Visit to Burgundy

Hunger for exciting new discoveries (as well as for good food) led us to Burgundy again. Us? That is my friend Jan van Roekel and myself, we mostly do these travels together.

Thursday 18 June we arrived, and upon descending on our hotel we did nothing but strolled around a bit in Beaune and ended up in restaurant Le Goret, where everything is about the Pig. I had the best Andouillette I ever had. It was an Andouillette AAAAA, so that will explain the quality. AAAAA stands for Association Amicale des Amateurs d'Andouillette Authentique, which is a group of various Andouillette professionals who strive to make the very best Andouillette possible.

So, a true recommendation. Friday we were all ready and rested for our first visit (out of four that day). Our goal was to find a great Meursault, and we had selected several interesting producers to visit.

Our first two visits were to two upcoming domains, both run by young guys in the middle of a change process: the change from selling grapes to selling wines. Their fathers mainly sold grapes, and they wish to sell wines under their own label.

CHRISTOPHE BELLANG FROM DOMAINE CHRISTIAN BELLANG, MEURSAULT

The first visit was to Christophe Bellang from Domaine Christian Bellang. Christophe's father (Christian) was more interested - and involved - in distillation than in winemaking. Son Christophe is putting a lot of effort now in establishing a name, in the first place of course by making good wine. He owns vineyards in two regions: around Meursault (from his father) and around Savigny-lès-Beaune, from his mother's family. I preferred his whites, which are nicely balanced, well-made wines. His Bourgogne Chardonnay 2007 comes across light and refreshing, mineral, with a modest hint of oak, quite soft in the mouth and good acidity in the finish. The Meursault "Les Tillets" 2007 is more seductive, rounder; altogether there is a good harmony between acidity and roundness in this quite elegant Meursault.

Next we visited Arnaud Tessier. Youngest of the producers we visited, but without computer and thus, without e-mail! Anyway, it wasn't the easiest visit to plan...

Not only no computer, also no red wines. Because: ça tâche, he said. Where Christophe Bellang has already established quite a production under his own label, Arnaud has just started. He still sells 95% of the grapes to the négociant, and this year he will make about 1.500 bottles of his Domaine Tessier. We tasted the 2007, his second own vintage. Often it is the acidity that stands out in the young 2007s, but not with these Tessiers. These wines are rather suave, clearly matured in oak (about 10 months), with some sweetish spices.

ARNAUD TESSIER DEMONSTRATING EFFEUILLAGE IN HIS MEURSAULT CHARMES DESSUS VINEYARD (THESE VINES ARE ABOUT 25 YEARS OF AGE)

Arnaud showed us his vineyards, and demonstrated an effeuillage: a sort of striptease of the vine where most of the leaves on the lower side of the plant, at the sunny side, are removed to expose the grapes to the sun. More or less as a compensation - for proper photosynthesis to take place - the plant is allowed to grow a little bit higher. This is not something that only Tessier does, many quality producers work this way.

After a hearty lunch in a Meursault (Auberge La Goutte d'Or, by the locals referred to as a cantine) we went to Domaine David Butterfield in Monthélie. The reason that the Canadian Butterfield arrived in Burgundy is that his father started a bike rental company here. David chose to make wine. He didn't own any vineyards (and still doesn't) so he decided to buy grapes to make his wines. There are many newcomers working this way. For example Mischief and Mayhem (from the UK and Australia) and Oronce de Beler (from Paris) who we visited earlier, and Blair Pethel (from the US) who we were going to visit the day after.

DAVID BUTTERFIELD SAMPLES HIS MEURSAULT 2008

David Butterfield makes a rich, generous, intense style of Meursault, sold behind a contemporary label. Like it or not, the label is as convincing as the wine − "here I am!" David's focus is finding the best grapes. His belief is that much ought to be done in the vineyard, especially working the soil, and less should be done during the winemaking. For example David does not practice battonage. He makes lovely wines, both whites and reds. As said, his Meursault is hard to spit out, it is just lovely stuff. More about his wines later (tasting notes etc.).

FABIEN DUPERRAY AND ARNAUD ENTE

The last visit that first day was to Domaine Arnaud Ente, where we tasted an extensive flight of spectacular Meursaults with Ente and his French agent Fabien Duperray. Because I will be working with Ente's wines I won't dive into these beauties here. I will do that later.

We never go to Burgundy without visiting our favourite restaurant Caves Madeleine, and David Clark (from Morey-St-Denis, who I work with) joined us. I couldn't help ordering Pied de Cochon (pig's trotter) again.

Our first visit the next day was to Blair Pethel of Domaine Dublère. Blair comes from the US and more or less works in the same manner as David Butterfield. But he must have had more possibilities to invest. His chai is impeccable, and quite big. Blair lives in Beaune and his chai is nearby in between Savigny and Chorey. He makes a wide variety of wines and I especially liked the whites. "Like" is not the good word. I was impressed. Blair is a fiend of David Clark, and just like for David, 2004 was his first vintage. The words that kept popping in my head when tasting the whites: refinement, precision, elegance... in a way it made sense to taste these quite perfect wines in this perfect environment.

BLAIR PETHEL FROM DOMAINE DUBLERE IN ONE OF THE FEW VINEYARDS THAT HE OWNS HIMSELF. HOWEVER PRIMARILY ACTING AS A NEGOCIANT, BLAIR SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME IN THE VINEYARDS

Pethel is a fascinating person who had three 'careers' before he started making wine! First he was a concert pianist, then a Hollywood actor and finally a financial journalist. It seems that it is winemaking that gives him complete satisfaction.

David Clark was the next stop. We picked him up in his Au Pelson vineyard where he was carefully ploughing the soil.

DAVID CLARK CAREFULLY PLOUGHING THE SOIL

David left his tractor and we headed to his small domain in the heart of Morey-Saint-Denis to taste his 2008s from the vat. Besides the Bourgogne rouge and Passetoutgrains we tasted his one-barrel Morey-St-Denis, his new Côtes-de-Nuits Villages (from a well-exposed 1er cru-like vineyard in Brochon) and the even newer Vosne-Romanée (2008 will be the first production).

To summarize his 2008s: besides the fact that these wines are very young, and more or less reductive at this stage, they are very complete. The structure is impressive for every wine: there is good matière while at the same time the tannins are ripe and tamed. There's no hardness in these wines. These are very pure and powerful Burgundies, or will at least become that. The Côtes-de-Nuits Villages 2007 (from bottle, will be released towards the end of 2009) is tough yet seductive, complete and harmonious - a great achievement again.

