A Bordeaux Blog
May 24th 2008, by GQ
Rule number one for writing a blog should surely be to have a purpose in mind. What am I trying to achieve with a Bordeaux Blog? Where’s the Mission Statement for my Bordeaux Blog? I’m afraid there isn’t one and I’m not sure where I’ll be going with it either.
If there’s one thing I don’t want, it’s for the blog, like some diaries of previous generations, to become a higher priority than the experience itself, for the blog to become the master and the raison d’etre. There’s certainly a risk that I’ll seek out good experiences that can be reported in the blog, and being a vine grower, wine producer and Bordeaux critic for a UK magazine should see me fall into all sorts of situations. As will dealing with so many interesting and varied customers in the UK and beyond.
To be frank, I think I’ll just let things run their course. I intend to write a post perhaps twice a week on average, if I can make the time. I am sure there’ll be no shortage of material unless things get very dull around here, but our children, colleagues, friends and locals will see to that. Your feedback will be most welcome.
The Best Value Wine in the World
May 24th 2008, by GQ
No, not mine. I thought for my first blog post, I should start at the top: the wine in question is Pétrus 2005.
I first tasted a barrel sample of this ‘legend in the making’ in April 2006 with Christian Mouiex, who runs Pétrus and a few other choice estates in Pomerol. Scores of other tasters - mainly merchants and critics - had a chance to taste the young wine that same week before the wine was sold ‘en primeur’. Monsieur Mouiex is one of the most charming men you could hope to meet, and it’s no surprise to see that he picked up Decanter’s Man of the Year award this year. (Although with titles like that, it’s no wonder that women sometimes feel intimidated by the world of wine.)
He told me that Pétrus shouldn’t be thought of as being one of the most expensive wines on the planet, but as the best value wine in the world. ‘You only have to own it for a short time and it goes up in value’.
He has a point. Corney and Barrow, the UK agents for Pétrus - one of the handful of exclusive arrangements for top flight Bordeaux - released the 2005 ‘en primeur’ at £11,000 a case (of 12) in July 2006. Less than two years on, I see that Berry Brothers are offering the same wine at £42,000 a case, and Farr Vintners for a mere £36,000. (In fact, the wine was first sold in ‘physical’ cases of 3 or 6 bottles.)