A Harvest in Piedmont: In Pictures

The Altare team shown here picking Barbera in the Larigi Vineyard, before the rains came.

Our author, Silvia Altare

It's worth noting the steepness of the vineyard and the age of the picking team. Aspect and experience are key to the wonder of Larigi.

Upcoming buying trip: The Rhone Valley's 2008s

Next week sees the buying team of Hew Blair and Giles Burke-Gaffney visit the Rhone valley. Starting off with a visit to Clos des Fees in Roussillon, they'll move up through Châteauneuf-du-Pape visiting amongst others, Usseglio, Pegau, Versino, Beaucastel and Vieux Telegraph. Leaving no wine untasted they'll head North to visit our plethora of producers in St Joseph, Côte Rotie, Hermitage Cornas and Condrieu.

They will be posting daily on the 2008's they taste: decanting their thoughts regularly for you to read.

Watch this space.

Bordeaux 2009: Everybody's Talkin'

That there is a great deal of excitement about the potential quality of the 2009 harvest in Bordeaux is in no doubt. Such is the fervour that even the Weekend FT felt it necessary to carry the story on their front page.

We have been speaking to certain prominent winemakers in Bordeaux and the view is unified. Barring any major weather fronts in the coming two weeks 2009 has great potential.

Ben Kennedy, who now works for Luc Thienpoint at Clos des Quatre Vents in Margaux, told us that "quality is excellent. Ripening is even and there is no kind of advance or delay in one grape or another so the harvesting can be done in a nice neat order". He also noted that their 2008's are looking "excellent" in barrel with "stylish, moreish fruit that is even more pronounced than five months ago"

The rain at the weekend patently came at the perfect moment. According to David Launay at Gruaud Larose the "vines suffered quite a bit before (the weekend) due to the drought. Thanks to the rain (about 15mm during the weekend), the vines are back to work, accumulating more polyphénols in the berries with a better extractability". He harvested his "babies", the young vines, yesterday in "ideal" conditions.

It's fortunate they did get some rain as prior to that the vintage seemed to be teetering between the greatness of 2005 and the heat stress of 2003. Luc Thienpoint's grapes had skins that had begun to "slacken and dimple", not necessarily a quality issue, but perhaps a concern for yields. Harvesting 48 hours after the rain allowed the moisture to penetrate the soil, travel up the vine and fill out the berries. Their early merlots are in and they are delighted with them.

Across the river in Pomerol where things always happen a little earlier much has already been harvested. Jean-Michel Laporte of La Conseillante summed up the situation thus:

“2009 shows a lot of similarities with 2005 in terms of growing season: very nice and warm summer, with a few days of rain permitting the vines to continue to ripen in very good conditions, without any water stress. But it will certainly be a bit more complicated to achieve the winemaking. The potential is truly exceptional, but the high sugar level (i.e. future alcohol) requires us to be very careful with the extractions. On the other hand, the cool nights from the summer preserved the acidity of the berries, so we can expect a good balance in the wines we are going to make.

We finished picking the Merlot grapes yesterday at La Conseillante, and a small plot of Cabernet Franc. We are very early here on the Pomerol plateau, compared with our neighbors of Saint Émilion, and of course with the Médoc estates. Our clay and gravels soils always mature faster, and our climate is a bit warmer than on the left bank as we are farther from the ocean. First part of the job is done, we now need to transform the trie… It’s really exciting as the first tastings of juices, or even the first fermenting tanks, are already full of color and fruit forward. In terms of winemaking, I prefer to ferment the wines at lower temperatures than usual, to preserve the fresh notes and to regulate the yeast activity. Extraction, by pumping-over only, will essentially take place during the first part of the vatting, to avoid to get dry tannins from the seeds.

Next step will be next week, when we’ll harvest the remaining Cab Franc. But I already can tell that 2009 is definitely a very promising vintage.”

Follow all the action during the coming crucial two weeks right here on the buyer's blog.

Do believe the hype…

Another day and another conversation with a deliriously happy Bordelaise wine-maker. The phrases `Cheshire cat` and `grinning like` spring to mind.

