History 
Bodegas Chandon was established by Moët & Chandon in Mendoza, Argentina in 1959. This was both the first subsidiary of Moët & Chandon outside of France, and the first in Argentina by a French champagne house.
In Argentina, most of the wine is produced in the province of Mendoza. Within the province of Mendoza, the Lujan de Cuyo subdistrict has the best reputation among the classic regions, and within Lujan de Cuyo, Perdriel has a special importance. For their winery, Moët restored and rebuilt a 1898 winery in the heart of the Perdriel district, near the Los Aromos vineyard.
Vineyards
  
This vineyard is located at 3200 ft above sea level, and is densely planted with old vine, ungrafted Cabernet Sauvignon. These vines, irrigated with the pure water running from Andean glaciers, produce some of the most profound Cabernet Sauvignon in South America.
Another vineyard source is the exceptional Las Compuertas vineyard on the Vistalba terrace, located at 3500 ft above sea level. This site was densely planted with ungrafted Malbec vines in 1929, making use of the same system of flood irrigation.
The last vineyard is Tupungato, located at a wild and beautiful sited south of the winery in the Uco Valley (but still in Mendoza province). This vineyard was planted 10 years ago in the modern style with Chardonnay and a bit of Pinot Noir. This site, located at 3900 ft elevation, provides an ideal environment for these delicate grapes.
The winery is a restoration of a property founded in 1898 in the Perdriel district, where winemaker Roberto de la Mota combines tradition with the best of modern technique to craft these delicious wines.
Winemaking
The black grapes are crushed and treated to a cold soak prior to a cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks calibrated to the size of the parcels. After a maceration of 2 – 5 weeks depending on the potential of the wine, the wine is pressed, blended, and aged in barrel. During the aging process, the wines are racked every three months. The varietal tier is aged 6 months in cak, the Reserva tier a year for Malbec and Cabernet and 7 – 9 months for the Chardonnay.
The Afincado wines undergo a five week low temperature fermentation and maceration, and both of the wines age a year and a half in barrel and another year in bottle prior to release.
Chardonnay is harvested quickly and pressed gently to reduce bitter flavors. In some cases, the fruit is tank-fermented, while for the Reserva, it is barrel fermented and aged in oak for six months on the lees, which are stirred weekly.
Terrazas grapes are each grown on the terrace with the most appropriate altitude and climate
Each of these three varietals produces top quality wine because its growing site has been carefully matched to its specific needs.
Terrazas benefits from the combination of French tradition and Argentine terroir
While Argentina provides a wonderful climate for grape production, the know-how and tradition have been essential to the creation of an estate with the quality and style of Terrazas
The purity of the Argentine terroir gives fruit of great concentration
The momentum of Argentinean wines is truly impressive
+14% in volume and +33% in value in 2006 means more people know and feel comfortable buying Argentine wines.
Top ratings for Terrazas mean easy sell through in accounts
A bevy of 90+ ratings mean that the press has begun to recognize that Argentinean wines are great quality as well as great value.
History
Cheval des Andes is a joint venture between Terrazas de los Andes and Pierre Lurton, the winemaker at the illustrious Cheval Blanc estate in St. Émilion. This legendary Bordeaux estate, founded in 1832, is renowned for producing some of the region’s most expensive wines. One bottle of the highly regarded 1947 vintage set a record for the estate with a resale at auction for $109,324.00.
Pierre Lurton, intrigued by the ties between St. Émilion and the Malbec grape that is grown so successfully in Argentina, proposed a joint venture in 1999 after discovering the beauties of old vine Malbec from the Las Compuertas vineyard on the Vistalba Terrace.
The first few vintages were blended by Pierre Lurton under the direction of the winemaker responsible for Terrazas. Today, however, there is a dedicated winemaker for Cheval des Andes in the person of Nicolas Audebert, formerly of Krug champagne, and a separate facility is under construction.
Cheval des Andes makes use of hand selected fruit from old vine vineyardsThe ungrafted vines of the Las Compuertas vineyard give unparalleled concentration of fruit
Vineyard and winery work is all hand done
Cheval truly represents bespoke winemaking, with very low yields of fruit picked by hand and fermented with care to create an exceptional blend.
Cheval is a great combination of French expertise and Argentine terroirThe team of Pierre Lurton, Roberto de la Mota and Nicolas Audebert assure the most stylish and sophisticated expression of this tremendous fruit source.
Top scores work with celebrity winemaker to ensure the critics and connoisseurs attention.
