Bordeaux Wine 2020 in nutshell

Currently in Bordeaux we are tasting the baby vintage of 2020 from the barrel. The best are very good and these are not only from the classified growths. Some unfortunately fell into the old trap of extracting too much in a dry hot summer with thick skins and not much juice. What style is 2020? …

La Tour of St Emilion – Balestard la Tonnelle, ready and waiting…

We all know a wine property named after its famous tower (Latour) in Pauillac on the Left bank way up in the Haut Médoc wine country. Well here is another one but on the Right Bank, in fact in walking distance of the famous medieval village of St Emilion. The famous tower or Tonnelle of …

When Vines cry…

It is always an emotional moment at this time of year when we see in the vineyards the glistening tears of the vines ('les pleurs') that tell us that the new vintage is underway. As the temperatures rise so does the sap in the vines and where the pruners have trimmed the end of the …

Harvest Recap Bordeaux 2020

Many celebrated the 'gerbaude' end of harvest (in a restrained covid-aware way) the last week of September, so relieved that in this challenging year of adversity at least something has gone well - a full two weeks before the usual celebrations. Of course it is too early to say but the wines of 2020 are …

A Sea of Wine Guides? launch of a new network to find the best

100% experts, 100% wine, 100% local I am pleased to announce the creation of new network of specialist wine guides which I am proud to be a part of: My Local Wine Guide! Passionate wine experts trained in wine or coming from a family of winemakers, local (or adopted) who know their 'territory' better than anyone …

2020 Bordeaux – promises well

August holidays have been cut short as wine producers return to start the harvest of whites, rosé and cremants. Early Reds to start next week (start September - 2 weeks early). Curiously as with all vintages that end with a zero in Bordeaux - this vintage 2020 promises good things. It has been hot for …

#Bordeaux2020 please give us a break

You think it sounds like fun to have your own vineyard and make your own wine! It seems that the weather conditons are getting more extreme (is this down to global warming?) here in Bordeaux at least and it is providing a continual headache for the winemakers here. Cabernet Franc If the problems caused by …

Châteaux in Bordeaux open their doors again for visits

Bordeaux, the wine capital of the world, is open again for visitors after two months of shutdown. It is possible again to visit some of the most famous and smaller châteaux in the Bordeaux wine region on the Right and Left bank - in private tours (even some at the weekends). The first to communicate …

Fire and Ice in Bordeaux Vineyards – vintage 2020

Following scares of frost damage the week before last (start april) now unlucky wine producers have had to face losses due to a freak hail storm on Friday afternoon 17th April. (Hail is normally a problem later in the year during electrical storms due to Bordeaux's oceanic climate). (addition to text on 5 may - …