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Question: How many grapes does it take to produce one standard bottle of wine?

Answer: HA HA. That is an impossible fun question to answer definitively! Estimates have been made that it takes roughly 700 grapes or around 3 lbs (or 1.4 kg) to produce a 750 ml. bottle of wine. However it will never be a precise number because so many factors are involved from grape size, grape variety, vintage conditions, fermentation techniques with or without adding press wine etc. Hope this helps give you a ballpark estimate.

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Pomerol is a unique wine region on the Right Bank Bordeaux of less production with strong consumer demand resulting in higher prices. Some leading properties like Chateau Petrus and Château Le Pin are off the charts expensive for their powerful concentrated ripe opulent Merlot fruit statement. The characteristics of Pomerol were defined by Michael Broadbent in his excellent Wine Tasting booklet first published in 1968 as:

“Two styles: one deep and firm and Medoc-like, but with full, silky Merlot richness, slow developing; the other light in colour and weight, sweeter, more gentle and quick maturing. Each style has a noticeably velvety texture in the mouth. Lighter vintages develop quickly.”

Later Robert M Parker in his Bordeaux Guides stated his detailed traits as: “The dense ruby colour, the intense berry fruit, plummy, sometimes truffle, mocha, and caramel-scented, ripe, fruity, often black cherry and raspberry-dominated bouquet, and a lush, voluptuous, almost unctuous texture – at least in the top vintages – are all hallmarks of a top Pomerol. Welcome to the glories of the Merlot grape.”

Certainly the iron-rich blue clay soils on the plateau of this region contribute to a now recognized distinctive terroir of some best properties showing wet stone, mineral, and iron notes on the nose with that full rich powerful lush plummy Merlot fruit.

A vertical wine tasting of Pomerol is rather a special occasion not often done. The Vancouver Commanderie de Bordeaux organized one on September 22, 2025 at Five Sails featuring eight vintages in two flights of CHATEAU CLINET over twenty years from 2010 back to 1990.

2012 CHARLES HEIDSIECK MILLÉSIME BRUT cellared 2013 of 60PN & 40C disgorged in 2021 after 8 years on the lees started the evening off well by showing toasty aromatics with power, generous depth & elegance.

We finished with one of the very best Sauternes vintages ever produced where the first picking of pure sweet fruit started on September 29 but by mid-October welcome showers resulted in botrytis with richer concentration complexity finishing on October 24. Beautiful apricot, honey, citrus, long aging of 2001 CHÂTEAU DE FARGUES LUR-SALUCES SAUTERNES.

We enjoyed three White Bordeaux from Pessac-Leognan with some age a compelling combination served with a wonderful Yellowtail Crudo accented by Yuzu gel prepared by talented Chef Alex Kim & his brigade:

2015 CHATEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE BLANC Full ripe still very fresh even from a warmer year using 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, & 5% Semillon with 50% new oak but lasting for longer 10 year aging because of the smart decision by winemaker Fabien Teitgen to stop the skin maceration technique used earlier. Drinking beautifully now rich & complex even with nearly all Sauvignon in the blend.

2011 CHÂTEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE BLANC Much deeper yellow colour. Four years older but skin maceration likely used and though creamy it is starting to oxidize. End of best plateau drinking. Drink up. Much prefer 2015.

2011 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC Label says 75 SB/25S (recent 2017 was 70/30) showing developed Semillon character creamy and classy so intense. Aging well here in cork before Olivier Bernard changed to Diam for whites in 2015 & reds in 2016. Lovely bottle.