History
Founded in 1994 by the Marnier-Lapostolle family (owners of Grand Marnier and Chateau de Sancerre), Casa Lapostolle is an example of the results that can be achieved through the marriage of French know-how and the perfect vine-growing conditions to be found in Chile. These conditions are the product of three main influences - a mild climate cooled by ocean breezes, a lack of the phylloxera vine louse, and a winter-only rainfall pattern.
Vineyards
Casa Lapostolle has been a leader in spearheading the development of vineyards in different subregions in order to maximize the benefits of Chile’s climates for the production of different varietals. In all of the vineyards of Casa Lapostolle, the vine canopy is managed to achieve optimal ripeness and fruit yield is controlled to ensure great concentration. All picking is done by hand, in small baskets, and fruit is subjected to rigorous sorting to ensure quality throughout the winemaking process.
Chardonnay is sourced in Casablanca, which is the coolest of Chile’s viticultural regions. The “Atalayas Vineyard” there was planted at a high density in 1996 on hilly terrain with poor volcanic soil, which holds the natural vigor of the vine in check, allowing the grapes to ripen fully. This vineyard is the source for the highly acclaimed Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay, which is whole-cluster pressed, with partial barrel fermentation and aging and partial stainless steel fermentation to preserve the freshness of the fruit. A very small amount of Pinot Noir is also produced there. Classic Chardonnay is also sourced exclusively from Casablanca vineyards.
 The wineries flagship “Apalta” vineyards are located on 120 ha located in the Apalta valley, in the Colchagua subregion of the Rapel Valley. They are planted in sandy, south-facing soils (cool in the southern hemisphere), over a deeper stratum of clay. The deep clay holds the moisture in reserve for when it is most needed in the summer months, permitting the practice of non-irrigation viticulture. These vineyards produce some of the most deliciously concentrated fruit in Chile. The average age of vines is very old (75% of them are between 50 – 80 years of age) and the vineyards are densely planted, adding to the optimal conditions outlined above. The “Apalta Vineyard” produces the famous Clos Apalta as well as the Cuvée Alexandre Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Classic Merlot is also sourced partially from Apalta with the balance coming from the surrounding Colchagua Valley.
Classic Sauvignon Blanc & Cuvee Alexandre Syrah are both sourced exclusively from Casa Lapostolle’s 117 ha “Las Kuras Estate Vineyard” in the Requinoa subsection of the Northern Rapel Valley. This region is an ancient dry riverbed noted for its abundance of smooth, round stones (much like parts of the Rhone valley in France) that provide excellent drainage. The vineyards proximity to the Andes also ensures cold nights, which lengthens the growing season and aides in the development of bright fruit characteristics and acidity. The stones release stored heat during the night, protecting the root systems from the cold air descending from the mountains. These vineyards produce small grapes with thick skins and intense varietal flavors. Classic Cabernet is also sourced primarily from Las Kuras, with the balance coming from Colchagua.
The wines are made by Jacques Begarie in consultation with the famed Michel Rolland (who has an exclusive contract with Casa Lapostolle in Chile).
The French heritage and Chilean terroir provide a unique combination for quality
Michel Rolland, Jacques Begarie, and Andrea Leon combine talents to produce a wine that is uniquely Chilean while appealing to an international audience.
Casa Lapostolle’s wine have garnered massive critical acclaim
Press such as the Wine Spectator and others ensure a warm reception to the wines of Casa Lapostolle
The Clos Apalta vineyard is one of the best resources of old vine, pre-phylloxera plant material
This fruit gives wine with unique flavors, unlike those found in other regions throughout the world. In addition to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the vineyard is also a rich source for the elusive Carmenere grape that was once widely planted in Bordeaux before nearing extinction.
Casa Lapostolle has developed key quality regions:
– Clos Apalta
– Casablanca
– Requinoa
History
Cape Mentelle was established by David Honen in 1970, making it one of the first vineyards in the Margaret River or Western Australia. The original vineyard was in the high-quality Wallcliffe subregion, and subsequent vineyards have been planted in other subregions in the south of the Margaret River area, in Chapman Brook and Witchcliffe. Today, there are 120 hectares (ha) of vineyards (almost 300 acres).
The winemaking at Cape Mentelle is the day-to-day responsibility of Robert Mann, who joined team headed by Dr. Tony Jordan, a winemaker and viticulturalist respected throughout the world for his keen insight into Australia as well as all aspects of wine production.
