Surprise, surprise it’s not only Bordeaux (Burgundy and Barolo) that have performed in 2009. A 4,000 kilometre tour (‘in macchina’) to 26 producers in three different countries convinced me that there are some real jewels to be snapped up when we offer the (Austrian and German) wines to our customers in August; notably those from Prager, Schloss Gobelsburg, […]

Our last day of our Bordeaux 2009 en primeur week was spent in the Graves – a 9am start at Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, tasting both Haut-Brion and La Mission. We’d already been mentally preparing our taste buds for the final First Growth of the Médoc. Ch. Haut-Brion was fabulous, showing subtle red fruit aromas […]

We woke up to a gloomy morning in the Médoc with dark clouds and heavy rain overhead as we drove to Pauillac. Fortunately, despite the continuing monsoon, our spirits were lifted after the first few tastings. Our expectations of this being a Cabernet vintage were confirmed beyond doubt yesterday. It felt like being at home […]

It all goes back to a tasting sometime last year here in the Langhe of course, when I sniffed, slurped and spat my way through three score (and ten?) Barbareschi born of the promising 2006 vintage. I recall being held up by a flight of chewy ‘wonders’ (oh yes let’s all admire the cooper rather […]