Dog’s Life Lessons

Perhaps we could learn alot from them... Alfie Many wine lovers who come to Bordeaux on my tours are also #dogpeople which got me thinking. We have a lot to learn from dogs in this current situation. #doglifelessonsStretch before rising.Run, romp and play daily.Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.Take naps.Drink lots of water.When you’re happy, dance …

Sip Private Wine Tours extends to Rioja and the Douro

private relaxed tours that privilege meeting the smaller winemakers and producers In addition to Private Wine Tours in Bordeaux France and Piemonte, Italy, SIP Wine Tours now offers tours to Spain and Portugal. Benjamin in the traditional stone lagar helping out some small producer friends during harvest in the Douro Valley, Portugal Our new partner …

Virus and the Vines

Spring flower bouquet This Last Week – St Emilion, France Written 19 March, 2020 Well here I am having spent the last week under the weather, not in a bed ridden fevered state but in a ‘really not feeling well’ (sore throat and cough) must take it easy way. Perhaps it is THE virus, perhaps …

See Bordeaux from an authentic Oyster boat

One of my most fun memories from last season as a private wine and food guide was sipping at fresh white Bordeaux wine while seeing my favorite city from a different angle, from its life-line that goes straight through the city, the Garonne River. The setting sun behind St Michel spire and the Pont de …

Bordeaux Book Sip by Sip by Nicolle Croft

a personal story over 30 years, wine guide to visiting what is important in the region and finding good value in this exceptional wine terroir. Gail Barnett Copyright Its been 30 years since I arrived on the quayside in Bordeaux city, weary from my travels in this funny tin can of a car (a 2CV) …

Cruel Summer 2019 – Red Bordeaux

As the the Banarama girls said, 'its been a cruel summer...' with some really hot spells up to 40°C (like 1990 and 2003) heatwave in June and July but overall they were shortlived and the vines did not seem to suffer too much (even the young ones that dont have the deep roots). Soon this …

Do we need new grape varieties in Bordeaux?

To cope with global warming (yes it is having an impact already here in Bordeaux) hotter climate foreign varieties are to be given the green card - (see article on this blog) and new hybrid grape varieties are being created. Yet recently with the advance in DNA analysis, a dozen or so ancient varieties native …

Finding St Emilion’s Hidden treasures (even without a Name)

Not far from St Emilion, one of the France's most well-known wine villages, lies a simple family winery that has withstood the test of time. Leaving the village and passing infront of the prestigious classified Château Pavie, then Larcis Ducass and Bellefont Belcier, take the next on the right at the crossroads - its the …

A for Amphora, learning Bordeaux’s new ageing alphabet

The new wine is now ready, and I love visiting the warm chais (above ground cellars in Bordeaux) this time of year when the leaves are turning golden and temperatures are autumnal. The wine has taken all it needs from the skins which have now been removed. The wine is now ready for the next …

Harvest 2019 Bordeaux with lots of smiles

The sun is shining today after some much needed rain which fell in short sharp bursts since last weekend (21/22 Sept). Its Sunday (29 Sept) and no-one is rushing to harvest. Gone are the days where the stress impelled producers to harvest in a rush over a few days that ran on from each other. …