Western Australia and the Margaret River
The superb wines of Cape Mentelle are produced in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. Western Australia as a whole accounts for only a tiny portion of total Australian wine production, but an increasingly great share of fine wine production. The Margaret River region to the south at the bottom of Geographe Bay has a much more temperate climate than the area around Perth. This is due to the maritime influence and the Antarctic current. The region is also distinguished by the fine gravel beds over granite that provide great drainage, allowing the grapes to ripen fully even in the climate, which is cooler than many in Australia.
Tom Stevenson notes of the Margaret River in his New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia that “This is Australia’s premier region for wine lovers who seek class and finesse, rather than weight and glory…The greatness of Margaret River wines cannot be disputed. This is because the quality of fruit is better than elsewhere in Australia”.
The fruit for the flagship estate Cabernet comes from the Wallcliffe vineyard in the subregion of the same name, near the banks of the Margaret River itself. This vineyard was planted between 1970 – 1972. This site is particularly exposed to the ocean influence, since it is located a mere 4 miles from the Indan Ocean with a south-west aspect, making it a cool, late-ripening site. The canopy is thinned by leaf removal and shoot training in order to emphasize the ripeness of the fruit.
Other vineyard sources include the Trinders vineyard adjacent to the Wallcliffe vineyard, planted in 1988, which provides the majority of the fruit for the Cab/Merlot and Sauv Blanc/Semillon blends. The Foxcliffe is a warmer site, planted to black grapes and located less than two miles from the Margaret River, and Chapman Brook which is a cooler vineyard with heavier soils planted to white varieties.
Winemaking
The fruit is carefully sorted before reaching the winery to ensure that only top-quality grapes are used. The grapes are crushed only lightly, and a very short pre-fermentation maceration is used. Fermentation is fairly cool and slow, with gentle pumping over to ensure extraction of color and tannin. A four week post-fermentation also helps ensure extraction of the ripest tannins. The wine is pressed and inoculated and undergoes malolactic fermentation in tank before being racked into barrel. 75% of the wood is new, and it is evenly divided between French and American oak. The wine is aged 18 months before being coarsely filtered and bottled.
Cape Mentelle produces balanced, elegant wines with focused fruitThe Margaret River region is cooled in the heat of the summer by breezes from the Antarctic current that flows through the Indian Ocean. This produces fruit that is lighter and more elegant than that from the hotter inland regions. This elegance means wine that matches much more easily with food.
Cape Mentelle is a pioneer in Australia’s Margaret RiverCape Mentelle uses only Margaret River fruit for their wines. The first benefit is that this popular region is recognized as producing some of the finest wines in Australia. In addition, the Margaret River is the hottest sub-region within Australia among savvy members of the wine trade – this is among the easiest Australian appellations to sell.
Cape Mentelle is the sister winery of Cloudy Bay
Cape Mentelle was the first project developed by David Honen, who went on to found Cloudy Bay. Both properties, today under the direction of Dr. Tony Jordan, pursue a similar philosophy and a style that is focused on crisp, pure fruit while allied with firm structure and ageability. This allows consumers familiar with Cloudy Bay to extend their allegiance to Cape Mentelle as well.
Cape Mentelle Cabernet is one of the icons of Australian wine
This wine first came to the notice of connoisseurs when it won the Australia’s most prestigious red wine prize, the Jimmy Watson Trophy, twice in back to back years (1983 and 1984). Since that beginning, its reputation among those “in the know” has expanded and deepened from year to year. This means that a placement in the “Australian Red” section of any wine list is an easy argument to make.
History
Cloudy Bay was founded in 1985 by Australian David Hohnen, also founder of the Margaret River property Cape Mentelle. Intrigued by the possibilities of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, David came and working with Roseworthy-trained winemaker Kevin Judd began to craft the Cloudy Bay Style.
The first wine produced by this duo met with great critical acclaim in New Zealand and Australia, and soon became immensely popular in the United Kingdom and the United States as well. In large measure due to this acclaim, the Marlborough region of New Zealand is today one of the reference standards for Sauvingon Blanc.
Location 
Wine production in Marlborough is concentrated in the valley of the Wairau river valley, where the climate is very cool, but sunny, with more sunlight yearly than any other region. The river deposited deep gravel beds, which provide an ideal soil structure for the production of fine wine. Grapes also benefit from a long hang time due to dry autumns that allow growers to leave grapes on the vine until late in the season.
The winery currently has three vineyards totaling 140 hectares (nearly 350 acres) in three sites. The oldest vineyards are the “Estate Vineyard” near the winery in the Wairau Valley at Rapaura. These are planted mostly to Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of Chardonnay. The Widow’s Block was purchased in 1998 after the sale to LVMH was completed, and this site is also planted predominately to Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of Pinot Noir. Barracks Block Vineyard is a vineyard just coming into production, and is dedicated to Pinot Noir. Additional estate vineyards are located in nearby Renwick at in the Brancott Valley.
