By Charles Lea on 28/04/2017
Over the last two nights, with danger still present, the Bordeaux vineyard has been hit hard by a very destructive frost. Temperatures descending as low as -5C have done massive damage to the nascent buds and some vineyards have lost the entire 2017 crop.
By Charles Lea on 27/04/2017
Two of our favourite en primeur value buys are now out, one from each side of the river. Many of our customers have followed these for years and the proof of the pudding is those who bought the early vintages and have drunk them are coming back for more. Both have excelled again with the 2016 vintage.
By Charles Lea on 26/04/2017
The Bordeaux primeurs season is warming up gently, and yesterday saw the release of a perennial Primeur favourite, the Sichel family's Château Angludet. With no premium for either halves or magnums, this is a great opportunity to put away some delicious drinking Margaux for around eight to twenty years from now.
By Charles Lea on 24/04/2017
Classicism is the name of the day in 2016, but it is certainly a very polished classicism. A return to wines mostly in the 13-13.5% level, so more ‘Englishman’s claret’ than some recent top vintages.
By Charles Lea on 24/04/2017
In the first six months of the year, rainfall was over 60% up on average. From the 15th of June to the 13th of September rainfall was 50% lower than average.