The Chateau Pontet Canet in Pauillac is the only Grand Cru Classé in Bordeaux that is produced 100% biodynamically. As of August this year the Fifth Growth has completed the 3 year pesticide-free period and the property can label its wines as biodynamically produced. Pontet Canet actually began its conversion to the biodynamic farming philosophy several years ago … Read more
Since it’s acquisition in 2006 by the Saint Emilion First Growth Château Cheval Blanc and subsequently LVMH, La Tour du Pin has undergone a quiet renaissance culminating with Robert Parker scoring the 2009 vintage 92 – 94. In Parker’s words: “Pierre Lurton, the director of Cheval Blanc, has completely resurrected this estate since it was acquired by the owners of … Read more
With a Blog title of China’s First Growths everyone will be expecting a blog about Bordeaux’s First Growths but this is about China’s home grown First Growths. In other words I wonder if in 20 years time we will be talking about star Chinese wines that the West is snapping up at equally stellar prices? This … Read more
The Press are reporting that a rare Imperial bottle of Cheval Blanc 1947 was sold to a private collector for $304,375 (£192,000) on Tuesday, setting a world record price for a single bottle. The Imperial bottle was sold to a private collector during a sale at Christies, Geneva. Christie’s wine expert, Michael Ganne, said the sale constituted a … Read more
La Dame de Montrose is the Second Wine of Chateau Montrose and is named after Yvonne Charmolüe who ran the estate from 1944 to 1960. Montrose lies in the east of Saint Estèphe, just north of the hamlet of Marbuzet, on a gravel knoll only 800 metres from the Gironde estuary. Château Montrose began life when Etienne-Théodore Dumoulin purchased the gravel ridge … Read more
The Château la Fleur Morange 2006 has won a Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards which were announced at the London International Wine Fair yesterday the 18th of May! There were record entries this year with 10,983 wines entered and only 2.86% won a Gold or Regional trophy. That’s less than 320 wines from around the world! … Read more
The 2007 Chateau Bel Air comes from the plains of the Entre Deux Mers (which lies between Saint Emilion and Sauternes) and is a Bordeaux Supérieur. The small vineyard is owned by wine makers Sophie and Didier Tordeur and lies on south facing slopes of clay and limestone in Nérigean, on the right bank of the Garonne River. … Read more
Left Bank and Right Bank are terms that refer to the banks of the River Gironde that flows through Bordeaux. The Left Bank appellations are Pauillac, Saint Estephe, Saint Julien, Margaux and Graves – which includes Pessac Leognan, as such the Left Bank is home to the First Growths Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion and Mouton. The Right Bank appellations are Pomerol … 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
The Sancet 2009 comes from the Côtes de Gascogne appellation which is located in Gascony, south west of Bordeaux. This is a regional Vin de Pays produced in the Armagnac region and falls under the Gers department. This area is very well-known for its strong culinary tradition with duck and foie gras and the production of Armagnac (the … Read more
