This is a relatively new (since 2003),
impressive high-end project based in Sadoviy, headed up by French
winemaker Frank Duseigneur. The substantial vineyard holdings are
spread across three neighbouring villages.
Frank Duseigneur
Sauvignon
Blanc harvest
In all, there are 145 hectares of old
vines and 112 hectares of young vines, but not all are in
production. This is because the vineyards are in a state of flux, as
Frank is in the process of reorganizing them. His aim is to uproot
the less good of the old vineyards which are planted in the richest
soils, and replace them with more modern vineyards, closer spaced,
on better soils.
Cabernet
Sauvignon
Winter freezing is a problem here. Every
few years the winter is so cold that some vines die. 2006 and 2010
were bad freezing winters. In 2006 the frost killed so many vines
that 160 hectares were uprooted – these were the old, weak,
virused plots, but the best plots survived.
We
visited a few new vineyards, with modern vertical shoot positioned
canopies, and relatively close row spacing, as well as some older
vineyards with much wider row spacing and rather straggly looking
vines trained on a single wire.
Krasnostop
The winery is still under construction in
places, although the functional bits are finished. It was designed
by the French architect Philippe Mazières,
and looks pretty functional, with lots of nice stainless steel and
modern equipment.
Frank Duseigneur has been involved since
the beginning, in 2003, but recently money has become tight and so
building work continues as wine is sold and cash comes in. The
initial idea had been to build a restaurant and hotel, but current
plans, from the restart of the project in 2006, are less ambitious.
While we were visiting, we also got the chance to meet the owner,
Sergei Zheltov, who is normally based in Moscow.
Older
vineyards
The winery has a capacity of 12 000
hectolitres, and is large enough to process the grapes from about
250 hectares. It has 35 300 hectolitre tanks, and 560 barrels.
Current production level is 750 000 bottles; plans are to increase
this to 1.5 million bottles. Current average retail price is 180
Roubles, which is high by Russian standards.
Inside
the winery
Le
Chene Royal
I was really impressed by these wines.
They’re impressive, made in quite a modern style, but showing good
balance. The top reds are quite serious indeed. The Krasnostop
variety seems pretty interesting, and contributes real character to
the blends.
THE
WINES
Château Le Grand Vostock Selection white 2009 Aligoté and Pinot
Blanc. Lovely precise citrus fruit here with good acidity. Fresh
with a hint of creaminess. 87/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Cuvée Karsov
white 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. Nicely taut and crisp, this is quite Loire-like
with some grassiness and nice density of fruit. Good acidity. This
is really sophisticated. 89/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Cuvée Karsov
red 2009 80 000 bottles made. A blend of Merlot and local variety
Krasnostop. Nice density: ripe, fresh, spicy with lovely intensity
and grip. Modern style, but it still has personality. Good
concentration with ripe fruit and nice structure. Grippy and dense.
91/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Le Chêne Royal
red 2007 A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Krasnostop. 30 000 bottle
production normally, but this year was double that. Rich, bold,
sweet, intense blackcurrant fruit. Ripe and sophisticated. Dense
with nice structure and some minerality. Polished yet structured,
with lots of blackcurrant fruit character. 93/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Le Chêne Royal
white 2008 Chardonnay. Toasty, complex, nutty and bright with some oak
spice and cinnamon notes as well as apple and pear fruit. Complex
but quite oaky. 87/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Selection
Galobok 2009 This is made from a hybrid variety, Galobok, which is more frost
resistant. Amazingly vivid, bright fruits with notes of smoke, meat
and bacon. Powerful, meaty and spicy, with real personality.
Distinctive. 88/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Selection
Cabernet/Saperavi 2009 Vibrant and fresh with bright cherry, plum and blackberry fruit.
Nice presence and some tannic grip. Lovely bright fruit. An
impressive fruit-driven style. 89/100
Château Le Grand Vostock Fagotine 2008 Sauvignon Blanc with 60 g/litre sugar. Rich, bold and sweet
textured with notes of pear, spice and nuts. Spicy with good
texture. 86/100
