By billn on February 4, 2012
The mid-fourteenth century was a time of maximum distress across Europe. The Black Death struck in 1348, though it was by no means the last irruption of the bubonic plague. France was about to descend into the bear pit of the Hundred Years War with England, and the Holy Roman Empire was in uproar over the Golden Bull of 1356 and the introduction of a consolidated imperial constitution and electoral procedures. Thanks to the papal schism, there was one Pope in Rome, and another in Avignon. Those few parts of the Kingdom of Burgundy which had not been lost were often disputed amongst neighbours. To cap it all, mind-boggling crises of succession erupted simultaneously in the Kingdom of France, in the Duchy of Burgundy and [....]
Posted in Books, Maps & Magazines |
By billn on January 25, 2012
An overgenerous review from Jamie Goode of the world-renowned wineanorak site. I have to say that I laughed when I realised that he correctly spotted that the domaines are all listed in the index under ‘d’ because they start ‘Domaine…’!
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By billn on January 1, 2012
A happy new year to all. My pre-xmas cold returned with a vengance for Christmas, but slowly the coughing and spluttering is subsiding – I’ll probably be on great form when I return home! I suppose that if I can’t drink, I can certainly read: I don’t seem to be able to ‘pdf’ this so I guess the link may not be extant for long, however, this section (of a very big book) looks quite interesting.
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By billn on December 22, 2011
Published by Octopus Books Following on from Christopher Fielden’s White Burgundy, 1988 seems a good vintage for books. This is, of-course, the sister book to Jasper’s The White Wines of Burgundy also of that year. Yet again I seem to have picked up, quite unintentionally, a signed copy – at least this time I don’t need to change my name to Ian! Summary This is a hardback book of indeterminate size – almost, but not quite, A4 – with less than 80 pages of content. A couple of minimalist maps are provided to give you a basic idea of geography. The forward is by Simon Loftus – how I wish there were more books by him. The content of the book is split into three [....]
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By billn on December 10, 2011
Jointly Published by Christopher Helm (UK) and The Wine Appreciation Guild (US) A head-cold had determined that, for much of the last week, there was no value in opening bottles, so I thought I’d finish reading this book instead. And what a lucky boy, I even (somehow) managed to buy a copy through Abebooks that was dedicated by the author – although I’d need to change my name to Ian… Summary This is a handy A5-size, hardback book of about 180 pages if you include appendices that cover vintages (1987-1968), appellations, suggested sources (producers) and the bibliography. Just a few black and white photos adorn what is essentially just text and an occasional map. After a foreward by John Arlott, there are few pages of [....]
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By billn on November 24, 2011
Mine was just delivered – brilliant. I have not yet managed to convince domestic management that it would fit in our living-room. Still, there’s plenty of space in the office
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In Search of Pinot Noir, Benjamin Lewin MW (2011) 2011, Vendange Press. Benjamin Lewin is starting out on the road to be the prolific wine-book writer of our times – not bad considering he only published his first book two years ago; and no, I’m not including the repetitive annual titles where people are largely editors rather than writers – Benjamin writes real books, serious books. Already delivered are What Price Bordeaux (2009), Wine Myths & Reality (2010), and now, hot from the presses, this title, In Search of Pinot Noir (2011). All of them offer a measure of critique and ‘grounding’, as opposed to a rehash of what has gone before, and they certainly do not lack for depth. Benjamin earned his crust for [....]
By billn on October 19, 2011
Subtitled: The basics of wine. When this book arrived, I have to say that I was surprised; from the picture you have the impression that this book is constructed very much along the lines of the recent book by Jasper Morris, only after it is delivered you realise that it is actually half the size – A5. The presentation if this book is actually first-class: The format is of a heading and a descriptive text and a nice photo. No subject gets more than two pages of text, usually just one, and as you will see below, the text pages are really half-pages. The text has been supplied by Romana Echensperger, Fiona Morrison and Filip Verheyden, a mix of MW and MW candidates; an insert [....]
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By billn on September 15, 2011
It seems that I am ‘outed’. With the title already listed on amazon (amongst other places) it’s time to come clean. Now you can see why my Spring Burgundy Report was a bit late and also why I was forced to taste so many wines in the last few months – pesky research eh…(!) Actually, and naturally enough, I loved the research, but committing everything to paper (okay, okay – typing!) now that’s something else; but alone, Jon Wyand’s photos are to die for. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully express my gratitude to the publishers for showing faith in such a non-establishment (perhaps not quite anti-establishment) author; or more correctly at the time, ‘potential author’; but it was paramount for me [....]
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By billn on September 8, 2011
2008 JC Boisset, Côte de Nuits Villages Le Creux de Sobron The name is clearly a mouthful – fortunately the wine is very good mouthful. Ripe but fresh fruit on the nose – quite forward. In the mouth this has plenty of energy and fine acidity which could turn a little mouth puckering in a couple of years, but today it is just joyous. There is a little mid-palate muscle and good intensity too. A line of mouth-watering flavour lingers in the finish. Yum – and an absolute bargain… Rebuy – Yes And for those with an interest in books, I just pre-ordered this one – can’t wait.
Posted in Books, Maps & Magazines, Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 2, 2011
As a subscriber, I’ve long admired the work of ‘Tong’ – it looks like this may be a must-have…
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By billn on August 10, 2011
I picked this book up in Athenaeum in Beaune last month – a mere €10 for a little over 80 pages of photos from Armelle, Jean-Louis Bernuy and Michel Joly – and lovely photos they are. Production quality is very good; the book is being sold in aid of the ‘Climats du Vignoble du Bourgogne‘ a push to achieve world heritage status for the Côte d’Or from UNESCO. What little text there is to support the images is all in French, but no big deal. Cheap as it is, and despite the very good quality (softcover) presentation, there seams a flaw if it is designed to raise funds. Not the fact that it is too (or at at least remarkably) cheap, rather that the Athenaeum [....]
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