The 1952 Margaux-based Brane-Cantenac has enjoyed heated bidding in the international auction market, with an estimated $900 retail value as a Second growth estate vintage.

In the 2,000 year history of the wine world, Classified Growth Bordeaux still retains its magic, value and allure. Created in 1735, Margaux-based Château Brane-Cantenac caught the roving eye of the “Donald Trump” of the Bordeaux wine world in 1833: Baron Hector de Brane. By all accounts Brane was quite the socialite, and despite his vibrant personality, he had a deep scientific educational background and was largely responsible in identifying Cabernet Sauvignon as the Médoc’s ‘premier grape.’ By the time of the 1855 classification, Brane-Cantenac achieved the lofty second Growth classification.

Today the château is under the direction of the charming Henri Lurton, whose family bought the estate in 1925. Unlike many château owners who live in Paris and hire a vineyard manager to look after their property, Henri Lurton lives near his vines and can be seen in the vineyard almost daily, examining the grounds or overseeing trellising work. Near harvest, he tastes the grapes for ripeness in addition to sending the results for laboratory analysis. Recently, he invested in an optical sorter in addition to handpicking, which ensures that only the ripest grapes make the first wine.

Why this dedication? Perhaps it’s due to the fact that as eldest son, Henri received Brane-Cantenac, the family’s most prestigious estate, while the other nine siblings were bequeathed lesser estates.

Or that in the winery, the year “1925” (the year of the family’s acquisition) is carved into the wall, reminding Henri daily about his grandfather’s dedication to the brand. Either way, the highly credentialed owner holds oenology degrees from many institutions, including the University of Bordeaux, and as a young man worked in South Africa, Australia and Chile to perfect his skills and learn the newest technology in the industry.

Brane-Cantenac is one of the first Classified Growth estates to make this expensive investment of the optical sorter, signifying its continued desire to move toward the modern age and create the finest wines on the market.

Vintage variation is so crucial in Bordeaux there can be a several hundred dollar difference from one vintage to the next. The 1952 vintage sells for nearly $900 on the international online market — a very rare occurrence due to an excellent vintage. On the nose, the wine is fresh and lively, with concentrated black fruit on the palate and the kind of acidity and balance with firm tannins, which is responsible for its incredible longevity.

Many people assume that the older the wine, the better. While this is usually true for Classified Growth Bordeaux, Burgundy and Barolo, at some point (typically 15 to 20 years) the wines plateau and then slowly fall apart. The freshness of Brane-Cantenac’s 1952 is a testament to the vintage and the skill of the Lurtons as winemakers.

French tradition dictates that the most expensive and rare wines are served at the end of the meal, and usually with cheese. And in the case of the 1952, this is an appropriate choice as the wine still has incredible acidity and concentrated depth of fruit, yet the tannin is softer, and not as appropriate for steak as it would have been in its prime.

Brane-Cantenac, +33.557.888.333, www.brane-cantenac.com

Take a private luxury tour of Scotland’s great distilling regions.

Is it whisky or whiskey? Is older whisky better whisky? Ray Pearson, who has spent a lifetime exploring the nuances of whiskies, answers all these questions and more on an exceptional 11-day Luxury Whisky Tour hosted by Thistle Dubh Enterprises, LLC. Even if you know all the answers—in fact, especially if you do—each day will be a little bit of heaven, and not just because of the Mercedes bus transportation that puts the luxury in this luxury tour.

From your first day in Scotland, you will be granted private tours and tastings, including tastings of some cask-strength whiskies not available to the hoi polloi, at distilleries representing the famous names in Scotch whisky. Pearson will be on hand, along with distillery representatives, to point out the interplay of scents and flavors that make each individual malt distinctive and to help you understand the different regional distilling styles.

