The Bordeaux Wine Experience Magazine 2,     March, Vintage 2010

Goes out to over 21.700 Bordeaux Wine Lovers all over the world!

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Read about:

v The vintage 2009,
a sneak preview!

v Inside Chateau Yquem

v Bordeaux Wine Tours 2010:
Last spots available!

v 2011 Bordeaux Tour Schedule online

v From tour guest to sommelier

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Pierre Lurton (R): "The 2009 Yquem is going to be legendary"

Dear Wine Lover,

WOOOOW, that’s how I would describe the vintage 2009 in Bordeaux. I know that the April issue of this Bordeaux Wine Experience Magazine usually is the vintage special, but I just have to start here. The official presentation of this exceptional vintage will be next week but I was already granted two sneak previews. I spoke to someone at Chateau Margaux who told me that they had never had so many reservations for the professional tastings.
We all thought 2005 couldn’t be beat, but I believe it happened with the 2009 here. You can read about my sneak previews now and you’ll find all about the 2009 in April’s Bordeaux Vintage Special.

Unique Tours of Bordeaux this year and a new schedule for 2011: Don't miss it!
You can tour with us this summer. We have some spots available and we have an extra Grand Tour this November.

We proudly announce our exciting 2011 Tour schedule. Remember we just conduct a limited number of these tours per year and there are just 10 spots left for 2010. See the Bordeaux Wine Tour Schedule for the dates for the upcoming season.

Inside Chateau Yquem
We were inside Chateau Yquem for an exclusive interview with Pierre Lurton, the man who runs this Super First Growth in Sauternes. He claims his 2009 is “a legend in the making”. The entire interview is featured here exclusively.

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Ronald and Margaret would love to welcome you at our Chateau for a great Bordeaux Wine Tour

I hope you'll enjoy reading this Newsletter and
I look forward to hearing from you soon (Ronald@BXWINEX.com).

Don’t drink anything I wouldn't drink!

Cheers from Bordeaux,

Ronald Rens, M. Sc., Wine Master
Wine writer and President
The Bordeaux Wine Experience
 

The Vintage 2009, a sneak preview in the Bordeaux Opera House

An exceptional vintage needs an exceptional presentation, they must have thought at Chateaus Haut Bailly, Giscours and du Têrtre.

Katia and Marielle Labèque take a very well deserved bow

The Bordeaux Opera House, le Grand Theatre, was the setting to present the wines of American owned Haut Bailly (Pessac-Léognan) and Dutch owned Giscours and du Têrtre (both Margaux appellation).
In Bordeaux we are used to this particular combination of Margaux and Pessac wines by now, because Veronique Sanders, who runs Haut Bailly, and Alexander Verbeek, the Dutch managing director of Giscours and du Têrtre are married.
The Haut Bailly 2009 had superb concentration of flavours and strong and velvety tannins. A wine that was created in a very classic Bordeaux style.
The Giscours 2009 is much more contemporary in style, a wine that will please the pallet of drinkers of new world wines. Very well made, elegant and complex.
The du Têrtre 2009 is the living proof of the great improvement this 5th Classified Growth has made in the last ten years.
For further tasting notes and ratings you will have to wait for my Vintage Special in April.

Robert Wilmers: "The 2009 should be in the cellar of the White House"

In his welcome speech he American Banker Robert Wilmers, owner of Haut Bailly, addressed Ken Forder, the American Consul in Bordeaux. “Now that we have a president who loves wine, the vintage 2009 should be in the cellar at the White House”. This was the message Wilmers urged the Consul to convey through his connections in Washington.

Eric Albada Jelgersm, the Dutch owner of the two properties from Margaux, made a rare appearance at this concert. Albada Jelgersma emphasised that 2009 was not just good, it was exceptional.
The tasting of the vintages 2009 and 2009 was followed by a recital by Katia and Marielle Labèque. These two famous piano wonders are long time friends of Albada Jelgersma.

The sisters Labèque played a very moving interpretation of Iberia, a suite for piano composed between 1905 and 1909 by the Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz.

Unbelievable that the 2009 will even be better in 25 years!

This was followed by a very original interpretation of the Bolero. I had never seen or heard an interpretation like this. The Labèque sisters recreated Ravel’s masterpiece with the aid of a brilliant percussionist who used anything from snapping his fingers to cow bells and toys to create an enchanting atmosphere. A brilliant performance that gave me goose bumps.

At lunch we were treated to gems like the Haut Bailly 1986 and my favorite: du Têrtre 1982. Unbelievable that the 2009 will even be better in 25 years.

All of us present agreed that the title of the program was well chosen: “Quelques instants de la beauté du monde”. Indeed we dreamed away for “Some moments of the beauty of the world”.

