2017 Le Tour de France starts tomorrow in Düsseldorf

 The route of the 2017 Tour de France 

Starting on 1st July in Düsseldorf 

and finishing in Paris on 23rd July

Stage 1: 14km individual TT 

It's that magical three weeks of the year again – the Tour de France starts tomorrow with a 14 kilometre flat time trial in the centre of Düsseldorf. At 14 kilometres it is a least twice the distance of most prologues and long enough to create some gaps between the favourites for the Yellow Jersey.

The Tour is often not as exciting as the Giro d'Italia or the Vuelta but even so as the biggest bike race and sporting event in the world it has its own magic.

Overall
Yellow
Will Chris Froome win his 4th Tour? He is yet to win a race this year and his time trial in the Dauphine was disappointing. However, form in the Dauphine isn't always real indicator to how riders perform in the Tour. If Froome is back to his best he might get a flying start from tomorrow's TT, at least over Nairo Quintana and Romain Bardet but unlikely to gain time over Alberto Contador or Richie Porte. 

Froome's rivals include Romain Bardet, who was second last year. Bardet will look to win this year but will the curse of French expectations in not having a Tour winner since Bernard Hinault won the 1985 edition. Richie Porte is strongly fancied this year after winning the Tour Down Under and the Tour of Romandie. However, he lost the Dauphine on the last day when he was left isolated by his team, although he fought hard to have his first place just losing out to Jakob Fulsang, who could be a contender if he can hold his form. Also Porte has yet to really perform over the full three weeks of a Grand Tour but this year could be different. And what of Fabio Aru, Fulsang's team mate? At 28 he should be in his prime and he was very impressive when he won last Sunday's Italian Road Race Championship.

Nairo Quintana nearly won this year's Giro d'Italia losing to Tom Dumoulin in the TT on the last day. We will have to see if he has fully recovered from the Giro. With only 34 kms of TTs this year he should not be in danger of losing important time on his rivals but that has to be set against there only being three mountain top finishes. Alberto Contador had the bad luck to crash on the opening stage last year. Although, he can be counted on making the racing exciting does Contador, at 34, have the form to win the Tour once again.  

Could it all come down to the final time trial on 22nd July in Marseille which includes the sharp steep climb up to Notre Dame de la Garde?    

Green 
Peter Sagan. 

Stage 1 contenders   
Will look at this in a post tomorrow.  

Le Consulat, Lisbon + Taberna das Flores – an impressive restrained soirée

 

 The bar area

Yesterday evening turned out to nicely restrained starting at the new Le Consulat Hotel in Central Lisbon and opened at the end of May. It is a French venture involving François Blot and Valérie Guérend. François hails from Honfleur in Normandy but has close family links to wine in both South West France and North Africa. Le Consulat used to be the Brazilian Consulate, hence of course the name. 

I met François and Valerie last evening. If I had known his surname was Blot I would have asked if he was, by any chance, related to Jacky Blot of Bourgueil, Monlouis and Vouvray fame.

François and Valerie have, I think, made two smart appointments. Portuguese wine expert and the chief apostle of Adegga, André Ribeirinho, has been hired to look after the wine side, while the brilliant chef André Magalhães (Taberna das Flores) will soon opening their restaurant to be called Taberna Fina. 

 Through to the wine bar area 

 Menu and view from Le Consulat (No 22) 

over the Plaça Luís de Camões

 View over the Plaça Luís de Camões
(above and below)

 

Couple by window 

André Magalhães Taberna Fina 

Adegga Winemarket Summer 2017 – 1st July @ Marriott Hotel, Lisbon

Saturday 1st July sees the Summer Lisbon edition of the Adegga Wine Market at the Marriott Hotel. There will be 60 producers including many of the famous names of Portuguese wines with some 500 wines to taste. Hours are from 14.00 to 21.00 with 14.00-15.00 reserved for members of Club A and professionals. 

Tickets cost 40€ offset against wine purchases or 60€ for two people also offset against wine purchases. There are also a very limited number of tasting tickets at 15€. Details on the Adegga website here. Also on Facebook here.