DAVID CLARK IN HIS CELLAR TASTING THE 2008S

Our last visit was to Thiébault Huber from the biodynamic Domaine Huber-Verdereau in Volnay. He presented us an extensive range of wines, both white and reds but mostly reds (Volnay and Pommard), and showed us the moon calendar that is used as a guideline in all that is done at the domain. Before Huber turned to winemaking he was a sommelier in Alsace, so his repertoire knowledge will be bigger than that of most winemakers. His whites are pleasant, pure and straightforward. From his reds I especially liked the dark and quite sexy Volnay Robardelle, as well as his Pommard. But these are wines for the longer term. Dark, quite concentrated and tannic at this stage. They are tough, honest reds with dark fruit and an earthy touch.

THIEBAULT HUBER FROM HUBER-VERDEREAU IN HIS VOLNAY VINEYARD

At dinner we had a Mortet (from 2001) and it was interesting to see how you experience a blockbuster Burgundy like this: it starts with a wow, and the last sips are... difficult... heavy... But perhaps we were also a little tired from everything.

On the way back we stopped in Bouzy for a Champagne refill. Despite the time of year, and despite the crisis, the beautiful ánd affordable Champagne Barnaut keeps on selling.

THE GRAND CRU VILLAGE OF BOUZY, HOME TOWN OF CHAMPAGNE BARNAUT

Domaine de la Laidière, Bandol rosé

Dwayne Perreault − In this time of rosé confusion, let's make it a point to drink quality rosé.

By confusion, I'm referring to the recent decision in Brussels to allow EU wine producers to make rosé simply by mixing red and white wines. Bah. I'm sure there are people somewhere who've been doing this at home for years. Thankfully, this ridiculous legislation has been rescinded.

But by quality I could be talking about rosés from a wide range of regions, as quality rosés are made everywhere from Rioja to Hungary (and strangely, not so very many in Italy).

But if I think of top rosé, I think of wines from the Loire, Bordeaux and Provence. I've previously posted on an elegant rosé from the Loire with some (limited) ageing potential, Reuilly, François Charpentier and I recently tasted a beautiful, more fleshy rosé from Bordeaux which David wrote about, le Rosé de Soutard. So now a wine from Provence, where a great many rosés are made, including some of the best like this Bandol, Domaine de la Laidière 2007.

Bandol is primarily Mourvèdre country, which makes for dark, earthy and tannic reds such as the excellent Domaine Tempier 'Cabassaou' 2000 and 1998, which I both recently tasted. But this rosé also contains some Grenache and Cinsault, which results in a highly refined, very pale rosé with a mineral structure and extremely well-balanced acidity. This wine is not nervous, but very firm. A solid, dry rosé with practically no sweetness, other than a fleeting hint of strawberry. A perfect wine for a Mediterranean fish like a Dorado, which due to global warming is now showing up in North European waters. I baked one in the oven with Italian herbs and sun-dried tomatoes, and added a splash of the Bandol. Yum. While drinking the wine I could smell the fish on my fingers, and it felt for a moment I was in Bandol itself, sitting on a terrace near the sea. Instead I'm just sitting in Amsterdam, smelling my fingers. But I'm drinking excellent wine.

But speaking of rosés with ageing potential, this article claims this wine can age for 20 years.

Domaine de la Laidière is normally available only in the better restaurants in Holland, but if you live in Amsterdam you can also order it here: www.wineontime.nl.

Tastings, tastings and more tastings (poor teeth)

There have been many tastings over the last days and weeks, tastings that I actually ought to write about, because of the wines that I tasted. But writing takes time, and time is limited, so in this posting I briefly bundle some impressions.

Last Monday I attended an impressive tasting at Paleis Het Loo - the former royal residence in the town of Apeldoorn - hosted by P. de Bruijn Wijnkopers. Most of the wines were presented by the winemakers (or châteaux managers) themselves, so the wonderful Leflaives (a/o Clavoillon, Les Pucelles, Chevalier Montrachet) were poured by Anne-Claude Leflaive, the gracious Comte Lafons by Dominique Lafon, Giscours and Du Tertre by Alexander van Beek, and Haut-Bailly by Véronique Sanders, to mention just a few. For me one of the highlights was to taste the - lovely - Du Tertre 2006 again: I worked on the vinification of this wine [pdf].

From Véronique Sanders I finally got the explanation for the word "Parde" in La Parde de Haut-Bailly. It is nothing more than the name of a parcel, a vineyard, and this, for its part, is called after an old indigenous grape variety. Sanders and her team are thinking of altering the name of Haut-Bailly's second wine, but I hope they stick to this original name - it just sounds good to me.

Earlier, on 5 June, there were two tastings on one day. The first one I hosted myself, I presented the wines that I import to a group of Dutch wine writers: Nicolaas Klei, Hans Melissen, Frank Jacobs and Mariëlla Beukers (she already blogged about the event, in Dutch). I should be honest with you, dear reader, as always, so it must be said that these professionals were very enthusiastic about the wines. The proof: they bought. It had not been my intention to sell that day, but well, I wasn't really against it either.

After this tasting I felt content, and also a little tired. So I attended the next tasting without notebook (which I never do), to sit back, relax, and taste. Ignorant of what was to follow...

...instead of tasting notes I simply present the wines in some pictures (showing 6 of the 10 wines), and I refer you to the notes made by my friend Jan van Roekel, with whom I travel to Burgundy again tomorrow. More about that later of course.

VINCENT DAUVISSAT CHABLIS 1ER CRU "LA FOREST" 2004 AND DOMAINE D'AUVENAY AUXEY-DURESSES "LES BOUTONNIERS" 2004 (A-MA-ZING WINE)

2x VOSNE-ROMANEE 1ER CRU LES (or AUX) BRULEES 2001: DOMAINE RENE ENGEL AND DOMAINE MEO CAMUZET. DIFFERENT BUT BOTH GREAT.

2x MAISON LEROY: BOURGOGNE BLANC 2002 AND MEURSAULT 1ER CRU "LES PERRIERES" 1995 (WHAT A GREAT MEURSAULT!)

Further reading: Jan van Roekel's tasting notes on Burgoholic...

William Fèvre; real Chablis

Dwayne Perreault − "Real Chablis," I was told while still an apprentice, "comes from Kimmeridgian clay, and if it doesn't, it isn't Chablis." So what is this magical clay, so important that it determines the very essence of France's most famous white wine?

