It has been 20 years this year since my family chose Piemonte as the base of our secondary family home. This little corner of Italy is a veritable food and wine paradise in the foothills of the Italian Alps with its vine covered hills, medieval hilltop villages and spectacular views. It is not surprising that … Continue reading
It is 28th September and usually the harvest would be just about to start in Bordeaux. This year most producers have their grapes already in the vats transforming and gurgling away and producing wonderful raspberry aromas that fill the region’s wineries. The sun is still shining despite wettish periods in September. We could not say … Continue reading
It was the Saint de Glace a week or so ago. It marks the moment when all fruit growers can heave a sigh of relief – the risk of frost has passed. Too late this year! There were no sighs of relief as the damage had already been done. Winter returned to parts of Bordeaux. … Continue reading
“as it is” – ‘sans poudre aux yeux’ From the village of Saint-Emilion, head towards Pomerol, pass Cheval Blanc and turn right.” Easy to drive past, a small sign in front of a wooded driveway tells us we have safely arrived at the home of Jean-Noël Boidron, Château Corbin Michotte, Grand Cru Saint-Emilion. It is … Continue reading
It has been the 2016 future’s week here in Bordeaux. The 2016 vintage is a great one. Overall the wines have body, rich ripe fruit, structure and freshness. There is some heterogenity depending on terroir’s ability to cope with the dry conditions. The best are already integrated, balanced with ripe fruit and freshness and elegant with … Continue reading
With the boom in wine tourism in Bordeaux, a number of famous working wine châteaux have opened their rooms to guests. Here is your chance to experience the French Art of Living, the life of a châtelaine; luxurious but authentic a real taste of the Bourgeois Bordeaux life. LEFT BANK Haut Médoc: Château du … Continue reading
As the Future’s Week approaches here is some of the background of the recent campaigns to help understand where we are today regarding buying futures 2016. There is no doubt that the vintage is a very good if not great one, but the climate has changed and consumers are preferring to buy ready to drink … Continue reading
As the futures week approaches in Bordeaux we cast our minds back to last year 2016, its climatic pattern and the deep red wine already in barrel about to be judged for the rest of its life. *very wet Spring which filled water tables to the brim *successful flowering period across the varieties although slow … Continue reading
How best to taste Bordeaux Red Wine Every wine has a story and it is our different senses that narrate this step by step, revealing clues as we taste. The Wine’s Appearance We look at the colour of a red wine and compare it to precious stones like ruby or garnet. Its colour can give … Continue reading
Two Michelin stars for restaurants in the city of Bordeaux and two big names Gordon Ramsay at the Grand Hotel’s restaurant Le Pressoir d’Argent and Pierre Gagnaire at La Grande Maison. The other two star restaurants are in the vineyards one in the medieval village of Saint Emilion and one overlooking the vines in the … Continue reading