The main feature was eight vintages of Chateau Clinet, a property that underperformed until the late eighties when Jean-Michel Arcaute & Michel Rolland (until 2014) took charge. An old property from 1785 is well situated with 8 1/2 hectares now planted roughly 80M/20CS on the Pomerol plateau summit near respected properties of Lafleur & L’Eglise-Clinet. Many changes as it was sold to Gan Insurance in 1991, bought by Jean-Louis Laborde in late 1998, and improving since 2004 under the dedicated leadership of Ronan Laborde (also served as President 2019 of UGCB- Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux) with replanting, higher density vines, reduced new oak (100% to 60%) and better grape selection. Some brief impressions:

First Flight:

2010 CHATEAU CLINET POMEROL: Darkest deepest look from lower 38hl/ha yields. Aromas display ripe clean plums and chocolate spice. Rich softer entry with power and alcohol over 14 showing on the finish. Blend of 85M/12CS/3CF. Nice robust concentration with smooth textures coming through the tannins. Rather good. Best future aging of the flight.

2006 CHÂTEAU CLINET POMEROL: Red with a paler edge shows open cherry pepper aromas with herbaceous fig notes. Some charm but the greener year shows in the flavours and less alcohol 13.5 abv. Simpler. OK. Drink.

2005 CHÂTEAU CLINET POMEROL: Great vintage for Bordeaux in 2005. Dense colour with tertiary development at 20 years. First year of Ronan’s influences helps in better fruit selection and tannin management. Best elegance of the first flight and delicious with innovative exquisite duck breast with Korean honey-raspberry wine sauce “Bokbunja”. Your scribe’s fav.

2000 CHATEAU CLINET POMEROL: Very light pale rim but an exotic stylish bouquet. Very ripe 90% Merlot (10% CS) gives a plum jam style. Taste has Asian spices and sweet raspberry notes that match well with the duck sauce. Well done. Group fav.

Second Flight:

1998 CHÂTEAU CLINET POMEROL: Dark with roasty plum nose the best part. Softening earthy palate but not meshed together a bit disjointed. Missed the best features of a splendid Right Bank vintage. OK to open now.

1996 CHÂTEAU CLINET POMEROL: Pale rim but bigger fruit than expected. Roasted coffee but rustic with ripe prunes. A bit coarse with the tannins seeming almost over extracted. Unlikely to improve much.

1995 CHATEAU CLINET POMEROL: Darkest in the second flight. Like the full rounded first entry with more sensual Pomerol definition coming through. 80M/10CS/10CF blend. Less choice fruit than 2010 but quite powerful in a more earthy plummy style. May still develop.

1990 CHÂTEAU CLINET POMEROL: Palest of second flight but a wonderful seductive bouquet. Evolving in a lovely way. Stylish silky and drinking best now as the clear personal and group fav of the second flight. Shows the success of the twin vintages of 1989/1990 at this property. Splendid.

Somewhat controversial vertical with some members liking them a lot and others not impressed. Your scribe was fortunate to taste their outstanding 2019 vintage on release. Must say I admire the current vintages of Chateau Clinet more than the older ones for their fresher full rich creamy supple style with more textbook Pomerol characteristics. Suggest you check out a recent vintage of this fairly priced value property under top management to get to know the Pomerol Appellation better.

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Les Chevaliers des Vins Vancouver Chapter held a twenty year horizontal retrospective on 2005 Bordeaux at the Water Street Cafe on September 16th. This Bordeaux wine tasting has been a September tradition for many years organized by Doug Eakins and conducted by the legendary Bill Blatch. Sadly Bill passed away in February 2025 from a heart attack while in Tahiti. Many memorable write-ups on Bill’s amazing personality and outstanding contributions to the wine trade on the web including The Guardian here, Jancis Robinson here and Jane Anson here. Definitely “the wine whisperer of Bordeaux” – and the world expert on Sauternes – he is really missed by all of us. Les Chevaliers decided to carry on their annual event in his memory with your scribe and Barbara Philip MW BCLIQUOR’S Bordeaux buyer previously ably advised by Bill. Both of us were longtime close friends of Bill and so this event was quite an emotional one as we toasted him with our fond memories. Several previous wine tastings by Bill have been posted here including 2003 Bordeaux and the three Leoville Estates in St Julien on September 19, 2022 here.

