Biodynamic Pontet Canet out on a limb – Comme ‘the wine has only one jury and that is the consumers’

There is a quote I like about being like a tree. It reminds me of the biodynamic wine producer Pontet Canet in Pauillac and their philosophy on making wine which seems to be 'ruffling feathers' in the world of wine. Go out on a Limb - They are going it alone, 'out on a limb' to …

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Bordeaux 2013: Cheapest vintage on the market, the only way to go

Making wine is not like making luxury handbags (LVMH would agree). Rather than notch up the production line, it is Mother Nature that rules. 2013 was a 'challenging ' year for everyone in Bordeaux. 2013 was one of the most expensive vintages to produce, high costs of inputs and labour against tiny yields. Producing a …

Bordeaux 2013 highlights the best terroir

After a morning of tasting the 2013 on the Right Bank my overriding impression is that this vintage is only good on the good terroir. It is also the vintage of Grand "famous architect's" wineries - Angelus, Montrose and La Dominique! Here are some of my favorites (I seemed to prefer St Emilion over Pomerol …

First Glimpse of 2013 Right Bank – Figeac flourishes

The Primeurs for 2013 have started somewhat oddly with the very sad news of the death of Christine Valette of an old St Emilion family (who used to own Pavie) and owner of up-and-rising star Château Troplong Mondot and news of the extravagant party at Angelus with its bells, fanfares and James Bond music.   The …

Bordeaux 2013 – whipping up a storm (in a teacup?)

Already there has been much talk about Bordeaux's baby vintage. As the futures campaign approaches with the annual tastings in the first week of April, everyone is hoping that the vintage will not be judged a washout. It happens (particularly in oceanic Bordeaux) when the weather does not deliver. Is it really that bad or …

The ‘running off’ of Bordeaux 2013 – the ‘écoulage’ of the region’s reds

It is the time for the baby wines (vin de goutte) of 2013 to be run off from the skins and pips after from 30 to 35 days from the beginning of the 'encuvage' at the time of harvest, any cold soak, fermentation and after, the post maceration fermentation. Then the wine either goes into barrel or …

Bordeaux 2013: winemakers happy the harvest is over

The 'cuvaison' is over for 2013 and the wine is being pumped off the skins. Dubbed the hardest vintage in 30 years, despite the rush to harvest before the grapes and their skins were perfectly ripe, winemakers are happier with what is in their vats than they predicted. Due to the hot and wet conditions the …

Bordeaux 2013 – better than hoped

As the last of the grapes are harvested and many of the vats are completing fermentation, many producers are happy to say that the wine is better than they would have predicted. The wines are fruity, light and supple. The saving grace was the ten weeks of sunshine from start July. Rot; The trouble this …

2013 Bordeaux Harvest – Nature enforced earlier than hoped

Everyone had their ideal date this year to harvest. For most it was 14th October. Nature had another idea in mind! Most started at least one week to ten days before their optimum. The actual start was Monday 30th September enforced by nature (some even the weekend before) to get as much of the Merlots in before the …

Harvest, Harvest everywhere before the storms – 2013 Bordeaux

The must-have machine this year (and 2011 and 2012) is the tri-optic sorting machine. The only problem with such a problematic year as this one it removes all the berries that are not the right shape, size or colour ie too many as this includes most of them! The harvest started this week in a …