At Glengoyne, you will taste the results of the slowest distilling process of all Scottish single malts: subtle, complex flavors redolent of the Spanish sherry oak casks in which the spirits mature. At Auchentoshen, expect to be exposed to the luscious results of the distiller’s distinctive triple-distilling process. In Campbeltown, once home to three dozen distilleries and now famous as the home of one celebrated survivor, the iconic Springbank, you will experience true, handmade single malts, all of them exhibiting the merest hint of the briny tang that is the hallmark of the brand. On the island of Islay, at Bowmore, in a warehouse set below sea level, tastings might venture toward special bottlings matured in bourbon and sherry casks; these whiskies are richly gold in hue, beautifully balanced yet also beautifully complex. Nearby Ardbeg, home to the world’s most peaty whisky, is renowned for its muscular, creatively-named Rollercoaster release and the powerful Supernova, scented with peat, chocolate and citrus and tasting of more peat, oak and a bit of ash. Laphroaig, which will be visited on the fourth day of the trip, is the only distillery to be awarded the Prince of Wales’ Royal Warrant. If fortune is with you, there might be the opportunity to sample the Laphroaig 10-Year Cask Strength, a whisky aromatic with peat, sweetness and a tinge of orange, or the prize Double Matured Distiller’s Edition, perfumed with honey, black pepper and fruit, and rife with complex undertones. At Ben Nevis Distillery, located at the foot of the highest mountain in the British Isles, you might pick up a bottle of the expansively flavored, multiple award winning Ben Nevis 10–Year-Old Single West Highland Malt 46 percent, redolent of citrus and oak but with an irresistible sweetness and a long, complex finish. Tobermory Distillery, located in the Highlands subregion known as the Islands, makes a nonpeated malt as well as a peated whisky sold under the name Ledaig, both every bit as enjoyable as the short ride in a Zodiac-like inflatable boat it takes to get there. At Tomatin Distillery, look to taste one of the rich, mellow and delicately flavored expressions and pick up a bottle of the Tomatin 1980, an extremely limited edition matured in oak barrels that once held bourbon, as aromatic as an orchard ready for harvest, full-bodied and creamy, tasting of spice and orange peel, and with a long, satisfying finish.

However, this trip is not all about distilleries. The trip also includes a stop at a cooperage to watch whisky barrels being made and charred, visits to famous historic houses used in movies and television shows, a train ride across the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct and a Loch Ness cruise, not to mention views of the spectacular Scottish scenery, from the Highlands to sea-swept islands and lovely Speyside.

Still, the tastings are what make this tour stand out. At the penultimate stop, the world-famous Quaich Bar at the Craigellachie House in Speyside, 700 whiskies line the walls, presided over by an in-house specialist who conducts nosing and tasting sessions. Here a wee dram goes for anywhere from £2 to a not-so-wee £275. As the grand finale, at a private dinner in the Whisky Room at the Scotch Malt Society Vaults in Leith you will be invited to sample exclusive Society bottlings at cask strength, a more potent form than is usually available for sale. After this trip, you’ll never look at a bottle of Scotch in the same way again.

What better way to celebrate than to hop on your jet and fly to France to create your own champagne. This bespoke champagne service, offered by Perrier-Jouet, allows you to fashion the Belle Époque Blanc de Blancs Vintage 2000 to your own personal tastes.

Only 100 people will be able to enjoy this service, so your unique champagne will be sure to please. This truly truly amazing experience, which includes a case of 12 bottles of your personal champagne, costs about 50,000 euro, or $66,425 (estimated). For more information, contact Krista Drew at 914-848-4743.

-www.perrier-jouet.com

The Affluent Page

Giorgio Gucci, part of the well respected “House of Gucci” family, is celebrating 10 years of success for his “Giorgio G” label of modern luxury clothing and accessories with the addition of an exquisite cognacs line.

After selling the shares of his stock in the family business, Giorgio, and his business partner Joseph Shor embarked on a fashion journey with the “Giorgio G” label, which has now led them to create a liquor designed for the tastes of their well-heeled customers.

“My goal is to come up with top-quality liquors to match our trademark of elegance, luxury and exclusiveness,” said Giorgio of his newest venture.

Giorgio has created this line of limited edition cognac for your tasting pleasure. Only 1,000 bottles of the Special Limited Edition exist, and many of those have already been auctioned off.