THE SECRET TO CHABLIS' TERROIR: AMMONITE WITH OYSTERS ATTACHED

About 150 million years ago, in the Kimmeridgian era (the upper Jurassic geological period, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth), Chablis and all of Burgundy was an inland sea. Today, Chablis' marl and clay limestone soils contain copious amounts of oyster fossils and ammonites from that period, and it is these fossils which give Chablis its mineral character, and in the better crus its gunsmokey, flint-like bouquet.

Kimmeridgian clay, by the way, also supplies 95% of the petroleum in the North Sea. Handy stuff.

I'm always up for a good bottle of "oesterwater," as the Dutch call it, so I was delighted to attend a tasting of six different wines from William Fèvre, one of Chablis' bigger and better known producers. In fact, 15% of all Chablis Grand Crus come from this house.

We began with a Petit Chablis 2007. These wines come from less favourable sites as their name suggests. No great complexity here, but a nice neutral wine with a steely green mineral tone. This was followed by the Chablis 2007, also mineral in character but thicker in the mouth with more citrus and white fruit, and what I would describe as a bit of sheep's cheese in the nose.

It was then time to try the Premier and Grand Crus, which come from the best sites, often on hillsides which offer some protection against frost, and all Grand Crus facing south for maximum exposure to the sun. First, Premier Cru Fourchaume 2006, slightly smokey with small citrus fruit and an impressively long aftertaste. I'm always amazed by how long Chablis' strange sour aftertaste can hang around in the mouth. This was followed by Premier Cru Montmains 2006, less fruity than Fourchaume, more mineral in character, full, fat and silky in texture. My personal favourite thus far.

Grand Cru Valmur 2006, however, made all the others pale a bit in comparison. A mineral wine with smokey flint and firestone in the nose. Beautifully integrated acidity with complicated tones of stoney minerals: in a word, fossilific.

We finished off with a trick wine. It didn't taste like Chardonnay, because it wasn't. Saint-Bris is the only area within Chablis where wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc. The 2006 seemed a bit silent, but then what should one expect after tasting these top Chardonnays?

What did we eat with our Chablis? A five year old Dutch farmer's cheese, sushi and... oysters, of course! Both fin de claire and Zeeuwse. Delicious. Thanks to Esmee Jongedijk for hosting this evening.

Médoc 1990s tasting: Pauillac & St-Julien

Last weekend I coincidentally spent both evenings with – different – expats. Amsterdam hosts many expatriates, but none of them are actually in my own circle of friends.

Holland may be an open society, with many foreigners living here, yet the various social circles around seem rather closed. A friend from New York noticed this fact long ago, and last Saturday the same conclusion was drawn by a guest from Bulgaria. In her eyes the Dutch more or less exist in quite static cliques, groups of people that know each other since long. I’m afraid her observation is correct.

Interesting though: we, the Dutch, say the same about the French. Perhaps it’s more of a (West) European habit, as opposed to the hospitality of the Americans.

Anyway, it was pure American hospitality that I experienced last weekend. In an expat setting. The American hostess has an interest in wine, loves wine, but is so to say not a wine geek. Her thing (let’s call her Angela) is to invite wine lovers, and wine geeks, at her house and taste great wines together, while enjoying great food that she cooks. Furthermore ‘her thing’ is the thrill of winning special wines at Christie’s wine auctions.

I did not have to think long to accept the kind invitation. A friend of Angela acted as the chairman of this evening, and he professionally guided us through the following wines, asking one after another to share his or her impressions. Below I will share with you my tasting notes.

Lagrange 1999, 3rd cru classé de St-Julien
A rather slender appearance this wine, unmistakable impression of classic Bordeaux, with old wood. Earthy, and quite ripened, with some iodine, or blood if you want. In the mouth the Lagrange is supple and à point. There’s good intensity, but I would say this lean Bordeaux ought to be drunk these days (8-/10).

Léoville-Barton 1998, 2nd cru classé de St-Julien
Powerful fruit, like a clenched wrist, and a certain freshness. Sweet cherries. Lively-powerful fruit, dark and fresh, energetic, good and explicit acidity (8,5/10 – fail to deliver a complete TN here).

Lynch Bages 1998, 5th cru classé de Pauillac
The wine starts off very modest, or closed, with just some sweetness. But then it gradually unveils itself, first some leather, and then also dark fruit and cookies. The wine is medium bodied, suave and accessible, but there is still a slight astringency in the finish. The wine is showing the first signs of seniority, maturity. Very pleasant Pauillac altogether (8+/10).

Lynch Bages 1996, 5th cru classé de Pauillac
Also closed at the start! But after about ten minutes the wine has woken up, the nose even showing roundness and fullness. And in a modest way, there’s some true seduction. Notes of leather again, and pencil shavings. In the mouth there’s roundness too. There’s softness and dark fruit. Very pleasant wine, 1996 can be so tough, but this wine is lovely. Perhaps only lacking some true distinction (8,5+/10).

Branaire-Ducru 1996, 4th cru classé de St-Julien
Classic and modest nose. Slightly edgy, slightly green. But with the word 'slightly' stressed. Plenty of intensity in the mouth, a fairly good drink but altogether not really impressive. Classic, modest Bordeaux (8-/10).

Pichon-Longueville 1995, 2nd cru classé de Pauillac
Striking difference with the previous wine, the Baron is very open, forward, and it exhibits an unmistakable oakiness. Black currants, and even some chocolate. Convincing wine. In the mouth a good intensity, some sweetness. A soft and sexy wine (8,5/10).

Grand-Puy Lacoste 1995, 5th cru classé de Pauillac
The winner of the evening. Why? Because this wine struck me (and not just me) with its contagious energy: there’s an impressive freshness in the (sweetish) fruit, this wine is very alive. Youthful, juicy, just some dryness in the finish (9-/10).

Furthermore we drank some whites, we began the evening with a pleasant Carbonnieux blanc 2006, and finished with the Sauternes Raymond-Lafon 2001 and 1990. The first is what you may expect from a good Sauternes, the 1990 is simply very special, orange skin intermingled with a hint of Sherry, but it was way past midnight, so no tasting notes any more.

The only other wine that I shouldn’t forget to mention is the Lynch-Bages 1975, served blind. All of us were very enthusiastic, all of us guessed it was an Eighties-Bordeaux. Unbelievable how youthful this 1975 still is! A velvet beauty, beautifully mature but not old, and balanced. A true surprise.

