|
Return to newsletter
archive index
Read about:
v The Saint Emilion Classification suspended
v We ask for your help!
v Bordeaux vintage 2006: in between 2004 and 2005
v Last spots available on our tours, book them before they are gone!
v Self catering accommodation in the Bordeaux region
v Bordeaux
Wine Trivia Quiz
|
 Dear wine lover,
April has been an eventful month in Bordeaux. The annulment of the Medoc Cru Bourgeois Classification as well as the Saint Emilion Wine Classification, the 2006 Futures tastings and of course the first Tour of the French presidential election last Sunday.
Chateau Coulon Laurensac ready for the summer
As I specialize on Bordeaux and its wines I will concentrate on the wine events and leave the election results for the political commentators.
Okay, for those who want to know I'll give a short description of the electoral system in France. Presidential elections take place in two steps, the so called "Tours". In the first Tour there are many candidates who can participate. Sunday there were 12 candidates to choose from. The two candidates with the most votes, the center right Nicolas Sarkozy and the female socialist candidate Ségolène Royale, will compete in the second Tour on May 6th.
But back to Bordeaux and its wines. I am no Robert Parker, but in this Newsletter you can read my impressions of the 2006 professional tastings.
And I am asking for your help and support for both this Newsletter and for TheBordeauxWineBlog.
Naturally I have another wine trivia question for you.
I hope you'll enjoy reading this Newsletter and I hope hearing from you soon.
Don’t drink
anything I wouldn't drink!
Have an excellent spring!
Ronald Rens, M. Sc., Wine Master
President
Ronald
and Margaret tasting the 2006 with Arnaud and Florence de la Filolie
(owners of Chateau Laniote)
at the Saint Emilion
Grand Cru
futures tasting
|
  
The Saint Emilion Classification suspended indefinitely
It all started with the court case against the Cru Bourgeois Classification in the Medoc. The Classification was revised in 2003.
 A group of 78 producers, who were not happy with the results (three guesses why...) got the classification suspended. This effectively returns the Médoc classification to its original 1932 status, and allows nearly 200 chateaux eliminated in the 2003 revision to call their wines Cru Bourgeois. (For the complete story,please click here)
Cru Exceptional doesn't exist anymore
Saint Emilion
 The situation in Saint Emilion is slightly different and much more complex. The Classification here is always valid for periods of ten years, so basically after each revision there exists a "new" classification. Inspired by the "success" in the Medoc, four de-classified Saint Emilion chateaux took the new Saint Emilion Classification to court and got it suspended. As the "old" classification ceased to exist after its renewal, the suspension of the new one created a gap. As a direct result there exists as of the end of March no official classification in Saint Emilion. The final decision of the Tribunal could take up to a year so Saint Emilion will have to do without a classification until then. (For the complete story,please click here)
Margaret and I were invited the other day to a dinner party at Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé B Chateau Angélus.
The owners, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest and his cousin Jean-Bernard Grenié had just learned of the courts decision and were devastated.
Hubert de Boüard de Laforest told us that the four chateaux and the courts just wasted over fifty years of hard work.
 As an aperitif they served Chateau Angélus 2004. We all needed a few extra glasses to get over the news of loosing the classification. Luckily we had the Angélus 2001 on the main course.
James Bond made a good decision to order this wine in his latest movie. Classified Growth or not.
Jean-Bernard Grenié addressing us at Chateau Angélus
I need your help and it won't cost you a dime
In my March Newsletter I told you about TheBordeauxWineBlog . Wine blogs are being rated on a site called LocalWineEvents and I would like to ask you to vote for our blog.
Actually you can vote once very 24 hours, so if it is not too much to ask...
We are now at place 39 in the top 100, so I still need a lot of votes. But with your help I hope to get up a few steps on the ladder. Please vote for TheBordeauxWineBlog and click here . Thank you very much for your support.
The other thing I would like to ask you has to do with this Newsletter. Our Newsletter is a free service to everybody with an interest in Bordeaux and its wines. We are trying to get more subscribers and we have set a very ambitious target for 2007:
We want to have a 1.000 new subscribers this year.
So far we have 295 new subscribers for this year. I would like you to ask to subscribe your friends, family members and colleagues to the Newsletter. You can subscribe with the button here or from any page of our website. Again, thanks for your help.
Bordeaux vintage 2006: in between 2004 and 2005
.jpg) 
Ronald tasting the impressive 2006 Cheval Blanc with
Cheval Blanc technical director Dr. Kees van Leeuwen |
And tasting the elegant 2006 Angélus with Jean-Bernard Grenié of Chateau Angélus |
Let's start with an easy judgment. 2006 is NOT like 2005. The first reason is of course all vintages are different in Bordeaux. The second reason is as easy as the first. We have been hearing so much about this once-in-a-lifetime vintage 2005 that the following vintage by definition never can be as good.
