Monday, 22 September 2024
The fourth edition of Bordeaux Mentor Week commenced with an immersive and inspiring day at the renowned Château Bellefont-Belcier. Scholars were warmly welcomed by Jean-Christophe Meyrou, Managing Director, alongside Marine Gadais, Marketing Manager and her assistant Chloé Darrigrand.

We started with a traditional French breakfast of coffee and croissants, during which Jane Anson signed and distributed her book Inside Bordeaux to each scholar to serve as a valuable reference throughout the visits.

Following the welcome, scholars were introduced to Château Bellefont-Belcier’s Technical Director, Emmanuelle Fulchi Aligny, who led a tour of the fermentation tanks and barrel rooms while harvest activities were underway. Participants observed harvest reception, destemming, and density sorting before donning boots and taking to the vineyards. Guided by Emmanuelle and Vineyard Manager Laurent Peneau, scholars learned the essentials of grape selection, vine health, and species identification before harvesting their own baskets of grapes.

From the vineyards, the group set out to explore the terroir firsthand by cycling through limestone and clay soils in rainy conditions, with some choosing to join Jean-Christophe by golf cart. Along the route, Jean-Christophe offered insights into the concept of terroir. The journey concluded at Château Tour Saint Christophe, where a much-anticipated lunch was prepared by Edwige, guardian of Château Bellefont-Belcier. Over lunch, scholars shared introductions while enjoying wines from Château de Rey.

The afternoon program included a visit to Château Laroque, where Managing Director David Suire and his team demonstrated pigeage and remontage. A comparative tasting highlighted the influence of soil differences.

Scholars took to heart David Suire’s memorable advice:
“Decant half the bottle, taste one glass from the bottle, one from the decanter — you’ll watch the same wine evolve two ways in one sitting.”

The group then cycled to the prestigious Château Ausone, where Alain Vauthier and his son Edouard welcomed scholars to the historic limestone cellars. Participants experienced their first barrel tasting of the week—a 2024 blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot—followed by a tasting of Château Ausone 2015.

The day continued with a visit to Château Tertre Roteboeuf, where legendary winemaker François Mitjaville shared his profound reflections on terroir, mythology, and vintages. Scholars tasted the 2024 Tertre Roteboeuf from barrel and concluded with a 2004 Roc de Combes, ending the visit with deep inspiration and insight.

Afterwards, the scholars returned to Château Bellefont-Belcier to dispose of the cycles and change out of muddy clothes and boots. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Howard Kwok, estate owner alongside his father Peter.

From there, the group departed for their final destination of the day: Château George 7, owned by Sally Evans. Arriving just before sunset, the scholars were captivated by Sally’s motivational story of purchasing the estate in her 50s and beginning her winemaking journey.

At Château George 7, scholars explored the winemaking room and cellar, learning how Evans manages operations on a small estate scale compared to larger vineyard owners. The visit concluded with a tasting of her wines, paired with homemade vegetarian delicacies prepared by Evans herself. Scholars were also treated to a preview of a new cuvée set to be launched later in the week, Or de George 7, for which their feedback was eagerly welcomed.

Later, the scholars climbed into the vans, tired yet enriched with the knowledge and experiences gathered throughout the day.

Friday, 26th September
For the last morning, we made our way to the heart of Bordeaux.

Our first stop was L’Intendant Grands Vins de Bordeaux, where we enjoyed a quick but enriching visit. We then continued on to 67 Pall Mall, where the director, Lorraine Carignan, gave us a tour of the under-construction property. The building beautifully blends the elegance of Bordeaux’s architecture with the essence of 67 Pall Mall.

As Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS reminded us:
“A key part of becoming a great taster is deepening your theory knowledge so that you can call a wine when it’s in front of you in the glass.”

There, Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS, Head of Wines for Europe, had organised a fascinating tasting of Bordeaux-style blends from across the New World. We explored how climate, soil, and altitude shape wines—an exploration of terroir at its finest. Following the tasting and Kathrine’s insights, we enjoyed a lovely lunch and later strolled by the Miroir d’Eau before heading back to our home for the week, Château Bellefont-Belcier.

Upon arrival, Jean Christophe, alongside David Suire of Château Laroque, surprised us with a special activity: tasting various red and white grape varieties authorised in the Bordeaux region. This was followed by an extraordinary vintage tasting of Château Bellefont-Belcier and Larcis Ducasse.

The scholars then prepared for their video interviews, sharing their reflections on the week.

As Gaius Yerima said:
“The Bordeaux Mentor Week has been nothing short of transformative, an experience that deepened my knowledge, broadened my vision, and truly changed my life. More than mentorship, it is a journey that turns passion into purpose.”

As evening drew closer, everyone dressed elegantly for the gala dinner, and guests began to arrive at the château.

The night opened with photos, Champagne, and canapés as the scholars were introduced to the audience of 50 industry professionals and journalists. We were honored to have Howard Kwok, owner of Château Bellefont-Belcier and our host for the entire week, join us for the celebration.

Dinner was a highlight in itself: Chef Kafui crafted a remarkable four-course African menu, each paired with three wines carefully selected by Jean Christophe, who added his signature touch of blind-tasting games.

Formalities began with a heartfelt welcome speech by Christian Holthausen, Head of Communications for our founding sponsors, the Gerard Basset Foundation and Bordeaux Mentor Week.

Generous sponsors then recognised and rewarded the scholars:

Preston Mohr, Managing Director of the Wine Scholar Guild, awarded Bordeaux Masters Course materials to every scholar.

Hermione Ireland, Managing Director at Académie du Vin Library, invited the scholars to select books of their choice to be sent to them.

Penfolds, in a first-time sponsorship, represented by Pablo Laborde, offered scholar Roxanne d’Souza an immersive one-week experience in Australia, where she will be getting an immersion in the Penfolds/Treasury Wine Estates company. She will be visiting Magill Estate, Adelaide, Participate in Collection Release, visit Barossa Valley including the iconic Block 42 vineyard, visit Mobius Farms to learn about circular solutions to waste, and visit both the National Wine Centre and the Australian Wine Research Institute.

67 Pall Mall, also a first-time sponsor, presented a three-month work experience opportunity to Gaius Yerima, with the award given by Lorraine Carignan and Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS.

Certificates were presented to the scholars by Tanmay Rathod, a first-year alumnus who has since become part of the organising team, and Sarah Abdel Nour, also from the very first edition, who now takes care of social media and marketing. Together with Jane and Chinedu, they have been integral to Bordeaux Mentor Week — from launching the application process, to helping select this year’s eight scholars, to supporting them throughout the journey.

As Raul Toscano reflected:
“The Bordeaux Mentor Week experience has been nothing less than inspiring thanks to our moms in wine, Jane and Chinedu. The passion and dedication from my fellow mentees to help revitalise the wine industry and usher in a new perspective has me even more excited to be on this journey with them.”

The night concluded in the most joyful way — everyone dancing their hearts out.

And just like that, another unforgettable edition of Bordeaux Mentor Week came to a close.