Always a great opportunity to taste and buy some of Portugal's most exciting wines.  

Loire Wine Study Tour with Pascaline Lepeltier MS: October 2017

 Château de Chenonceau

Organised by the Wine Scholar Guild Pascaline Lepeltier MS will be leading their first wine study trip to the Loire Valley in October 2017 from 22nd to 27th. Pascaline is from the Loire but now works as a sommelier in New York.

The trip includes visits to Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, Chinon, Saumur Champigny and Savennières. Details here. 

 Sancerre

The Vienne and Chinon 

Press release from Wine Guild about the Loire Tour:

                                                                                                                      

Wine Scholar Guild announces the list of preeminent producers visited on its

2017 Loire Wine Immersion Trip with Loire Native and Master Sommelier, Pascaline Lepeltier

Wine Scholar Guild (WSG) is pleased to announce the list of preeminent producers scheduled to be visited during our 2017 Loire Wine Immersion Trip. This trip offers tours of some of the most distinguished and renowned Loire Valley wine cellars combined with intensive, professional-level education and exclusive wine tastings. All visits are led by Pascaline Lepeltier, MS, a prominent expert on the region.

Ms. Lepeltier, born and raised in the Loire Valley, achieved the Master Sommelier title in 2014. She has quietly accrued an array of impressive awards and accolades over her career, including “one of the five best new US sommeliers” by Wine and Spirits magazine, one of the “40 under 40 Tastemakers” by Wine Enthusiast and “Best long wine list 2017” by World of Fine Wine. Pascaline continues to make a name for herself as a noted author and expert on Loire Valley wines. She is a passionate Loire Valley advocate who will provide trip participants with an unparalleled opportunity to discover the region from an insider’s perspective.

“To me, the Loire Valley is the greatest wine region in the world for its diversity of styles and expression, its history, its beauty, its quality & age worthiness for value, and its generous, forward-thinking spirit. No wine region can combine so many qualities and so many nuances in a bottle.”—Pascaline Lepeltier, MS

The Wine Scholar Guild will be offering just one trip to the Loire Valley in 2017 and we will be visiting the crème de la crème of Loire Valley estates and producers. We’ve carefully curated an exceptional mix of historic, world- renowned estates and the rising stars of the new generation. Participants will explore iconic producers like Vacheron (Sancerre), Huet (Vouvray), Chidaine (Montlouis) and Breton (Bourgueil / Chinon).  The group will also tour important up-and-coming estates such as Grange Tiphaine (Montlouis), Vincent Carême (Vouvray) and Thierry Germain (Saumur). Meet the region’s most important wine personalities who are pushing boundaries and defining the region’s vinous future.

Click here to explore the complete, and exceptional, 2017 Loire itinerary.

Wine Scholar Guild immersion trips have been hailed by past participants as “trips of a lifetime” and are truly unique, remarkable opportunities not available anywhere else. These tours offer unparalleled hands-on education, personal tastings tutored by leading wine professionals and unprecedented access to top wine estates. The expertise, education and connections gained on this trip will not only enhance your career, but could quite possibly change your life.

Designed for professionals and committed students of wine and limited to 18 participants, the Loire trip will focus on gaining insider knowledge and staying ahead of the curve on current practices and trends in the region. The package includes gourmet meals at renowned restaurants, all wines, wine tastings, vineyard tours, first-rate accommodations and luxury transportation within the region.

For more information on the full range of Wine Scholar Guild Wine Immersion Trips, or to arrange interview with the WSG education team and/or trip instructor Pascaline Lepeltier MS, please contact us or visit our website at https://www.winescholarguild.org/french-wine-tours/loire-wine-tour

An Alvarinho to relieve the stress of Lisbon in June

 2016 Alvarinho, Viñho Verde, 

Anselmo Mendes, Pingo Doce own label

It is well-known that spending time in Lisbon in June can be extraordinarily stressful – friendly people, too many good restaurants to choose from, pleasant temperature.... I could go on but it would be bad for my blood pressure....

