I’m not able to add much at the moment as I’m deep into travelling in Asia visiting customers. Staying at a cool place though – les suites taipei – here until Sunday morning then off to Shanghai. Might get chance to checkout the winelist tonight. So far a mixture of Japanese, Euro-Japanese and Dim-Sum cuisine – nice city too.
Well, not only did they let me into the UK, they even let me into Scotland too. Seems there’s also a chance for me to go home on Sunday – so that was nice! Last night there was a trace of indulgement – 1* Michelin Restaurant – Braidwoods – just beautifully cooked food with lovely flavours. Oh and did I forget to mention: ’91 Ravennau Chablis, Haut-Brion Blanc et rouge, ’91 de Vogüé Musigny, ’90 DRC Richebourg, ’61 Montrose, ’82 Pichon, ’86 Hill of Grace, ’83 Yquem – and others. Today and I’ll try and reduce my intake – yeah right!!!
I’m sat in the departure lounge of Basel airport – without my passport (don’t ask) but it looks like the Brits will still let me in – be a shame if not, I’ve 10 bottles of Griotte-Chambertin for a tasting for up to 40 people at wine-pages.com’s SuperBOWL 2003 event in Glasgow – I suppose I could drink it the cell if they don’t le me in!
Yesterday I was very lucky to share a lunch with the team of Le Serbet at their office in Beaune – a super lunch it was too, cooked by Russell’s own fair hands with a spectacular ‘goute de bouchon tappanade’. It’s a fab cosmopolitan atmosphere with the conversation a mélange of English and French about this grower and that bottle; wines from Champagne, Alsace, Provence and the Rhône; Dominique Lafon drops in to chew the cud, eat his sandwich and share in a coffee – what a cool place!
Many thanks to Russell and Becky, I wasn’t planning another trip before January, but . . . .
Another new producer’s website, this time from Domaine des Chézeaux. Some super-keen prices too for the Grand Cru’s of Griotte-Chambertin, Chambertin & Clos Saint Denis, all reviewed in the forthcoming Burgundy Report
So it’s 7:15pm on the 24th September, looking west past the cross on the corner of Romanée Saint-Vivant the sun is already gone. You need something against the chill – it’s about 12°C with a sneaky breeze.
Despite all the vineyards around being harvested many days ago, there are so many grapes in the DRC vineyards that are still hanging – but they are for the birds!
The grapes appear more homogenous than 12 days ago when still there were many green bunches. I’m sure there could be a decent cuvée made from this lot, but these days your not allowed to pick your own – though the grapes from Romanée-Conti did tast rather nice!
Speaking with Etienne de Montille yesterday (who spoke with Aubert de Villaine on Saturday) DRC left something like 20% of the fruit on the vine after taking only that which was perfectly ripe. Doing a quick calculation based on the size of La Tâche, a rough €500 estimate per bottle and an even rougher 35hl/ha average yield, that’s close to 1 million Euro left on the vines – now that’s what you call commitment to quality! Also gives a hint to why it costs what it does.
A little more on terroir? How about a more scientific look at the concept of wines tasting like the soils they are grown on – Jamie Goode is our guide
Ever wondered what James Bond drinks? Here’s a treasure-trove of information – where he drinks that half-bottle of ’53 Mouton Rothschild etc.
Ever though of updating your cellar? Just think, if you made it over 12 metres tall from glass and stainless steel, you’d have to throw away all those cartons with only one bottle in, and probably the lids from wooden cases that you thought you might find a use for!
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