Insurer

My post on insurance has been getting some reactions… :
“insurer who listens despite the crisis do exist ?” Writes Pferrand (what a tease )

Concerning “normal” insurance policies such as fire, liability, theft, etc… I believe that insurers don’t change their behavior.
I must say that banks seemed to listen better and ready to help a company, at least like mine.

It is a very different story when dealing with companies who handle export credit guaranties (those who insure us against risk for unpaid invoices). For instance, ours doesn’t insure South Korean clients anymore, even if they have good balance sheets. Their reason being the political tension between North and South Korea, as it was a new issue.
Credit-Insurance companies are being closely watched by the French government who is keenly aware of the importance of these insurance for our export activities – which represents more than 80% of my activity.

Trips

August 14, I leave for Brazil with Carlos Ferreira, back August 23. We will meet some of our friends for a week of intense work and promotion in this beautiful country. I asked Carlos to find partner for our entire range of wine.
Every year, I focus on a new country to develop, especially as 80% of our revenues come from export sales, so we have plenty of choice. The only problem right now will be these countries’ economies, timing and our connections.

As soon as I return from Brazil, I am leaving for Korea with Philippe Porcheron from Marojallia, return August 29.
Already planned for September: Hong Kong and China (week 39?)
End of October, back in Hong Kong, then Japan, Tahiti and probably Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Then the Grand Tasting, December 4 and 5 at the Carousel du Louvre.

Insurance

The insurance agent for my company comes to see us every year to review the status of the different dossiers he handles for us as well as visit new buildings, stores or vineyards we bought during the last year.

The concept of trust and advise is not a word used lightly with Pierre Sarraf. Even though he is based in La Rochelle, he knows our business and is able to respond to all my needs.
The human report developed over the years has made our working relationship more than pleasant, despite the cost of the contribution!

Monday, we toured our properties in Pomerol and Margaux and had lunch at 2pm at the Brasserie du Relais Golf de Margaux, as always good, and had the opportunity to run into Thomas Duroux (Palmer). We also saw the quality work done in our vineyards in Bellevue de Tayac, which has not yet been able to solidify its image, nor its clients.
Goes to show how hard times are!

Blogs

Visit of the vineyards : the véraison is well on its way, so the harvest is planned for us on September 21 ?

I like to read blogs !
Stéphane Toutoundji writes about consultants with humor, not an easy job to do !
François Mauss writes about blind tastings and Mark Squire’s opinion.

I received the film Merlove which won’t be as successful as Mondovino or Sideways, but is that a problem ?

Kenny Galloway doesn’t waist time in Bordeaux : after Lafite and Cos, Kenny you should also think of visiting cooperatives and find a few properties unknown to the American market.

You can read on votrecoeurfaitboum : about rapamycine. I though it was a play on words to describe the rapaciousness of the wine industry. But no, it is a serious subject. In any case, if it can increase sales of wine and in particular Chateau La Dominique, then it is a good thing.

Photographer

Jon (Jonathan) Wyand is an English photographer.
He was sent by the publisher of a book written or co-written by James Lawther, an English journalist living in Entre Deux Mers for a several years and who also writes for Decanter.
I didn’t understand what this book is going to bring as new information, but I will see once it is available in bookstores, in Mollat for instance or here in Saint Emilion, if there is a book signing event.
I am convinced that Jon is a good photographer for he has sparkling eyes and was enjoying staging Murielle and I.
It is rare that journalists or photographers are not nice. One of the main characteristic of those I met was their curiosity and empathy.
It makes it easier for both parties and helps communicating.

Regarding photographers and journalists, when I travel through vineyards in Bordeaux, it is easy to see which ones have been well tended, and will produce good grapes, and the others: vineyards weeded with chemicals and those ploughed or with cover-crop, which states that organic technique is being used, at least officially – at least in “noble” appellations.
What’s sure is that with a barrel of Bordeaux currently sold under 1000 Euros, the “basic” vine-grower must simply try to avoid going bankrupt, waiting for better days.