So, this was my introduction to expat life in Amsterdam. Not bad at all. I definitely should act un-Dutch and widen my offline social circle here...

Comet Vintages

Dwayne Perreault − I'm fascinated by comet vintages. That doesn't make me any more cuckoo than a vintner who buries a cow horn filled with compost in his vineyard, right? Both ideas seem to me to be biodynamical in nature. Steiner in fact did write about comets, but what he had to say does not concern us here. But in a biodynamical world where the phases of the moon and alignment of the stars and planets play a role in viticulture, the idea of a celestial body like a comet having an influence on the grape harvest seems not so strange at all.


What is a comet vintage? Basically, it is a vintage in which a comet which is visible to the naked eye appears during the grape growing season, especially directly before or during the harvest. This is supposed to have a propitious, perhaps even a mystical effect on the quality of the harvest. This may be folklore passed on by generations of winemakers, but in fact it is backed up by examples of outstanding and yes even mystical vintages like 1811 and 1858.

The complete list of recorded comet vintages is: 1811, 1826, 1839, 1845, 1852, 1858, 1861, 1985 & 1989. These were all considered great years in regions as diverse as Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rheingau and Tokaji in Hungary. This should of course be kept in perspective. There were many more great vintages, even in recent memory like Bordeaux 2000 and 2005, in which no comet was recorded.

In fact, comets pass by the earth routinely every year, but we are talking about comets which must be visible to the naked eye, which happens on average once a year on earth, and they must appear during the growing season in western Europe. There is a strange lack of comet vintages between 1861 and 1985, the reappearance of Halley's comet.

Whether the comet vintage is myth or reality, it seems to begin in 1811 which is generally regarded as the greatest vintage year of the 19th century, notably for cognac but also for western European wines in general, especially Bordeaux and Sauternes. Robert Parker, tasting the 1811 Chateau d'Yquem in 1996, awarded it 100 points, his absolute bench mark. 1811 was also the year Veuve Clicquot discovered the technique of remuage, which revolutionized the champagne industry and further romanticized the year. For the comet is not just an astronomical observation in 1811, it is a Romantic concept of the mystical cause and effect of physical nature. The Flaugergues comet was visible for most of the growing season of 1811 and coincided with (or caused?) optimal growing conditions that year. Outside of vineyards it had a less favourable aspect. The same comet was seen to be the harbinger of Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia and the War of 1812, America's lone failed attempt to invade Canada which led to the sacking of York (now Toronto) and the burning of the original White House. As you can see, comets have wide-ranging effects, not all of them good.

The last comet vintage was 1989. Okazaki-Levy-Rudenko 1989 r ('r' means it was the 18th comet discovered that year) was first detected on Augus 24th and was visible to the naked eye in western Europe from September to November. So, what about 1989? I was recently able to get my hands on 10 bottles of St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé Clos des Jacobins 1989 for a reasonable price through Winefield's Auctioneers in Amsterdam. Back in 1989 Clos des Jacobins was still owned by Cordier, whose name comes first at the top of the label. Parker would later write "the 1989 looked to be one of the finest offerings this property had ever made." In 1989 George H.W. Bush became President of the United States of America (I repeat, comets can have wide-ranging effects, not all of them good).

I admit, I couldn't wait to try the wine and within hours after arriving home, a cork had been pulled. The Dutch have a word which I find can best describe this vintage: boterzacht. Literally translated, it means soft as butter, but I’m telling you this is a wine with plump extremities: adjectives like full, round and even bacchanalian come to mind, and there remains something smoky in that glass of dark fruit. This is generous wine you can really get intimate with, and a few bottles are now available on my website.

When will the next comet vintage be? Alas, nobody knows because comets come and go and they often don’t pre-announce themselves. Short term comets (with an orbit of less than 200 years) are easier to predict than long term comets (with orbits up to millions of years). So you never know which comet will come cruising up next, an old friend like Halley (1985) or an unknown like OLR 1989-r. In the meantime, before more bad stuff happens, we can enjoy this last comet vintage. It is, after all, at its peak.

Bordeaux 2008: greed returns in tilting market

This year’s futures campaign started off so hopeful, with prices drastically lower than in the previous years. Latour released at 45% below 2007, Mouton at -50% (for more details see my previous postings).

But things started to change when Robert Parker decides that 2008 is a Grand Year. From that moment on the price drops are less spectacular, and the best wines even release at 2007 price level, e.g. Buy-of-the-Year Pontet-Canet. The wine sells out immediately and a second tranche follows, of course at a higher price.

This more or less marked the end of the truly spectacular releases. Especially the Right Bank wines start releasing now at relatively high price levels.

But since this - short - week it seems that we are returning to Business As Usual, I’m afraid. The first sign is the release of Ducru-Beaucaillou at the end of last week, with good ratings, priced 20% above the 2007. A striking release, well-timed close to the end of the campaign, when everybody is waiting for those few Unreleaseds. For the Left Bank Léoville-las-Cases was the other Big Unreleased, and this wine stepped forward yesterday. Other than expected it slightly decreases its price, with a lousy 11%, but in the light of the recent developments a rather friendly price.

The second château presenting its price yesterday was Cheval Blanc. And despite a price drop of about 20%, to me this wine still is much too expensive: with 300 euros ex. (from négociant) and about 400 euros inc. (consumer price) it releases at more (much more) than twice the price of its Left Bank premier cru neighbours. A crazy price, and I can only explain the difference with the Left Bankers by reasoning that Cheval Blanc wants its price to be close, and as close as possible, to Ausone. And why actually, with the enormous difference in available quantities for these two wines?

But today my shock is complete: Lafite is proposing a second tranche, exploring demand at the price of... 300 euros as well! Following a first tranche at - just - 130 euro (to compare: the second tranche of Château Margaux last week was at a 'friendly' 155 euros). Unbelievable this new price, and perhaps even a little sick. But then again, if the market absorbs these wines... and yes... my naive Why? at the end of the last paragraph might also be answered today: Cheval Blanc seems to be selling!

Apparently greed is back. At the side of the seller, but as it seems also at the side of the buyer. Too bad that it - greed I mean - had only been gone for such a short period of time... Or am I being too pessimistic now? I really hope so.

Bordeaux 2009: low yields expected, again

Early in 2008 Paul Pontallier spoke the following words: "We are so fortunate with global warming. Look at the number of great vintages we have had in the last 12 or 13 years. It is absolutely amazing."

