Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Wednesday 31 August 2011

2011 Loire vintage: prospects in Pouilly-Fumé

2011 Sauvignon Blanc@Tracy

As well as having a quick look at some Sancerre vineyards on Monday we also crossed over the Loire into Burgundy to have a look at Pouilly-Fumé. Again as in Sancerre there is some rot but from what I saw (a rapis impression) it is not too serious assuming that the weather remains dry and sunny with fairly low humidity. If there is rain, especially with high humidity and little wind, then the situation could turn nasty. Fingers crossed it won't.

Tracy: touch of rot on a bunch

We had time to have a look at the vines close to Château de Tracy, on the road out of Bois Gibault and around Château de Nozet (Ladoucette). 

2011 Sauvignon Blanc near Château de Nozet (above and below)



1855 (1855.com): Jim's Loire offers new service (cont) – Château Gruaud-Larose (St Julien)

Château Gruaud-Larose: vineyards and chai

En primeurs ordered from 1855 and known to be outstanding

 204 bottles of 2005

 12 bottles of 2007
 

Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon are the senior 'management' team of 1855 (1855.com, 1855.con). Thierry Maincent was an administrateur and one of the directeur général délégués until he resigned his posts for personal reasons on 30th September 2010. Businessman Jean-Pierre Meyers, who is on the boards of L'Oreal and Nestlé, is a long-term shareholder of 1855.




***


Astonishing recent post from the discussion forum La Passion du Vin's 1855 'retard des primeurs' thread that now runs to 101 pages:



'Bonjour,

Je suis nouveau sur ce forum et je n'ai pas lu tous les posts concernant les retards primeurs 1855. Voici ma situation: j'ai commandé des primeurs 2007 pour lesquels j'aurais du être livré en juin 2010. Je n'ai évidemment rien reçu, et, jusque janvier 2011, j'ai téléphoné et envoyé des mails sans résultat. J'ai donc fait une "injonction de faire" au tribunal de proximité. Je suis passé au tribunal en mars (le jour où je suis passé, sur 50 affaires, il y en avait au moins 30 qui concernait 1855...). Le jugement a été rendu en avril. Comme indiqué par le jugement, j'ai fait appel à un huissier qui a notifié 1855 du jugement. Depuis, plus rien.

Ma commande s'élève à environ 600 euros, donc j'hésite à faire appel à un avocat, car j'imagine que ça va me coûter le double, sans garantie de résultat vu le peu que j'ai pu lire sur le forum...est-ce que quelqu'un pourrait me conseiller?
Merci d'avance,
Nico'



'Je suis passé au tribunal en mars (le jour où je suis passé, sur 50 affaires, il y en avait au moins 30 qui concernait 1855...).'
 

Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon you are invited to comment – 'au moins 30 qui concernait 1855...'

Also two questions for you today:
How many bottles of Bordeaux en primeur from vintages between 2000 and 2007 remain to be delivered to your clients?
How many judical complaints have been brought against 1855 by your long suffering clients? 100? 250? 500? 1000? 

I look forward to hearing from you.



Tuesday 30 August 2011

Les belles vendanges in Loir-et-Cher!

Claire Roussel, daughter of Catherine – Clos Roche Blanche – picking Sauvignon Blanc for Noëlla Morantin at La Tesnière.



Noëlla Morantin's picking team – end of the mid-afternoon break

Even the staff are pressed into service during vintage time!
Three women busy picking


La patronne mangé ici! (above and below)



The vignerons of Pouillé will be hoping the sign is wrong – they want it to stay dry!

Central Vineyards – prospects for 2011 vintage: Sancerre

From Sancerre towards Chavignol

We headed across to Sancerre and Pouilly to see how the vineyards and the grapes look before the start of the vintage, which is expected next Monday 5th September. This is certainly well in advance of recent years and is about in line with the start in 2003 – the year of the heatwave.

Bunches of Pinot Noir just to the south of the Bourges-Sancerre road (above and below)


Pinot Noir rot but fortunately fairly dry


It is clear that rain on the 14th August and again some last Friday (26th) – not a much as in parts of Touraine – has caused problems. Short of time I could only get a quick impression from parts of the vineyard. However, the incidence of rot seems variable and 2011 will be a year when the work of serious vignerons in their vines will pay off. Those who have controlled their yields, deleafed and opened up the canopy should have few problems of rot, as long as the weather doesn't become very wet and humid. Those who haven't and who have used fertiliser on their vines are likely to be faced with significantly more rot. Having said that there is no doubt that there have been big improvements here over the last 10-12 years. 

Anyone intended to make serious Sancerre Rouge will certainly have to hand picked and be prepared to be ruthless in their selection.

Puddle on top of Les Monts Damnés

Sancerre Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc)Like the Pinots, there was some rot in the Sauvignon that I saw. It varies from parcel to parcel and there are plenty of completely healthy, rot free bunches. Hopefully the weather will be like today – around 22˚C warm but not humid with quite a fresh evening. Certainly this won't be as easy a vendange as 2008 or 2009 when the fruit was picture perfect, especially 2009.

