Tuesday, February 5

I had lunch at 1 pm with Julien and a young négociant who would like to distribute Virginie de Valandraud in countries where we have no importers, as Virginie de Valandraud is no longer sold on the open market starting with the 2006 vintage.

At 5 pm, trade union meeting in Pomerol, as a representative of the Vignobles Fayat and our last purchase (Le Clos du Beau Père), to approved the new statutes imposed by the reforms from the INAO (O.D.G.) for 140 property owners in this little appellation (800 hectares - 1,977 acres).

For dinner (8 pm), we joined a good number of members of the union representing the wines of Saint Emilion, to celebrated the retirement of Mr. Dubois, who represented the INAO. Everyone regrets his departure.
Nice atmosphere in this beautiful room with a surprise between cheese and desert. A casino (for fun) was setup in the underground cellars and the 1st important event to celebrate the closer relations between the union of Saint Emilion and our friends of Puisseguin and Lussac Saint Emilion (I regret that 2 districts are still missing).

Last, a few notes from the Wine Spectator on Bordeaux 2005 published on their site. This explains the price inquiries for Cos d’Estournel (98), Léoville Las Cases (100), Haut Brion blanc (100), Domaine de Chevalier blanc (97) and especially the nice 97 given to our friends of Guiraud (with an exceptional ratio note/price for Bordeaux).