Thursday

8 am, tasting event of Shochu, alcohol made with Barley produced by our friend Tokuoka and aged in Valandraud barrels. We will promote it during the UGC tasting beginning of April.
9 am Document signing at Château La Dominique and follow-up on work done at La Dominique and Valandraud.
11 am, meeting with our bank the BNP.
2 pm, Interview with a journalist from the Figaro about our projects in China.
3:30 pm, Meeting with attorneys for the purchase of land and deeds.
6 pm, Finally a moment with Edouard Labruyère who is un charge of Château Rouget, one of the best Pomerol. What timing, chance is a virtue… Pomerol will most likely be the most successful appellation this year. We (Murielle and I) are very involved in Pomerol, this is not new, but with the purchase with Clément Fayat of Vieux Château Bourgneuf (which will become our 2nd wine because the principal will be called Domaine Fayat-Thunevin). It is true that with this dream come true, we take a greater interest in our neighbors, as much as Pomerol amateurs, but also, of course, as a wholesaler capable of selling some of these great wines, especially when you think that this little appellation (800 hectares – 1978 acres) is one of the most highly rated and expensive in the world.
Château Rouget 2006 is a great success and its price which will most likely be reasonable will make it one of the best value of this vintage.

This brings me to this thought: We don’t talk much about the 2006 prices, sensitive subject this year, after the incredible 2005 campaign. It is true that many proprietors and manager of the top 100 Bordeaux still think that the 2005 prices were not so bad… While I think that if 20 top chateaux can allow themselves to make such commercial extravagance, others need to be very cautious (I speak about the wholesalers). The 95% other Bordeaux still have to deal with reality: competition, value-for-money, sales networks, margins, etc….