I hope that the new regulation for French table wine which allows using the vintage as well as listing the varietals will help those who can’t take any longer the AOC regulations, weather the crisis.

A bit of promotion

For the "Davos" of wine

Clos Badon

Wednesday, we tasted the first bottle of Clos Badon Thunevin 2007, bottled only a few days before.

This wine is sold en primeur and mainly in Japan, USA, China, Spain and France.

I only have 2282 bottles in stock, so, a small inventory. This is too bad as the wine tasted very good. Murielle and I paired it with côte de veau et tagliatelles au jus (veal rib and tagliatelles with gravy).

Since I don’t take care of these wines personally – they are under the supervision of Murielle, Rémi, Christophe and Jean-Philippe – I find them tasting better…
They probably are…

Futures campaign 2008 - questions ?

How many bottles of 2008 were sold during Bordeaux en primeur campaign ?
If I trust the information from brokers (can we?) as well as some of the articles published, confidential or less confidential information from chateaux, the Left Bank and well-known brands faired well (as usual), Sauterne and the Right Bank not as well.
Are we seeing similar numbers as in 2002, which was a difficult year (this is not a euphemism) or better than 2007? Less wine was released because yields were lower and some properties wanted to create a sense of rarity. Only top brands succeeded.

What are top brands? I know at least one which decided not to release wine this year after having seriously thought about it. Can a top brand afford to miss a futures release (because of prices and timing)? It has happened more often than one might think.

Is it serious not to sell the entire production as futures? For me, yes, if a property makes a mistake on the price, at some point they will find new clients (if they have not done anything stupid with the price), maybe different ones, at least different from those who attend the campaign, but if the wine is good, why be worried? (except for money and market fluctuation).

In fact, French mass merchants bought less in 2008 for they bought too many 2007. Still, could they still consider selling some very good wine from the Right Bank they were offered during the en primeur campaign, often, at attractive prices and which will increase slightly for the “weaker” brands and probably increase by 10 to 15% for the best ones.
Will 2009 be easier to sell or buy?
Will 2008, even 2007, become more attractive for more available and negotiable?
Aren’t there today some better 2006/2007/2008 than some 2003/2000?
This, due to the increase in the quality of wine, the work accomplished every year in the quest for excellence;
Is it true that the financial crisis is ending? The answers will probably come from there.

In the meantime, 2008 are aging well in the barrels and anyone who doubted will be surprised by the nice evolution of many of these wines.
Should we store them and wait for better days?
The September promotions will be crucial for the French market.

Kenny Galloway

We hosted an American blogger registered in Science Po Paris (School of Political Science) and who spends 2 months in Bordeaux to learn French in the morning, thanks to Alliance Française, and visit properties, who are opened to meet him, in the afternoon. This before doing a vinification internship at Guigual’s.
This approach is not common and this proves again that passion and curiosity are an incredible motivation.

In fact, after working for a few years in Mexico, he went back studying and is still looking for his direction. Maybe in wine?
In l’Essentiel, he tasted a few wines by the glass from our Enomatic, which works so well. Following and on our way to see Valandraud’s historical “garage”, we stumbled upon Jean Edouard Tribaudeau (ex intern) chatting with Michel Gracia. So, after visiting our cellars, we went to Gracia’s cellar, in the neighborhood, and tasted Angelots 2007 and several batches of Gracia and Angelots 2008.

Kenny just had enough time to go to Saint Emilion’s train station with Jet and our blogger is now converted to the garagists from Saint Emilion!

Birthday (in French) ?

Don’t read Jacques Berthomeau’s comment published July 16 on his blog. It would be a pity : "Lettre à une vigneronne de tout juste plus de 50 ans : chère Carole Bouquet..." (letter to a female winemaker barely 50 yeatrs old: Dear Carole Bouquet...)