Comparisons with the 2005 vintage have already started - and most of the fruit is still on the vine. The vintage seemed to be heading more towards a 2003, such has been the heat and the drought of 2009. One rarely finds vignerons pleading for rain in September, but the summer has been such a scorcher that the vines were almost in danger of hydric stress (quite a change from 2007 and 2008). Their prayers have been answered with several heavy showers over the weekend. The vines are refreshed and look in great shape. The Météo looks fine for the next few days, so we could be witnessing another historic vintage in the making…

Under the hammer

A glance at the auction results from Christie's recent New York sale merely serves to confirm that even in these gloomy times there is a thirst for exceptional lots from great vintages. The top three lots all broke their pre-sale estimates, with Bordeaux and Burgundy dominating the top ten.

The highest price was achieved by a case of Château La Mission Haut-Brion 1947 which achieved £43,452 smashing its pre-sale high estimate of £30,400. The second dearest lot was three magnums of Château Cheval-Blanc 1947 which raised £36,210 on a pre sale estimate of £24,300 - £36,500. The third largest lot was two magnums of Romanée-Conti which achieved £28,968 on a pre-sale low estimate of £24,300.

Harvesting in Vosne-Romanée

The 2009 harvest finished Tuesday lunchtime, a day earlier than expected, largely thanks to the exceptional quality of grapes we have picked. Do we have in front of us a great or immense vintage?? Time will tell but I have certainly never seen such a beautiful quality of crop in the ten years since I took back control of winemaking at Domaine du Comte-Liger Belair.

Saturday we attacked the Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots, immediately followed by La Romanée. This was the rhythm nature gave us. After midday on Saturday the Vosne Romanée Clos du Château had been totally engulfed by the picking team and all was harvested within an hour and a half, which allowed us to follow by picking Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots that afternoon, too. Sunday morning and we headed for Vosne Romanée La Colombière, then after this the team had to be separated in two, some to harvest Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes, others Nuits Saint Georges Les Lavières. There was no harvesting on Sunday afternoon, our usual practice at the Domaine, to honour, more than anything else, the day of our lord and to thank him for having given us such wonderful fruit. Monday morning we attacked a parcel of Vosne Romanée premier cru Aux Reignots and Vosne Romanée premier cru Hauts Beaux Monts that we delivered to Domaine de la Romanée Conti for the charity auction "Climats de Coeur" (http://www.climats-du-coeur.com/) followed by the different parcels that are used for the Domaine's Vosne Romanée. Finally that day we picked Vosne Romanée 1er Cru les Petits Monts and le Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Cras. The harvest ended on Tuesday with Echezeaux and Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées.

Everything is now in the cuverie. The juices are lovely - rich, with a balanced acidity, the colours are starting to come out and show their brilliance ...so everything is going well .. Some cuves are starting to give the impression that fermentation is just beginning. You'll find out more very soon!!

Broking News

Our magnificent summer cellar is making waves in all our major markets - well how often do we see private cellars of this size (in excess of one million pounds!). The Thursday scramble will continue for a few more weeks yet...

In terms of the wider market, we are seeing some fairly bullish buying. This is backed up by the London based wine exchange, Liv-ex. The Liv-ex 100 had its best month for more than two years in August, gaining 4.6% to 225.5 and it’s the fifth monthly rise in succession. This is led by the Lafite stable. Insatiable demand in the Far East has pushed most vintages of Carruades towards the 2K mark, making it more expensive than many vintages of rival First Growths Mouton, Margaux and Haut Brion. The Grand Vin is enjoying similar success; we defy anyone to find a vintage of Lafite that starts with a two. Top vintages such as '82, '96 and '00 are reaching new highs and we think it won't be long before the '05 is back at 8K+ a case. Is this a bubble waiting to burst or is this just the start? Who knows? China is a huge market and maybe we are only scratching the surface…

Pomerol's 2009 Harvest (continued)

Just a quick note after a few days of harvest:

It is now Thursday 17th of September, and we have been harvesting various parcels of young(er) vines and gravelly soils for four days now. We picked Providence on Tuesday, Wednesday and today, and all that are left to do are the old blocks planted in 1945 and 1985.

