Chocolats au Confit de Vin
Artisanal Bordeaux Wine-Filled Chocolates

OUR STORY

All of the wine used in Appellation Sensations products is traceable to one source – Chateau La Gatte, Bordeaux.

Chateau La Gatte is a 17th century wine-producing property located in the once-Roman villa of Saint Andre de Cubzac, on Bordeaux’s famed Right Bank, southwestern France. The 10-bedroom “maison noble” dates to 1646 then was restored by the celebrated architect Victor Louis in 1785. The chateau was built – many believe – for nearby Marquis de Latour du Pin’s mistress, Lucille, who somehow escaped the guillotine then fled to Albany, New York somewhere around 1790.

After the French Revolution drove out the Nobility of Chateau La Gatte, the Chateau changed hands, then was repeatedly pillaged by insurgents. It was then transformed into a prostitution house somewhere in the period between 1890-1910. The chateau enjoyed many “decades in decadence” and was finally closed by the police in 1979. No one had actually lived in the chateau itself since the 19th century.

In the late 1970s, Pierre Pauvif took over some of the parcels at La Gatte and started producing wine under the chateau name (previous to this, the grapes were farmed out to various vintners). An excellent vigneron, Pauvif proved instrumental in restoring the vineyard and bringing the quality up to Grand Vin level.

In 2004, Pauvif sold Chateau La Gatte and its 13 hectares (approximately 28 acres) to the Franco-American couple Helene and Michael Affatato, who had first met during Michael’s visit to Chateau Latour in 1991.

Hélène, born in 1967, is a graduate of a Bordeaux Business school in international Trade and has held executive positions in Public Relations and Sales for Chateau Latour, Chateau Rauzan-Ségla and Domaine Florentin in the Rhone Valley. Co-owner of Chateau La Gatte, Hélène is General Manager, Wine Maker, and Director of Domestic Sales as well as head of the Bed & Breakfast division.

Michael, born in 1965, is a graduate of F.I.T. State University of New York in Advertising and, after a 1990 visit to Napa Valley encouraged him to leave Advertising, he worked the retail wine trade in Manhattan, then on to importing/distributing before moving to France in 1997 where he was executive of Sales and Marketing for Maison Chapoutier in the Rhone, covering the UK and American markets (North, Central & South). Co-owner of Chateau La Gatte, Michael is the Vineyard Manager, Wine Maker and Director of Export Sales.

Helene and Michael have two daughters, Chloé, born in Brooklyn in 1996 and Pauline, born in Ardèche, France in 2000.
Since the takeover, Helene and Michael have gone on to renovate and update the cellars and vineyards at Chateau La Gatte, and now craft 5 different types of wine, all from their own vines: Dry Rose, Dry White and three types of Red. The wines are exported to 15 different countries worldwide and available at the Chateau itself as well. For more details, please email Michael at: Michael.Affatato@orange.fr

A B & B is also now on premises. Once a Prostitution House, Helene and Michael have cleaned up and renovated this old chateau into a Bed and Breakfast. Sponsored by the Gites de France, there are currently three large bedrooms rented, all with private bathrooms. Ornate, antique furniture and fixtures adorn each room, and the guests can enjoy the majestic splendor of large windows, high ceilings and period detail, which reflects the aristocracy of the 18th century in France. A full breakfast is included in the price and, upon request, guests can enjoy a tour of the vineyard and cellars. Wines and wine-infused products are sold directly at the chateau. For rates and availability, please email: Michael.Affatato@orange.fr

APPELLATION SENSATIONS
One day, a woman named Corinne knocked at the Chateau door and proposed her hand-crafted wine-infused concoctions to Helene. Corinne was simply asking Helene for some of La Gatte’s red wine in bulk for Corinne to simmer in a pot with sugar and a touch of fruit pectin to make her “confit de vin” which she would then fill her dark chocolates with. The result was astounding and the taste tests – done by several dozen persons in the food and wine business – was unanimous: no other chocolatier had ever come close to creating such finesse and complexity in one bite. Helene and Michael started selling these creations directly from the Chateau with good success, but things really took hold the following Spring when Michael brought a dozen bars to New York, where a large group of wine tasters leapt out of their seats, practically assaulting Michael for more.

This got Michael and Helene thinking about export, and they have since started not only commercializing the chocolates, but experimenting with other wine-infused items, such as Helene’s home-made Sel au Vin (wine salts), small-batch flavored mustards and dipping chocolates – all of which are described on this website and available for direct purchase.
Get yours HERE, DIRECT: APPELLATION SENSATIONS