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the london times – a lesson in how not to spell!
I hope Jane MacQuitty will be giving her editor a good kicking You might as well read the article now – the errant headline remains…
burgundy wine ‘odyssey’
Two pieces to read today: I don’t know how long this series of posts will last, but I’ve very much enjoyed working my way through Amy’s travelogue. Flatt’s basic approach to wine collecting remains valid today: “I always mentally expensed the value of my wine at the time of purchase,” he explained, “so that the adjusted cost never became an obstacle to uncorking a bottle. Unlike an art collection, which is permanent, wine ultimately must be consumed. You shouldn’t even contemplate a cellar if you cannot accept that fact.”
2005 remmoissenet vosne-romanée
Continuing the Remmoissenet theme – only an 05 Gevrey still waits in the cellar for the corkscrew: 2005 Remoissenet, Vosne-Romanée From bought grapes. Deeper in colour than yesterday’s Beaune. The nose starts a little diffuse and coarse – seems affected by CO2 – 10 minutes brings cohesion, deep spicy fruit and a trace of smoky coffee – actually it keeps getting better and better. Very nice. The palate starts very grainy – dissolved gas for sure. With 30 minutes of air you get much friendlier texture, slightly forward acidity but an impressive width as the flavour flows into a good finish. Versus the Beaune you miss a little tension and gras – this is also more expensive; a) your paying more for the name and [....]
in the papers
Jancis advises on 2006 Canada still discusses 2005 Finally in Napa you can learn about barrel-making. But only 3 barrels per 250 year-old tree!
2005 remoissenet, beaune 1er marconnets
2005 Remoissenet, Beaune 1er Marconnets A domaine wine here: A hint of sweetness, a dense soft-red fruit and an underscore of minerality on the compact but giving nose – slowly opens in the glass. Poise, concentration and a very nice kick in the mid-palate are the first impressions. Slowly you pick up on the velvety tannin and the persistence of the finish. Balanced, some fat and some of the coiled-spring energy of the vintage. This is (versus other 05′s) quite well priced. I think I shall buy a few more… Rebuy – Yes
travelling, winespectator and finally tasting
I’m on the road for a few days, returning late on Friday – two nights sleep without needing recourse to pharmaceutical products to breathe through my nose mean that the end is in sight for my cold, and hence, my wine drinking moratorium – perhaps the first corks will be popped over this weekend – good timing considering I’m planning to be in the Côtes for two days next week! I mentioned winespectator, and there are some interesting words here from Bruce Sanderson about his recent tasting chez Jadot…
thumbs up from burghound for 2006
Burghound is very bullish on 2006 – that will cheer up the merchants and producers! “As Issue 29 will explain, the 2005s are even better than originally previewed and the 2006 is a very good to excellent vintage that is not far behind 2005 in quality. Details within!” Many critics were cautious (some were dismissive) because they had 2005 stuck in their notebooks, but like I said, better than 2002 at quite a number of address in the Côte de Nuits. If you’re not subscribing, why not? (Avid, not affiliated!)
shrinking burgundy winestocks…
From the BIVB: “The stocks of wine held by Burgundy wine growers are dwindling, as can be seen from the records published by the customs and excise authorities of volumes remaining in the cellars at domaines at the end of the last campaign, in July 2007: 1.31 million hectolitres – well below one year’s harvest worth in stock (approx. 1.5 million). The last time the level was so low was in July 2000. This is a significant 13% drop on the July 2006 figures and affects all categories of AOC, both whites and reds (-15% for reds and -12% for whites). There are several reasons underlying this change. Firstly, more stringent selection processes limited the volume of harvests in 2006 and 2007. In addition, worldwide [....]
on fire – not!
Back! and in rude health – well I’m still saying some rude words over my continued cold (now 8 weeks) but I have some visits planned in the Côtes for the end of the month so will surely be able to taste something by then(?) Photo: The view from the train leaving Berne – Berner Alps in the background… Back from the Inferno and frankly I’m humbled. The top runners set off in the poor visibility afforded by low cloud and blitzed the course, averaging 75kph (46.5mph) for 9.5km (6 miles) including the uphill parts. For me it was a case of too much sicherheit not enough geschwindigkeit – safe rather than fast – my average speed was less than half theirs, and in sunshine [....]
training in the cold
I got back yesterday from Klosters where I was putting in a bit of ‘training’ (rather too-grand a word) for next weekend’s Inferno Rennen in Mürren. Starting just below the revolving restaurant on the Schilthorn – made famous by George Lazenby as 007 – it’s a 15km downhill ski race if enough snow permits. I did the race in 2006 and it took me 28 minutes – without a stop. The winner required only 15 minutes – but while they were all wearing spandex racing suits, my only decision was to race either with, or without my rucksack…! Actually I’m full of cold so training didn’t go all that well but I’m still confident for Saturday Talking of colds, I’m now into an unbelievable 7th [....]
european fine wine magazine – a critique
Photo: Blatantly stolen from the publisher’s website | Copyright, them… Let me first say that issue number 1 of ‘European Fine Wine Magazine’ is quite a coffee-table magazine, the photography is really something – not just the composition but the saturated, slightly underexposed processing too – never-mind black and white, even in colour it looks almost Gothic! Whilst I’m far from an expert in this area, the photographer (Pekka Nuikki) seems to be carving-out his own genre. In the end though I must come clean – it’s not a magazine for me. I am an egalitarian when it comes to wine; there was a time when even a modest pocket-book could accommodate an occasional bottle of the grandest of burgundian grand crus – Armand Rousseau’s [....]