That is what we thought after 1985 and then came the even better 1986 vintage. 2006 was developing into that direction but, unfortunately, it didn't happen. 
The rains came too early. 2005 is a "no brainer", they are all good or excellent; it is just nature doing its work. 2006 is much more a wine maker's year. Those who did everything as they should, produced top wines, some of which might even compete with 2005. Others produced disappointing wines.
The weather was so good early April
that we took the convertible to go to the tastings
 .jpg)
| Margaret tasting the 2006 Chateaul Laniote with owner and winemaker Florence de la Fiolie of Chateau Laniote |
Ronald tasting the Figéac 2006 with Thierry Manoncourt, owner of Chateau Figéac |
 2006 is often compared with 2004 but I do not agree.The Vintage 2004 is not so much an exceptional year but is still a beautiful year. A classic Bordeaux around the board with generally a decent quality. The vintage 2006 has the entire spectrum: from exceptional to mediocre. Style-wise the 2006's are far more tannic and have less concentration than the 2005's, and are less charming than the 2004's. However, overall, 2006 is a slightly better vintage than 2004. Before you start buying futures on this vintage you need to wait for two things: the Robert Parker tasting notes and of course the prices. I am afraid the chateaux will not be very reasonable with their prices. The other day I have bought all the 2004 I could lay my hands on. Reasonably priced, good classic vintage and of course two years older (so two years less to wait for them to come around...)
Our verdict
We have attended to the professional futures tastings. Like I said earlier, I am by no means Robert Parker but still Margaret and I have have rated the wines we have tasted on a 20 point scale. 0 being very bad and 20 points being exceptional.
Tasted at Chateau Camensac and at Chateau Talbot |
| Those we liked (left bank) |
Those we liked less (left bank) |
Belgrave, Haut Medoc, 5th Growth:
Cantemerle, Haut Medoc, 5th Growth
Chasse-Spleen, Moulis Cru excep
Citran, Cru Bourgeois
La Lagune, Haut Medoc, 3th Growth
La Tour de By, Medoc Cru Bourgeois
Poujeaux, Moulis
Talbot, Saint Julien 4th Growth
Léoville Poyferré, St Julien 2th Gr
Léoville Barton, St Julien 2th Growth
Lagrange,
St Julien 3th Growth
Beychevelle, St Julien 4th Growth
Branaire-Ducru, St Julien 4th Gr
Pichon Baron,
Pauillac 2nd Growth
Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux, 4th Gr
Malescot St-Exupery, Margx 3th Gr
Kirwan, Margaux, 3th Growth
Giscours Margaux, 3th Growth
Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, 2nd Gr
|
18
16
16
17
18
18
17
17
16
18
18
17
17
16
16
17
17
16
16
|
Camensac, Haut Medoc, 5th Growth
La Tour Carnet, Haut Medoc, 4th Gr
Maucaillou, Moulis
Gruaud Larose,
St Julien 2th Growth
Lynch-Bages,
Pauillac 5nd Growth
Lynch Moussas,
Pauillac 5nd Growth
Pontet Canet,
Pauillac 5nd Growth
Cantenac Brown,
Margaux, 3th Gr
Rauzan-Gassies,
Margaux, 2nd Gr
Rauzan-Ségla,
Margaux, 2nd Growth
Lascombes,
Margaux, 2nd Growth
Du Tertre,
Margaux, 5th Growth
|
12
10
14
12
14
12
15
14
12
14
13
15 |
  
Tasted at Chateau Soutard, Chateau Beauregard and at Chateau Cheval Blanc |
| Those we liked (right bank) |
Those we liked less (right bank) |
Angélus
Beau-Séjour Bécot
Canon La Gaffelière
Figéac
Clos Fourtet
Troplong Mondot
Laniote
Soutard
Petit Cheval de Cheval Blanc
Cheval Blanc
Pomerol
Beauregard
Gazin
La Conseillante
La Croix de Gay
Petit Village |
19
18
16
18
16
18
16
16
17
19
16
16
19
16
16
|
Balestard de la Tonelle
Bélair
Franc-Mayne
Trotevieille
La Gaffelière
Pomerol
Clinet
La Cabanne
|
|
 
| Chateau Cheval Blanc received The Bordeaux Wine Experience for the tasting of their excellent 2006 |
Margaret discusses the vintage with a Bordeaux Wine Broker in the private gardens behind Cheval Blanc |
The last spots on our Bordeaux Harvest Tour
If you want to join us in 2007 you'll have to hurry. For September 24 - September 29 we have scheduled the unique Bordeaux Harvest Wine Tour. This new tour is the only tour with spots left for 2007. The itinerary is online on our website. We are very excited to have confirmed the visits for First Growths Chateau Latour, Mouton Rothschild and Haut Brion! This tour is really without equal as everything in and around Bordeaux just buzzes with action and anticipation. This tour includes a dinner at the Relais & Chateaux Restaurant Hauterive Saint James with its unique view on Bordeaux.