Murielle's birthday

Even if we don’t care much for celebrating birthdays… We did for Murielle, Saturday 18 with her parents and friends, bankers in Tokyo Japan, with a simple meal. We drank:
A Delamotte rosé brut, very good.
A very good Commanderie de Mazeyres 2006, produced under my supervision as director of Vignobles Clément Fayat, and in a true superior category, Clos L’Eglise 1998 Pomerol, a great wine drank too young. We finished with a very good Yquem 2002, crystal purity despite its richness. A must.

Other than that, a bank leads you anywhere, as long as you can get out of it.
Before, in the morning, I visited the vineyards as well as the cellars, with Eric Talavet, who wanted to see where some of our wines are produced as he has to sell them in our “discount” boutique on rue Guadet. He quickly went from being an old and well paid bank director at the Caisse d’Epargne, but unhappy, to a totally different life as a young wine store sales person with a very different salary, but happy.

Money doesn’t give you happiness. I heard this saying before (at school) but in Eric’s personal history, it will certainly take place again as it is so extreme. He finally found a job he likes, sounds a bit like my story, even if it took place at another time and that I had decided to quit my job at the Credit Agricole.

Visits and tastings

Last Wednesday evening, a dinner and visit was organized at La Dominique for 6 Americans connoisseurs, wine-lovers and happy bankers!
We tasted: La Dominique 2006 -2007 -2008 (incredible wine !)
For dinner, we drank Blanc de Valandraud N°2 2007, Domaine Fayat-Thunevin Pomerol

Thursday, I spent the morning in the office and from noon to 2:30 pm, work lunch at Fleur Cardinale, following a tasting.
At 4pm, interview with the German TV station ARD, then RTL radio at L’essentiel for a quick piece (the crisis, prices and the classification).
6:30 pm at Clément Pichon with Barbara to host “VIPs” guests of Clément and Jean-Claude Fayat.

Then, hurrah for a quiet evening watching TV.

Fleur Cardinale

Every year, Florence and Dominique Decoster organize a meeting to review the up coming vintage (we already know that the yields will be low) as well as past ones. The guests, which includes all he consultants, Richard, Jean Philippe, Bob and I, tasted the 2006 blind.

The same wines tasted 2 hours before were very different and even 2004, 2005 and 2006 opened the day before for a group of young Swedish sommeliers, friends of Andreas Larsson, were very different than the ones drank and tasted immediately. Especially 2005 which showed the immense potential of this great vintage.

In any case, it is getting much harder to find the smallest detail which would improve Fleur Cardinale, except in the vineyards where the Jaguar, recently purchased (a machine which seems to be in the habit to burn – as it happened twice in the area), with its 3 wheels, compresses less the soil and is faster and more efficient in case of emergency.

What’s certain is that the property has already past 3 levels of quality and that the 4th is much harder to reach: increase the yields while increasing the quality!

Week end in Maury

Enclosed the list of wines we drank or tasted during our visit in Maury last weekend :

Côtes du Roussillon Villages:
domaine de l'Edre 2007,
domaine Barriot cuvée Quilles Libres 2007,
domaine de Bila-Haut cuvée V.I.T 2006,
domaine Calvet-Thunevin Hugo 2004

Coteaux du Languedoc:
Clos des Truffiers 2004, still so good
Les états d'ames du Mas Julien 2006

VDP de l'Hérault:
domaine de la Garance cuvée Les Armières 2005, good

Pic St Loup:
Clos Marie cuvée Métairie du clos V.V 2004

From Chapoutier, an excellent Visitare Interiore Terrace 2007

A good Domaine du Vieux Cep'Age, Maury 2006 or 2007 (?)

Champagne MOREL, delicious as an aperitif, and especially the Jean Rosé!

Le Noailles

This nice brasserie is located 12 Allées de Tourny in Bordeaux and is one of the institutions of the city. I ate there with Philippe Dufresnoy who is writting a book on Saint Emilion, focusing on people more than « châteaux ».
Philippe is known for his drawings replacing paint by wine ?! A new area ?

