En route to Amsterdam the towering presence of Olivier Humbrecht MW stooped into Basingstoke last week to show off his fine 2007s. It seems eastern France fared better than their western counterparts in ’07, judging by the quality of White Burgundy, Chablis and the Rhone; and of course those of the Rhine! Nevertheless we were […]

So the week is over, and what a week it has been. Sitting now at Merignac airport, all the talk is of the 2008 wines and how they have completely astonished us. We came to Bordeaux with open minds but, nonetheless, couldn’t help but expect to be faced with dilute, green, tannic wines. This has not […]

We started in the fog yesterday morning. It’s amazing how one’s spirits are dampened by the lack of sun. After a couple of false starts we hit Ch. d’Angludet at 9.30am. We’ve not always got on with this wine but it was fabulous today. As with all the proprietors of chateaux that have succeeded this year, […]

Our trip across the Gironde to the Right Bank yesterday was extremely informative. We arrived in the beautiful town of St Emilion with the sun still beating down. Our first challenge was to drive up the hill on narrow single track road to Ch. Ausone (left). Ausone really has the most majestic position in St […]