Wine Trips Archive

Port, Starboard and Port Again – A P&O Cruise to Oporto

Dan Senior sails with P&O Cruises to Oporto I’ve certainly done a few interesting gigs in my time with C&B, but this one probably takes the biscuit… P&O Cruises is a very important customer of ours and we proudly supply their cruise ships with a number of our wines.  With small armies...
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C&B Expedition to Rhône

The metallic tone of my alarm clock rang at 3.30am to awake me from my slumber.  Usually a start this early would make me incredibly grumpy indeed (as colleagues at C&B would attest to) but this day was different.  Our destination was Marseille and more specifically the Rhône and our...
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Tasting Notes for Conterno

Having grabbed a quick breakfast in Monforte, we headed just south out of the town to Cantina Giacomo Conterno to meet up with Roberto again, this time for the business of tasting the young wines as yet unreleased onto the market. You could feel the temperature change as we made...
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Dinner with Roberto Conterno in Piedmont

Last Thursday morning whilst still a little tired from the wonderful Clos de Tart dinner, Adam (MD), Alison (Buyer) and myself met up at Gatwick for the flight to Torino.  To say I was a little excited about this trip would be an understatement of the year as I am...
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Peter Sisseck in town for the 2010 Ribera’s and something very new!

In the short 3 day week before the Royal Wedding, we were delighted to have Peter Sisseck (of Dominio de Pingus) in town to show us the 2010's of his three Ribera del Duero wines and one other wine I will come onto later. Peter somehow always manages to seem...
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Bordeaux 2010 En Primeur Tastings – Day 6

So the last day of the trip started, later than usual, with another dose of glorious sun. We had just one tasting and then lunch but a real highlight it turned out to be. Helen drove us out of Bordeaux to the base of Ets JP Moueix in Libourne, where...
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Bordeaux 2010 En Primeur Tastings – Day 5

Percy, our Chairman, started right at the top of the tree, with a tasting at Pétrus. Pétrus 2010 is 100% Merlot, which makes little difference as it has only ever had a tiny amount of Cabernet Franc in it. Only 50% new oak as Olivier (Berrouet) said it was a vintage...
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Bordeaux 2010 En Primeur Tastings – Day 4

We didn't have far to travel to the first appointment of the day, but then you don't turn up late to the First Growths... Even so, being ready and raring to go at 7.25, outside La Mission Haut-Brion (where we tasted the Haut-Brion too as well as the respective second...
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Bordeaux 2010 En Primeur Tastings – Day 3

The wheels on the bus...sorry no need to break into song...got into action at 7am and by 7.35 we were outside Branaire Ducru to taste with Patrick Maroteaux. We had tasted at Branaire the day before as part of the UGC, but it is better to taste in isolation and...
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Bordeaux 2010 En Primeur Tastings – Day 2

We woke on Day 2 to a cloudless sky and the amazing weather was to remain from then on, finally reaching a peak of 32 degrees on Day 6. Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse at 8.15 was the first tasting of what was to be a long day. We tasted the Grand-Puy-Ducasse, also...
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