A question about wine- any wine experts?

[Silas Thorne]

My friend aBIGsheep is writing a story, and he included the name of a wine Chteau Margaux. I at first thought that it must be Chateau Margaux. He advised me to look online for it and I found it spelt both ways..why is this?

I've seen 'Cht' in some words, but they mostly come from the Greek, like chthonic. But this word clearly (at least I think so) refers to Chateau.

Puzzled and perplexed
Silas

[Virgil]

That's not a wine question. It's a French question. :D The one French bottle of wine that I currently have unopened spells it Chateau. I've never seen it otherwise. Is Bigsheep sure about that?

[Silas Thorne]

Well, I searched online and I also saw it spelt 'Chteau', which confused me a great deal. :) Check out this:

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=1467315

...so it might be a wine question after all. Maybe there's a reason why the 'a' disappeared at some period in time.

[Niamh]

Hey dont forget Chasse to make it all even more confusing!! :p

[Taliesin]

Nor Chthulhu.

[Niamh]

One of my favourite red wines is Le Chateau Neuf Du Pape, but i have bought it as Le Chasse Du Pape as well. Obviously the Le Chasse is the lesser quality, although it is almost the same price.

[Emil Miller]

My friend aBIGsheep is writing a story, and he included the name of a wine Chteau Margaux. I at first thought that it must be Chateau Margaux. He advised me to look online for it and I found it spelt both ways..why is this?

I've seen 'Cht' in some words, but they mostly come from the Greek, like chthonic. But this word clearly (at least I think so) refers to Chateau.

Puzzled and perplexed
Silas

There is no way I know of that it can be pronounced as shown. I have been drinking wine all too regularly for 30 years and have never once seen it spelled like that. I shall telephone Christies tomorrow and ask what is going on.

[Silas Thorne]

I've seen 'Cht' in some words, but they mostly come from the Greek, like chthonic.

But Taliesin, Chthulhu seems also to have been derived from the Greek chthonic too. ..
'Chthonic' refers to 'underground'. Lovecraft imagines a race of 'Chthonian' Gods.

[Silas Thorne]

Sorry, a little lazy. I don't know why I quoted myself, it just seems silly. :)

[wessexgirl]

Are you sure it wasn't just a misspelling online? It's easy to do, after all, having just quoffed a couple of glasses of red, I had to check this post as I'd misspelled things :lol:?

[Silas Thorne]

Are you sure it wasn't just a misspelling online? It's easy to do, after all, having just quoffed a couple of glasses of red, I had to check this post as I'd misspelled things :lol:?

:)
Did you check out the Christies' auction information on the link above? I don't think they would have tried to auction the wine off to connoisseurs or wine lovers with a spelling mistake, though.

[aBIGsheep]

I just looked up expensive wine names online and that was one of the first results. Powpow. I didn't really think the name was important enough to warrant a whole thread on wine.

But, thanks all the same.

[Silas Thorne]

Just intrigued... but I'm not sure if I can find the answer. I've always been OK at spelling, and interested to know more about this word 'Chteau'....actually, just found something now, as I write. It looks like its a perfectly acceptable alternative for the word chateau:

http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/news-headlines/5990-chteau-lagrezette-appoints-new-canadian-agent.html

So I think you can feel free to use it.:)

[Skooter]

I checked my French dictionary (Le Petit Robert) and Chteau is not in it. It's not mentioned in the entry for 'château' either.
Personally, I would think it just happens when typing 'â' goes wrong? Can't be sure though!

[Emil Miller]

Just intrigued... but I'm not sure if I can find the answer. I've always been OK at spelling, and interested to know more about this word 'Chteau'....actually, just found something now, as I write. It looks like its a perfectly acceptable alternative for the word chateau:

http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/news-headlines/5990-chteau-lagrezette-appoints-new-canadian-agent.html

So I think you can feel free to use it.:)

I have just spoken to Christies and they cannot trace that lot no. as it was advertised in 1999 but, according to the person I spoke to, it would appear to be a misspelling. She said that all their current catalogue sales are showing the correct spelling of chateau.
I tried to contact Harpers but directory enquiries didnt have their number.

[Silas Thorne]

I have just spoken to Christies and they cannot trace that lot no. as it was advertised in 1999 but, according to the person I spoke to, it would appear to be a misspelling. She said that all their current catalogue sales are showing the correct spelling of chateau.
I tried to contact Harpers but directory enquiries didnt have their number.

Thanks for that. :)

[Taliesin]

But Taliesin, Chthulhu seems also to have been derived from the Greek chthonic too. ..
'Chthonic' refers to 'underground'. Lovecraft imagines a race of 'Chthonian' Gods.

That's interesting. I didn't know that.
Now I don't have all the fuss between telling the difference the things that are underground (like homemade jam in cellar in our countryside house) and the Elder Gods.
Actually, to think about those jars of jam, they are certainly elder (well, older than me, for starters) and there is a certain dread aspect to them. They do look a bit ominous as they lay dreaming their baleful dreams in mind-disturbing, Escher-like patterns on the floor of my cellar, very slowly humming their deep, upsettling songs.

[Silas Thorne]

Yes, I agree with you about the sinister aspect of jam....there's a brand of jam in NZ with a name suspiciously close to Azathoth...:) I think it's called Anathoth.