Who Is Olivier Cassat?

He's a French winemaker who speaks very passionately about his grapes. When I was traveling in Bordeaux last week, I ventured to the esteemed appellation of St. Emilion and Cassat gave me a prearranged tour of his vineyard operations.

As is the case with other St. Emilions, Cassat's Chateau Mauvezin (Grand Cru) wines are made up primarily of Merlot with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

As we tasted a few of his recent vintages, I was impressed to see Cassat get that pensive expression on his face as he sipped his wine, trying to assess its fullness and aging potential. I got the sense that he looks that way every single time he tastes his wines.

The following day, I drove to the Medoc and visited Chateau Mouton Rothschild, but that visit, although interesting, had more of a self-promotional, aren't-you-lucky-to-be-here feel to it.