This luscious liquor is full-bodied, yet well balanced and has a taste that is easy to swallow. The cognac is gold in color and has hints of Jasmine, elder, honeysuckle and a light vanilla aroma. All grapes used in the cognac come from the vineyards in the famed Premier Cru of the Cognac region in Grande Champagne, France.

Each handcrafted bottle is delicately decorated with 24 karat gold and hand engraved with a serial number, for proof of authenticity.

The cognac is available for purchase from the Emperor’s Brand website. Price is available upon request.

So give a toast to a good life, and an unforgettable cognac. Cheers!

-The Affluent Page

www.emperorsbrand.com

The Macallan Single Malt Whiskey announced legendary Albert Watson to be the next photography partnership in their Masters of Photography 2.

Watson is a world renowned celebrity, fashion and art photography. He has shot posters for Hollywood movies such as, Kill Bill, Memoirs of a Gesha, The Da Vinci Code, as well as shooting over 200 covers for Vogue and Rolling Stone magazine. He has named one of the 20 most influential photographers of all time by Photo District News.

Inspired by the casks wood, Watson captured its journey from tree to distillery over the course of ten days. Starting from the South of Spain, to the North of Scotland, he documented the people and landscapes behind the elaborate production process.

The Macallan is a recognized leader within the Scotch Whiskey industry. The Masters of Photography 2 offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the creative craftsmanship, of a brand’s story. There are 36 bottles available for 10,000 Euro each.

-The Affluent Page

www.themacallan.com

On April 16^th and 17^th, the legendary steakhouse Smith & Wollensky will host the Spring Auction of Zachy’s Wine Auction.

At nearly 2,000 lots, Zachy’s will display some of the world’s most fine and rare wines from every major viticultural region. Beginning at 9:30 at Smith & Wollenky’s flagship location – 49^th Street and 3^rd Avenue in Manhattan, New York – individuals will be able to bid on all sizes of wine, from half bottles, all the way up to the staggering 12-liter bottles.

Among the 2,000 lots, Chateau Latour has been creating an overwhelming buzz in their pre-sale estimates, with their 2000 bottle reaching up to $11,000. In addition Zachy’s will feature the Chateau Latour 2001 (Est. $2,400-3,600), Chateau Latour 2002 (Est. $2,400-3,600), Chateau Latour 2003 (Est. $6,000-9,000), Chateau Angelus 2000 (Est. $2,400-3,600), and Chateau Lynch Bages 2000 (Est. $1,500-2,200).

As in all Zachy’s Auctions, individuals are invited to register bidders to bring wines from their own collections to pairs with the Smith & Wollensky lunches (free of corkage charge). With the purchase of the $75 ticket, Smith & Wollensky will offer a lunch comprised of grand seafood bouquets, fresh salads, dry-aged USDA prime steaks, Maine lobster, and lemon-pepper chicken, all served with the traditional side dishes, and their famous house made desserts. Reservations are required for seating, so call 914-313-2321, to reserve a place among onelogy royalty.

-Affluent Page

[Zachy's]

The legendary artist, photographer, and furniture designer, Ilya Piganov has exclusively agreed to represent his unique style on the package of the limited edition Chivas Regal 18 Y.O.

Covered with slim layers of parchment and laquer, the Chivas Regal 18 Y.O. package will display five pictures (photo prints), performed in an elite style.

Conceived out of several photos, Ilya Piganov makes a tapestry of repeated elements, which blend in beautifully with the surrounding parchment. In the past, Piganov’s art has been displayed at Sotheby’s and more than 40 galleries and museums internationally.

Due to the extravagant nature of the product, Chivas Regal will only release 500 individually numbered gift packs with one art work reproduction per 100 packs. Collectively, the works construct a special tube, where the bottle will be placed for premier protection. Chivas Regal celebrates the 18 Y.O. with these regal aesthetics to complement the refined spirit of their whiskey.

-Affluent Page

[Chivas Regal]