History and Science at Château Grand Corbin Despagne

Historically it was the robust oxen that  worked the dense blue clay soils in the vineyards here in the north western corner of St Emilion and over the border into Pomerol. Horses were too fragile for the job, explained François Despagne, who has run the family estate of Château Grand Corbin Despagne, St Emilion Grand …

Futures Bordeaux 2019, time for a change?

With the cancellation of the usual primeur tastings first week of April this year wine buyers and journalists have received their barrel samples of the new vintage by the post. And it seems to have worked, as tasting notes have been written and communicated all over the world - despite the fragile nature of these …

Bordeaux 2019 -Yves Raymond, Château Saransot Dupré, Listrac, Haut Médoc

What was your biggest challenge in the vineyard?         The challenge is each year the same : we must harvest late enough to pick perfectly ripe fruits (the decision can be difficult in years with a lot of rain before the harvest. We fear that it will rot the fruit and so we might …

Where best to buy wine when touring Bordeaux?

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 …

2016; what makes a great Bordeaux vintage

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 …

Bordeaux 2015: the other side of the fence

2015 is a delicious vintage across the board.  After tasting a range of wines from both banks you cannot say that one area or grape variety reigns supreme.There is wonderful freshness to the wines and the tannins are present but supple and smooth. The Right Bank Merlots are rich, concentrated and rounded. Over the Gironde …

Bordeaux 2014 Primeur Programme

  IN BORDEAUX Monday 23 March Dégustation Association de Grands Crus Classés de Saint-Emilion Lundi 23 mars pré-primeurs pour la Place de Bordeaux de 15 h à 20h au Palaiss de la Bourse à Bordeaux Contact et inscription : Virginie Larramona virginie.larramona@agccse.fr Friday 27th March Dégustation Listrac-Médoc Vendredi 27 mars 2015 de 11h à 15h …