Resveratrol is a substance that can be found in wine and that is believed to be good for your health. Now there is a site dedicated to resveratrol: www.resveratrolnews.com
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Take a look in the calendar at the bottom of the Brief. There you have the upcoming wine auctions at Sotheby’s in London and New York. The auction house also offers you other information on the site, such as a report on 2004 Bordeaux, articles about Yquem, Petrus and Ornellaia.
Read more...The famous Burgundy house Remoissenet was recently sold to an American investor called Edward Millstein for around 10 million euro. Millstein bought Remoissenet in collaboration with Louis Jadot who had a 20% stake.
Read more...Blaxta Vineyard just south of Stockholm was given a silver medal for its Vidal Ice Wine 2003 at Challange International du Vin at Vinexpo (www.challengeduvin.fr) recently. They are currently looking for an importer in France to try and sell this unusual wine here. Contact Göran Amnegård at Blaxta if you are interested! www.blaxstawine.com
Read more...Every once in a while you see an new internet shop that tries and sell wine. That it is not very easy to do that profitably is well illustrated by the story of American wine site Wine.com that we noted in the Brief a while back has just started a collaboration with Amazon.com. Read more about it on SFGate.com
Read more...In the last Brief we mentioned that Fine Expressions, a magazine on wine and rinks, has been launched in the UK. You can get a discounted subscription on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages. (Tom also happens to be wine editor of the magazine.)
Read more...At the opening of Vinexpo the French minister of agriculture said ‘The French offer does not always win over new consumers, who sometimes prefer products that are easier to buy and consume, not to mention easier to appreciate.’ He also promised 7 million euro to support exports. Read more on e.g. Wine International
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* Wine Writer of the Year 2005: John Stimpfig, articles in the FT ‘How to Spend It’
* International Wine Book of the Year 2005: John W. Haeger, North American Pinot Noir, published by University of California Press
* International Champagne Writer of the Year 2005: Richard Juhlin, 4000 Champagnes, published by Flammarion
* Regional Wine Writer of the Year 2005: Liz Sagues, for her articles from Ham & High
In a survey by Deloitte almost half of the wineries were found to have made losses in 2004. As in France, the government has stepped in with financial support. Read more in Beveragedaily.com.
Read more...INAO has approved Beaume de Venise as a new AOC. The wine was previously part of Côtes du Rhône Villages. Permitted grape varieties are Grenache (minimum 50%) and Syrah (min 25%), with the rest being made up of other varieties permitted in Côtes du Rhône. Maximum yield is 38 hl/ha (”rendement de base”) and harvest must be manual. Beaume de Venise thus joins the group of “cru appellations” in Rhône (Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Lirac, Tavel, Vacqueyras, Château Grillet, Condrieu, Cornas, Côte-Rôtie, Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Peray).
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Michelin, famous for its red guides on gastronomy and green tourist guides, has launched a new green guide called “The Wine Regions of France”. It is a practical, pocket size guide (provided you have big pockets) if you plan to go on vacation in the French wine regions. It covers essentially all regions and contains information on restaurants and hotels as well as practical info on producers, walks in the vineyards, routes to choose as well as other wine information. www.michelin.co.uk. Buy it from our book review page
Read more...BKWine recently met the well known Australian wine making consultant Richard Smart at a quick visit he made to Denmark. He was invited by the Danish Wine Growers’ Association. Some 30 (!) members and other visitors (including a few Swedes!) participated in the seminar that was organised by Dansk VinCenter (www.vincenter.dk).
Richard currently consults in 24 different countries and Peru is on its way to become his 25th country. He has (by design or by coincidence) become somewhat of an expert on cool climate 
Richard’s advice to the Danish wine growers (or to other cold climate wine growers):
* Make more sparkling wine since they require low alcohol and high acidity. And don’t be afraid to make red sparkling.
* Denmark is a flat country near the sea. You need to protect the vines from the wind by constructing wind breakers
* Try many different grape varieties. There are many varieties today that can be recommended for cool climates.
* Grow the vines under plastic cover. It can raise the temperature with 5 degrees.
* Prune the vines very low in winter and cover them with soil to protect them from the worst winter frosts.
But maybe the cool climate is soon past in Denmark. Richards see two main threats against wine growing today: One is the decrease in consumption and the other is global warming.
Read more about Richard Smart on www.smartvit.com.au
BKWine organises a new Scandinavian Wine Fair in Paris on February 11 in collaboration with Le Cercle Suédois. The date has just been set so we you will get more details later, but book the date in your agenda already! Last time (in 2004) there were some 30 exhibitors from all Scandinavian countries except Iceland (mainly making wine, and cognac, in warmer climates)! This is how it was.