Since he said this Bordeaux has suffered from a series of devastating hail storms. The first one hit the 2008 crop in the south of the Médoc, around Cantenac, causing losses at Du Tertre, Cantenac-Brown and Prieuré-Lichine, among others. The second series took place this week, unusually early in the growing season: two storms, severely damaging extensive areas in the Bordeaux region. Normally these kind of storms occur in September, just before or around harvest time.

Of course it is hard to say whether these fierce storms are the result of global warming, but nevertheless I wonder if the Bordelais are still so enthusiastic about Modern Weather as a whole.

The first storm covered the largest area, from the Charentes in the north down to the Graves in the south. It took place Monday afternoon. The Charentes was hit the worst, with many, many hectares of vineyards lost. From there it raged south along the right bank border, it passed Blaye, and blew over the southern Médoc & Graves, and the Libournais more to the east. With this first storm the southern Médoc (Margaux) was hit for the second year in row.

The second storm was more local yet more damaging: it took place around 4:00 in the morning from Tuesday to Wednesday and more or less ran from the Entre-Deux-Mers region towards Saint-Emilion. Normally the Carteaux côte is enough of a barrier to split a storm in two, but this one couldn't be stopped and cut deep into the Saint-Emilion vineyards.

The losses are big. For example Château Canon lost about 80% of its crop, some others even more. The damage is so serious that it probably will affect the 2010 crop as well. The plants have been bombarded with huge hail stones, the young twigs and leaves have been ripped off, and - worse - the wood of many vines has been severely injured.

Of vital importance now is that these damaged vines are treated and pruned, enabling them to continue (or restart) their vegetative cycle. But that is difficult: the soil is extremely wet - there has also been lots of rain these days. One can enter the wet clay by foot (whereby the boot will grow with every step) but the tractors can't get in (yet another reason to bring back the horses!). To treat against mildew the richer properties might hire a helicopter.

The drama behind the plant-kill is financial. Most producers aren't insured (any more) because of the big expenses, and a year (or two?) without wine can mean that a producer loses his market.

One of the wines that I work with is the white Vieille France 2007 (Graves), and they have already said there will be no white 2009. That's sad. Besides the financial loss for the owners, it means that we will have to miss a lovely wine this year.

More details (with numbers etc.) can be found in a Wine Spectator article by Diana Macle.

Bordeaux 2008 in tasting notes

There has been much excitement, and/or agitation about Parker's publication on Bordeaux 2008. An interesting reaction came from Simon Staples from Berry Bros. & Rudd, who was "utterly bewildered" when he saw Parker's judgement.

Staples' clearest statement: "In 2003 he [Parker] rated this huge, hot vintage as astonishing as the rest were perplexed to find finesse. In 2005, where the entire wine world hailed it as legendary he was initially lukewarm. Now it's the turn for 2008 and we see another electric review in the face of all other wine professionals and even the Chateaux themselves."

But besides Parker there is another critic who is quite thrilled about the 2008 vintage, and that is René Gabriel. In this month's WeinWisser Gabriel talks about a "recht stattlichen Zahl grosser und exzellenter Primeurs" and rates 25 wines 19/20 and 94 wines 18/20. With these numbers he rates structurally higher than the other writers of importance (Decanter, Bettane & Desseauve, Robinson). Overall, Jancis Robinson is reserved this year, and hardly gets to the 18 out of 20 points.

And what do I think? I didn't taste hundreds of wines this year, but I got a general impression after tasting a series of about thirty 2008 primeurs. My summary for Bordeaux 2008 in bullets: *) sound, vital fruit, *) good structure (matière), with a healthy, natural concentration *) good acidity and related freshness.

And these are the reds that I tasted, starting with the best (I leave out the few whites):

Saint-Pierre 2008, 4th cru classé de St-Julien
Broad nose, some sweetness, some oak. Lusty round red fruit, hearty juice, powerful tannins. Very complete wine, harmonious strength, needs time. (8+/10)

Haut-Marbuzet 2008, cru bourgeois de St-Estèphe
Sweet brushwood, hint of dairy, vital dark fruit. Cherry, black currant, darkness. Good solid juice. (8+/10)

Clos Fourtet 2008, 1er grand cru classé de St-Emilion
Still closed. Round black fruit, full-bodied and hearty. Some bitters. Powerful round dark juice, good stuff. (8+/10)

Phélan-Ségur 2008, cru bourgeois de St-Estèphe
Powerful and full-bodied, oak, good texture (tannins), balance. Hint of cookies. Somewhat edgy still. Has a bright future. (8+/10)

De Fieuzal 2008, cru classé de Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Purple-black. Sweetness, darkness, dairy and some vanilla. Already quite supple. Fresh fruit, spirited, good acidity. Chalky. Not to be kept for decades? (8/10)

Gloria 2008, St-Julien
Comparable with the St-Pierre. Energetic, spicy, with a sweet undertone. Quite round and fat. Hint of dairy and chalk. Lovely juice. (8/10)

Lafon-Rochet 2008, 4th cru classé de St-Estèphe
Barn, and some reduction at this moment. Quite closed. Prominent acids, powerful, structured, for the longer term. Bay leaves. Baby is still asleep. (8/10)

Clerc-Milon 2008, 5th cru classé de Pauillac
Very dry, acids dominant. Good texture, hearty stuff. Darkness, and in the end also a hint of sweetness. Complete, and freshness too. (8/10)

Rauzan-Ségla 2008, 2nd cru classé de Margaux
Difficult to fully judge at this stage. Comes across vital and spicy, but also lean and edgy. Opaque, doesn't really let me in. (8-/10)

Cantenac-Brown 2008, 3rd cru classé de Margaux
Dark-purple introvert fruit. Substantial and good acidity, even showing some elegance. Attractive line. For the longer term. (8-/10)

Note: today Château Cantenac-Brown 2008 was released at a price 43%(!) below the 2007-price, and with that it is quite an interesting buy. And indeed, the 2007 was way too expensive, as was the 2006. For those of you who are interested, see my earlier posting Cantenac Brown 2006 and its crazy price.

