The Bordeaux Wine Experience News:

2008 ”Open House (Chateau)” Weekends in the
Bordeaux wine region
LALANDE-DE-POMEROL - April 26th & 27th
SAINT-EMILION – from May 8th to 11th
PREMIERES CÔTES DE BORDEAUX & CADILLAC – from May 9th to 11th
CÔTES DE BOURG – May 10th & 11th
CÔTES DE SAINT-MACAIRE - May 17th & 18th
GRAVES DE VAYRES - October 12th
GRAVES - October 18th & 19th
FRONSAC - October 18th & 19th
SAUTERNES & BARSAC - from November 8th to 11th
LOUPIAC - November 29th & 30th
PESSAC-LEOGNAN - December 6th & 7th

Bordeaux Wine Tour schedule 2008 published
The Bordeaux Wine Experience WebLog is online!

New 2006 Saint Emilion Wine Classification
Margaux Appellation at risk
Cheval Blanc, a musical tasting experience
The Bordeaux Wine Experience at Vinexpo 2005
40 years of Vintage Port 1963-2003
The 150th anniversary of the 1855 Classification
'French paradox' man gets official recognition

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New 2006 Saint Emilion Wine Classification
The wines of Saint Emilion were first classified in 1954. This classification was supposed to be very much alive. Contrary to the 1855 Classification in the Médoc, the Saint Emilion classification was supposed to be revised every 10 years. As this is France this of course didn't happen. The first time the system was revised was in 1986. Since then it had been revised every 10 years as planned. The latest revision dates from September 2006
Summary of changes to the Saint-Emilion Wine Classification

Change from Grand Cru Classé to Premier Grand Cru Classé B : 2
Château Pavie-Macquin Château Troplong Mondot

New entrant to the Grand Cru Classé Classification: 6
Château Bellefont-Belcier
Château Destieux
Château Fleur Cardinale
Château Grand Corbin
Château Grand Corbin-Despagne
Château Monbousquet

Not retained in the Classification: 11
Château Bellevue
Château Cadet Bon
Château Faurie de Souchard
Château Guadet Saint-Julien
Château La Marzelle
Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud- Bélivier)
Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix)
Château Petit Faurie de Soutard
Château Tertre Daugay
Château Villemaurine
Château Yon Figeac

For the complete and revised 2006 Saint Emilion Wine Classification: Please click here

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The Margaux Appellation in risk of being cut in half by a motorway

The Prefect of the Gironde has just publicly announced a plan for the building of a motorway which will bypass Bordeaux.
3 of the 5 routes proposed will either cut the Margaux appellation area in two, or go around it, encroaching on superb quality terroirs, classified as AOC Margaux, or under consideration for the classification.

Terroirs unique to the world such as the Margaux appellation and the famous crus of the Haut-Médoc will thus be carved up in this intolerable assault on some of the most iconic examples of France’s cultural heritage.

Visitors come from all over the world to travel along the “route des chateaux” and visit the wine estates. Can these “visionary” government departments find no better solution than to build a motorway which will encircle or cut in two one of the finest wine producing areas in the world? When will they build a motorway through the gardens of Versailles palace?

Read more ore sign an online petition aganist this by clicking here.

 

Château Cheval Blanc
Premier Grand Cru Classé A de Saint-Emilion

One of the advantages of living so close to Bordeaux is that we can participate is the so called "Les Grandes Heures de Saint Emilion". This is a series of concerts (classical music) at wine chateaux. These concerts are concluded with a tasting of the wines of the chateau were the concert takes place. With the program list in hand we picked, already in May, Cheval Blanc and than had a look at the music they were about to perform. This event took place last Thursday. To start with the music, it was a beautiful concert with music from Felix Mendesohn Bartoldy, and Robert Schuman. The musicians were Jérome Ducros on the piano, Tedi Papavrami on violin and Marc Coppey on the cello. It was a high quality performance from my point of view. It was of course organized in the French way, which means if you arrive not very early you have to fight for a seat and a mean this literally. As we were not among the first to arrive finding a place was a challenge. For the fist part of the evening we were really in the back near an open door. Needless to say my wife caught a bad cold which kept us from visiting a party the following Saturday.

