Barolo 2007 - Summary

I had already tasted a few cuvees of 2007 last year, the quality seemed unbelievably good at the time almost too good, too easy. So I came out here with a degree of suspicion, wondering how the wines had evolved, were they too opulent or had they faded in any way? The answer, resoundingly, is no. This is a special vintage. The wines are so inviting and alluring. So easy to taste. There is plenty of tannin but it is a sweet sumptuous tannin. The wines are as effortless as Barolo can be at this early stage but more encouragingly they show every sign of ageing well. They have more freshness than I expected and very ripe clear fruit flavours. As well as enthralling Nebbiolo lovers, this vintage, I am sure, will bring the region many new friends. That mix of approachability and ageability is what makes this special. When asked, growers themselves struggle to come up with another vintage to compare it with, 07 is unique.

I have aslo relooked at several 2006s out here and I am every bit as confident in them, if not more so, as I was this time last year. Of course they were more rigid and classic to taste upon release, though they are already shaping up well and in time could well prove to be the equal of 2007. For the time being, though, we should revel in the 2007s, they are a delight.

The season started early, summer was sunny and dry but never hot and whilst this aided ripening, the cool nights extended the ripening period. So even after an early start, vintage took place at the usual time - during the first week of October. Growers say that long, gentle seasons like this are the best, certainly 07's ripening conditions have resulted in wines of smooth, shapely tannins without sacrificing any power.

In early September 2011 we will present 2007s from all of the growers mentioned in this blog, our greatest ever offering of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero, it should prove a fitting celebration to the Piedmont and its great wines.

Barolo 2007 - Castiglione, Serralunga, Monforte, Roero and one more La Morra

This trip is starting to get very expensive for me. I left La Morra not only with an appreciation of a delicious raw spiced beef sausage produced in the town of "Bra" but also with a fairly sizeable personal shopping list of wine. Tuesday's and Wednesday morning's tastings have seen this list swell even further.

I wondered whether the sumptuous textures of the wines i had been enjoying so far were purely a La Morra phenomenon but it is clear this a feature of the vintage accross the region.

Scavino are a benchmark; their 2007s are serious and polished wines, the bric del Fiasc wine is a fitting tribute to this top cru, one of the first single cru bottled up separately back in 1978. It was exciting to go to Vietti for the first time, also in Castiglione, their wines are hugely intense and complex. And the last of the Castiglione trio, Azelia, are now the equal of anyone in the region. Marginally longer fermentations and less new oak have, over the last few vintages, seen them jump to the top division of producers. Apart from a great Dolcetto, the best there is, i also fell for the San Rocco.

Clerico, I am glad to report, is fit and well. Since 05 / 06 vintages gentler extraction has been a feature of the wines, his new range from Dolcetto to Barolo Cru is, in my view, the best and most refined he has ever made.

My visit to this wonderful region came to a happy end on Wednesday morning, a tasting at Azienda Matteo Correggia and a simply glorious Roero Riserva Rocche d'Ampsej 2007 and finally back to La Morra, to Giuliano of Giovanni Corino. Silky bright and totally seductive Barolo Cru 2007s and a memorable old vines 2006 Giachini. Those who like Barolo with a bit of extra grunt will prefer the wines of his brother Renato, those who like finesse in their La Morra Barolos will be totally seduced by those of Giuliano.

Now accross the nowhere lands passed Piacenza and into the beautiful hills of Soave and Valpolicella

Barolo 2007 - Barbaresco and La Morra

Monday started with a bang. If Roberto Voerzio describes a vintage as "legendary" you sit up and take notice. These were the impressive dense but highly svelte wines I was expecting, and the even better news is there is a full complement of crus made this year.

In Barbaresco, Gaja made some extremely slick, serious 07s, whilst over the road in Neive Giacosa's new Barolo is as pure and elegant as ever, whilst bowing to that sweet generosity of the vintage.

Our very own J&B blogger, Silvia Altare of Elio Altare, was in typically effusive mood, not only do they have an exciting new cru from Serralunga, Cerretta, but also the range of 2007s is phenomenal, pure smooth but not too sluggish, they retain that wonderful flowery, high-toned scent good La Morra should have but also betray an extra edge and grip that mark them out as so special. They are some of the very best wines they have made.