La Tour Figeac 2008, grand cru classé de St-Emilion
Somewhat lighter, pleasant juice. Fresh fruit in the nose, broad, some oak. Harmonious and pure. Not for ages in the cellar. (8-/10)

Monbrison 2008, cru bourgeois de Margaux
Seductive sweetness, and a bit of oak. Quite soft and pleasant. Sweet fruit lingering in the finish. (8-/10)

Beychevelle 2008, 4th cru classé de St-Julien
Lively, hints of dairy in the nose, and animal hints. In the mouth clenched power, dry and hard in this stage. Combined with a robust acidity. For the longer term. (8-/10)

Fombrauge 2008, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Sweetness (and some alcohol). Powerful, even energetic but... lacks some personality? (vague) Not very approachable in this stage. (7,5/10)

d'Issan 2008, cru bourgeois de Margaux
Cookies, difficult (empty) start, then quite elegant juice, medium-bodied, refreshing finish. (7,5/10)

Malartic-Lagravière 2008, cru classé de Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Quite seductive, solid fruit (blackberry), powerful wine. Acids quite dominant. For later. (7,5/10)

Saint-Georges (Côte Pavie) 2008, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Hearty sweet fruit with - also - some green tones. Tough red; solid juice. Low acidity level. Cookies. Missing some tension. (7,5/10)

Bolaire 2008, Bordeaux Supérieur
Pure fruit and some vanilla. Medium-bodied yet quite solid. Darkness and sweetness. Blackberries. Juicy. (7,5/10)

Labégorce-Zédé 2008, cru bourgeois de Margaux
Slender and with hints of dairy. Dark, opaque, shut and dry. Acidity, lacking some fruit (in this stage). For the long term? (7+/10)

Rollan de By 2008, cru bourgeois du Médoc
Clenched power and darkess, something artificial about the nose. Hard at first, it takes a while before the wine starts showing its dark lusty fruit. (7+/10)

Les Grands Chênes 2008, cru bourgeois du Médoc
Hidden below a closed surface: some seduction. Solid structure, fruit on the background. And on a distance some sweetness too. Cherries. Perhaps not so exciting. (7+/10)

Marjosse 2008, Bordeaux
Pierre Lurton's own estate. Juicy, good acidity, modest, slim and fresh fruit. Light to medium-bodied. Pure, for the near future. (7+/10)

Clauzet 2008, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Quite light and modest, pleasant juice, but lacks energy. Little flat. For the short term. (7/10)

Lascombes 2008, 2nd cru classé de Margaux
Sexy oak, sweetness and cookies. Oaky and a lack of fruit and freshness. Hence flat, and dry. (7/10)

Cos Labory 2008, 5th cru classé de St-Estèphe
Dark & sweetish, bit spineless. Lacks a kernel. Tannins are hard. (7-/10)

Rauzan-Gassies 2008, 2nd cru classé de Margaux
Somewhat overripe, somewhat flat, somewhat unbalanced. (6,5/10)

Larrivet Haut-Brion 2008, Pessac-Léognan
Silent boy with green cheeks. Lacks depths, bit peevish. Lacks fruit too. (6,5/10)

Note: Larrivet Haut-Brion 2008 was also released today, and it was the first left bank wine to raise its price in comparison to 2007. I wouldn't know why (other than that this estate would like to climb up to the group of Graves grand crus).

La Tour Carnet 2008, 4th cru classé du Haut-Médoc
Green. Twigs and branches. High acidity, dry and unpleasant. Perhaps something wrong with this sample? (6/10)

Bordeaux 2008: Parker has spoken

When Europe was asleep last night, Robert Parker published his Bordeaux 2008 report and ratings. Parker is very excited about the quality of the new vintage. As the main reasons he sums up:

1. Very long hang-time for the grapes, thus a slow and long maturation resulting in well-developed and complex aroma's.
2. A summer that was overall cooler and sunnier than average. Interesting, because what I heard from producers is that despite the variable weather during the growing season, the average temperature was slightly higher. Something to check.
3. It was a dry summer.

Parker points out the good fruit, the purity and freshness and the quality and the ripeness of the tannins. He states that the quality of Bordeaux 2008 comes close to 2005 and 2000, and surpasses the other vintages from this decade. Pomerol is supposedly the star appellation in the year 2008.

This is Parker's top 11 for Bordeaux 2008:
- Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac) 98-100
- Pétrus (Pomerol) 98-100
- Trotanoy (Pomreol) 96-100
- Ausone (Saint-Emilion) 96-100
- Pavie (Saint-Emilion) 96-98+
- Pontet-Canet (Pauillac) 96-98+ (the buy of the vintage?)
- Bellevue-Mondotte (Saint-Emilion) 96-98+
- La Violette (Pomerol) 96-98
- Hosanna (Pomerol) 96-98 (released 1st day, hardly sold, now hunted)
- Latour (Pauillac) 96-98
- Ducru-Beaucaillou (Saint-Julien) 96-98

And there are many many more wines scoring above 90, so I guess there will be enough Champagne uncorked in Bordeaux today.

This last time the campaign has been a little boring, because many - major - châteaux were waiting for Parker's verdict. Now they will come out, and hopefully Parker's enthusiasm doesn't push the prices back up. We'll see in the coming days...

Bordeaux 2008 − last week no shock and awe

After the fireworks in the previous week I had expected a rapid wrap-up of the 2008 campaign, but actually the fire smothered somewhat. The last left bank 1er cru came out, Haut-Brion, and positioned itself above the other 1er crus. A compensation I guess for what happened to the 2005 vintage: then Haut-Brion came out first, and the others followed, with higher prices.

Anyway, the release of Haut-Brion 2008 (on 23 April) was followed later that day by the second tranche of Château Latour which, indeed, was priced slightly above Haut-Brion...

La Mission Haut-Brion went down 44% compared to 2007 but is still quite expensive.

Again only a few releases from the right bank, so that's something we still have ahead of us. Remember that this campaign started with Angélus, but ever since Saint-Emilion has been very quiet.

This is the list with last week's major releases. No earthquakes. I think the most interesting release (price-quality ratio) is Château Calon-Ségur. For all prices (and ratings) see www.bordoverview.com.

