Good wine deserves good food and we have discovered the perfect pairing for our wines at The Good Food Network, gourmet food specialists who offer an award winning selection of French foods. The Good Food Network are one of the most reputed online gourmet French food shops and their products are mouth wateringly tempting. Their range of foods … Read more
Last summer Domaines Clarence Dillon, owners of Chateau Haut Brion, purchased Chateau Tertre Daugay in Saint Emilion and Decanter.com have reported that it is to be renamed Chateau Quintus. The name Quintus (meaning “the Fifth” in Latin) was chosen as it is now the company’s fifth wine: “The Gallo-Romans, creators of the vineyards of Saint-Emilion, had the habit of naming their … Read more
A report from James Scott in Kent Online has caught my attention – a project is under way to reopen an ancient 800-year-old wine shop in Wye. The medieval undercroft in Upper Bridge Street is believed to have been a store stocking wine imported from Bordeaux, from the late 13th century. The undercroft stocked a vintage of … Read more
Professor Thomas M. Truxes of New York University has discovered a unique treasure trove of letters which will shed new light on, amongst many other things, the wine trade between Bordeaux and Ireland in the 18th century. This is an exciting find as the letters hold a window into a forgotten world within their pages – … Read more
The Guardian is reporting that France has reclaimed their crown as top wine producer, pipping Italy to the post, in a survey by International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). France lost its position at the top to Italy four years ago. Apparently France’s production is forecast to rise by 9%, helped in some part by the … Read more
I have wanted to write about the Pontac family of Chateau Haut Brion for some time but there has not been enough time in the day to do them justice. What started my musings on the legacy they gave to the world of wine was the practically extinct Pontac grape. I wondered if it had any connection … Read more
A 200-year-old bottle of 1811 Chateau d’Yquem has set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s most valuable bottle of white wine, after it was sold for £75,000. The bottle was bought by wine connoisseur and private collector Christian Vanneque. Vanneque will only get to taste his expensive purchase in 2017, when he plans … Read more
Chateau Haut Brion has announced that they have changed their large bottle format for their Double Magnum (3 litre) and Imperial (6 litre) sizes. Following the rebirth of white Chateau La Mission Haut Brion and the launch of Le Clarence de Haut Brion and La Clarté de Haut Brion, Domaine Clarence Dillon have made a further effort to maintain the consistency of its … Read more
A recent article in Bordeaux Wine News has got me standing on my soap box once again. They are reporting on Bordeaux’s new strategy, hailed the “Bordeaux Tomorrow” project which I have already written about in Bordeaux Wines and Fair Pricing. For those of you who have not yet heard about the plan it is: “the result of a year’s … Read more
Decanter’s January issue has a piece on Bordeaux’s ugly duckling vintages; amongst them is the 2007. Ugly ducklings turn into swans and I have some top tips to help you cherry pick the beauties that were overlooked It pays to be patient with vintages. When scores are released on Bordeaux’s Grand Cru Classes they are … Read more