Renato Corino of the gigantic hands (the biggest in the Barolo business) has made a gigantic Rocche. I will taste his brother's wines Giuliano of Giovanni Corino on Wednesday.

Even taking all of these highs into consideration, THE highlight for me so far has been tasting with Marco Marengo. His 2007s were easily the best he has made ( which is saying something) and rival the very best in the vintage. This seems at great odds with some recent ratings he has been given which were, in my view, a mistake. The wines have found an extra level of finesse, they are intense and haunting, high toned but sweet and alluring. Barolo has never come closer to Burgundy. I found them totally beguiling

More on Castiglione, Serralunga and Monforte tomorrow...

A glowing review for Aristos

Award winning Master of Wine Peter Richards knows a thing or two about Chile. Extensive travelling (and tasting) through Chile's vineyard regions instilled in him a burning passion for the wines produced there and so it was no surprise that he returned to pen the Andre Simon short-listed book, Wines of Chile.  He is the Decanter World Wine Awards Chilean Regional Chair and together with his wife, fellow MW Susie Barrie, was awarded IWSC Wine and Spirits Communicator of the year in 2010.  Not content with being a very talented writer and broadcaster, he is also, perhaps most importantly, an exceptional taster. And having tasted most of what Chile has to offer it's exciting to see him sing the praises of a wine we tasted and loved immediately.

Quoting verbatim from the August edition of Decanter Peter wrote:

"One of Chile's newest, most exciting names is the result of an international collaboration between some reputed names. Vosne-Romanee producer Vicomte Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, of Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, works with noted Chilean terroir specialist Pedro Parra and maverick winemaker Francois Massoc to make just two Cabernets and a Chardonnay. The first vintages were sourced from the Calyptra vineyard, high in the Andean foothills in Coya in the eastern Cachapoal Valley. The Cabernet is refreshing and easy drinking in the Chilean Context, but it's the elegantly savoury, nutty and grippy Chardonnay, very much in a  Burgundian mould, that is the star. Given Liger-Belair's origins you might expect a Pinot Noir to be on the cards. But according to Parra, the team 'haven't found any in Chile good enough. Yet."

Rhone 2010 - Greater than 2009?

I look forward to the Rhone buying trip with particular relish. The place is beautiful, the weather a welcome change from grey London and the diverse array of wines fantastic. Rhone can never be accused of being boring, from the divergent blends of Chateauneuf, the varying styles of the Northern Syrahs, not to mention Condrieu, Marsannes and Roussannes. What's more I know that when I get back home, there will be more than a few things on my wine shopping list that I will actually be able to afford.

This July's aim was to re-taste 2009s and take an extensive look at 2010s. The schedule in front of me was bursting at the seams, 22 growers in 4 days including Clos des Papes,Pegau, Vieux Telegraphe, Chave, Domaine du Coulet, Alain Graillot, Rostaing, Clusel Roch and Stephane Ogier to name a few. I am very much becoming a victim of the Rhone's success, it seems that every year we add a new grower to the portfolio. The trip left me quite exhausted, albeit in a thoroughly satisifed way.

2009s are showing just as well as a year ago if not better, it is a rich vintage north and south, a show stopper, a vintage of opulence and seduction. For me the wines of the year, north or south, were those of Rene Rostaing, though the fabulous Chave 09s (to be released next year) will be snapping at Rostaing's heals.

As for 2010, well all I can say is that, taken as a whole, Rhone 2010 is greater than 2009. In the south, thanks to coulure, it is a very small vintage but the quality is excellent. The wines have the ripeness of 2009, the concentration, but more freshness and balance. Indeed they approach the 2007s in depth and will supercede them for drinkability. I thought Versino/ Bois de Boursan was particularly successful, as was Pegau, Vieux Telegraphe and le Bois Pointu (now made by Domaine Etienne Gonnet)

In the North, 2010 is a truely great year, whether greater than 09 depends on the individual producer. It is a very close call between the two in Cote Rotie particularly, whereas in Hermitage and Cornas I almost unanimously preferred the crisp, more defined and elegant structures of the 2010s. Rene Rostaing again came up trumps with an outstanding range, Francois Villard I think has made his best ever vintage, red and white, whilst the lovable Clusel Rochs have pulled a very special vintage out of the bag. Faurie and Domaine du Colombier (whose freshly ripened apricots were out of this world!) performed brilliantly and one of my very favourite growers Mathieu Barret of Domaine du Coulet, has yet again made stunning Cornas, far better than many Hermitages. For me Cornas is one France's most underrated appellations.