Fortunately help is to hand to reduce your anxiety, if you have a branch of Pingo Doce close by. Venture in and grab a bottle of their own label 2016 Alvarinho, Viñho Verde made by maestro Anselmo Mendes. At 3.98€ a bottle it is an amazing bargain even at sterling's shrunken value due to Brexit lunacy. Lovely crisp lemony fruit with plenty of refreshing acidity.

Actually come to come to think of it – grab at least two bottles.....you know it makes sense!  

Escaping the Brexit lunacy

The most famous lie of the Leave campaign

Ever since the narrow result just over a year ago to leave the EU of our ‘advisory’ referendum held on 23rd June 2016 being a U.K. citizen who voted to remain it has been like living through a never-ending nightmare.

Initially it was shock that after more than 40 years in the EU we should have voted to come out in a referendum foolishly held by David Cameron. Foolish that it was held at all but even more foolish that it was held on the basis of a simple majority.

Gradually the implications of leaving the EU have become clearer to more and more people. At the same time the lies and false promises of the leave campaign have been exposed.

Unfortunately on becoming Prime Minister Theresa May, nominally a remainder, opted for a ‘hard brexit’ or even no deal. She appointed three leavers - Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox - to key positions in her Government. Over the past year it has become clear that none of them are properly suited or equipped for their roles.

Fortunately May’s gamble of holding a snap election to increase her majority backfired badly even though she got the most votes and has the most seats in the House of Commons. Instead of a narrow majority, May ended up with a hung parliament far from the thumping majority she had hoped for when she sprung the election.

The extended campaign exposed May as robotic, without empathy and keen to avoid contact with the electorate while demanding a big majority to carry out her hard Brexit or no deal. Her refusal to take part in the broadcast debates being the most obvious example.

At the same time the election campaign engergised Jeremy Corbyn allowing him as an experienced campaigner to connect with the youth vote. This was combined with a big vote registration drive. He attracted enormous and enthusiastic crowds in many parts of the country.

May's government has run out of luck – events have started to show her government in a very unflattering light. As Harold Macmillan is quoted 'Events, dear boy, events' on what blows a government off-course.  

The awful terrorist attacks in Manchester and London in the latter part of the campaign put the spotlight on Government cuts to the emergency services. 20,000 fewer police officers since 2012 involving the drastic shrinking of neighbourhood policing that brings in crucial local intelligence.

May’s arrogant and condescending speech to the Police Federation in 2015 when she scolded her audience for ‘scare mongering’ was widely tweeted and rightly came back to bite her.

The election result left May severely weakened and increasingly a figure of derision. Her pathetic reaction to the terrible fire in the Grenfell Tower coupled with evidence that Ministers had ignored recommendations from previous reports into tower block fire tragedies. It also highlighted the culture of cutting corners which incredibly allowed Grenfell to be clad with flammable material.

The now long-running negotiation with DUP illustrates May’s poor negotiating skills just at the time when we are supposed to be negotiating the very complex process of leaving the EU. 

There is a sense that the tide is turning with more people being persuaded that the best option is to remain within the EU. If a so called soft Brexit means staying within the customs union and the single market along with acceptance of freedom of movement within the EU, then why on earth are we leaving? Staying in gives us a better deal as well as being involved in discussions.

As inflation moves up, people’s wages decline, the NHS faces an increasing shortage of nurses, farmers wake up to the implications of not finding enough EU workers to work on the land and bringing in the crops, and holiday makers find that sterling buys considerably less than it did when they go abroad the idea of leaving will surely increasingly look stupid and damaging. Not forgetting the UK becoming less attractive to investors and starting to lose EU agencies based in London with Euro passporting rights moving away to mainland Europe.

MPs know that the electorate will punish parties that make them poorer.  If opinion really does swing away from leaver, MPs who know that Brexit is insanity will one hopes start to speak up, especially as there appears to be no positive arguments for leaving. Will there be cross-party alliances.

Unfortunately the Labour position on Brexit makes no more sense than the Conservative position. Corbyn’s call of Brexit for the many is just as vacuous as May’s now infamous ‘Brexit means Brexit’. If Corbyn wants to safeguard jobs and people’s living standards then the obvious course is to reverse course and stay in. Furthermore the majority of his supporters aged from 45 and below want to stay in the EU.

