Decanter.com have highlighted the difficulties of the 2012 harvest this year with the report that Chateau Hourtin Ducasse in Saint Saveur in the Northern Medoc will not be making a 2012 wine. Hourtin Ducasse uses organic and biodynamic viticultural methods and have tried “many treatments, concocted from essential oils and herbal infusions, and many passages to work the soil”. … Read more
Jane Anson has reported at Decanter.com that plans to build new cellars at First Growth Chateau Margaux have been granted planning permission and can now go ahead. The renowned British Architect Lord Norman Foster has designed the new cellars, creating an “underground bottle library for past vintages, and a new vinification cellar that will allow both the red and white … Read more
A row is brewing between France and the USA over the use of the word ‘chateau’ and who is entitled to use it. In France the word ‘chateau’ refers to the origin of the wine. Chateau in this instance does not mean a building (whether it be a grand French castle, manor, farmhouse or shed) – … Read more
There has been a spate of Chinese acquisitions amongst the Bordeaux chateaux recently as reported via Sud Ouest. It appears that Chateau Bellefont Belcier might be amongst those sold – and if so, this will be the first Chinese purchase of a Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion. The buyer is believed to be a wealthy Chinese businessman in … Read more
Have you ever wanted to relocate to France, buy a chateau and settle down? If you are Chinese you don’t have to as China is busy recreating Bordeaux – complete with its chateaux. Jin Shi Tan Resort, an hour drive away from Dalian in Liaoning Province, is the home of the Chateau de Bordeaux – … Read more
Decanter has reported that the sale of Chateau Le Thil Comte Clary in Martillac, Pessac Leognan was finalised at the end of August. The chateau was sold by Baron Gerard de Laitre to Daniel and Florence Cathiard of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte who have acquired the chateau, park and 11.6 hectares (28.6 acres) of the vineyard. Patrice Pichet, owner of Chateau … Read more
I’m absolutely delighted that Jean-François and Veronique Julien’s Chateau La Fleur Morange has been promoted to Grand Cru Classé in the new Saint Emilion Classification. This small chateau has only being producing wine for the past decade and a half and this is a remarkable achievement! La Fleur Morange has attracted high acclaim from wine critics across … Read more
The press in the USA have been reporting on the news that the buttery flavouring used in microwave popcorn, Diacetyl, may trigger Alzheimer’s disease. What caught my eye is that the articles have gone on to say that Diacetyl is also used in some wines. The news comes from a study by the University of Minnesota drug-design expert … Read more
I have been of the terrain of Mars at the base of Mount Sharp. The wide shot of the pale orangey-red surface of Mars is beautiful – and so Earthlike, it looks like one of our own deserts! I wondered if any bright wine makers out there had named a wine after the planet – or … Read more
Over the past couple of years the phenomenon of International Grape Days seems to have gathered momentum. So far I have spotted ones for Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot, Albarino, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Tempranillo and Cabernet. These are usually organised by promotional bodies, wine lovers or wineries and vineyards and you can spot them on Twitter as … Read more