So there we have it, a great vintage and, hopefully, probably, maybe.... reasonable prices. Our full offer of 2010s will be launched in November.

Next stop Spain in a week's time, follow the action on twitter @gilesbg

Loire 2010 - Unmissable Value

Arriving at Angers train station on Monday 13th to find that even rental car companies in France take off the obligatory "jour ferrier", despite having accepted my reservation, was an inauspicious start to the trip. Well, thankfully it was as bad as my week got, it was smooth roads and 5th gear from then on.

2010 in the Loire, like many of France's wine regions, was not always easy. Poor flowering, a gloomy summer and even some late summer rains tested the mettle of the region's best growers. And this is exactly the point. The days of turning but a glancing eye to all non Sauvignon Loire wines in only the hottest and "easiest" of vintages must be consigned to history. The quality of many 2010 Chenins, Pinots and Cab Francs is excellent. This was obviously helped by the late season drying wind and bright sunshine, together with a very small potential crop owing to coulure, but I feel it is just as much testament to the effort the growers are making in their vines - be it de-budding, de-leafing or overall excellent management of soils and vine canopy.

Chinon and Bourgueil were particular successful appellations, the 2010s from Joguet, Amirault and Domaine de la Butte were outstanding and for their poise and balance I prefer them to 2009. Pinot Noirs from Sancerre chez Pinard look remarkable, it could be their best red vintage yet, great ripeness and intensity without surrendering Pinot delicacy and Loire freshness. They really would not look out of place in a blind tasting of the Cote d'Or's finest.

In Coteaux de Layon it is an exceptional vintage, very concentrated and distinctly zesty. Sweet wines of that quality and price are virtually impossible to find anywhere else. In Vouvray and Montlouis vintage conditions were more challenging, but, again, the startling quality of Jacky Blot's Domaine de la Taille aux Loups wines really show how far the Loire has come in the last 10-15 years. Difficult conditions no longer means difficult wine.

Sancerres and Pouilly Fumes are much more classic than in 2009, no doubt some of the more commercial entities have made lean and aggressive wines but for top growers beautiful, ripe, intense and classically vibrant wines are very much the norm.

Overall its a very impressive but small vintage, with losses being up to 40% on the average. There may be quality in 2010 and a shortage of it, but so far there is no indication of heinous price increases, it should prove the value region of 2010.

photo - Valerie Dagueneau of Domaine Serge Dagueneau gets stuck into to some ploughing.

Bordeaux 2010 - Domaine de Chevalier, Malescot St Exupery, Fonbel and Monbousquet