The result, in the tanks before fermentation, is stunning. The potential alcohol is fairly high, there is nice structure and a freshness which is crucial for the balance of the future wine.

The weather forecast over the weekend is not fantastic so the few days ripeness we have gained through a massive amount of work pampering the vines over the summer has allowed us to have important parcels picked dry and under a shinning sun. The remaining ones that need more hanging time due to cooler soils or higher age will then be ready mid to late next week when we are supposed to have very nice weather again. Saint-Emilion will probably be ready around this time also.

Vicomte Liger-Belair joins the J&B blog

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair is a great and historic Vosne-Romanée domaine rejuvenated at the beginning of 2000 by the young Vicomte Liger-Belair, Louis Michel, an agricultural engineer and oenologist.

It is with great pleasure that we announce that our newest guest blogger, Vicomte Liger-Belair himself. Look out for his first blog tomorrow. The grapes have been harvested and everything is now in the cuverie. By the sounds of things, 2009 looks to have produced some truly excellent fruit.

Follow the action in the winery over the coming weeks as the grapes make their transformation into some of Burgundy's finest wines.

A Harvest with Elio Altare:

We started picking dolcetto about 10 days ago and last weekend, after only two and a half days of fermentation we pressed the first three rotary fermentors.

I always wonder why it is that we always have to press on Saturdays or Sundays...I suppose it's just bad luck, and harvest simply doesn't have free days or hours, it's continous non stop work! It also happened that during the weekend that Elio was in London for the J&B tasting, but we did a good job, or at least he didn't call me a million times to check on the work!!

The first dolcetto that we pressed looks very dark and already shows some soft delicate tannins. In just a couple of day in a temperature controlled fermentation tank it turned dry, so no more fun drinking dolcetto grape juice until next year; it's already a serious wine.

On Wednesday we started picking barbera from the Larigi vineyard (where the photos are taken - I hope readers notice the "young" pickers we have. The old couple are 80 years old!!). The grapes have 23-24 brix of sugar, and look a bit dry, but that's fine. It will give us a very concentrated barbera. We are a bit worried about nebbiolo though, the sugar levels are already quite high but the colour is very weak and the pips (when you crunch them) are still very very dry and unripe. We need some colder nights and more temperature variation, to give the grapes freshness.

This year my cellar team is composed of a Japanese, a Romanian and an Aussie guy, quite an interesting mix, especially when you have to talk or explain things. Luckily I'm Italian, so I know how to shake my hands and explain :-)))

The vineyard team has been the same for as long as I remember. The older they get the faster they are, and the better at selecting the grapes they become. It's incredible, the experience really helps out. And of course Elio supervising on everything and everyone - he is the big boss!!

Burgundy 2006 from bottle: The Grand Crus of Vosne

The Grand Crus of Vosne we tasted in three flights. The first flight consisted soley of Echezeaux. This was followed by a flight of Echezeaux and Grands Echezeaux. And finally those Grand Crus from around the village, namely Richebourg, Romanee St Vivant, La Grande Rue and La Romanee. No DRC wines were included as Aubert de Villaine does not provide samples for comparative tastings.

Not unnaturally many of these grand wines were dense, closed and presented themselves in a typically adolescent and ungiving style. Certainly they showed higher density, alcohol and Grand cru structure, but they will have suffered from palate fatigue and a build up of tannin on my palate after three days of tasting.

The star performer and highest points for the Echezeaux's was Jean-Marc Millot's beautifully pure yet broodingly complex dark fruited example. Only a point behind was Louis Michel Liger-Belair's which I noted for its energy and supreme fruit of blueberry and damson and its aristocratic terroir. Also at the top of the flight was the lovely Cecile Trembley's - refined, elegant and understated.

Of the short flight of Grands Echezeaux, the Lamarche 06 showed how wine making at this estate has improved dramatically over recent years. Superb 'Musigny' style with power and lingering intensity. The Drouhin GE is always dark dense and brooding and so the 06 proved; it has great potential.