Sauvignon Blanc@top of Les Monts Damnés
  Sauvignon Blanc above Verdigny 


Sauvignon Blanc with rot above Verdigny

2011 Born Digital Awards: new categories and panel of judges announced


The categories for the 2011 version of the Born Digital Awards have just been announced as well as the panel of judges.


Best Investigative Wine Writing: for a distinguished example of investigative reporting by an individual or team, presented as a single wine article or series (video, written text)
Best Editorial Wine Writing: for outstanding examples of wine writing, giving prime consideration to literary quality and originality
Best Wine Tourism Feature: Speaking about a particular region as a tourist destination with a focus on wine (written text, video)
Best Wine Themed Video: Video content that either educates, demonstrates or builds awareness for wine
Best Winery Self Produced Content: for outstanding examples of content created by wineries to promote their brand and reach out to key audiences (video, written text)
Best Wine Photo Essay **NEW CATEGORY**: A set of 2 to 10 photos, published in one online location, that focus on a wine theme or story. (photo)


Submissions open on 1st December 2011.

Michel Bettane (France) – Author of Grand Guide des Vins du France and  writer, Bettane et Desseauve, blogger
Hervé Lalau (Belgium) – Deputy-Chief Editor at In Vino Veritas and writer, Chroniques Vineuse, blogger
Fongyee Walker (MW candidate) (China) – Co-founder, Dragon Phoenix Fine Wine Consulting, author, blogger
Patrick Schmitt (UK) – Editor, Drinks Business
Elin McCoy (USA) – Writer Bloomberg and author, blogger
Ulf Sjodin MW (Sweden) – Head of Category Management, Systembolaget and writer
Tim Atkin MW (UK) – Wine Writer www.timatkin.com, blogger
Wink Lorch (France) – Wine Writer,  Wine Travel Guides, blogger
Richard Ross (UK) – Wine App Developer and writer, www,wine-lines.com, blogger
Jay Selman (USA) – Co-founder, Grape Radio and founder, Grape Visions, blogger

Further information here.

Rosso di Montalcino DOC: keep it pure Sangiovese

Here is the text of an open letter from Italian specialist, Nick Belfrage MW, to the producers of Rosso di Montalcino DOC 

I understand that, on Wednesday Sept 7, 2011, a vote will be held in the Assemblea of Montalcino wine producers on whether to allow a small but significant percentage of other grapes, which everyone understands to mean Merlot and/or Cabernet and/or Syrah, into the blend of Rosso di Montalcino DOC, which is of course at present a 100% Sangiovese wine.

I would urge you in the strongest terms not to support this change. Rosso di Montalcino, like Brunello di Montalcino, has created for itself a strong personality on international wine markets based largely on the fact that it is a pure varietal wine. In these days when more and more countries are climbing on the wine production bandwagon it is more important than ever to have a distinctive identity, to make wine in a way which no one else on earth can emulate. It is my belief that the strongest factor in the identity of Rosso di Montalcino (and of course Brunello di Montalcino) is the fact that it is 100% Sangiovese.

I am not disputing the fact that Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah are excellent grape varieties, but it is their very excellence, their very strength of personality, which threatens to compromise the unique character of Rosso di Montalcino. Who could ever imagine the producers of Bordeaux voting to allow 15% of Sangiovese into the Bordeaux blend? The idea is absurd – or would be treated as such by the Bordeaux producers. There are many who think that a reverse situation, in Tuscany’s finest vine-growing area, would be equally absurd. Yes, in many cases it may improve the wine – especially in weak vintages or where Sangiovese does not succeed every year. But it will fatally undermine the personality of the wine.

I am aware that a lot of Merlot  and  Cabernet are planted in the Montalcino growing zone, and that there may be a need in the short term to find a commercial use for these grapes. But there are the options of St. Antimo or IGT Toscana. Perhaps, instead of compromising the purity of one of Montalcino’s unique wines, there should be more effort in the direction of promoting these other wine-types.

You will be aware that many of us fear that a compromise in regard to Rosso di Montalcino would constitute an opening of the door to a compromise, farther down the line, of the purity of the great Brunello – one of the world’s great wines. Whether or not that might be the case, I am convinced that it is against the long-term interests of Montalcino to allow any other grape variety, including any Italian or Tuscan variety, into the Rosso, just as it would be fatal to great Burgundy, for example, to allow Syrah to be blended with Pinot Noir, as was once widely practised – with, one might add, some notable successes, but with the inevitable distortion of the style.

You, the Montalcino producers, hold the fate not only of your own future market in your hands. You are the representatives of all of us who will not have a vote on September 7th.

We urge you, please, to vote NO.