Olivier Bernard's extensive project at Domaine de Chevalier has really come to fruition. After a bold and not to mention expensive re-planting program throughout the `80s and then a decade and a half of patience for the vines to gain maturity, we can really see the benefits. 2005, 2008, 2009 and now 2010 rank amongst the very best wines produced in this sprawling commune. Powerful but graceful, true to their terroir, and just so enjoyable to drink; this has become one of our 'must buy' estates. Olivier's wines offer 'super second' class at relatively affordable prices.
`Tasted three times, the Domaine de Chevalier has great precision on the nose with pure dark blackberry, dark plum, black olive compote and crushed flowers. The palate is just superb, mainly because of the crispness and tension in the tannic structure, framing a very precise, very focused Domaine de Chevalier that should age beautifully. It is almost understated but with great mineralité on the finish and superb persistency. Watch it blossom in bottle. 93-95/100`. – Neal Martin, Wine Journal
Chateau Malescot St Exupery casts an imposing shadow over the village of Margaux.There is something rather rustic and charming about the estate; however, the wines are anything but bucolic. Malescot is back on top form producing muscular, modern, sexy Margaux, which delight the critics (and us). The turn-around has been spectacular at this property; not long ago they were treading water, now this is one of the most sought after estates in the Medoc.
` This estate, which has been on a qualitative crescendo for over ten years, has made a prodigious 2010 that ranks alongside their 2009, 2005 and 2000. A gorgeous fragrance of spring flowers, cedarwood, black and red currants and hints of spice box and subtle oak is followed by a generously endowed, full-bodied, opulent wine with layers of concentration, a restrained yet exuberant personality, superb fruit purity and a long finish. There is plenty of tannin, no doubt elevated alcohol and wonderful freshness as well as delicacy. This beauty should drink well for 25 or more years. 94-96/100`. – Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #194
We can also offer the wonderful Chateau Fonbel. This is Alain Vauthier's little baby and always represents terrific value for money. With the same team as Ausone at the helm it is hardly surprising that wines from this St Emilion property are stylish, pure and very seductive. The 2010 completes our list of best 'Value Buys'. Please follow the link below for the comprehensive list.
To complete our round-up, we have a Gerard Perse wine to offer, Monbousquet. From exceptionally low yields, this is big, modern; a testament to the Perse style of winemaking. It is well received by Robert Parker (91-93) and obviously appeals to the British palate too with 92-94 points from Neal Martin.
NEWSFLASH – We have a handful of cases of yesterday's hot ticket, Leoville Poyferre left at £1075 per case. This exceptional 2nd Growth has a mighty 95-98 points from Robert Parker and is set to join the likes of the 1990 and 2009 in the Poyferre hall of fame. A tremendous wine, so hurry...
` One of the prodigious wines of the vintage, the Cuvelier family has produced an outstanding 2010 that must tip the scales at 14.5+% alcohol. It boasts an opaque purple color in addition to a sweet perfume of spring flowers, black raspberries, creme de cassis and a hint of spicy oak. This seamlessly constructed St.-Julien possesses massive concentration, moderately high tannins, abundant glycerin, an unctuous texture, remarkably fresh acids and wonderful precision. It will benefit from 5-6 years of cellaring and last 30-35 years. 95-98/100`. – Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #194

Bordeaux 2010 - Chateau Kirwan

Chateau Kirwan's illustrious history can be traced back to the early 18th century, but it wasn't until Sir John Collingwood's daughter married the eponymous Mark Kirwan that the estate inherited its Gaelic name.
In 1855, it was classified as a 3rd growth although its vineyards on the Cantenac plateau can hardly be called top terroir. The estate's fortunes suffered with phylloxera, World Wars and depression, but now under the ownership of Schroder & Schyler, things are turning around. The 2009 was very impressive and the 2010 shows plenty of potential.

Bordeaux 2010 - Leoville Barton and Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge

Leoville Barton is a by-word for top quality Claret. Anthony has fashioned many outstanding wines from his 2nd Growth St Julien estate and he always prices his wines fairly. The 2010 is a monumental effort, receiving 96-98 and 97-98 from Neal Martin and James Suckling respectively. This is a splendid 'super second' and we thoroughly endorse it at £845 per case – a great wine!
Also new to our list is the magnificent Smith Haut Lafitte. Daniel and Florence Cathiard have taken this Pessac estate to the next level. The wines here outshine many of the top names from the more fashionable communes and are challenging the likes of Haut Bailly, La Mission and even Haut Brion for supremacy in the Graves. 2010 receives a spectacular 95-97 points from Robert Parker, and it is well deserved, we were blown away by the seductive fruit, silky texture and sheer class here. At £865 per case, it is a little dearer than last year, but the quality is so exceptional, it more than warrants the price...

Bordeaux 2010 - Durfort Vivens and La Lagune

Another barmy day on the Place. We can't help but feel that ego is getting in the way of business with the velocity of releases, or maybe Chateaux owners don't like us very much... It should be common sense that smaller Chateau can't compete with the big boys when it comes to stealing the limelight. Yesterday was dominated by Pontet Canet and Calon Segur, today has been dominated by the splendid 2nd Growth, Leoville Poyferre, so fromage à pâte dure for all the less glamorous wines. We would echo the sentiments of negociants, merchants and probably the paying public – please stagger the releases, we don't need to do the campaign in a fortnight!
The final releases of the day are Gonzague Lurton's second growth Margaux property, Durfort Vivens and the massively impressive La Lagune. Durfort was one of our picks of the vintage in 2009 and the 2010 is a worthy successor. Bravo Gonzague. It will be the cheapest 2nd growth of the campaign, but at £375/cs, this is something of a repositioning act by Durfort... La Lagune (£465/cs) is typically immense. Modern vintages of this Haut Medoc estate are commended by Bibby P. This effort gets a whopping 93-96 points!
'Is this 2005 deja vu "all over again"? Proprietress Caroline Frey has elevated the quality at La Lagune since acquiring this estate, and the 2010 is another superb effort as well as one of the better values in Bordeaux. An opaque purple color is followed by an extraordinary perfume of black raspberries, black currants, licorice and subtle smoke and graphite. While uber-concentrated, full-bodied and pure, it retains both elegance and precision as well as a sensational 45-second finish. The suppleness of the tannins and stunning opulence suggest it will drink beautifully for 25+ years. 93-96/100`. – Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #194