Good to be in the back
Our position in the back of the room had its advantages: we were amongst the first to arrive at the tasting. I must admit that at first I was a little disappointed to learn that they were only serving Cheval Blanc’s second wine, Le Petit Cheval. The disappointment disappeared soon after the first glass. A beautiful Saint Emilion and ready to be enjoyed. From the corner of my eye I saw Pierre Lurton pouring wine from another bottle. I fought my way through the crowd to be served my Chateau Cheval Blanc by Monsieur Piere Lurton himself. Both were pleasant experiences as he is a very nice man and his wine is amazing. We tasted (or should I say drank) the Cheval Blanc 1999, a wine that was given 93 points by Parker.
I had tasted this wine before during Vinexpo 2003 and then it failed to impress me. At this time we tasted it with all five First Growths and Petrus and Cheval Blanc, all of the 1999 vintage. Now a few years later the Cheval Blanc had opened a lot. Maybe it was because it was tasted without the other wines I mentioned earlier, or maybe it had to do with the excellent hors d’oeuvres that were served. Who cares, it was a great wine which we enjoyed a lot. The wine had a beautiful ruby colour and had hints of black currant, leather and mocha. It was surprisingly drinkable considered its age. We all agreed it could age for another 10 to 20 years but was altogether very drinkable in his relative youth. Again it was much better then we remembered from the 2003 tasting. Altogether a very memorable evening.

Vinexpo 2005

The Bordeaux Wine Experience at Vinexpo
The Bordeaux Wine Experience is proud to show it's own pictures of the events

Created in 1981, by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the VINEXPO exhibition has established itself over the years as the key event for major international operators in the wine and spirits sector.
From the 19th to the 23rd of June 2005, Vinexpo, international wine and spirits exhibition, brought together all the wine and spirits trade players.
The Bordeaux Wine Experience was present at the exhibition and at the major events around Vinexpo. Here you can find more about the events in which we participated.

• Opening dinner at Château Latour Martillac, Cru Classé de Graves
  
• The 150th anniversary of the 1855 Classification celebrated at Château d’Yquem – Sunday 19 July 2005
  
• 40 years of Vintage Port 1963-2003

 

 

Opening dinner at Château Latour Martillac,
Cru Classé de Graves

Château Latour Martillac, a Classified Growth of Graves hosted the "Soirée d'Overture", the opening dinner, for the Vinexpo 2005. The evening started with a tasting of all the Classified Growths of the Graves , red and white. The Bordeaux Wine Experience was present at this opening dinner and participated in the tasting's. Here you can find some pictures as well as the text from the original tasting book of this evening, describing the classification of the Graves .

 

 

 

Classified Growths in the Graves
Sixteen well established chateaux all located in the communal appellation of Pessac-Léognan have for the passed fifty years benefited from the Classified Growths of Graves label.

 

 

 

 

It is hard to believe that the Graves region, the birthplace of the Bordeaux wines, had to wait until the 20 th century to gain an official classification (including Château Haut Brion which was classified in 1855)

The foundation of vineyards in the Graves goes way back to ancient times. Vines were grown south on the outskirts of Bordeaux and expanded progressively towards the south to from the Graves area, named after the type of soil.

However it was only in 1953, that the authentic history of the Graves terroir was recognized by an official classification. The Romans made no mistake when they planted the first vines in the north of the region, where geology and micro climate are favorable to making elegant, typically complex red wines, as well as great white wines. This excellent wine growing area with an asserted character highly deserved the classification.

The Classified Growths of Graves cover a surface area of around 500 hectares and represent about 10% of the Graves region.

United by a common history and terroir, the Classified Growths of Graves form a local family, steeped in tradition, and sharing a common passion for quality and hospitality. Continuous research and energetic efforts makes the Graves an outstanding appellation.

 

 

 

1855-2005: The 150th anniversary of the 1855 Classification celebrated at Château d’Yquem

On Sunday, June 19, 2005 Vinexpo Bordeaux, the world’s premiere wine and spirits trade show, was launched by the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855 (Médoc and Sauternes) with a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux Wines. Listed in the official list of 2005 National Celebrations by the French Minister of Culture and Communications, the event was held in the prestigious Château d’Yquem.

Ronald and Margaret Rens, founders of The Bordeaux Wine Experience were invited to this prestigious event. In the course of the dinner, given in honor of the International Wine Press and orchestrated by the great chefs Ken Hom, Michel Guérard, and Michel Trama, we enjoyed the privilege of tasting several of the finest vintages from the Great Classed Growths of 1855.
Almost a half-century of great vintages from the 1855 classed growths were served: Sauternes and Barsac Grands Crus Classés from 1998 and 1999; Médoc Grands Crus Classés from 2000 to 1995 and from 1990 to 1985.

 

 

 

 

 

With the cheese: Premiers Grands Crus Classés

• Margaux 1983
• Mouton Rothschild 1982
• Latour 1979
• Lafite-Rothschild 1978
• Haut-Brion 1975
• As a finale,
  Château d'Yquem 1967 accompanied by a fireworks in the color of this exceptional wine...