20/04 Château Lafon-Rochet 2008, Saint-Estèphe (€ 27, −3%)
20/04 Château Beychevelle 2008, Saint-Julien (€ 31, −16%)
20/04 Château Guiraud 2008, Sauternes (€ 37)
20/04 Château Suduiraut 2008, Sauternes (€ 49)
21/04 Château Fonbadet 2008, Pauillac (€ 22, 0%)
21/04 Château Talbot 2008, Saint-Julien (€ 29, −15%)
21/04 Château Calon-Ségur 2008, Saint-Estèphe (€ 35, −21%)
21/04 Château Lafaurie Peyraguey 2008, Sauternes (€ 32)
21/04 Château Petit Village 2008, Pomerol (€ 35, −2%)
21/04 Château La Conseillante 2008, Pomerol (€ 57, −28%)
22/04 Château Prieuré-Lichine 2008, Margaux (€ 27, −13%)
22/04 Château Monbrison 2008, Margaux (€ 20, −4%)
22/04 Château de Camensac 2008, Haut-Médoc (€ 16, −3%)
22/04 Château Chasse-Spleen 2008, Listrac-Médoc (€ 20, −6%)
23/04 Château Haut-Brion 2008, Pessac-Léognan (€ 202, −38%)
23/04 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2008, Pessac (€ 50, −10%)
23/04 La Mission Haut-Brion 2008, Pessac (€ 148, −44%)
23/04 Château Durfort-Vivens 2008, Margaux (€ 23, −10%)
24/04 Clos la Madeleine 2008, Saint-Emilion (€ 18, −5%)

Some of these primeurs I offer on my website www.bordeaux-2008.nl.

I said I would write about the flight of 2008 primeurs that I tasted, but I have to postpone that again, too busy last week.

Bordeaux 2008 primeurs campaign in full swing

This blog once was a welcome (inter)active tool besides Bordoverview, but during an overheated Bordeaux 2008 primeur campaign like the one of today, the perfect tool is Twitter: as soon as there is a new release, it is instantly twittered around, discussed, criticised, welcomed, etcetera. The blog, by nature, is lagging behind, and until now I also didn't have time to update it. So this is a short wrap up of the week we had.

See here what I wrote just before the start of the campaign, on 5 April: "I cannot think of any other industry where one party has the capability to get an entire market back on its feet again." By seriously cutting down prices. And that is what happened. We saw some spectacular releases, and people started buying again.

But it was not just the low prices that did the trick. What the châteaux also did was release only very small quantities. This obviously helped the sales (like if you snooze, you loose), but it might also give the châteaux the possibility to sell at a higher price later...

Anyway, with the current release prices there are some very interesting wines to buy. Below are the key releases for the reds with the average consumer price − all numbers can be found on Bordoverview (these days this site serves more than 1.000 unique visitors per day).

On 14 April Château Latour (€ 175) kick-started the campaign with a spectacular price drop of more than 45% (compared to Latour 2007). Les Forts de Latour is sold at around € 64 (€ 74 in 2007). These releases were followed by:

15/04 Château Haut-Marbuzet 2008, St-Estèphe (€ 30, −11%)
15/04 Château Léoville-Barton 2008, St-Julien (€ 38, −22%)
15/04 Château Langoa-Barton 2008, St-Julien (€ 28, −26%)
15/04 Château Gruaud-Larose 2008, St-Julien (€ 32, −19%)
15/04 Château Mouton-Rothschild 2008, Pauillac (€ 162, −50%)
15/04 Château Clerc Milon 2008, Pauillac (€ 31, −10%)
15/04 Château d'Armailhac 2008, Pauillac (€ 27, −6%)
16/04 Château Gazin 2008, Pomerol (€ 40, −4%)
16/04 Château Léoville-Poyferré 2008, St-Julien (€ 37, −23%)
16/04 Château Lafite-Rothschild 2008, Pauillac (€ 175, −45%)
16/04 Château l'Evangile 2008, Pomerol (€ 82, −28%)
16/04 Château Duhart-Milon 2008, Pauillac (€ 31, −8%)
16/04 Château Margaux 2008 (€ 175, −45%)
16/04 Pavillon Rouge du Ch Margaux 2008 (€ 37, −28%)
17/04 Château Giscours 2008, Margaux (€ 31, −18%)
17/04 Château du Tertre 2008, Margaux (€ 23, −6%)
17/04 Château Lynch Bages 2008, Pauillac (€ 44, −20%)
17/04 Château Les Ormes de Pez 2008, St-Estèphe (€ 19, −7%)
17/04 Château Lynch Moussas 2008, Pauillac (€ 22, −5%)
17/04 Château Pichon-Lalande 2008, Pauillac (€ 54, −32%)

Some of these I offer on my website www.bordeaux-2008.nl.

Last week I tasted a series of 30 Bordeaux 2008 samples and my idea was to write about that, but that will be in my next posting.

David Léclapart & Arnaud Ente

It is the end of a long and sunny weekend, and everyone following the primeurs campaign is curious to know what will happen tomorrow (if anything will happen at all).

A week ago, immediately after the presentation of the Bordeaux 2008 vintage in Bordeaux, Château Angélus released its price, with lightning speed, 40% below the 2007 price. This was much twittered about last week.

It was a promising start, but apart from a few minor releases, nothing happened afterwards. The châteaux must be racking their brains over what to do. Release low in an effort to spark sales? Release high and sell... in the future perhaps, but protect the price level of the 2007s? Or not release at all? We will wait and see.

In the meantime I have tasted some good wines. Seemed like a good idea. A classic row: a sparkler, a white and a red.

CHAMPAGNE DAVID LECLAPART "L'APOTRE" 2002, MEURSAULT 2006 FROM ARNAUD ENTE AND CHAMBERTIN CLOS DE BEZE 1996 FROM LOUIS JADOT. FROM THE MEURSAULT I ACCIDENTALLY SHOT THE BACK-LABEL...

1. Champagne David Léclapart "L'Apôtre" 2002, 1er cru Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut
Wow, this is an impressive Champagne (biodynamic). Fresh, pure (apple core) yet open and with - even - a hint of oxidation, sherry. The mousse is very soft, and the wine is dry, broad and intense, with gripping acids in a lingering finish. A mouth-filling, gentle experience, and very pure. Great!

2. Meursault 2006, Arnaud Ente
Impressive, some sweetness, and some oak. Floral, full and energetic. Not very fat. Mineral, and not too acidic. Good (to very good) Meursault. Tasted blind. One that I definitely would like to taste again!

3. Chambertin Clos de Bèze 1996, Louis Jadot
The last one is a big name, and particularly a big company. The wine is very open, direct, with cherries or kirsch in the nose. A vital appearance, after 13 years. Supple texture, good wine but quite straightforward, not quite of grand cru level I would think...