Bordeaux 2010 - Round-up

As France enjoys a non-compulsory 'Pentecost' bank holiday (let's hope the Bordelaise are filled with the spirit of reasonable pricing), it gives us some time to pause and reflect on the madness of last week. After a month of complaining about the trickle of releases, the floodgates were opened. We were deluged with big name Chateaux such as Pontet Canet, Leoville Poyferre and Calon Segur. Amid the chaos, it would be easy to miss the likes of Langoa Barton, Talbot, Malescot St Exupery, Domaine de Chevalier, Cantenac Brown, Durfort Vivens, La Lagune, Giscours, Kirwan, Certan de May, Le Dome and Fonbel, many of which are amongst the best wines ever produced at these estates.
Please find a round-up of the releases from last week, plus a second tranche of Pontet Canet below. Particular mention should got to: Langoa Barton (the best wine made to date at this 3rd growth estate), Malescot St Exupery (a spectacular and exotic Margaux with 94-96 points from RP), another splendid Domaine de Chevalier, our surprise package Balestard La Tonnelle and two big scorers in Cantenac Brown (92-94+ RP) and La Lagune (93-96 RP).
It is also worth pointing out that our 'Top Ten Value Buys` have all been released, and not a single one will set you back more than £160 per case. We believe that these would stack up against anything at a comparable price from any wine producing region in the world. Proof it were needed that Bordeaux still offers value.

Burgundy 2011 - The view from the vines at Domaine Grivot

The photos below were taken by Hubert Grivot on the 7th June in balmy 25C weather and blue skies. If you haven't yet heard, things are galloping along at pace down on the Cote d'Or, with many growers reporting a whole months advance in the usual cycle of their vines. Yet, despite the precocious nature of the vintage thus far, vine and berry development is reported to be healthy and harmonious.

The last couple of days have been cooler, no bad thing, with temperatures hovering around 17C. Growers are hoping this might slow things down a little...

Thanks to Mathilde Grivot for sending these photos through and keeping us up to date with life as a winemaker in Vosne Romanee.

Bordeaux 2010 - Château Balestard La Tonnelle

The St Emilion UGC is not the place one expects to find anything but nasty surprises. Yes, the Nicolas Thienpont wines always shine, but many of the others are, well, dross! Nevertheless, we boldly step into the fray each year, just in case... Our persistence was rewarded (thankfully). The very first wine, one Château Balestard La Tonnelle, Grand Cru Classé, bowled us over. What a wine. Great concentration, beautiful, precise flavours, well managed tannins and lots of freshness and lift. What more could one want? At £295 per case, this along with Tour du Pin (£300) and Moulin St Georges (not yet released) make up our hot trio from St Emilion.

Bordeaux 2010 - Talbot, Langoa, Reserve de Comtesse and more...

First up, we have Anthony Barton's 3rd Growth St Julien Estate, Langoa Barton. We have been extolling the virtues of Langoa for many years. There has been a gradual transition from gentle, slightly old fashioned wines to a much more muscular, impressive style. Tasting the 2009 and the 2010, you would have to say that Langoa has arrived at its destination. This brace exemplify everything good about modern St Julien. Both are enormously impressive wines, but the 2010 possibly has the greater aging potential. Kudos to Mon. B.
Travelling a little further inland and a little further down the 1855 classification, Chateau Talbot has joined the party. It is perhaps fair to say we liked rather than loved Talbot this year, but it nevertheless is a concentrated age worthy effort built in a classical style. And compared to some it has only a modest increase on last year's price.
Reserve de la Comtesse has, in our opinion, hit the nail on the head this year. Beautifully styled and refined with a textbook Pauillac nose and wonderfully fine tannins this is a very good and handsome second wine, with another modest rise on 2009 (though still a rise we hear you say).
Also out today, Jonathan Maltus' St. Emilion garagiste property Le Dome. Quite possibly unique in Bordeaux in that it is now made up of 80% Cabernet Franc, it received a laudable 94-96 from Parker, and was also tasted very well by the J&B team.
From the Moueix stable we have Certan de May, whose vineyards sit next to Lafleur, VCC and Petrus. At £840 it is a flamboyant effort that will no doubt be considerably cheaper than its neighbours.
*Stop Press* One final release, just out Cantenac Brown at £430 cs ib. Controversial in that its power and concentration that belie its appellation, it is nonetheless a very impressive wine.