In any case, the meal was pleasant, 2 steaks tartares, 2 coffees and especially a good bottle of Fleur Cardinale 2003.

Where are the comments ?

I didn’t find any comments on the last Wine Advocate (N°183), nor on Mark Squire’s BB, nor on La Passion du Vin, nor my friends’ sites and blogs.
The wines from Languedoc and Roussillon can be noted well, or bad, no one has any questions or comments… Goes to show…
Well, Parker noted again Bordeaux 1982 and 1990 and it didn’t create controversies, so...

Too much info, life is rough! The economic crisis puts everything in perspective. No one complains and in the meantime, work goes on. I even received a couple of French Taiwanese distributors capable of selling some Monbazillac and Fronsac in Taiwan.
I also met-up with a few ex-colleagues from the Crédit Agricole of Dordogne, who stopped by l’Essentiel and at the Discount boutique and brought friends who became customers of my store and ambassadors of Bordeaux and the Roussillon.

Around the vineyards: yields will be low in Saint Emilion, which doesn’t make us happy, as well as barrel makers and the whole local wine industry. Less wine, less corks, less bottles and money for the bank, less income tax, less investments.

Books

Several books on wines are currently being written in Bordeaux, some again as dictionaries, and god knows how tough competition is and how bookstores have already plenty. 2 others, written in French, seem to approach the subject in a more romantic way: the story of the owner, of the creator being more original, and more useful than the size of the vineyard or the percentage of varietals.
Who will buy these books a part from interested parties for their end of year gifts? And still, is it interesting to give the story or contact info of the competition?
Hurrah for books edited on the behalf of authors, written by talented “ghost” writers and with predetermined printing runs.
It is tough to write something new, useful for the client and which works for the publisher!
Even notes, the multiplicity of notes, tastings, medals, etc… make it difficult to distinguish what is helpful in our work, except for updated sites of chateaux, containing analysis, license number and other type of useful documents for export.
Long is the time when Lichine, or Dovaz, or the Féret were the rule in any good home!

Thunevin-Calvet cuvée Constance

Below, a little historical recap of the notes and tasting notes of our Cuvee Constance oublished in the Wine Advocate

Constance 2004
Wine Advocate # 165, Jun 2006
Robert Parker
90
Drink: 2006 - 2009
$17 (14)
A brilliant effort from St.-Emilion’s bad boy, Jean-Luc Thunevin, and Jean-Roger Calvet, this 2004 was produced from a 25-acre old vine vineyard planted with 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Carignan. After aging in concrete vats, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. It boasts tremendous intensity as well as a big, sweet bouquet of creme de cassis, black cherry liqueur, licorice, and roasted meats bathed in Provencal herbs. With superb purity, full body, and no hard edges, this savory, mouthfilling red will drink well for 2-3 years.

Constance 2005
Wine Advocate # 173Oct 2007
David Schildknecht
90
Drink: N/A
$15-$17 (15)
The 2005 Constance (technically a “Cotes Catalanes” Vin de Pays) – consisting of Grenache with 30% Syrah and 10% Carignan – represents the only cuvee among the Calvet-Thunevin line-up not to be aged for 18 months in new barriques, but rather roughly half as long and exclusively in cement. Sweet and alluring aromas of creme de cassis and black raspberry jam lead to a palate of liqueur-like richness along with deep bitter chocolate and coffee as well as wet stone and lead pencil shadings. This excellent value offers an almost unprecedented amount of pure ripe fruit and resonance of finish for its price, and while it is successfully designed for impulsive (possibly even compulsive) consumption, it might well display more nuance with another year or two in bottle.

Constance 2006
Wine Advocate # 178Aug 2008
David Schildknecht
91
Drink: N/A
$18 (18)
A blend of Grenache with 30% Syrah and 10% Carignan, Thunevin and Calvet’s old vines 2006 Cuvee Constance serves as their entry-level wine, which makes the quality on display here quite extraordinary. Of course, this wine’s elevage accords with entry-level status: all in tank. But when you get a whiff of the cherry and plum preserves, coconut, mint, dark chocolate, vanilla and exotic spices emanating from the glass, you may well ask what level of toast was used for the concrete! A creamy texture complements the nearly over-ripe fruit character and inner-mouth perfume and spice, and faintly bitter notes of coffee and dark chocolate and pungent smokiness, along with notes of stone and lead pencil, add counterpoint to a long finish.