Chateau Thieuley has long been a favourite of ours among the not-so-expensive Bordeaux wines – both the red and the white wines. The chateau is close to La Sauve Majeure, in the centre of Entre-deux-Mers. Francis Courcelle, an expert in making excellent white wines, brought this domain from obscurity to well earned fame. Now it is primarily run by his daughters Sylvie and Marie. In France you can buy them at e.g. Monoprix.
More recommendations
Flemming and Peter Jørgensen bought Chateau de Haux in 1985. The vineyard was in poor shape and the chateau itself was in ruins. They were in for plenty of work to put things in order. And now both the red and the white wines are among the best in the district. To finance the development they founded a company where wine enthusiasts can buy shares and get a return in wine and also get the opportunity to stay at the chateau. www.haux.com
More recommendations: Recommeded Wine Producers
Jennifer Rosen – an American wine writer (called Chotzi...?). Many articles on her site: www.vinchotzi.com (be aware: the site doesn’t work properly if you use the web browser Mozilla Firefox)
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La Revue du Vin de France likes making classifications. We have talked about their suggested classification of Graves here before. Now they have taken on the ultimate in classifications: the 1855 classification of Bordeaux (Médoc, in practice) that celebrates its 150th anniversary this year (definitely past its best-before date). As always, RVF has interesting opinions. For example, these are the chateaux they think should be elevated to classed today (and was not included in 1855):
One million dollars per year is the budget to double the wine exports in five years. Today Israel exports wine for a total value of 13.7 million dollars, half of which goes to the United States.
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The consumption of rosé wines should progress by 8.5% between 2004 and 2009 according to a report published by Europmonitor. Statistics have already shown that in France the sales of rosé is good and several international wine producers have launched new rosé brands. So if you want to catch the trend this year – bring out the rosé for the barbeque.
More pictures here.
The wine world has grown smaller again. Fosters has now finalised the deal worth AUS$ 3.17bn taking over Southcorp. Both were already Australian drinks giants. The deal means e.g. that Foster will now control famous wine “brands” such as Penfolds, Lindemans, and Rosemount.
Read more...Signature BIO is a wine competition for organic wines (biologique). This year the first prize went to, Medaille d’Or Mention Spéciale:
One more new English drinks magazine has just been borne. It’s about wine but also about spirits and fine beers, with a distinct “lifestyle” flavour, judging from the first issue. More info here: www.fineexpressions.co.uk
Read more...Bernard magrez, one of the most active names in Bordeaux, continues buying wine chateaux. He has just acquired Chateau Latrezotte in Barsac (Sauternes) with an 8 hectare vineyard primarily planted with semillon.
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We’ve found one more place to store your wines in Paris, in case you do not have wine cellar space of your own: Cave Lovin’ on 40, rue Saint Honoré. There’s just one catch: you should buy your wines in their wine shop. More info: http://www.lovin.fr/
More pictures of Paris here
Another decision by the INAO on May 28: Wine with the AOC Corbières-Boutenac can be produced in the Aude ‘departement’ (Languedoc) in Boutenac and other communes around it. Permitted grape varieties are Carignan (30-50%), Grenache Noir, Syrah (max 30%), and Mourvedre. Two or more different varieties must be used. Carignan Noir must always be used. Manual harvest is compulsory.
Travel to Languedoc
Mouton-Rothschild, Margaux and Haut-Brion have announced the prices for the 2004 primeurs. The price (the same for all three) is 80 euro, down 33% from last year but still substantially higher than the 60 euro asked for the 2002s. (One wonders how they all three almost always land on the same price…?) This confirms (once more) the downward trend. Some chateau have even lowered the prices much more, with up to almost 50%. When we were in Bordeaux two weeks ago the impression was that even at these prices many producers have difficulties selling anything at all.