Bordeaux 2010 - Haut Bergey

Haut Bergey 2010 has achieved unanimous praise; so much so that cynics might question the proximity of scores from all the major critics... 92-94 from Robert Parker and Neal Martin, 92-93 from James Suckling and 92-95 from The Wine Spectator. This property situated near to the excellent Haut Bailly, produces charming, good value Pessac, and offers lots of QRP.

Bordeaux 2010 - Giscours, Echo de Lynch Bages, Pagodes

Giscours have made a very good 2010 indeed with plenty of Margaux typicity but also a wonderful depth of fruit. It is has been awarded its highest ever marks from Big Bob (92-95) and should cellar beautifully for two decades or more.
Echo de Lynch Bages represents something of a relative steal this vintage. Crafted very much in the mould of Lynch Bages, without such enormous power but with added accessibility and juiciness and a beautiful vivacity. Lovers of the Cazes style will not be disappointed.
Pagodes, what can we say about Pagodes? As modern and sleek as its brand new winery, it is a tour de force of winemaking craft and once again sits stylistically and recognisably beside its bigger sibling.
'Possibly the finest Pagodes the estate has produced, as Jean-Guillaume Prats said, this 2010 is better than many vintages of Cos d'Estournel produced in the sixties and seventies. Forty-five percent of the production made it into this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot that achieved 14.1% alcohol naturally. Plump and fat with an abundant concentration of black fruits as well as outstanding intensity, purity and texture, this beauty should drink well for 10-15 years. 90-93/100'. - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #194

Latour sale kicks off Christie's Hong Kong Spring Sales Series with 100% sell-through rate

Friday's hotly anticipated HK sale of Ex-Chateau Latour saw no fewer than 14 lots selling for over HK $1 million and 95% of lots selling over the high estimate. Could this signal the beginnings of a Chateau rivalling Lafite's dominance in the East? To quote directly from Christie's...

"The Hong Kong Spring sales began on a high note with the sale of ‘Rarities from the Cellar of Château Latour’ on May 28^th, 2011 which achieved a 100% sell-through rate over an eight-hour long session.   Offering 392 lots direct from Château Latour, the sale totalled  HK$ 59,718,000/US$ 7,673,763/ £ 4,675,919/ € 5,416,423,  with 95% of sold lots over the high estimate and 14 lots over HK$1 million.  The top three lots were all Vintage 1961, 6 magnums, which sold for HK$1.8 million/ US$ 231,300/£ 140,940/€ 163,260 each.

Mr. David Elswood, International Head of Wine for Christie’s, said: “The sale marks a triumphant result for Château Latour in Hong Kong. Vintage 1961 reigned supreme, achieving a new record price of HK$1.8 million for the 6 magnum lots, while the 1961 impériale sold for HK$1.68 million.  With 100% sold and 14 lots selling over HK$1 million, the sale once again demonstrates the tremendous appeal of Château Latour and the strong demand for wines of the highest quality and rarity.”

Mr. Charles Curtis MW, Head of Wine for Christie’s Asia, added, “The Château Latour sale was a great success, totaling close to HK$60 million/US$7.67million/GBP 4.68 million with a 100% sell-through rate.   It was gratifying to see collectors sitting through an eight-hour long session to bid for the very best vintages, including 1961, 1959 and 1945, leading to over 95% of sold lots selling over the high estimate.  Asian buyers came out particularly strong, dominating our top tens of the sale.  We also saw our highest average lot value to date at HK$152,342/US$19,576/GBP11,928, reflecting a true appreciation of quality and the pursuit of perfection among wine connoisseurs around the world.”