As long as May remains Prime Minister she appears to be determined to pursue her hard Brexit but what if she is overthrown or is forced to resign. Let’s say that Philip Hammond takes over. Since the election Hammond has already made it clear, in contrast to May that the emphasis has to be on economics rather than immigration.

What, if once in No 10, Hammond decided that the Brexit farce had run its course and that we couldn’t afford to waste anymore time and resources on negotiating a worse deal than we already have. What if he revoked Article 50 and kept us in the EU. This would completely wrong foot Labour and presumably diminish Corbyn’s current popularity with younger voter. 

May's shoddy deal today with the DUP could prop up her government for a while at huge cost – a bribe of at least a £1 billion. Who will take comments that there is no 'money tree' seriously now. Clear that there is no money tree for essential services – nurses, fire and police officers – but there is plenty to enable her discredited government to limp on. This deal threatens peace in Northern Ireland and will surely not be popular in Scotland, Wales and Northern England who will want their slice of this generous and magical cake.   


Furthermore if the Conservatives are propped up by the DUP this is unlikely to increase their popularity with much of the electorate. Vote Conservative and get the DUP will be a powerful slogan in elections to come. 

Given what has happened over the past year - Brexit and the election of Trump and Macron - i’m loathe to try to predict what the next few months will bring but it is just possible that we could be nearing the end of the UK’s nightmare.

Clos Rougeard sold to Bouygues brothers

Nady and Charly Foucault during the 2011 vintage

It was first rumoured back at the beginning of January 2017 that the iconic Clos Rougeard was to be sold to the owners – Martin and Olivier Bouygues – of Château Montrose in Saint Estèphe, the sale was finally confirmed on Friday. 

It remains to be seen whether buying this iconic Saumur estate really makes sense as it was the character and dedication of the Foucault brothers – Charly and Nady – that in time made the estate famous and special.

See my update post of April 2017.

 

Reflections on Parkinson's fundraising ride from Pauillac to La Livinière (Minverois)

Jim and Carole @the Cité of Carcassonne

A week yesterday Carole and I were riding through quiet, rolling roads through the Minervois towards our final destination – Domaine Ostal Cazes at La Livinière. Fortunately we had the wind behind us as we passed by vineyards interspersed by garrique and other crops.

In direct contrast yesterday afternoon I foolishly decided to go for a ride in London at the time of the afternoon school run and the start of the Friday weekend rush hour. This made riding on most of the roads no fun at all and I cut short my ride. Such a contrast to peaceful rural France whether it is in the Languedoc or the Loire. 

Although there are considerate drivers in London, there are still far too many that speed, drive recklessly and dangerously with little thought for other road users whether they are fellow drivers, cyclists or pedestrians. 

Riding a bike in London means that you can never relax – always trying to anticipate the next danger or the next impatient idiot. 

Much of our five day ride from Pauillac to La Livinière was along the towpath of the Garonne and then the Midi Canals. There was a good tarred track all the way from the western end of the Garonne canal a few miles east of Langon all the way to the western border of the Aude départment. This meant that we could ride our road bikes along by the canal and benefit from the shade and tranquility – no vehicles! Unfortunately in the Aude the track becomes rough so we had to take to the normal roads to avoid punctures. 

During our ride we had to negotiate two major cities: Bordeaux and Toulouse. Both proved to be cycle friendly and easy to get through. Toulouse entirely on cycle lanes – some shared with pedestrians, while Bordeaux was easy once we reached the new Pont Jacques Chaban Delmas Bridge. The new bridge includes a dedicated cycle lane which then on the eastern side connects to a pedestrian/cycleway that takes you right through and out to the south of the city. In Toulouse we were able to follow the Garonne Canal until it became the Canal du Midi.  

Clearly both Bordeaux and Toulouse a much smaller than London but it was striking, despite the new cycle highways in the centre, London lags far behind these French cities. 

Sadiq Khan, the current London Mayor, makes the right sounds about improving conditions for pedestrians and cyclists alike. However, after a little more than a year in power I sense that he has achieved little and that he is better at hot air than taking practical steps. 