More pictures here
No big changes, but the decision by the INAO on May 28 means that the following AOC are defined "Armagnac", "Bas Armagnac", "Armagnac-Ténarèze", "Haut Armagnac" and now also ”Blanche Armagnac”. Permitted grape varieties for Armagnac are baco blanc, blanc dame, colombard, folle blanche, graisse, jurançon blanc, mauzac, mauzac rosé, meslier Saint-François, and ugni blanc. More: www.armagnac.fr
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Appellation Contrôlée (AC) Entre-deux-Mers makes exclusively white wine, between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne in Bordeaux. 194 producers share 1592 hectares. 41% is exported. Belgium, Germany and the UK are the biggest markets. To improve quality they are introducing stricter tastings to grant AOC and are intending to launch a ”top 20” of EdM wines. We look forward to seeing it. More info: www.vins-entre-deux-mers.com
More pictures here
Contrary to the rest of France, Alsace wines are generally sold with the grape variety indicated on the label, and on Grand Cru wines it is even compulsory. INAO has now decided that it will allow Grand Cru wines to be sold without the grape variety indicated on the label. From the information we have seen it is not clear if the decision also means that INAO will allow Grand Cru wines to be made from a blend of grape varieties. Jean-Michel Deiss has long argued that the focus on grape varieties in Alsace kills the concept of terroir, especially in the Grand Cru vineyards. Many other producers, though, think that this brake with tradition will confuse consumers.
Read more on Wine International
As we have mentioned previously, the process has been started to revise the classification in Graves. We recently had the occasion to talk to the presidents of the “syndicates” (growers’ associations) of Graves and of Pessac-Léognan.
Dominique Haverlan, president of the Syndicat de Graves (and owner of Vieux Chateau Gaubert, one of the better Grave wines) says that he thinks it is good that the classification will now be revised. It is a sign of dynamism, he thinks. Laurent Cogombles, president of the Pessac-Léognan syndicat and owner together with his wife of Chateau Bouscaut is a bit more hesitant, and more so to classifications in general. – “On what do you base a classification?” he asks “Well, on the price”, he continues “and to find the expensive wines the consumer hardly needs a classification”. With much reason, on can think, since it is difficult to imagine any other more “impartial” way of doing a classification. And Xavier Perromat, owner of Chateau du Mayne in Graves, and General Secretary of the Graves syndicat, thinks that in a period of crisis, such as now, there might be more important things do, like promoting the region for example. Not a bad idea that either maybe. So, different views. Maybe we will see the result in 3 to 5 years. (Note: All chateaux that were classified in the “old” 1953 classification is in the Pessac-Léognan AC.)
Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux, has three appellations: AC Graves, AC Graves Supérieures and AC Pessac-Léognan. Pessac-Léognan was part of AC Graves until 1987 when it became a separate AC. The surface of the G and GS appellation (excluding P-L) is 3800 hectares (2004), of which a little more than two thirds are red and one third produces white wines. Less and less white wine is (unfortunately!) made. Graves and Pessac-Léognan make both red wine and dry white wine. Graves Supérieures only makes semi-sweet and sweet white, most of which is exported to Holland(!). The grape varieties are: Red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cot (Malbec). White wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle. More info: www.vins-graves.com
More photos and info here
Just off Place Carnot this small restaurant hides in a passage way. Very cosy and unpretentious, the food is not complicated but very well done (and easy on your budget). It is quite popular so come early or book a table. They also have a wine shop.
More restaurant recommendations here.
Just a stone’s throw from Beaune’s biggest tourist site, the magnificent Hotel Dieu, you find Le Gourmandin on the main square, Place Carnot. Classic French food with regional specialities. Quite elegant and ambitious, without being expensive.
More restaurant recommendations here.
After the renovation the Place du Marché Saint Honoré has become full of restaurants. At this one, as you can guess, they use tomatoes in virtually everything, and they do it very well. Excellent cooking and quite low prices. The wine list is also good with the ”speciality” being that all wines are varietal wines (made from only one grape variety), mostly from outside of France!
More recommendations here!
Fabien Coche has in total 10 hectares that includes patches in several appellations, e.g. Meursault and Pommard. He started working with his father in 1991 and makes the wine himself since 1998. Wonderful, smooth, full-bodied white wines (and reds).
See more pictures here
More wine maker recommendations here.
Excellent red Burgundy wines and not too expensive. The property is run by the very sympathetic couple Philippe and Martine Bernard. It covers 12 hectares split among the appellations Cote de Nuits Villages, Marsannay, Fixin, Fixin 1er Cru and Gevrey-Chambertin. In addition, Martine makes excellent cheese petits-choux and if you’re lucky you might get to taste with their wines (or you can make them yourself – read the recipe here).
See more images here
More wine maker recommendations here.
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Vine Growing and Wine Making
The original Swedish title is "Ett vin blir till" meaning A Wine is Born. It is a unique description of the work in the vineyard and in the wine cellar. Published in 2009. More info on the web site for A Wine is Born.
Languedoc
Wines, vineyards and winemakers in Languedoc in the south of France, one of the most dynamic wine regions in France, and in the world. Published in 2007. More info on the site of the Languedoc book.
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