Winemaking
In terms of wine style, Kevin Judd’s focus has been squarely on the fruit. The Sauvignon Blanc is picked at night as ripe as possible, lightly pressed, fermented in stainless and aged on the lees for about two months.
The Chardonnay is mostly hand picked and fermented half in stainless and half in used French oak. Part of these ferments were carried out using wild yeast, and a malolactic fermentation was also blocked on a portion. The wines were aged for a year.
Pinot Noir is fermented on wild yeasts in stainless tanks and extraction is assured by hand punching for light color. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in French casks, about half of which are new.
The Te Koko is a separate expression of Sauvignon Blanc (NOT a reserve wine) that is produced in a different way. It is a mix of destemmed fruit and fruit that has been whole cluster pressed. The wine is fermented in cask on wild yeasts and aged for 18 months.
Cloudy Bay is the most recognizable wine from New Zealand
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc was the first wine from New Zealand to come to international prominence, soon after their debut vintage. It continues to this day to receive the accolades of the press and consumers. The popularity of the Sauvignon Blanc helps introduce consumers and the trade to the delights of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well.
Cloudy Bay is an expression of the finest terroir in New Zealand
Cloudy Bay Vineyards is a collection of vineyards located in the Wairau Valley subregion of the Marlborough district of New Zealand. This area, located at the northern tip of the southern island has long been recognized as the premier area for wine production. This location assures the quality that consumers expect from New Zealand.
The style of Cloudy Bay is a model of balance and proportion
The cool region and well drained gravel beds of the Wairau Valley, along with the prevailing sunny conditions ensure that the wines are ripe without being over-ripe and that they retain balance on the palate and a crisp, elegant acidity. This means that the wines are not cloying, and pair very well with food, where a wine that is too rich might seem awkward.
Cloudy Bay winemaker Kevin Judd assures the consistency of the wines
Kevin Judd has been responsible for the trademark style of the Cloudy Bay wines since the inception of the winery in 1985 and his presence assures that the characteristic flavors and aromas of these wines remains constant.
History
Green Point is a 44 hectare vineyard and winery founded in 1986 by Moët & Chandon on a spur of land running from Yeringberg Hill to the Yarra River, in the heart of Victoria’s Yarra Valley. The name comes from the fact that the property is founded on deep soils that retain water even through long, dry summers. This, along with the region’s east facing slopes, provides an ideal area for growing wine grapes.
Location
Estate vineyards are located in several subregions. The main Chardonnay vineyard is the Green Point Vineyard and other vineyards in Coldstream, in the heart of the Yarra Valley. This fruit is blended with some from the Strathbogie Ranges in the Victorian highlands to give the wine lighter, more structured notes and firm acidity. The Shiraz comes is made with fruit from Heathcote, the Yarra Valley and Rutherglen.
Winemaking
The grapes for the Chardonnays are whole cluster pressed and settled prior to fermentation in a combination of new and old French oak barrels. Partial wild yeast fermentation and malolactic fermentation is used. All of the wines are aged on the lees with bâtonnage for ten months. The Reserve Chardonnay is a barrel selection of the best lots and parcels, and only a small proportion undergoes malolactic in order to retain bright fruit character.
For the Shiraz, the lots are fermented separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with extraction assured by a combination of gentle punching down and pumping over. At the end of the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is pressed and racked into barrel to complete malolactic fermentation.
For the Reserve Shiraz, the fruit is destemmed, crushed, and cold-soaked prior to fermentation in open top fermenters. Extraction assured by gentle punching down by hand. At the end of the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is pressed and racked into barrel to complete malolactic fermentation.
Cool climate Victoria region gives elegant, complex wines with finesse and balance
Because of the cool, maritime climate that dominates most of the Yarra Valley, the wines produces show excellent finesse and delicacy, a pronounced fruit aroma with great breeding and a lingering, balanced finish.
Strong ratings
Ever since the inaugural vintage was placed among the top 100 wines of the year by the Wine Spectator, Green Point has enjoyed great accolades from the critics.
Moët & Chandon heritage provides basis for top quality wines
The combination of French know-how and the fine Australian terroir provide a winning recipe for the production of modern, easy-drinking wines that lack the heaviness of some Australian wine.
Winemaking team is among the most experienced in Australia
Dr. Tony Jordan is legendary for his expertise in producing all wine styles in a variety of Australian wine regions.
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Wine Regions of the World