The vintage 2005 in Bordeaux was recognized from the start as a stunning magical year producing reds that are rich, powerful and tannic. The Faculty of Oenology in Bordeaux even remarked that “it would remain long in the memory for its quality”. A dry warmer year for ripeness but a cooler September resulted in bigger tannins compared to say 2009 & 2010 needing years to open up. While 2003 had 6 days over 40C the 2005 had only 2 days over 35C with less hot spikes and less overall Summer heat for best fresh balance.

We started with a 2015 CHANTEGRIVE BLANC from Leveque in the Graves with 50:50 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon a good value. At ten years it has lost much of the SB freshness but has a predominant Semillon style but is holding well and an enjoyable aperitif at 13 abv.

We finished up with 2005 RIEUSSEC SAUTERNES of 90/8/2 Semillon/SB/Muscadelle several picks Sept 23-Oct 27at 14 abv showing the usual advanced colour of this property with an excellent rich sweet botrytis beauty. Good one.

We tasted 8 reds with the last one blind. A few of my comments:

2005 BELLE-VUE HAUT-MEDOC Well situated in Macau near Giscours with old vines Petit Verdot (1936) used in first one of 1996 (100%) then purchased by Vincent Mulliez in 2004 (who died in 2010 at age 44) and carried on by his family of Auchan Supermarket before being sold in 2021 to Treasury Wine Estates (own Penfold’s & excellent Cambon La Pelouse a near neighbour of Belle-Vue). Here a blend of 50CS/27M/20PV & 3 Carmenere. Showing dense fruit but a bit rustic and more herbaceous on the finish. Good table wine to enjoy now.

2005 LES GRAVIERES ST. EMILION This is 100% Merlot that lists 13 abv but has more heat than that on the finish. NIce berry smooth textures helped by the vintage but rather simpler flavours. 2005 LA CROIX ST. GEORGES POMEROL Twelve acres near Vieux Ch Certan & Le Pin of Jean-Philippe Janoueix helped by Michel Rolland using 96M with 4 CF with iron notes of terroir & more complex choc-mocha spices.

2005 GRAND PUY DUCASSE PAUILLAC This 60CS/40M blend is one of their best up to that date. Much improved today with more recent vintages. This has solid fruit but earthy closed in less classically Pauillac styling. Still OK. 2005 KIRWAN MARGAUX Best so far with bigger intense concentrated density and less flowery Margaux (shown by recent vintages). Overcropped during 70s & 80s (though 1983 is lovely) but almost too extracted here but this Third Growth at 13.5 abv is coming around wonderfully starting now.

2005 CLOS DU MARQUIS ST. JULIEN Separate area (not a second label or just younger vines of Las Cases) was created near the winery as “Petit Clos” back in 1902. Usually more Merlot grown than LLC (vineyards further West) and 2005 is typical 50CS/37M/123CF/1 PV with 20 months in French oak (20% new). Amazingly excellent again in 2005 rich creamy ripe fruit at top value! No rush.

2005 CALON SEGUR ST ESTEPHE Gasqueton Family since 1894 but sold to Suravenir Insurance in 2012. Old single block of 55 hectares (50 planted) now at increased density of 10000 vines/ha with ever more CS planted to eventually reach 70%. Distinctive Heart label for Marquis de Segur who made wine at Lafite & Latour but whose heart was at Calon. Outstanding wine of the tasting for sure. Admirable coffee mocha notes with structure and intensity just starting to open up. Outstanding future!

2005 OCULUS OKANAGAN BC This classy top Bordeaux blend wine of Mission Hill Family Estates started with purchased fruit in 1997. Lots of innovative changes since as they have continued in pursuit of the very highest quality by owner-proprietor Anthony von Mandl. 2005 made by John Simes is 42M/28CS/20CF/10PV after cooler 2004 with highest Merlot of 70%+ and forest fires of 2003 with cellar improvements showing. It shows softer textures with quite spicy pepper notes compared to the Bordeaux and is more advanced. Grab some of the remarkable 2020 Oculus, their best ever for balanced velvety flavours of big ripe fruit awarded 100 points by top Canadian wine author John Schreiner. They have come a long successful way. Congrats!

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Question: In these tough times for the wine industry what can I do to help?

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