Constance 2007
Wine Advocate # 183Jun 2009
David Schildknecht
(90-91)
Drink: N/A
$16 (16)
Tasted from tank shortly before its intended bottling, the 2007 Constance – as usual, Grenache-based, aged part in cement and part in barrel – is vividly redolent of fresh black raspberry and blueberry. With its infectiously juicy, “cool” fruit character yet at the same time a striking sense of crushed stone and graphite, this long-finishing cuvee represents an outstanding introduction to its region as well as outstanding value.For six years, Roussillon native Jean-Roger Calvet and notorious Right Bank garagiste Jean-Luc Thunevin vinified the fruits of their vines around Maury (now being supplemented by high altitude acreage on granite in Lesquerde) in something genuinely resembling a garage. Now, they are ensconced in a spacious, architecturally-dramatic, Napa-like facility at the entrance to the town. Viticultural practice is evolving in a biodynamic direction, they report; primary vinification takes place in cement (stainless steel being used only for storage); and malo-lactic transformation and maturation in barriques and demi-muids, with the tendency now being to use an ever-higher percentage of the latter. The first Maury under this label (three barriques’ worth) appeared from vintage 2004, but Thunevin neglected to offer me a taste of it, and I was unable to subsequently catch up with a bottle. Two important points to note about future releases: due to trademark issues, the new domaine name “Thunevin-Calvet,” will begin appearing on bottles in 2009; and it is entirely possible that some of the younger wines identified here as “Cotes du Roussillon Villages” might instead be labeled as Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes.

Urgent Reading

I recommend to read urgently Hervé Bizeul last post on his blog (in French), which recalls the beautiful text written by Michel Dovaz about the job of journalist, and how he is being forbidden to visit a famous château in Bordeaux…

Grand Jury Européen and Bordeaux 2006 : the results are out.

15th HAUT CARLES (5 stars, 3rd Right Bank)
28th VALANDRAUD (5 stars, 7 th Right Bank)
58th LA DOMINIQUE (4 ½ stars, 19 th Right Bank)
63 th CLEMENT PICHON (4 stars, 43 th rive Gauche)
66 th COMMANDERIE DE MAZEYRES (4 stars, 21 th Right Bank)
90 th CLOS BADON (4 stars, 32 th Right Bank)
105 th VIRGINIE DE VALANDRAUD (4 stars, 38 th Right Bank)
107 th BAD BOY (4 stars, 39 th Right Bank)
145 th FLEUR CARDINALE (3 ½ stars, 61st Right Bank)
174 th CLOS DU BEAU PERE (3 stars, 77 th Right Bank)


In short, I read the tasting notes made by the Grand Jury and for me the cru who have been the most effort in Bordeaux have been consistent and rewarded. How not recognized such properties as Pape Clément, Angélus, Pavie just to name a few?!
Then, this is as much useful for the consumer (the incredible quality price ratio of Haut Carles 2006, etc…) as for the producer who, if he is regularly receiving bad notes will still need to check with his friends, contacts, clients, the reasons for is repetitive bad notes.
Otherwise, it is clear that Jean Marc Quarin has a good palate, he, who has placed at a high position Nairac in Sauternes, and who, in this vintage, ends up 1st and Arche 2006, in 7th place.

Here are David Schildknecht’s comments for Thunevin-Calvet Constance 2007, noted 90-91 :

Tasted from tank shortly before its intended bottling, the 2007 Constance – as usual, Grenache-based, aged part in cement and part in barrel – is vividly redolent of fresh black raspberry and blueberry. With its infectiously juicy, “cool” fruit character yet at the same time a striking sense of crushed stone and graphite, this long-finishing cuvee represents an outstanding introduction to its region as well as outstanding value.