The final flight of the tasting included Richebourg, Romanee St Vivant, La Grande Rue and La Romanee. On the day two wines stood out and showed themselves in all their glory .Others had great potential and were more reticant. There were no disappointments amongst this elete group.

Both the Richebourg from Grivot and the La Grande Rue from Lamarche I noted as being beautifully polished and sensual, packed with sensational fruit and complex minerality. The former having a glorious haunting delicacy the latter layers of dark rich fruits. The two most backward wines of the flight, La Romanée from Comte Liger Belair and Domaine Leroy's Richebourg have perhaps the greatest potential to evolve into great bottles. The La Romanee has aromas of oriental opulence but is firm and ungiving on the palate for the moment. The Richbourg from Leroy was somewhat reduced and needed time in the glass to evolve. Strawberry, tobacco and complex spices become evident with time.

Not to be outdone and only a point behind my top two was Romanée St Vivant by Follin Arbelet. Big in structure yet with tremendous energy and busting with rich complex fruit it has the potential to improve dramatically.

To put the 2006 pinot noirs of Burgundy in perpective at this stage when tasting 300 wines over three days without food is tough on both taster and wines. The wines of Beaune and south of the town are for the most part middle weights yet have the vitue of clear vineyard definition and purity of fruit that makes them food friendly. They can and should be enjoyed over the next two to four years.

The wines of Aloxe and Corton have more structure and consistancy. There will be some good suprises here. The best have the substance and charm to evolve over the next three to five years.

Without doubt the village of Nuits St George has more exciting wines than any other in 2006. Gevrey too has done well. I would think that the best of the Cotes de Nuits 1er and Grand Crus will only show their real potential over the next five to ten years.

Pomerol's 2009 Harvest

To sum up the situation as of today. We are planning on harvesting on Monday, starting with a young parcel of La Fleur-Pétrus planted on deep gravels and therefore faster maturing. On Tuesday, we plan on picking the first parcel of Providence. We walked through it this morning and it was almost ready, so with the extremely sunny weekend we will no doubt have, it will probably gain the last bit of maturity needed. But these are only projections of course. I will keep you posted on the evolution throughout the week.

Weather-wise, we have been very lucky so far, with a warm summer since mid-June, and just enough rain to keep the vines healthy. We are optimistic, but as we say in French, lets not put the plough before the ox!

Just Landed

Customers who purchased Domaine du Colombier 2007's, Weinbach 2007's, August Kesseler's 2008 Rieslings or delightful 2005 Spatburgunders and Robert Chevillon's 2007 Nuits St Georges, will see them appearing in their cellars shortly.

All have landed in our warehouse this week.

Burgundy 2006 from bottle: Vosne Romanée

Following on from the Clos Vougeot flight came seven flights of Vosne, four 1er Crus and three Grand Crus. I consider the 2006 Vosne 1er cru flights to be only second in quality to those of neighbouring Nuits st Georges.

Indeed, there are some fabulous wines amonst these 2006's with only a few over extracted and over worked. The best have vivid deep purple colours, pure ripe fruit aromas and silky textured concentrated structures.

Out of the first two flights the Chaumes from Meo Camuzet and Orveau from Sylvain Cathiard took top placings closely followed by Jean Grivot's Brulées and a backward Cros Paratoux from Meo Camuzet.

Flights three and four were made up of Suchots and Malconsorts. Lamarche and Cathiard came first equal with their Malconsorts followed by de Montille Malconsorts. They quality of terroirs is truely exposed in these three wines. Aromas of "fruits du Bois " abound, cool and classy with grand crus texture and weight.

My next and final installment will feature the grand crus of Vosne.