Inside Chateau Yquem with Pierre Lurton

Chateau Yquem: Like a sovereign among it subjects

Although I have been at Chateau Yquem many times, approaching this Super First Growth in Sauternes still remains an experience. The fourteenth Century chateau dominates the entire area. The other First Growths from Sauternes are perched around Yquem like subjects around a sovereign. You can see the notion of terroir in action here as all the top producers take pride in being Yquem’s neighbors.
Founded in 1593, history is oozing from every pore at this chateau with a tradition going back centuries. The famous classification of 1855 rated Yquem in a league of its own: Premier Grand Cru Classé Supérieur, or superior First Growth. This King of wine and the wine of Kings was enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson when he visited Yquem in 1787. The list of famous lovers of this liquid gold is long and impressive and contains names like the Russian Tsar, Josephine Baker and the Spanish King Alphonse XIII. Guests on our wine tours are equally impressed after tasting Yquem at the Farewell dinner at our Chateau.

Under new management
The family-owned part of history came to an end when L.V.M.H. (Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennesy) took control in 1999. Pierre Lurton joined the management in 2004.

Pierre Lurton (R) "we are creating history here at Yquem in 2009"

We meet Monsieur Lurton (1956) in his impressive paneled office in a building overlooking this Superior First Growth. Lurton is a methodical and well organized man. He has to be. Next to Yquem he runs First Growth Cheval Blanc in Saint Emilion and his family estate Chateau Marjosse in the Entre Deux Mers. And let’s not forget his family of six children. "The secret is to surround you with great teams", he explains. "I might be the conductor, but all the members of the orchestra really know how to play". When well organized, Lurton even can find the time to enjoy his beautiful boat at Archachon. The first thing he sees when he looks up from his desk is an enlarged picture of his ”ten tons of Mahogany” as he fondly calls his boat.

Margaret at the Yquem dinner in 2005

Fortune favors the brave
We start the interview with memories of 2005 where Margaret and I attended the fabulous dinner at Yquem for the 150th anniversary of the famous classification of 1855. Here at the Chateau we experienced the best Yquem I have ever tasted: the 1967. Everything is relative. Lurton beats me, game, set and match: his favorite Yquem is the 1921.
"But the 2009 will be even better", he states as we sit down. "I tasted the 2009 yesterday and it is going to be a legendary vintage. I doubt we will see something like this happening again in our lifetime. But please remember fortune favors the brave. We have had to take risks to create this wine". He refers of course to the late harvests necessary in Sauternes and the risks of loosing a harvest when the rains come early, like we have seen in 2000.

All or nothing
Lurton continues his rave review: "In Sauternes it is the law of “all or nothing”. This year gave us all; the quality and the ripeness of the grapes were exemplary and this happened over a very long period. Nature gave us cool nights which helped us to keep the aromas. We had all the elements to enable us to create something exceptional with ripeness, concentration and aromas. The texture is almost voluptuous; there is freshness, purity and an emotion which we can only find in the greatest of Sauternes.

Pierre Lurton on the 2009 Yquem: "We have nothing to compare it with since 1893"

And then there is this palette of aromas like apricot, citrus fruit and acacia honey. We are really in the process of creating something phenomenal", he continues. "What is extraordinary is that we have over 150 grams of residual sugar but that the wine has an incredible lightness. We have nothing to compare it with since 1893. We try to compare 2009 on aspects with different vintages, for example with the power of the 2001 or 1988. I am not selling you my wine here, but you must realize we are creating history here at Yquem in 2009", and he smiles with just a hint of modesty.

Not just another great vintage
"I am well aware that people will think Bordeaux is having yet another great vintage", Lurton states mockingly, "but we’ve never seen anything like this vintage! You will have to taste this wine to be able to understand what I am trying to express here. It is way better than 2005".
Lurton stresses that it was not easy to make wine in this vintage: "The role of the people making the wine can’t be overlooked. All the decisions we had to make, the risks we took. You know at Sauternes there is nothing like a sure thing. Here you never know as we are so dependable on the weather and we have to take the risks. Sometimes you loose, sometimes you win. In 2009 we won without a shadow of a doubt".

Still some 1967 left to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Classification of 1855

What will be the price for perfection?
"I am sure this will be a vintage subject to speculation", continues Lurton. "The crisis, the Euro/Dollar conversion will all be factors that will be taken into account, but it won’t be cheap". And Lurton hopes that everybody will be able to remain reasonable because in the end of the day there need to be people that will be drinking this wine.

To prove his point Monsieur Lurton showed us Yquem’s collection of old vintages in the private cellar of the Chateau. The Yquem 2009 will be taking its proud place here in due course to be enjoyed and admired for generations.

Our Bordeaux Wine Tours 2010: Still spots available!

Our aim is to create unique Bordeaux Wine Experiences. We don't organize many tours each year, it’s just a few! There is not a lot of space here. So if you were thinking about touring with us, you have to start acting right now. It is still possible for ten couples to tour with us in 2010.

