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Another Wine Byte 16: A Little Bit of Blarney
POSTED
Mar, 2010 17
Neither a bit of blarney nor my pointing out the fallacy in his logic will convince him otherwise. “Power” is a fairly common last name albeit often spelled “Powers.” This creates a rather large market for the Power crest. My surname, on the other hand, is not nearly as common, thus providing little incentive for said Irish Goods Store to stock products emblazoned with “Corron.” Second, there are numerous accounts of “Corron” in Irish records, including this one in the Census of Ireland, 1911, in the National Archives. While my Irish origins are not a myth, there is one in the wine world that continues today. No Lucky Charms at Château Haut Brion
Many a sommelier student has heard that Haut-Brion was named such by an Irishman named O’Brian or O’Brien, who wanted to make wine but knew that no Frenchman would consider wine made by an Irishman worthy of his palate. So he adopted a French spelling and pronunciation of the name. But according to Château Haut-Brion archives and local history, nothing could be further from the truth. The estate Château Haut-Brion dates back to April 1525 when Jean de Pontac married Jeanne de Bellon, the daughter of the mayor of Libourne and seigneur of Hault-Brion, who brought to him in her dowry the land. In 1533 bought the mansion of Haut-Brion, while construction of the château was begun in 1549. In 1993 the Dillon family bought Château Haut-Brion, having purchased La Mission Haut-Brion, 10 years prior. It became a part of Domaine Clarence Dillon under the aegis of Joan Dillon, Duchesse de Mouchy, now P.D.G. of the vineyard. “Haut-Brion,” we’re told, comes from an old local dialect and had something to do with a small hill. The next time someone repeats the myth that Château Haut-Brion was once Irish, feel free to dispute that. As for me, yes I am Irish! Éirinn go brách The WineWonkette Trackbacks: Trackback URL View Comments Please subscribe to our feed! Valentine Gifts for the Wine Lover![]() Give in to your lover’s Pinot envy, and select a luscious Pinot Noir. Or perhaps some dessert wine? Nothing says “I love you” like a bottle of Sauternes, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer or Late Harvest Viognier for those who prefer white, or a Port or Port-style wine to pair with chocolate. |Trackbacks: Trackback URL View Comments Please subscribe to our feed! Fantastic Sangria Recipe![]() This is definitely a sangria with some zing. Give it a try on a hot summer afternoon. Trackbacks: Trackback URL View Comments Please subscribe to our feed! Good Wine for BBQ![]() Despite it being a day for solemn remembrance, especially in the times we find ourselves, Memorial Day weekend, for many, also signals the opening of the BBQ and grilling season for many folks. Being in Texas, that season never ends, but for a lot of people this is the weekend when they break out the [...] |Trackbacks: Trackback URL View Comments Please subscribe to our feed! Robert Mondavi![]() This week Robert Mondavi died. Mondavi was very influential in the creation of America’s wine industry as we know it today. His early success developing techniques for both wine making and marketing for American, and later global, tastes allowed him to later donate millions of dollars to institutions such as UC Davis that also assisted [...] Trackbacks: Trackback URL View Comments Please subscribe to our feed! |
