Burgundy 2006 from bottle: Clos Vougeot

Clos Vougeot at its best is masculine, powerful and brooding with fabulous potential.
Inevitably there are less good examples, mostly from the lower slopes of this large 125 acre Clos. Dozens of owners and complex plot ownership add to the minefield of selection for the unwary buyer.
Out of two flights and a total of 19 wines, two clos Vougeots from the extended Gros family were my best marked followed by a firm but well put together Jean-Marc Millot example. Overall there will always be variation in quality given the nature of the vineyard ownership but with no winemaking faults amongst the samples this was a good flight with future potential.

Edouard Moueix signs up to contribute to the Buyers Blog

Our newest guest blogger is none other than Edouard Moueix from the famed
Jean-Pierre Moueix Estate.

Edouard has agreed to give us an insight into a right bank Bordelais harvest. Getting the early news from one of the most significant and prominent families in Pomerol and St Emilion should be a fascinating addition to our blog and we feel honoured to have Eduoard on board.

Expect to hear the latest news from the harvest at Providence in Pomerol, as well as news from Bélair-Monange and a host of other Moeuix properties.

A five minute chat with Edouard this morning gives us further indications that 2009 is shaping up as a vintage of great potential. Thus far the summer of 2009 has been one of five hottest in the past 50 years. Only 2003, 1976, 1989 and 1990 surpass it. A recent smattering of rain arrived as if bidden. As we approach the vendage these are exciting signs. Follow the harvest as it happens right here on our blog.

Burgundy 2006 from bottle: Chambolle-Musigny

The Chambolle 06's were tasted in three flights, two of 1er Cru and one
of Bonnes Mares and Musigny .

The first included wines from eight crus and proved dissappointing as group. Winemaking faults showed up in 25 pc and there was a general lack of precision with many being big black fruited wnes with little energy. A Ghislaine Barthod trio including a lovely Fuees are brighter and more vital.

The second flight made up of Charmes and Amoureuses were solid but I expected more. Maybe they are going through a closed period as excitement is not there.

The Grand Cru flight of Bonnes Mares and Musigny were of more interest showing the weight, structure and power that they should. However at this early stage in their lives they are rather blockish and any refinement is covered up. The most impressive are Freddy Mugnier's Musigny amd Christophe Roumier's Bonnes Mares.

Ruwer's 09 Rieslings looking good so far

I was talking to Carl Von Schubert, owner of the Ruwer's Maximin Grunhauser estate, on Friday - fingers crossed but the growing season seems to be progressing nicely in Germany's Ruwer wine region, he commented : "The Riesling grapes in the vineyard are looking great this year. We expect a moderate yield (ca. 45 hl / ha) and there is much optimism for an outstanding quality! Almost every day I go jogging in the vineyards and my little dog and I think that the grapes already taste very aromatic. Luckily there are enough acorns and beech-nuts in the neighbouring forests so I hope that the wild boars won’t concentrate too much on the grapes!

Burgundy 2006 from bottle: Morey-St-Denis

Two flights of Morey St Denis are relatively small for a top Côtes de Nuits village: eight 1er crus and six Grand Crus.

As a group they lack a single style that is enjoyed and recognised in other villages. This is born out by the the wildly different styles in both flights. The 1er crus are a mixture of green unripe styles and rich ripe structed wines. The Forges de Tart and Clos de la Boussiere from Roumier take the honours, both showing deep dark berry fruits and explosive ripe tannin structure.

My first experience of Clos de la Boussier was a defining moment in opening my eyes to Burgundy. The 1967 drank beatifully in september 1976 during a stay in northern Scotland. I have not looked back since.

The Grand Crus in the second flight show more consistancy of quality and ripeness. Clos de Tart just edging half a point ahead of the Clos de la Roche of Louis Remy and Clos de Lambray. These top wines are very good but the rest are patchy.

A word with Melanie Tesseron

`Just off the phone to Melanie Tesseron (daughter of Alfred Tesseron/Chateau Pontet Canet). She was very upbeat about the 2009s. August was `very hot and dry`. She is currently studying at Chateau Senejac, where the Merlot analysis showed good acidities and already show good alcohols. Pessac Leognan have started to harvest some whites, while the Medoc have an anxious few weeks before their vendage starts. No-one's counting their chickens yet, everyone just hopes that the fine weather continues.`