2010 March | C&B Scene

Archive for March, 2010

Bordeaux 2009 day 5……UGC’s…the most wines!

First day today of the Union des Grands Crus Tastings (UGC). We kicked off bright and early at Smith-Haut-Lafitte for the Pessac-Leognan tasting. An interesting start with the usual suspects performing well and true to type. In general terms the reds were more consistent than the whites with Domaine de...

Bordeaux 2009 day 4…Monday must be First Growths

The middle day of our trip and a few Château visits before the onslaught of the UGC tastings tomorrow. We kicked off with an early morning visit to Latour. A terrific range of wines here as you would expect, from the generic Pauillac to the big chap himself. The “Forts” was...

Bordeaux 2009 day 3…Mitjavile Magic

Pretty dull and overcast but sun fighting to force through...A trip to a more general négociant tasting was first up this morning. An interesting opportunity to get a feel for the overall quality of the vintage from all the key appellations, including dry whites and stickies. We had an hour and...

Bordeaux 2009 day 2….Moueix

So, Day 2 over. A simply sensational visit to Moueix. We kicked off with a chat with Christian Moueix at their offices in Libourne. We learned here that, at least on the Right Bank, 2009 is not an absolutely homogeneous success. The first chink in the armour of this much-hyped...

Bordeaux 2009 day 1

Exciting but tiring day.....6am - Flight from Gatwick, everyone arrived, two Scots, one German and three Englishmen. Landed safely met up with driver for the week and off we go. 10.15 - Les Carmes Haut Brion was delicious, lovely fruit-driven style, elegant and beautifully balanced. 11.30 - Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion...

Franchetti – 2 estates, 1 evening

Last Wednesday evening was the first event we have ever done with the wines from both of Andrea Franchetti’s properties - Tuscany & Sicily. The event was a tasting & dinner with Dr Elena Capobianco & Alex Burge (Andrea’s export managers) @ Shoreditch House. A bit of background for those who...

Travels to Etna, Sicily – the challenges and the triumph

Fact: Until recently, Sicily produced more wine than the whole of Australia and New Zealand combined – this was mostly shipped as bulk and sold to the domestic market Fact: In order to gain recognition for quality over quantity, the first fine winemakers on Sicily resorted to producing and promoting wines...

Barolo 1971….

Last night was Barolo night at the Maltings Cafe http://www.maltingscafe.co.uk/ run by Sam Harris, Fraser and I met up with a whole collection (what is the collective adjective for wine merchants?) of guys from the trade to taste a selection of Barolo 1971's (& 3 Barbarescos) the tasting was hosted and organised by Eric...

Champagne Salon in muddy wellies – just how it should be…

The ridiculously glitzy ‘celebratory’ status enjoyed by certain champagne brands pre-crunch made it easy to forget that champagne is in fact a hugely delicate living substance, created and wholly dependent on, ostensibly, ‘farmers.’ A wintery trip down to the prestigious Champagne village of Le Mesnil sur Oger to visit our...