Estates & Wines presents wines at Le Grand Tasting

One of the most prestigious events on the French wine calendar, Le Grand Tasting took place this year on November 28-29 at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. Several LVMH Houses participated in the event, including Estates & Wines, the wine division of Moët Hennessy, which hosted a master class on its Argentinean wines.

Estates & Wines, Moët & Chandon, Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot were all on hand for the 2014 edition of Le Grand Tasting, showcasing their exceptional vintages. The 5,000-plus visitors had a unique opportunity to discover the savoir-faire of the houses, whose winegrowers and cellar masters presented the wines and led tastings.

A high point of this year’s event was a master class with Jean-Guillaume Prats, President and CEO of Möet-Hennessy Estates & Wines, who detailed the distinctive features and excellence of Argentina’s terroir. The vineyards of Estates & Wines in the country are situated on high plains between 1,000 and 1,800 meters in altitude, giving the grapes remarkable freshness and elegant finesse

Attendees had a chance to taste four distinctive wines made by Estates & Wines in Argentina: a premium sparkling wine from Chandon Argentina and three reds. Terrazas de los Andes and its premium Terrazas de los Andes Single Vineyard wine are assembled exclusively from a grape variety that has virtually disappeared from France, Malbec. Another Argentine wine produced since 1999 is Cheval des Andes, born from the fusion of the exceptional winemaking savoir-faire of Château Cheval Blanc and the high-altitude vineyards of Las Compuertas. The 2010 vintage is an assemblage of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot from vines that average 74 years old. The powerful yet elegant wine expresses the harmonious collaboration between Pierre Lurton, director of Château Cheval Blanc, and the Argentine teams of Terrazas de los Andes.

In concluding his master class, Jean-Guillaume Prats noted that the four wines produced by Estates & Wines are emblematic of the export success enjoyed by Argentine wines, which are perfectly matched to the tastes of today’s wine lovers.