Nicolas Belfrage MW
30 August 2011

Monday 29 August 2011

Touraine Noble Joué: pre-harvest Sunday afternoon visit

La Fête des vendanges in Esvres on 11th September
Yesterday we had a quick trip over to the vineyards of Touraine Noble Joué in the commune of Esvres-sur-Indre. Picking can start here from today. Overall the grapes looked in good condition, although in places there was some rot, which had mainly dried out so probably not serious as long as the weather remains dry.

There are just 28 hectares of vines for Noble Joué, mainly in the commune of Esvres. It is always a rosé and made from a blend of three Pinots – Gris, Meunier and Noir.

Pinot Gris
 Pinot Noir (?)
Pinot Meunier (?)

 Map of the appellation
 Detail of the Noble Joué vineyards
The growers
Street sign



Sunday 28 August 2011

Chisseaux s'amuse: Fête du Pied de Cochon Farci: 16th-17th September

Poster in the centre of Epeigné-les-Bois

Shop sign in Esvres-sur-Indre

1855 (1855.com): Jim's Loire offers new service (cont) – Château Latour (Pauillac)

Château Latour: general view from gated entrance

La Tour lui-même

En primeurs ordered from 1855 and known to be outstanding

 6 bottles of 2005

 6 bottles of 2007

+

Les Forts de Latour

6 bottles of 2003
 
12 bottles of 2004

12 bottles of 2005

12 bottles of 2006


Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon are the senior 'management' team of 1855 (1855.com, 1855.con). Thierry Maincent was an administrateur and one of the directeur général délégués until he resigned his posts for personal reasons on 30th September 2010. Businessman Jean-Pierre Meyers, who is on the boards of L'Oreal and Nestlé, is a long-term shareholder of 1855.

See explanatory post here.

Post on outstanding en primeur deliveries (408 bottles) for Château Lagrange updated to include Les Fiefs de Lagrange here.

Detail from the gates@Latour – will these grapes ripen before 1855 delivers all of its customers' en primeurs?

Epeigné-les-Bois: a couple of late summer roses





Saturday 27 August 2011

August sunshine@Loches



Quick visit to Loches market last Wednesday mainly to buy mussels. Market very busy and crowded but it remains one of the best in this part of Touraine.

Part of the château

2011 Loire vintage: further news snippets

Bunch of Sauvignon Blanc waiting to be picked at Clos Roche Blanche

I gather that the first estate to start picking in the Cher Valley was Domaine Jacky Marteau, now run by Jacky's son – Rodolphe. They machine harvested on Thursday. It looks like a number of producers will be starting here on Monday including Thierry Delaunay (Domaine Joël Delaunay), who will picking Chardonnay for his sparkling wine. Thierry told me that his Sauvignon Blanc is now at 12.5% potential but with 4.5 acidity.

Thierry Delaunay

Across the valley at Thésée Vincent Ricard will also be starting Monday picking Sauvignon Blanc. Vincent expects to be picking quickly as none of his fruit is below 12% potential with acidities at 5.2/5.3 – higher than at Clos Roche Blanche and Thierry Delaunay.

Vincent Ricard

Elsewhere in Touraine picking for Noble Joué (rosé made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris) can also start on Monday.

Friday 26 August 2011

1855 (1855.com): Jim's Loire offers new service (cont) – Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien)

 Château Saint-Pierre, Saint-Julien

En primeurs ordered from 1855 and known to be outstanding
 

 2 bottles of 2005


24 bottles of 2006


24 bottles of 2007



Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon are the senior 'management' team of 1855 (1855.com, 1855.con). Thierry Maincent was an administrateur and one of the directeur général délégués until he resigned his posts for personal reasons on 30th September 2010. Businessman Jean-Pierre Meyers, who is on the boards of L'Oreal and Nestlé, is a long-term shareholder of 1855.





2011 Loire vintage: picking Sauvignon Blanc@Le Clos Roche Blanche

Emptying 2011 Sauvignon Blanc grapes into the trailer


The 2011 vintage started at the CRB this afternoon despite the overnight rain and despite it being Friday – "work started on a Friday is never finished" is an old saying. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes looked good with rare traces of rot plus some affected by wasp stings which apparently produces vinegar and affected bunches need to be discarded.

"When we checked the maturity of the grapes they were at 11.5%-12% potential," said Catherine Roussel, "but the acidity levels are already low – 4.5. I'm happy if our Sauvignon Cuvée No2 is around 12%. I'm tired of Sauvignon at 14%, although the grapes for Cuvée No 5 will be a bit riper but No2 is for easy, refreshing drinking."


The team of pickers gathers for the off 
Catherine Roussel issuing instructions on what to pick and what not to ...


Two hod carriers – on right Laurent Saillard


Making a start






2011 Sauvignon Blanc (above and below)





Bucket of grapes 


Laurent sending a text, while waiting for the next load of grapes


Catherine watching grapes go into the trailer


Bunches building up in trailer

Dog's verdict on pickers and the 2011 vintage