Behind the Pink Walls on the Route de Châteaux in the Medoc

My first ever visit to the hallowed vineyards of the Medoc was in the early 1980s, when I was 16 years old. It was to Château Siran with its dusky pink buildings just off the D2 Route de Châteaux. I remember ascending this simple road in this flat landscape with these wonderful châteaux that appeared …

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Hail hits vineyards in Bordeaux

Some  hot and humid weather was followed by electric storms on Tuesday 12th May at about four in the morning in Bordeaux and environs. Hail stones as large as golf stones ravaged the vineyards in St Emilion, Graves, Blaye  and Margaux. The young buds, just becoming well established and in the areas worst hit the vines …

Commanderie du Bontemps St Vincent Lunch

The Commanderie du Bontemps (Medoc, Graves, Sauternes and Barsac) celebrated the Fete de Saint Vincent on 18th January with a lunch in the centre of Bordeaux, the first time in fifty-six years. The lunch was proceeded by Mass at the Cathedral of St Andre with a procession of the Commanderie from the Town Hall carrying …

2005 Bordeaux – Union de Grand Cru Tasting

The third edition 'Le Weekend des Grands Amateurs' Bordeaux on 17th May What a wonderful relaxed tasting which just goes to show how open Bordeaux is becoming. The members  of the Union des Grands Crus are used to this though showing their wines, chatting about the vintages and the breakdown of grape varieties in that …

Parker agrees with Lady Penelope

This en primeur game is quite a laugh- thunderbirds! Parker was  not too complimentary about the 2007 vintage but said it was better than what he expected and only awarded 100 points to two wines, both white and both my favorites agreeing that the whites were the overall winers this year; Haut Brion Blanc and Pape-Clement …

2007 Chateau Margaux: less is more in 2007 says Pontallier

The Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the body and soul of this wine. The final wine is made from only 32% of the total production. The wine is blended from no fewer than 36 different lots - the most rigorous selection ever. There is a move towards reducing yields to concentrate the juice in the grapes that are harvested.  This year the …

Prieure Lichine lures right bank star winemaker to Margaux

Spoke to Justin Onclin Director of fourth growth Chateau Prieure Lichine in Margaux about his decision to employ winemaker Stephane Derenencourt as consultant at the Margaux property. 'We like his style of making wines and are looking for the purity of fruit and the smoothness of the tannins that are his hallmarks.' The 2007 is …