Burgundy 2010 - An update from Domaine Grivot

Following what could be called a genuine winter with frost and rain and especially the night of 19th December with a temperature of -20 degree Celsius; not only did many vines perish but the same fate befell a large number of fruit-bearing buds.

Growth started at the usual time and was consistent thanks to summer temperatures in late April. But 2010 was one of the rainiest years ever recorded during the vines’ growing period.
During the summer, the weather was very cool and vines and fruits growth up normal. These conditions played a predominant role in ensuring that the vines remained healthy.

At Domaine Grivot, we took the decision to use only organic products for vines in 2010 and we are very happy; for the first time, we saw how the plant was able to cope with all of these weather challenges without external assistance. The foliage stayed a glorious deep green, the skin of the fruit had incredible thickness and all the different elements ripened in perfect harmony. Very good news for the future!

We started grape-picking on 23th September in cool weather with a light northerly wind. We record 40% less production compared to a normal year. However, given the weather experienced during the vintage, this also explains the marvellous quality of the harvest. The vintage is promising.

The wines produced are superbly balanced, in the spirit of the 2000 vintage but with greater density. Colours are dense and luminous. A generous palate with an incredibly delicate finish. Tannins are silky and sophisticated. Without any doubt a great success and a tribute to all the hard work in the vineyards over the last few years.

I have a liking for the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellations this year. They are superb and have a great elegance, freshness, harmony, fineness and structure.

Concerning the 2011 vintage? Very early to ask about it!

But the high temperature, at the beginning of spring, gives the premonition of a precocious vintage. The vines are crazy!!
The third week of April, we recorded, in Vosne-Romanee, 22 days earlier than 2009…
At the middle of May, flowering was blooming. Just one week was required to pass this stage.

If we count like the ancients, one hundred days, we should harvest around of the 20th August in Vosne-Romanee and Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Hopefully the weather will be cool this summer.

Germany 2010 - a potential legend

Like everyone else, I suppose, all I remembered about the 2010 German vintage were reports of doom and gloom that had already started to surface by September 2010, before the main harvest had even begun. People had all but written it off. So I came out to Germany in April 2011 with much scepticism after hearing reports from producers of "great things"

Difficult conditions throughout the 2010 summer were fortunately complimented by two factors: A bad flowering that meant potential yields were low, a good thing considering the poor summer that lay waiting, as fewer grapes mean easier ripening. The second factor was sunny, cool weather at the end of September through October, when the main harvest took place.

Early summer conditions and cool temperatures did mean that vintage was late, many growers were still picking into November. As Klaus Peter Keller put it "you had to not lose your nerve and wait until the grapes were ripe"

It is clear there are two sides to this vintage, commercial production and mediocre producers have meant lean, acidic wine. However totally on the contrary, top producers from top sites have made some stunning grosse gewachs and late harvest wines.

The crop is small but the wines are fabulously intense and concentrated, so much so that the extract covers the high acidities amply. It is also a vintage where the different soils and climates sing gloriously through each wine. This is a classic and should be a great one to lay down. As an example Zilliken has recorded the lowest crop for 30 years, but the highest ever average must weights.

So never has there been such a wide qualitative gap between the top and bottom wines in one vintage, but Riesling fans will not want to miss out on top growers' wines, at their best they could be something close to legendary

(pictured is the mightly Maximin Grunhaus Abtsberg of Carl von Schubert)

Bordeaux 2010 value survey

QPR, seems to be a commonplace initialism amongst tweeters, bloggers and those on the wine forums. I suppose it’s a sign of the times. Everyone has embraced austerity and we all demand a little more for our hard earned dollar. Although Bordeaux is dominated by stories of record auctions in Hong Kong and stratospheric prices for First Growths, there is lots of value to be found, if you look in the right places...

After the UGC tastings, we ask our team to list their top ten wines from various categories including ‘best value’. Value is subjective of course. A Wall Street Banker’s concept of value may not be very well aligned to that of a St James’s Street wine merchant, but with hands on hearts we compile a list of what we think are the best buys from the vintage. If proof were needed, after we have removed our hands from our chests, we put them in our pockets (or handbags...). The likes of Petit Bocq, Valade, Clos des Quatre Soeurs and Capbern Gasqueton all feature in our own cellars.

For the complete list and for more 'top tens', please follow this link http://bit.ly/jN5y0X