Khan appointed Will Norman, as his new walking and cycling supremo on a salary of £98,000 a year. A google search on Norman brings up no recently entries, so you have to wonder what is he up to? 

We are very pleased that our ride across Southern France has to date raised £5,587.19 including gift aid. Donations continue to be very welcome – please donate here  Together we can make a difference to people with Parkinson's. Thanks!        

Destination: Ostal Cazes, La Livinière, Minervois

Cycling group@Trevor Gulliver's house in nearby Homps

Wine tourism: les jeudis du vin de l'AOC Chinon from 13th July to 7th September

Press release from Vins de Chinon @Thursday tastings:

Forteresse royale et AOC Chinon, l'histoire en partage
Que peuvent avoir en commun la forteresse royale et les vins de Chinon ? Si la pierre tendre de tuffeau a permis de batir les plus beaux chateaux de la Loire, elle est aussi celle qui donne aux vins de Chinon un certain caractère. Un sous-sol et une histoire en héritage qui montrent que l'architecture et le vin sont bien affaire de patrimoine*. Un patrimoine vivant que les vignerons de Chinon partagent volontiers avec les visiteurs partis à l'assaut de la forteresse, chaque jeudi de l'été.

9 jeudis 9 vignerons pour découvrir les vins de Chinon avec ceux qui les font !
 
Du 13 juillet au 7 septembre 2017, chaque jeudi après-midi à la forteresse royale de Chinon
A l'image du Val de Loire, Chinon produit des vins raffinés, élégants, parfois aussi puissants que sa forteresse ! Une richesse que l'AOC Chinon propose de faire découvrir aux visiteurs pendant 9 jeudis avec 9 vignerons de Chinon qui se relaient autour de dégustations et d'échanges. Une facon de mieux appréhender un territoire avec ceux qui le font : rencontrer un vigneron, c'est toujours une aventure privilégiée ; un échange aussi fructifère que les cépages Cabernet Franc ou Chenin donnent une gamme variée de vins rouge, rosé ou blanc friands, légers ou au contraire structurés selon l'empreinte que le vigneron a voulu leur donner. 

Déguster du Chinon depuis la forteresse, c'est aussi, fouler les terres des rois Charles VII, Henri II Plantagenêt et aiguiser son palais dans un cadre royal, faire un premier pas vers l’esprit, si vivant, de la "Rabelaisie" en embrassant une vue à couper le souffle sur la ville et les paysages tant chéris par Rabelais, ce géant chinonais humaniste qui marqua à jamais ses nombreux héritiers littéraires. 

Boire du Chinon à la source, c'est enfin permettre aux 173 vignerons de l'appellation, de récolter pleinement le fruit de leur travail, de participer à une économie réelle et vivante qui emploie près de 800 personnes sur le chinonais et de maintenir 2400 hectares en production viticole.

* Reconnaissance du Sénat en 2014 : "le vin, produit de la vigne, et les terroirs viticoles font partie du patrimoine culturel, gastronomique et paysager de la France".

Informations pratiques : Syndicat des Vins de Chinon tél. 02 47 93 30 44 / chinon.com 

Dégustation gratuite et vente des vins sur place et gourmandises dans l'enceinte de la forteresse Droit d'entrée à la forteresse : Plein tarif : 8,5 € / Tarif réduit : 6,5 € / Gratuit : enfant - 7ans 

 Part of the Château of Chinon

Tim Stanley Clarke – Rest in Port

Very shocked and saddened to hear that Tim Stanley Clarke, one of the great characters of the UK wine trade and great Port lover and expert, died last night. Tim had a great sense of humour and enjoyed jolly japes. On a personal level he was very supportive of my exposure of wine investment frauds.

I have fond recollections of a memorable trip with Tim to visit Bouchard Père et Fils following its takeover by Henriot. We flew back from Dijon and it was some time before the ban on taking liquids on planes. Since our flight departed around lunchtime Tim had bought various patés etc plus at least two bottles of Bouchard Burgundy – a well chilled white and a red plus glasses – allowing us to have a very enjoyable lunch at the back of the plane!   