For six years, Roussillon native Jean-Roger Calvet and notorious Right Bank garagiste Jean-Luc Thunevin vinified the fruits of their vines around Maury (now being supplemented by high altitude acreage on granite in Lesquerde) in something genuinely resembling a garage. Now, they are ensconced in a spacious, architecturally-dramatic, Napa-like facility at the entrance to the town. Viticultural practice is evolving in a biodynamic direction, they report; primary vinification takes place in cement (stainless steel being used only for storage); and malo-lactic transformation and maturation in barriques and demi-muids, with the tendency now being to use an ever-higher percentage of the latter. The first Maury under this label (three barriques’ worth) appeared from vintage 2004, but Thunevin neglected to offer me a taste of it, and I was unable to subsequently catch up with a bottle. Two important points to note about future releases: due to trademark issues, the new domaine name “Thunevin-Calvet,” will begin appearing on bottles in 2009; and it is entirely possible that some of the younger wines identified here as “Cotes du Roussillon Villages” might instead be labeled as Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes.

Wine Advocate N° 183, July 2009

David Schildknecht did an incredible amount of work visiting winery owners and tasting wines from the Languedoc and the Roussillon.
The titles: The best values in worst times for Languedoc and Pushing the envelope along France’s frontier for the Roussillon, with 659 wines noted and commented. David Schildknecht wrote his comments and notes. There is no doubt that his work will be commented by property owners, winemakers and of course other wine critics colleagues and wine enthusiasts. It will be hard to claim that he represents the “supposed” Parker taste for rich, concentrated and oaked wines, when in my humble opinion, he favors the “anti-Parker” trend of organic wines, with freshness, and for some under-ripeness. Fortunately, the good thing with David is that, even if it is hard to understand for Cartesian minds, he also gave good notes to wines produced by the “modern classic” school like ours and those of Claude Gros, Chapoutier or others.

So, thank you for these comments which, I think, will be followed by others and which will, in the end, increase the notoriety of this great wine region of the Roussillon, especially as it is coming from the worldwide respected Wine Advocate from Robert Parker.
Outside of a handful of properties, prices are between 6 and 30 Euros for European customers, and $15 to $50 for the USA.

Also noted, for Spain : Pingus 2006 99 points and Flor de Pingus 2006 94 points

In the same issue of Wine Advocate, Parker also re-noted the 1982 and 1990 vintage of top Bordeaux which were also well rated by him at that time (120 wines)
1982 : the beginning of Parker (and Rolland)
1990 for me, the beginning of the bordelaise « revival ».
Château La Dominique 1982 93 points
Château La Dominique 1990 92 points

I am glad to see the confirmation of the good ratings for Château La Dominique (I have nothing to do with this but Michel Rolland was already consulting for this property).
Wines rated and tasted were stored in very good condition, which is imperative for wines which will be tasted after 20 to 30 years.

Roussillon's notes

The notes for the wines of the Roussillon have been published on Robert Parker's site !

35° C (95 F) in the shade

Cicadas are singing their heads off with the tropical heat from these last days and today storms are back. Therefore, I turn again into a peasant, anguished by the clouds which had already brought hail not long ago. I can’t wait for the harvest!

So much work… but so much time saved !
On the French site La Passion du Vin, I regularly check the press reviews in the book section, as well as newspaper and web media.
I was so disappointed by this Faugere I tasted at Plaisance, you just have to read the comments written by readers on the site.
On the Carnet de Dégustation, I enjoy reading occasionally articles posted on the forum (the last editorial on the RVF)
On the the site of the Grand Jury European, the blog is always interesting.
What will Terre de Vins do to create a lively site? and the RVF? and, etc…
On Vinifera (Jacques Perrin), a few notes:
Valandraud 92-94
La Dominique 91-93
Fleur Cardinale 90-92
Haut-Carles 90
La Commanderie de Mazeyres 89-91

