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#1 December 2009
Dear ,
 
The recently harvested 2009 vintage - though mostly small volumes -looks like a really promising in most French wine regions. So does 2010 for O Chateau.
We are really happy with our 17th century Royal Cellar. Great historic andO Chateau Louis XV's cellars intimate setting - it is a privilege to operate out of this beautiful venue.
 
As far as new projects go, in the weeks to come, we'll be launching new exciting clases and tastings (stay tuned). Plus we'll soon be able to start shipping wine to the US. It is a tremendously exciting development for us. We hope you are just as excited a we are! Lots of good French wine coming your way soon. 
 
Plus this new newsletter format that we're hoping to send your way on a regular basis. The plan is to provide you with great insights about wine and Paris. Two things we like! We hope you will enjoy this first issue.
 
Kindest regards from delightfully sunny Paris!
 
Olivier Magny
Founder of O Chateau
Latest find 
This one is not a find - it's a prayer. You really cannot go through life without tasting at one point the wines of Chateau Rayas in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Really. Take our word on this one.
It's not cheap but if you're to spend a little money on a bottle of wine - put that one on Chateau Rayas Labelyour list! Their 05s, both white and red are just superb. But Rayas is a reliable buy and an infinite source of pleasure and emotions every time.
 
For amazing value, also look for Chateau Fonsalette's Cotes-du-Rhone, also run by Chateau Rayas' Emmanuel Reynaud.
Taste of Paris

In a recent article for Olive Magazine in the UK, Olivier Magny, sommelier and founder of O Chateau was interviewed to share tips on how to spend a whole day in Paris eating great food on a budget...  
 
Breakfast: Cafe, croissant and jus d'orange at the terrace of Caf� Esmeralda on L'Ile de la Cit�. Croissants, Orange Juice and Coffee for 7.40€  - stunning view and sunrise in front of you included!
Lunch: At Le Reminet. Their three-course menu for lunch at only 13.50€ is not even a steal at that point. Its almost indecent for what is one of the best restaurants in town. Dont spread the word too much about it (let's keep that one in the O Chateau community).
Afternoon break: O Chateau bien sur!! Three glasses of wine and our introductory tasting at O Chateau's cellars for only 20€.- Total deal!
Dinner: Duck lovers on a budget, le Domaine de Lintillac is for you. These guys own a duck farm, so all the magrets, confits and foie gras go straight from the farm to the restaurant. Great prices. The most expensive wine on the wine list will be 25€. Dangerous!!
Blogging... 
...continues at O Chateau. Stuff Parisians Like continues to gather thousands of readers every month. Recent entries include: Sushi,Considering Americans Stupid, and L'Ile Saint-Louis...
 
We also recently launched a new blog called "
Rencontres O Chateau", more focused on wine. There, we present winemakers we like - simple interviews that tell a lot about their personality and their wines. Wine world superstars Nicolas Joly, Olivier Zind-Humbrecht or Etienne Hugel have been amongst our first interviewees. It's a real treat for us to share these interviews with you.
This new world is available in both French and English, should you want to work on your French - you can click
here.
Photo contest
We are currently working hard on a new website. We want to revamp our site and add new features, like the possibility to visualize the themes and wine selection of our upcoming tastings, the possibility to buy wine online... Its a lot of work but all good fun too.  
We want the site to really reflect the spirit of O Chateau, the spirit of our tastings. So we had an idea. Verre twirling
We'd like for you to send us your best pictures taken at an O Chateau Tasting, or wearing an O Chateau Apron, or drinking a bottle you bought at your tasting in Paris.
The best pictures will be published on our site. If your photo makes the cut, we'll be happy to offer you two seats for our soon-to-be-launched 'Masterclass Grands Crus' on your next visit to Paris (that is a face value of 180 euros). All participants to the contest will receive 20% off any of our program.
We look forward to receiving your photos... and don't be shy!! O Chateau is all about having a good laugh!! (even at ourselves...)
 
Photos can be sent at:
[email protected]
Good Pairings 
For this first O Chateau newsletter, let's explore blue cheeses and wine today...
 
France offers fantastic blue cheeses. The blue in blue cheese is called penicillium - which is a form of mold. A traditional habit of us sommeliers is to associate penicillium to botrytis - the mold on the cheese with the "noble rot" that affects grapes. The conjunction of these two concentrations usually makes for a stunning moment. 
 
Blue Cheese & Wine?Mold
+
Mold
=
Gooood!

 
 
 
 
Blue cheeses offer impressive persistence based on acidity - sweetness is a perfect cocoon for that. Ask any Frenchman about the most classical wine and cheese pairing and he will almost systematically respond "Du Roquefort avec du Sauternes". Fair enough!
But let us take you a little bit off-roads here with a few more declinations of this beautiful pairing, all based on contrast and persistence.
 
Here is - for your own enjoyment - a few ideas for pairing French blue cheeses with sweet wines:
 
- Fourme d'Ambert: Jurancon
- Bleu des Causses: Cadillac, Pacherenc de Vic-Bilh
- Young Roquefort: Muscat de Rivesaltes, Alsatian Selection de Grains Nobles
- Older Roquefort: Maury, Banyuls or Vintage Ports 
 
Voila... here's your homework for the holiday season! 
 
Enjoy!!
Life at O Chateau

A few weeks ago, the O Chateau team was invited by one of our  Champagne suppliers for a day out harvesting. So we all took the TGV to Reims in the morning. And off we went!
 
The Monmarthe family greeted us with great generosity. Weather was splendid... we were all a bit drunk at the end of the day but it was a real treat. Sunshine, champagne and tipsiness tend to make for a good day (of work...)!
!
 
Harvest in Champagne
 
More fun pictures of that day in Champagne here...
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