Rognons a la Bordelaise (Kidneys with Red Wine and Mushrooms)

8 Lamb kidneys
Olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
150 ml of red wine
1 bay leaf
pinch of dried herbs, thyme, rosemary or marjoram
100g mushrooms
50g butter
150 ml passata (tomato puree)
Chopped parsley

Chop kidneys into small cubes and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and put aside. In a saucepan sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add wine and herbs and simmer until it is reduced by about half. Sauté mushrooms in butter for a couple of minutes then add passata. Simmer for a couple of minutes then add to the wine reduction. Finally sauté the kidneys in oil over a brisk heat then add to wine and mushroom mixture. Simmer for a few more minutes and serve sprinkled with parsley.

There are three fantastic wines from the Haut Medoc that I would recommend to accompany this recipe. The first is Chateau La Lagune. (£25 - £30) Although it is classified as a Third Growth there are many who consider La Lagune's wines to be that of a Second as the quality is so high. The château, once known as Château Seguineau – after the 17th century owners – is thought to be named after a nearby lagoon. The wines of Château La Lagune are rich and powerful with a rather masculine appeal. They are markedly oaky and have notes of spice, toffee, vanilla and ripe fleshy dark fruits. The wines are velvety smooth and well rounded with great ageing potential.

My second choice would be Château Sociando Mallet. (£25 - £30). This château is in the unusual situation of not being a classed growth when it should be. It was never entered into the Classification despite turning out wines of such quality that it out performs many that are produced by its neighbours. Château Sociando Mallet dates back to the 1600s and takes its name from a Basque nobleman, Sociando, and a later owner, a naval captain named Mallet. Sociando Mallet's inky purple wines have an unusual capacity for longevity and are one of the longest lived wines made in the Médoc. They are powerful, full bodied, tannic and rich. They are fragrant and have notes of blackberries, raspberries, blossom blueberries and wood.

The final choice is Chateau Marquis de Perissac (£5.62) which is a very typical example of its region being a nice bright colour with a good fruity aroma. It has good soft tannins which gives a soft fruity release in the mouth with a hint of cherries and blackberries. The main grape variety used for this wine is Merlot which becomes very apparent when drinking. Combine this grape with the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cabernet Franc grapes and you get a wine which is well presented being a fresh crispy red in colour with lots of fruit on the nose as well as on the palate. This is not a blockbuster and therefore being a medium weighted wine becomes perfect drinking with such meals as Duck, Lamb, Fillet Steak and Beef Stroganoff. It also captures and enhances the flavours of many Vegetarian delicacies, which contain protein based items such as Nuts, Lentils and Beans.