{"product_id":"chateau-rollan-de-by-medoc-2009","title":"Chateau Rollan de By Medoc 2009","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Land\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost people read \"Médoc\" and think Cabernet Sauvignon. Rollan de By is mostly Merlot, and the reason is in the ground. The estate sits at Bégadan in the northern Médoc, where the gravel ridges of Pauillac and Margaux give way to heavier soils with a lot more clay mixed into the gravel. Clay holds water and stays cool, which suits Merlot and slows down Cabernet Sauvignon, so the estate plants accordingly. The Gironde Estuary is close by, softening frost in spring and stretching the autumn. Médoc red wine from these clay-gravel soils tends to be rounder and fleshier than the Cabernet-driven wines from the southern communes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChâteau Rollan de By is built on about 70 percent Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot making up the rest. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The Merlot and Petit Verdot go through malolactic in French oak barrels, and the wine ages about 12 months in barrel, mostly new French oak. Barrel malolactic and new wood give the wine its plush, toasty texture. 2009 was a warm, sunny Bordeaux year with a hot summer and a very dry September. Merlot ripened early and fully, producing ripe wines with relatively low acidity. This bottle came from a private cellar, and its storage history is unknown. At 17 years old, expect a deep garnet core, then black plum, blackberry, mocha, cedar and tobacco, a round, full body with softened tannin, and a savory finish. Stand it upright for a day and decant off any sediment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe People\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJean Guyon came to wine from a different trade. He followed his father and grandfather into antiques dealing and interior design in Paris before falling for the Médoc. In 1989 he bought Rollan de By, then a tiny holding of about 2 hectares of vines at Bégadan. He cut back the Cabernet Sauvignon, planted more Merlot to match the clay, and brought in consultant Alain Raynaud. Over the following decades he built Domaines Rollan de By around it, adding Château Haut-Condissas, Château Tour Séran, Château La Clare and Château Greysac, all leaning on Merlot. The logic is simple: in the northern Médoc, plant for the clay you have rather than the gravel you wish you had.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Merlot weight and new oak in Rollan de By 2009 call for richer dishes. Braised short ribs in red wine with mashed potatoes work because the round tannin and plum fruit meet the fat and the sauce. Duck confit with lentils and a little bacon brings salt and richness that the wine's acidity can trim. Grilled ribeye with a black pepper crust matches the toasty oak and mocha. This is the bottle for a cold weeknight when you want a mature Bordeaux without saving it for a special occasion.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wilkie Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67950048510175,"sku":null,"price":47.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/PA170564.jpg?v=1792285080","url":"https:\/\/danverwinemerchant.com\/products\/chateau-rollan-de-by-medoc-2009","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}