Chateau Pontet Canet are to mature 15% of their 2012 vintage in amphorae according to iDeal Wine – which is a first for the Grand Cru Classé. The practice is unknown in Bordeaux, being more common amongst Italian wineries who believe that these neutral containers allow the true characteristics of the fruit to emerge. However Technical Director Jean-Michel Comme … Read more
Have you ever wondered why identical bottles of wine can taste different to one another even if they are from the same vineyard and vintage? New research by Mathabatha Setati and colleagues D Jacobson, U-C Andong and F Bauer from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, may have the answer. Their research, The Vineyard Yeast Microbiome, a Mixed Model … Read more
I thought it would be interesting if we had a look back at the Ghosts of Christmas Past in the World of Wine. This year has been haunted by the Apocalypse which triggered some enterprising wines from Bugarach in France and Sirince in Turkey. However the big news this year has been centred around the First … Read more
Robert Parker has announced on his website www.erobertparker.com that Lisa Perrotti-Brown, who resides in Singapore, is to take over his role as Editor in Chief at The Wine Advocate. He has also sold a substantial interest in TWA to three Singaporean investors. Parker writes that the investors are “30-early 40ish highly qualified business and technology people and enthusiastic wine lovers as … Read more
I must admit I was surprised to read that Nigeria could be a hidden gem as far as new markets for wine are concerned. Business Daily reports that recent research conducted by Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group, on the global wine market titled “The Road Less Travelled,” has identified Nigeria alongside Mexico, Brazil and Poland … Read more
Wishing You A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year From All at Bordeaux-Undiscovered! Our Christmas card this year was specially designed by my daughter Rosie Stephens and is titled Peace and Goodwill. Thank you for all your continued support and custom over the year!
Chateau Mouton Rothschild has announced that the label for their 2010 vintage has been designed by American artist and sculptor Jeff Koons. Koons is often compared to Andy Warhol and is a brilliant artist-provocateur with his contemporary Pop Art works being hailed as controversial, pioneering and influential. His art focuses on transforming familiar objects into high art … Read more
Following on from Chateau d’Yquem‘s decision not to make a 2012 wine Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Chateau Lafite) have also announced that Chateau Rieussec will not be making one either according to Decanter.com. Director Charles Chevallier told Decanter that they ‘simply felt there was not sufficient juice of first wine quality to justify the production this year.’ They will, however, be making the … Read more
The Sauternes First Growth Chateau d’Yquem will not be producing a vintage for 2012 due to the difficulties in harvesting grapes of sufficient quality after too much rain. The rainy weather conditions have resulted in the poor development of Noble Rot (botrytis cinerea). Noble Rot is the fungus that usually covers the ripe grapes, concentrating the sugars and … Read more
Last year I wrote about the Bordeaux chateaux owned by Louis Roederer in Champagne Roederer’s Bordeaux Estates. This year Roederer have sold off two of their chateaux, the most recent being the sale of Chateau Bernadotte to the Hong Kong based King Power Group. King Power specialises in the distribution of luxury brands such as Cartier, Lafite Rothschild, … Read more
