Viticulture is a key factor in quality grapes. Rules about irrigation differ all over the world. Moreover, the timing of water and heat through the growth cycle determines the quality of the grapes. During my recent visit to Bodega Carrau in Montevideo, I asked Francisco Carrau about the effects of water and heat in the [...]

Do you see this beautiful chateau in the picture above? During En Primeur week, owner Paulin Calvet walked down these famous stone steps to greet me and walk me up the impressive entrance of his Chateau. During this week, journalists are divided into small groups to taste the wines of various regions each day. I [...]

“What a gorgeous chateau!” I am here, inside Chateau Lafton-Rochet, speaking with Basile Tesseron, the son of the owner. Other journalists from around the world are here to taste the 2011 vintage of wines from Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Saint-Estephe, and Haut-Medoc. These represent some of my favorite vintages in Bordeaux and overall, the quality is excellent. [...]

    On April 4, I was invited to a fabulous party celebrating the marriage of art and wine. Each year, Henri Lurton, owner and winemaker of the 2nd Growth Brane-Cantenac in Marguax, invites an artist (of song, photography, other forms of art) to kick off the new vintage. Last week,  Eric Boissenot, a famous [...]

  See that turret? Can you imagine how exciting it would be to spend a few nights in it? That was one of the most incredible experiences of my life living in that fairy tale castle for a few days as a result of a scholarship I won from an AXA sponsored competition for Master [...]

  “Welcome!” says vivacious yet petite Laure d’Aramon, nee Manencourt, who grew up at Chateau Figeac. The driver has just deposited me at this famous wine estate in Saint-Emilion and since I have a small collection at home, am very excited to talk about the wine and taste some classic vintages during dinner. At 8:00, [...]

“2011 was a tricky year that required precision and care,” Florence Cathiard explained, standing in the picture above near husband Daniel, before a tasting of the 2011 Smith Haut Lafitte vintage.  “It was especially important to pay close attention to the tannins.” Luckily, all the care of the Smith Haut Lafitte team worked out, for [...]

“Do you know the significance of a golden carrot? Especially when 14 people are dining with you?” The spell-like meaning of a carrot with a gold sauce, served to 14 people, is luck. Perhaps today at En Primeur with the tasting of Haut Medoc and Pauillac and Saint Estephe it means “luck for the vintage” [...]

“Krug champagne!” Well, what else would you expect when having dinner with Jean-Michel and Jean-Charles Cazes at the restaurant inside the exclusive Cordeillan-Bages hotel in Pauillac. The hotel (managed by Relais & Chateau) is gorgeous and the atmosphere is very refined and relaxed. We are gathered together to experience the talent of the new chef, [...]

  “There are five essential conditions for a quality vintage,” says famed professor Denis Dubourdieu, speaking in front of over a hundred journalists from virtually every corner of the world. We gathered together at Chateau La Lagune, where the vat room I visited several years ago had been cleaned out and filled with many seats [...]

… so here I am, a Chateau Fourcas Dupre, tasting an incredible line-up of more than forty wines. The day started off as every day should … in a Relais & Chateau hotel called Chateau Cordeillan Bages owned by the Cazes family. It is an incredible and very elegant hotel. Chateau Fourcas Dupre is a [...]

…ah, the Bordeaux airport! I have just arrived via an eight hour layover in Madrid and am adjusting from Spanish to French. Sebastian , a smartly attired driver in a black suit suit awaits me with a sign. A wonderful feeling to see “D’Vari” printed on a placard after a 2o hour journey that began [...]

“I’m having a vertical tasting of Figeac!” said a friend in an email. I responded so quickly I did not realize the tasting was in Philadelphia, and I live in New York! The opportunity to taste several vintages of this famous chateau is intoxicating … … and I love history and a good story almost [...]

  I’m excited to once again visit Le Sources de Caudalie during En Primeur, a gorgeous luxury resort with a top restaurant and healing, relaxing spa about thirty minutes from the main city of Bordeaux. (You can read my previous posts about the spa, the restaurant, the resort, and its founders Florence and Daniel Cathiard [...]

One of the benefits of being a Master of Wine student is an “introductory” trip to Bordeaux, where students have the opportunity to meet the winemakers and learn more about the region. In preparation for En Primeur 2012, I scanned my computer for some old notes from this visit. They are replicated here. Chateau LaGrange [...]

Very excited to visit this first growth Chateau in Sauternes, which is located on the high ground near the villages of Bommes.  As a first growth it is ranked first in the 1855 classification … yet the oldest stones cut from quarries in neighboring Citron date from the 13th century. Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey has an interesting [...]

“Welcome!” exclaims affable Emanuele Rabotti, his exuberant and expressive face lighting up at the appearance of long lost (very lost!) visitors. Perhaps the first thing you should know is that Emanuele i(beyond being a very nice and fun guy) is that he is the owner and winemaker behind Monte Rossa winery, one of the oldest [...]

    Panos Kakaviatos, who I see almost everywhere in the world, wrote a great news analysis for Meiningers Wine Business International about the new Chinese Palate. He was in Shanghai to judge the International Wine challenge and spoke with several officials and consumers about what was going on in the wine world. From the [...]

Today in his column Andrew Jefford tells the story of a woman from a small village who said some Canadian importers were interested in carrying her wine, yet wanted to know if they had been “scored” by any North American critics. Jefford asks a brilliant question: are scores actually necessary to get into today’s market? [...]

We were promised a “week of fine and rare wine” and really experienced it today with this 1966 Port, 1971 Chateau d’Yquem, ’82 Conterno Barolo …. and Anthony Hanson MW of Christies giving a tutored tasting of red and white Cru Burgundy as well as a talk on the auction process. The day began at [...]