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Harvest Report: The pick of the bunch

Thursday 23^rd September 2010

by Tom Jenkins

Drumroll please...

The stage is set and a verdant hush descends over the vineyards of the Northern Hemisphere. Harvest is upon us with it the old world's wine world tenses in collective anticipation at this most heart quickening time of the year. Vintages can be made and lost in the coming weeks when the clemency of the early autumn weather is well and truly put to the test.

So it is with delight that we announce voices old and new to guide us through the trials and tribulations of the various harvests. From the bunch to the blog in the quickest time possible we have...

Sheer Montrachet Magic

Wednesday 15^th September 2010

by Giles Burke-Gaffney

Its wines may well cost an arm and a leg, but Montrachet or "Le" Montrachet is one very special vineyard.

Last night at an informative tasting and dinner with the hugely articulate and congenial Drouhin winemaker, Veronique Drouhin, a group of us tasted some lovely wines, red 2006s from both Cotes, a super Vaudesir Moulin des Vaudons 2008, not to mention a stunning barrel sample of 09 Clos des Mouches white but the star of the show was Montrachet Marquis de Laquiche 2007. Intense rich yet fine, taut and weightless, it totally flooded the senses and just went on and on and on... It does really take you to another level of wine enjoyment, too much of this and almost all other white wine would start to seem very ordinary.

Vincent Pinard upgraded to two stars in the Revue de Vin de France

Tuesday 14^th September 2010

by Giles Burke-Gaffney

France's historic Revue du Vin de France has been published monthly since 1929 and is cited by Jancis Robinson as "France's only serious wine magazine".

It carries no little weight amongst the wine making and wine drinking fraternity of France. So it is with delight that we announce the entirely deserved upgrading of the Vincent Pinard domaine to a two star estate. The revue goes on to say amongst other glowing praise, that “progress has been more impressive than in any other cellar in Loire’s central vineyards (Sancerre & Pouilly.)”

Sancerre praise indeed...

Would you give someone your last BaRolo?

Friday 10^th September 2010

by Giles Burke-Gaffney

Not judging by our customers response to the 2006s on Monday.

Despite the strike, customers were scrummaging ferociously for a sip of the best La Morra, Serralunga, Monforte and Castiglione Barolos money can buy. This is proving a really classic, structured vintage yet with enough generosity and fruit to allow us an exciting glimpse of even greater things in store. Wines from Gaja, Voerzio(pictured), Altare Scavino and Clerico, to name but a few, must make this tasting of Piedmont's best one of a kind in the UK

Two other highlights were Terre Nere's 2008 Etna Cru wines, arguably their best vintage so far, and a flight of undoubtedly the greatest ever wines to come out of Toro, the 2009 Teso la Monja wines were extraordinary and surely await high critical acclaim.

Justerinis named IWC Specialist German Wine Merchant of the Year

Thursday 9^th September 2010

by Justerini & Brooks

The German section of our wine list has long been an area very close to our Chairman's heart.

Over the past 30 years his love of German Riesling has been transformed into our extensive listings from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, The Nahe, Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Franken.

So it was a delight to receive the award for the 2010 Specialist Wine Merchant of the Year. You could say it was just another riesling to be happy...