Bordeaux 2008 short update and some other things

So much was written on Bordeaux 2008 last week, and speculated about the prices to come, that I just don't feel like diving into the topic again. But OK, in short: Bordeaux 2008 is an interesting vintage, and if the prices are interesting too (which is more or less expected), the primeurs campaign might get interesting after all. It even crossed my mind: I cannot think of any other industry where one party has the capability to get an entire market back on its feet again. I mean, in case the premier cru's do dramatically lower their prices, which they are capable of doing, they will make many people start buying again.


Mm, I feel that I should make this story bigger: isn't everybody looking at each other in this economic climate? Like, who starts buying first? I see a scenario unfolding, of which future historians say the following: in April 2009 the change commenced, in Bordeaux, France. After some major châteaux seriously dropped prices (something which could not be done with normal-margin products like computers or bicycles), an unprecedented buying frenzy was ignited that... spread like a virus. It started slowly, but once going, it got bigger and bigger... France, Europe... etc.

Makes sense? Well, back to the facts: please be informed that since a few days Bordoverview is updated with a Bordeaux 2008 section and that the site is updated all the time. So if you are as curious about prices as I am, just make sure you follow Bordoverview. And/or follow me on Twitter.

Enough about these young wines? I'm currently auctioning some older Bordeaux and Burgundy vintages on eBay, a/o Château Léoville-las-Cases 1982 (Parker 100/100 indeed) and Clos de la Roche 1994 from Domaine Leroy... just to mention two. And I've been drinking some interesting older wines.


First of all two Bordeaux's from the lighter vintages 1997 and 1999, vintages that are perfect for drinking these days. I had Château Giscours 1999. Very classic and stylish Bordeaux. Dark, ceder, very open and charming. Suave and really supple in the mouth. Some toast, and also a hint (not more) from what you smell in a cowshed − but then a cowshed high up in the mountains, in the fresh air of the Alps. I am glad that this was not my last bottle.

The second wine was the Château l'Evangile 1997. Another moment of joy. Very refined nose, darkness again, and leather. Round in the mouth, with a velvet texture, and depth. Delicate and delicious. Hint of chocolate in the finish.

Two other wines I should mention are two lovely white Burgundies, both fat, balanced and with convincing character: the Meursault 2004 from François Mikulski and the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2006 from Alain Jeanniard. Sorry for the absent tasting notes, but I didn't want to leave these two out of this story.

ProWein 2009 in 15 favourite Bordeaux's

Yesterday we visited ProWein in Düsseldorf. Up front I had made the wise decision to only explore the wines of Bordeaux. With that the whole thing was at least 'surveyable'. ProWein is drearily huge. Hall after hall stretches out, country after country, with countless sorts of wines. And everyone is trying to get attention. Anyway, ProWein is one big busy wine frenzy. But enough about that, let's focus on something good: the wines from Bordeaux that I encountered.

A lovey row: Château Notton (Margaux), Château Moulinet (Pomerol), Château Pont Saint-Martin (Pessac-Léognan), Château Le Jurat (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru), Baron de Brane (Margaux)

I tasted a large number of wines, and in this posting I shed light on a few, the 15 that I liked the most. The descriptions are brief, as I didn't have the time to make extensive notes.

1. Clos des Demoiselles 2005, Listrac-Médoc. Soft fruit, pleasant, freshness, classic, good texture. Harmonious wine, much more open now than last year.

2. La Chapelle d'Aliénor 2004, Bordeaux Supérieur. Dark fruit, vital, powerful. Freshness too. Straightforward, not complex but a good wine (Maison Malet Roquefort, from La Gaffelière).

3. Château la Gaffelière 2004, 1er Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Emilion. Complete, classic, medium-bodied. Still young. Balanced and quite refined, classy.

4. Château Arnauton 2005, Fronsac. Dark and intense. I particularly remember its force from the last time I tasted it, but now it comes across quite pleasant. Is it loosing its hard edges? Will soon retaste this wine.

5. Château de Gironville 2006, Haut-Médoc. Very good and vital fruit, good concentration. Convincing wine, very well made (sibling of Haut-Médoc Château Belle-Vue).

6. Château Fonroque 2006, Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Emilion. Yes! One of the best this day, this organic Saint-Emilion. Refined-seductive. Tender base. Not heavy. Good acidity. Refined is the word that keeps coming back.

7. Château Liversan 2006, Haut-Médoc. Fresh and pliable, quite mineral wine, light to medium bodied, expressive, showing character. Harmonious.

8. Château Pauillac 2006, Pauillac. Proud and vital, with good structure and healthy fruit. Straightforward, no-nonsense.

9. Château Notton 2006, Margaux. Soft and juicy, easy, slightly spiced, tasty, very nice (again). Hearty, pure, drink young. Made by Brane-Cantenac, call it their 3rd wine.

10. Baron de Brane 2006, Margaux. This is the 2nd wine of Brane-Cantenac. Same style as the Notton but more structure. Hearty too, and good balance. Finish to chew on.

11. Château le Jurat 2004, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. Trouvaille, located next to Grand Corbin-Despagne. Dark, hints of farm smells. Some sweetness. Bit of oak. Proudly standing. Good.

12. Château Pont Saint-Martin 2006, Pessac-Léognan. Another trouvaille. Manure (hint), some oak, quite polished. Modern. Nice, still young.

13. Château Moulinet 2004, Pomerol. Complete, juicy, hearty, solid, hint of sweetness, some oak, seductive, fraîcheur too, fine finish.

14. Château Robin "Classique" 2004, Médoc. Second wine of Vieux Robin (Bois de Lunier). Broad, spicy yet soft. Ripe and pleasant.

15. Château Vieux Robin "Collection Bois de Lunier" 2001, Médoc. Sweetness and power, warmth and tenderness. Ripe, supple... simply delicious. Very good wine (and not cheap).

Maryse Roba, owner of Château Vieux Robin with two of her 2005's: the Cuvée "Bois de Lunier" and the Collection "Bois de Lunier". The nomenclature is intricate, but the wines are good.

Finally − something I shouldn't forget mentioning − Bordeaux négociant Guillaime Cottin from Dubos was so kind to offer me a glass of Château d'Yquem 1997, and I briefly scribbled some keywords in my pocketbook: Suave-sweet. Mineral start. Unctuous. Endless finish. Freshness too, also in the nose. Superb.

Altogether an interesting and well-spent day. We − Miranda Beems and I − finished in downtown Düsseldorf where I devoured a − very German − Eisbein: a huge pig's trotter served up to the skin. But no worries, it was well-shaved.