Results from the Grand Jury Européen

Below, the first results of the 2006 tasting organized by the Grand Jury Européen, written by François Mauss in the recent comment he wrote on my blog :

As I will be a bit late to publish the complete report on the session, and in view to Laurent’s special event (on GJE’s blog as well as Perrin’s), below are listed the wines which received at least 5 stars in the official classification:

Pessac-léognan Pape Clément ******
Saint-julien Léoville las Cases *****(*)
Pauillac Mouton Rothschild *****(*)
Saint-estèphe Lafon - Rochet *****(*)
Margaux Prieuré - Lichine *****(*)
Pomerol Rouget *****
Moulis-en-médoc Branas Grand-Poujeaux *****
Pessac-léognan Haut-Brion *****
Médoc Haut-Condissas *****
Médoc Tour Blanche *****
Pauillac Le Petit Mouton *****
Saint-émilion GCCB Pavie *****
Margaux Lascombes *****
Pessac-léognan Branon *****
Fronsac Haut-Carles *****
Pessac-léognan La Mission Haut-Brion *****
Saint-julien Beychevelle *****
Pauillac Pontet-Canet *****
Margaux Palmer *****
Margaux Confidence *****
Saint-estèphe Cos d'Estournel *****
Pomerol La Violette *****
Pessac-léognan Domaine de Chevalier *****
Haut-médoc La Tour Carnet *****
Pomerol La Fleur de Gay *****
Saint-émilion GCC Monbousquet *****
Pessac-léognan De Fieuzal *****
Saint-émilion GC Valandraud *****
Saint-émilion La Mondotte *****
Haut-médoc La Lagune *****
Saint-julien Léoville-Poyferré *****

Pape Clément first - it’s becoming a habit, Fombrauge the winner of Saint Emilion Grands Crus cup, Bernard Magrez can be proud.
I know that blind tastings don’t provide the full appreciation of a wine, but just the fact of being included in the competition is already a sign for wine, whether the results are good or bad. It is everybody’s choice to interpret these classifications, in any case, by regularly finishing on top, Pape Clément, Pavie, Pontet Canet, Ducru Beaucaillou, Angélus and others have made their path towards being considered great brands.
It used to be said (and still today), in Bordeaux: “super second” (= La Mission, Las Cases, Palmer..). Competition is tough in this field.
On another subject, I have a little comment regarding wines obsessed of being better that Petrus. By trying to prove too much, you end up proving the opposite. I never had the intention, with Valandraud, to be better than such and such wine, but only to be regularly part of the best and to deserve the place given to me by Bettane, Parker, Gabriel or Jancis Robinson or many others and so, justify (for reasons sometimes not too kosher) the price I asked for and often got!

I was invited for dinner last night by a couple of friends at the terrace of Plaisance, to share this nice moment with Canadian friends of Annie and Francis Goulée.
We had a very nice meal, with the evening atmosphere, a refreshing breeze and a beautiful view on the village of Saint Emilion at our feet. The charming company and very good meal greatly deserved the various good comments I read. Creative cuisine and especially tasty, it made me want to be invited more often
A small drawback: the chairs on the terrace are nice but not comfortable for my fragile back, especially when the meal lasted from 8:30 pm until at least 11:30 pm.
A few wines I forgot the vintage (maybe 2006) Couhins – Lurton, a Riesling, Monbousquet white 2007 (bitter almond ?), Canon La Gaffelière 2004 which, a bit austere when just opened became good after a while, a Syrah from Faugères in Languedoc ordered last year but which, unfortunately tasted a bit green. Maybe I am not in today’s “trend”, and to avoid any controversy, I am speaking about my taste as well as Murielle’s (and for the name, see for yourself).
It is surprising for my that you can still find some wines from this beautiful region produced with unripened grapes and even some bretts in addition.
Denis Dubourdieu still has plenty of work to do regarding the bretts and Michel Rolland or Claude Gros too, in regards to ripeness.