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With dinner guests last night we started the meal ( accompanying new season asparagus) with Domaine Mordorée`s wonderful Condrieu 2010…they own a tiny part of land up in the Condrieu aoc, alledgedly resulting in the most micro of production levels, just 600 bottles. Sensationally delicious and the perfect partner , bravo!
Great news… two superb domaines are now on board with the La Madelene portfolio. In Gigondas the Famille Brechet estate of Domaine des Bosquests , their Gigondas is a true thoroughbred; and in Chateauneuf du Pape the critically lauded estate of Grand Veneur ( Parker scores of 98/100 for the Vieilles Vigne 2007) - fascinating [...]
Yesterday to Chateauneuf for the Spring tastings and afterward a special Masterclass on the terroir of the appellation: how the different soil types (limestone, clay, sand, and galets roulés) manifest themselves in very different styles in the glass. Fascinating session, very erudite explanation of the soil structures from wine geologist George Truc and a stellar [...]
To the village of Vacqueyras last night to visit yet another great young wine maker Igor Chudzikiewicz of Domaine des Amouriers, a domaine of 30 ha, around half of which is aoc Vacqueyras, the rest Vin de Pays.. Igor is a Montpellier trained oenologue who spent time making wine in South Africa and in Australia [...]
Yesterday to visit a fine artisan producer of Cotes du Rhone Villages Massif d`Uchaux: Chateau d`Hugues where the wine is made by owner Bernard Pradier and his son Bastien. The “Massif “is one of the up and coming CdRV aocs , benefiting from it`s higher altitude and a slightly cooler microclimate. For such a [...]
Many of our past tour customers will know that shipping wine for our guests has been a source of some frustration as vignerons have understandably tended to be reluctant to take on the red tape involved in small export quantities. If you`ve been one of those who have gamely trudged home with [...]
Since Rasteau`s elevation to the Cru peerage in the summer of 2010 I`ve been seeking the right partner for our network in this wonderful appellation.. Today I met and tasted with Escaravailles wine maker and domaine owner Gilles Ferran…these are wines that I`ve long admired and I`m happy to say the domaine will be part [...]
Yesterday to Domaine de Cristia the Chateauneuf producer in the village of Courtezon just down the road from Janesse. I joined their UK merchant H&H Bancroft for a magnificent tasting. Amazingly Cristia only started estate bottling in 1999 so have just completed their 13th vintage…yet they are producing wines which some of their better known [...]
Our delightful - and super generous - wine tour client Benny Diaz who stayed here in the summer has just sent us a consignment of goodies to take the La Madelene kitchen in a slightly different direction this month - we have the all important Conchita “Mojo Criollo” marinade brand, some Frijoles Negres ( black [...]
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The following is a piece written for the bi-monthly Brighton community newspaper the “Westhill Whistler”: There cant be many wine lovers who arent aware of the phenomenon that is Robert Parker, the American wine critic. For nearly 30 years controversy has raged around this man who it is said “makes and breaks the market” for [...]
Robert Parker awards Philippe Gimel’s magnificent 2006 “La Pierre Noire” red a whopping 94 points in the latest edition of the Wine Advocate, surely the highest score ever achieved by a wine from the appellation - Ventoux aoc - that the Oxford Companion to Wine ( come on editor Jancis Robinson , get on the [...]
Yesterday the first day in over 40 without guests - late up, 10.00am , delicious sensation, 30 lengths of the pool to ease conscience following blow out Mexican dinner chez C&T the night before; brunch, and then off to explore Villeneuve across the river from Avignon; loved the gardens of the Jardins de l’Abbaye inside [...]
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