 The Bordeaux Harvest Tour
(Last spots available)
This unique tour (6 days, 5 nights), which will include a pickers lunch
at a Classified Growth Chateau, will take place from September 24 – September
29, 2007. You will even be invited to pick some of the holy grapes
yourselves!
Just five couples on our tours. That’s just you and four other couples.
Harvest at
Château Margaux
This Harvest Wine Tour is really unique as everything just buzzes with action and
anticipation.
For more information on the Bordeaux Harvest Tour, please click here.
Self catering
accommodation at Chateau Coulon Laurensac
 Did you know that you can stay at our
Chateau when there are no wine tours? If you are looking for self catering
accommodation to spend one or more weeks in our Bordeaux region, Chateau
Coulon Laurensac might be a good choice for you. We still have a few weeks open for booking. The Chateau is Michelin
rated and is referenced in the Alastair Sawday's "Special Places
to Stay" guidebook. There are just a few weeks still available for this summer. For more information you can visit de Coulon
Laurensac website by clicking here.
 Wine trivia quiz
This month I ask you to recognize a bottle. Which wine was decorated with this image and in which vintage? Please tell me what this image stands for.
Let me know before May 10 what you think at: Ronald@BXWINEX.com.
Among Newsletter readers to come up with the right answer we will draw five that will receive a
Bordeaux Wine Experience wine accessory gift.
The correct answer will be on our website as of May 10 on our Newsletter archive.
Last month's question
Last month my question was on the Medoc. I wanted like to know which country has had the greatest influence on wine growing and wine making in the Medoc region (after the French of course) and why.
As we are Dutch ourselves, it gives me pleasure that the answer is: the Dutch. Click here to see what "we Dutchies" added to the left bank wines.
 Forward to a Friend
I hope you enjoyed this
newsletter. Like always I would like to ask you to forward it to a friend, family
member or colleague who loves wine. Help us to get our target of a 1000 new subscribers this year!
And please remember to vote for TheBordeauxWineBlog .
Thanks very much for your help!
We hope to see you soon with us
here in France!
Cheers from Bordeaux,
Ronald and Margaret Rens
   
|
Visit our
website:
Bordeaux Wine
Tours
www.BXWINEX.com
|
|
|
2007
Wine Tour Schedule
(Only five
couples per tour!)
We proudly present
the following Tours and dates for 2007:
The Bordeaux
Harvest Tour
September 24 – 29, 2007
(Now open for booking)
The Grand Tour of
Bordeaux 1
May 28-June 2, 2007
The Grand Tour of
Bordeaux 2
September 3-8, 2007
The Bordeaux Grand
Cru Tour 1
June 11-16, 2007
The Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour 2
July 2-July 7, 2007
These Bordeaux Wine
Tours are 6 days, 5 nights.
Avoid disappointment and
reserve your place today!
(Click here!)
The Bordeaux Wine Experience
Wine weekends
at Château
Coulon Laurensac
Weekend wine and
Chateaux of Bordeaux
at Château Coulon Laurensac
(every weekend
or any day of the week)
One night at Chateau
Coulon Laurensac (double bed, bathroom with jacuzzi). Lovely four course
dinner in front of the fireplace in our favorite gastronomic restaurant on
the riverbanks of the Garonne River
(4 courses and wine included).
Visit at Saint Emilion Grand Cru Wine Château the next morning, etc…
For more information
please click here!
The Bordeaux Wine
Experience Gift Vouchers
An original
gift idea is a Bordeaux Wine Experience Gift Voucher.
These gift vouchers
can be used for:
- Wine
Weekends,
- Wine Day
Tours,
- Paris Wine
Tours,
- Full week
wine tours.
You tell us what you
would like to offer and we will prepare a beautiful invitation card that will
serve as gift voucher for the tour you would like to offer.
These invitation
cards are much appreciated and are considered an original and elegant gift.
Click here for more information.
|
|
