As the Year of the Tiger arrives on Valentine’s Day on 14th February Chinese people will have a double celebration this year, Many countries in Asia are planning a tiger-themed Valentine’s Day with tiger-themed gifts with Tiger Lilies replacing roses and Tiger’s Eye stones being popular. However unlike previous Valentine’s Days when couples marry in mass weddings, … Read more
The press have been reporting a story concerning a row over a wine called Kiwi Cuvée. What’s wrong with that, you might think? Well, the wine is French. It’s made by Lacheteau, based in the Loire Valley, and their Sauvignon Blanc, labelled Kiwi Cuvee, is already sold in supermarkets in Europe and Britain. Lacheteau are easily the largest wine company … Read more
The UK Government is ‘too influenced’ by supermarkets and the drinks industry according to a new Report issued by MPs. Decanter.com has reported that the the Commons Health Committee said the drinks industry and supermarkets hold more power over the government than health experts and called for a minimum price for alcohol, a rise in duty and … Read more
Jane Anson (New Bordeaux Blog) has written an interesting article for Decanter titled Merlot ‘impossible’ in Bergerac. She has reported that one of Bergerac’s most renowned winemakers, Hugh Ryman of Chateau de la Jaubertie, has claimed that global warming is making Merlot impossible in the region. He said he had not planted a Merlot vine since 2000, and … Read more
The original plates used to illustrate various 19th century editions of the renowned Cocks & Féret Bordeaux et Ses Vins guide go on sale in Paris later this month. The set of 588 copper plates will be auctioned by Artcurial in Paris on 18 December. Cocks & Féret’s guide is often referred to as ‘the Bible of Bordeaux’ and … Read more
Chateau Grand Rousseau lies near Sauveterre de Guyenne in the Entre Deux Mers and is one of several chateaux owned by the renowned Lumeau family who have been wine makers for 4 generations, establishing Vignobles Lumeau in 1840. Grand Rousseau is a charming deep ruby coloured claret which is a round, smooth, well balanced wine with … Read more
Wine labelling is somewhat of a nightmare when you consider what they should and should not put on the label but one area where they really fall down is that they do not cater for the blind. It is very rare to find a wine label in Braille. In 1996 Michel Chapoutier pioneered the labelling … Read more
Luckily there won’t be a Full Moon on Halloween this year, but it will be the day shortly after on November 2nd. The Full Moon means that there could be werewolves on the prowl and in France it was said that a man could turn into a werewolf (loup garou in French) if he, on a certain … Read more
The Côtes de Bordeaux (Côtes means Coasts in French) are located in the East, on steep slopes of hills and valleys created by the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers that flow through the area. In fact on the Côtes land, water is everywhere: rivers, estuary, ocean, fresh and salty waters. The bores (mascarets in French) allow the ocean … Read more
Listrac Médoc is the most inland communal appellation within the Médoc and has been an AOC since 1957. At the beginning of the last century Listrac was one of the largest appellation in Médoc. Listrac owes its name to the Romans who brought viticulture to the region – the Latin word “Listra” means “edge, border, boundary”. Médoc means … Read more