Here are a series of photos I took of Tim at the Circle of Wine Writers' Christmas Party in December 2013 hosted by Swiss Wine. I hope they capture some of the essence of TSC.  

Tim's bio on Linkedin 

News report in The Drinks Business. 

We will certainly miss you Tim!   

7th July – funeral arrangements: Tim's funeral will be at 2pm on Thursday 27th July at Blythburgh Church in Suffolk (also known as 'the Cathedral on the Marshes'). There should be extra parking but advice is to get there in reasonable time as it could be a packed house. 

 

Saumur Champigny's 60th anniversary celebrations: Les Grandes Tablées 2nd & 3rd August 2017

The 18th edition of Saumur Champigny's Les Grandes Tablées will be held on Wednesday 2nd August and Thursday 3rd August. This year there will be more than two kilometres of tables for the expected 6000 diners. 

This edition marks the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Saumur Champigny appellation or 'pour ses 3 fois 20 ans as the producers prefer to have it. The appellation came into force on 31st December 1957. 

The meal starts at 7pm and costs 13€ and an engraved tasting glass is a further 5€ (bought on the night). Meal reservations from the Saumur Tourist Office, Quai Carnot, 49400 Saumur. Tel 02.41.40.20.60 or on line: www.ot-saumur.com 

Left the Loire .... back in London

We left the Loire this morning and are now back in London  along with warnings of high levels of pollution tomorrow. To be fair there were already today warnings in Rouen of high levels of pollution and the need to take precautions. Please follow Sadiq Khan's advice to take care.

 Just cloud or a brown, grey cloud 

menacing the City of London?

Brexit: the lunatics set sail for Brussels

Today the UK started its divorce process from the European Union – the lunatics led by David Davis sailed into Brussels with a leaky boat. It is barely two weeks since Theresa's cynical attempt to grab a substantial majority by holding a quite unnecessary election failed spectacularly. May has been humiliated as much by the unbeliveably dreadful 

Not only, following the election, does David Davis and the UK Government have no mandate for any kind of Brexit but Davis appears to be incapable of negotiating his way out of a paper bag even with the benefit of SatNav. 

May and her Government appear not or are deliberately ignoring that the popular mood in the UK looks to be moving away from Brexit as the economic and other disadvantages become increasingly apparent. 

Both the French and Germany Governments have offered us a way out with the option for us to change our minds. I fear, however, for the moment our politicians – both Conservative and Labour – are too stupid and blinkered to grasp this gift horse with both hands. Jeremy Corbyn's – 'Brexit for the many' is as stupid as May's 'Brexit means Brexit'.

Hopefully in the time that remains between now and March 2019 when the divorce is due to be finalised, politicians will wake up and realise that the electorate is likely to severely punish fools and liars who set out to make them poorer long term. 

There is still time to own up and admit Brexit is a terrible idea and instead decide to stay within a thriving EU.       

2017 Fête des Vins, Boulevard Napoléon, La Livinière, Minervois

 Trevor and Fergus – spud maestros

 Phew it's hot!

 John and Trevor: the quail gatherers

Some photos from yesterday's Fête des Vins @Boulevard Napoléon, La Livinière, Minervois. It was very hot and Fergus, John and Trevor did a sterling job looking after the barbecue despite the intense heat from both the sun and the fire. 

Delicious menu: brains on toast, barbecued quail, Cantal Salers and cherries accompanied by wines from Boulevard Napoléon and some other growers. The Boulevard Napoléon 2014 Grenache Gris and 2014 Bien Autre, the second wine in their red stable, were especially good.     

 Fergus

Fergus + Benji  – a tired and 
emotional part of the event....

Trevor + phone 

Sheathing the tongs

 

Chef John 

Winemakers Benji and Joseph

modelling their regulation blue shirts

 Daniel dealing with a persistent photographer 

... but unable to resist soon relents 

 Kitty – above and below

 Brains on toast

A table (above and below)

 Bob

New York to the Minervois for a weekend 

Trevor and Nicky's neighbours in Homps
(above and below)

 

 The speeches were a tad long this year.......