Some very nice wines (see my favorites below) made with even increased precision of winemaking but generally not the finesse of 2016s. It was a hot summer so alcohol levels can be high and some wines are tannic and lack freshness. But there are some real success stories as we understand better and better with … Continue reading
What’s the connection you may ask between the ewe’s milk cheese made in the Pyrenees mountains and Bordeaux? (and it goes without saying of course the sweet milk fed lamb speciality of the Medoc region around Pauillac marry superbly with the fruity red rich wines of Bordeaux) Traditionally in the winter when grass is covered … Continue reading
I love the earthy, fruity tones of armagnac particularly after a heavy meal here in Bordeaux. Yet we have all been north to Cognac and enjoyed its polished and smooth flavours and slick marketing but never thought to make the trip south to Armagnac, the most ancient brandy dating back some 700 years. I organise … Continue reading
2018. Nature has made it good, perhaps very good. It is still in the barrel, aging, developing, sleeping, growing in density, becoming smoother more refined. Its elements of tannin, fruit, acidity beginning to mesh together in harmony due to the gradual micro-oxygenation that is taking place through the wood’s grain. But it is still a … Continue reading
– tailor-made visits that focus on the vineyards Don’t worry when you visit premier grand cru classé Troplong Mondot, they provide you with all you need even rubber boots so you can get to the grass roots of wine production. Photo Yves Samuel Just as well as the vines are the subject here and a … Continue reading
Come to Bordeaux in-between Christmas and new year in 2019 and enjoy a series of food and wine tasting sessions and cooking classes with your own chef! Here is some text from my book about the region’s specialities to whet your appetite”Bordeaux Sip by Sip – getting to the heart of Bordeaux.” Bordeaux’s Food Specialities … Continue reading
This text comes from my book which is about to be published ‘Bordeaux Sip by Sip – getting to the heart of Bordeaux Wine’. The label is almost all wine enthusiasts have to go on. They look for any clue that might lead them to a good wine, something that they have heard of, or … Continue reading
Bordeaux’s Châteaux open at the weekends After breakfast on the Sunday quayside market in Bordeaux (fancy oysters and a glass of white wine?) head off to the vineyards for a visit and tasting and some of Bordeaux’s most famous châteaux that are open all hours (but make sure to pre-book by email in advance!). ST … Continue reading
Good yields of concentrated ripe fruity wine with good structure. Those that did not suffer from too much loss from the Mildew which was prevalent in the wet spring, have nothing to complain about in 2018. Piles of purple crumbly skins are starting to appear outside the ‘chai’ of the region. There are smiles as … Continue reading
Bordeaux is not California or anywhere else in the wine world where cheapest prices are found at source. In Bordeaux the châteaux do not sell their wine around the world, they sell it on exclusively to a specialised wine merchants based in the city of Bordeaux (négociants) who do all of their commercial work for … Continue reading