§         The Grand Tour of Bordeaux 2010
-November 22 - November 27 (open for booking).

§         The Bordeaux Harvest Tour 2010
-September 20– September 25 (open for booking).

These last spots are highly sought after. So if you really are interested you should ask us to hold your spot now, because you don’t want to miss out on this great Wine Experience. So check out our tour schedule, or contact us now for a detailed itinerary and more information!

Our Bordeaux Wine Tours 2011: Our exciting new schedule!

We have been receiving a lot of emails about our 2011 schedule. We understand that many of you are planning long ahead. So we are proud to announce our exciting schedule for 2011

§         The Grand Tour of Bordeaux 2011
-May 23 - May 28, 2011 and
-June 6 - June 11, 1011 and
-July 4 - July 9, 2011 and
-September 5 - September 10, 2011
-November 21 - November 26, 2011
Limited to 10 guests per tour

§         The Bordeaux Harvest Tour 2011
-September 26 – October 1, 2011
Limited to 10 guests

Fix those dates for you and contact us now for a detailed itinerary and more information!

From Tour Guest to International Sommelier and Bordeaux Expert
By Alberto Carregha (from Mexico)

Alberto and his wife Veronica at First Growth Chateau Latour

Since I can remember, I had tasted wines without knowing what
I was drinking. That's why in 2005 I started to take it seriously and began to take courses on wine, getting diplomas from 2 different Universities in Cancun, more like a hobby.
One of my dreams was to be in the greatest vineyards of the world, so for my
50th birthday I decided to treat myself and celebrate in Bordeaux, eating
and drinking the best of the world. That`s why, when I was checking for the best place to go, I saw The Bordeaux Wine Experience page on the Internet and I got in contact with you and Margaret to be in your Harvest Tour.

Alberto and his wife Veronica at First Growth Chateau Haut Brion

We had not only one of the best experiences of our lives, but an inspiration to take my
hobby to the next level and go for the sommelier certification.
I enrolled Syrah Sommelier School in conjunction with La Escuela Española de Cata, and this year I finished my Certification for International Sommelier.
And guess what I did for my final examination?
Yes, you are right, I made a presentation of The Vignoble of Bordeaux!
Thanks to The Bordeaux Wine Experience, my grade was OUTSTANDING, because of all of the great information that I received on your tour from you.
That`s why I want to thank you and Margaret for your big help on this Certification.
Now that I have achieved this, I am left with but one goal: to be an Enologist to work and live in a Chateau in Bordeaux!

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Have a great Spring and we look forward to seeing you all in Bordeaux in the near future!

Cheers from Bordeaux,

Ronald and Margaret Rens

Visit our website:

Bordeaux Wine Tours

www.BXWINEX.com

2010 Wine Tour Schedule
(Just five couples per tour!)
Open for booking

Tours and dates for 2010:

The Bordeaux Harvest Tour
September 20– Sept 25, 2010
(Open for booking, still spots available)

The Grand Tour of
Bordeaux 4  
November 22 -Nov 27, 2010
(open for booking)

The Grand Tour of
Bordeaux 3  
September 6 - Sept 11, 2010
(Last 2 spots available, just 1 couple)

The Grand Tour of
Bordeaux 1  
May 24 - May 29, 2010
(sold out!)

The Grand Tour of
Bordeaux 2  
July 5 - July 10, 2010

These Bordeaux Wine Tours are 6 days, 5 nights.
 

Avoid disappointment and reserve your place today!
(Click here!)

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in Bordeaux!

Best of Both Worlds
Three days, two nights private wine tour packages
(to Médoc and Saint Emilion)
(Click here!)

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Bordeaux:
Self catering accommodation at Chateau Coulon Laurensac
(Some weeks still available this summer)

Chateau Chateau Coulon Laurensac is situated less than 10 minutes from the Bordeaux city center and offers two deluxe self catering gîtes for two persons and one self catering gîte for four persons.

Click here for more information.

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The Bordeaux Wine Experience
Chateau Coulon Laurensac
1, chemin de Meydieu
33360 Latresne (BORDEAUX), France

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Email : info@BXWINEX.com
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Copyright © 2010 by The Bordeaux Wine Experience. All rights reserved. The content, design and graphical elements of this Magazine are copyrighted. The Bordeaux Wine Experience is a Dutch company specializing in wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region for an English speaking international clientele.

Please note: For this issue of The Bordeaux Wine Experience Magazine, you're welcome to use the content on the Internet or in hard copy provided you e-mail Ronald (Ronald@BXWINEX.com) to let him know and use this credit line at the top under the title (please make the link clickable if it's online):

Reprinted from The Bordeaux Wine Experience Magazine a free Bordeaux e-Newsletter with permission of The Bordeaux Wine Experience, the leading Bordeaux Wine Tour Company: www.BXWINEX.com