 

 

 

 

 

The 1855 classification—a veritable monument—was drafted as part of the presentation of Bordeaux ’s wines at the Paris Universal Exposition decreed by Napoleon III. The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce entrusted the organization of the list to the Union of Brokers Attached to the Bordeaux Commodities Market. As established connoisseurs of Bordeaux ’s wines, the brokers based their work on a century of statistical information which confirmed the finest terroirs to establish a list of properties which continues to be an authoritative reference.
The classification furthered the renown of the great growths of the Médoc, Sauternes, and Barsac by reaffirming their excellence and serving as a guide for wine drinkers everywhere. In this way, it has greatly contributed to the popularity of Bordeaux ’s wines throughout the world.

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Official Classification of Bordeaux’s Wines in the finest manner possible, the family of 1855 Grands Crus Classés (Médoc and Sauternes) was united for the first time to produce an already legendary photograph assembling the greatest number of the world’s prestigious wine making properties under the auspices of the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855.
The Bordeaux Wine Experience is proud to show you it's own pictures of this event.

 

40 years of Vintage Port 1963-2003


Johnny Symington, Adrian Bridge, Cristian Seely (from left to right)

A very special event at this Vinexpo was the tasting of 40 years of Vintage Port. The Bordeaux Wine Experience tasted the following ports

1. Croft vintage 1963
2. Delaforce vintage 1963
3. Dow's vintage 1963
4. Fonseca's vintage 1963
5. Grahams vintage 1963
6. Quinta do Noval vintage 1963
7. Quinta do Noval "Nacional" vintage 1963
8. Smith Woodhouse vintage 1963
9. Taylors vintage 1963
10. Warre's vintage 1963

And the same wines from the vintage 2003

A short introduction of the port year 1963 by James Suckling.

Vintage Port 1963: Classic (98)
Copious fruit, forceful, extremely age worthy
"The 1963 vintage needs no introduction. It lives up to its superlative reputation in every way. A nearly complete failure in most European wine regions, 1963 produced vintage Ports with monumental concentrations of ripe fruit and perfectly integrated tannins. The best are Rubenesque – rich, round, luscious creatures that are irresistibly ageless. At nearly 30 years old, almost all of the 1963s I tasted in 1990 were still in perfect drinking condition and showed few signs of decline.

The winter was average, with cold spells and rain. Spring was much cooler and wetter than normal, though the weather during the flowering was good and ensured a proper berry set. The summer was mostly dry, with long warm days. September was perfect for harvesting, with hot days and cool nights. It is difficult to pinpoint just what made 1963 great, but why question nature when the results are so stupendous?

There are truly some astounding Ports in this vintage. The Quinta do Noval Nacional is out of this world, with layers of ripe grapy flavors and tons of tannins. I once tasted it with a Port shipper who thought it was a barrel sample of a wine nearly 30 years younger. The Fonseca, Graham, Taylor and Sandeman are almost as impressive, but are more earthly in their rich, ripe fruit flavors and perfectly knit tannins. With the exception of Noval’s regular bottling, almost all the major shippers made beguiling wines. The Noval 1963 is good but slightly disappointing, since it had already reached its peak in the mid-1980s. One does not have to stick to the big names, however, to find success. Houses like Delaforce, Niepoort, Smith Woodhouse and many others made excellent wines in 1963. Reviewing 26 different 1963s, I gave at least 80 points to all but one. Five scored more than 95 points.'

Port Vintages by Score
Classic (95-100 points)

1. 1927 100 Classic
2. 1948 99 Classic
3. 1912 99 Classic
4. 1963 98 Classic
5. 1945 98 Classic……..
   

'French paradox' man gets official recognition
July 26, 2005
Oliver Styles

The man behind the so-called 'French paradox' has received France's highest distinction, the Legion d'Honneur.

The controversial scientist, Professor Serge Renaud, was named Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur on 14 July, the French national day.

Prof. Renaud was one of the first nutritional scientists to report the apparently inexplicable paradox whereby the French, who consumed very high levels of saturated fat – often linked to heart problems – in their food were less likely to suffer from heart disease than most countries in the western world.

Although he did not invent the term 'French paradox' when the idea surfaced in the early 90s, he is widely regarded as the father of the concept.

He later explained that wine, consumed regularly and in moderation, played a significant role in reducing the risk of thrombosis (blood clots). Its alcohol and antioxidants apparently provide protection from heart disease and reduce the impact of a fatty diet.

Although some in the medical profession regard Renaud's theories as hunches at best, his studies on Cretan food and lifestyle in the Mediterranean further advanced his ideas.

Ironically enough, the French ministry for health, bête noire of the wine-producing community in France for its current anti-alcohol stance, was responsible for Renaud's nomination.

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Wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region, France