Hound, Thanks, as always, for your notes on wines less in the limelight, but still very good! I discovered Petit Fombrauge a couple of months ago (the same vintage as you) and expected a "petit" wine. Instead I found it a "manly," fruity, deep St. Emilion. Definitely one to keep ...

Alch,

Thanks for the notes.

I have a bottle of this. In light of your comments, I think I'll sit on it (so to speak!).

All the best,
Alex

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the report.

I'm always happy to hear comments on everyday, affordable Bordeaux.

Someone who can't enjoy a good, simple pleasure such as you have really doesn't understand wine IMHO...

You don't need to invest in Léoville Las Cases to enjoy Bordeaux!

Best regards,
Alex R.

I feel for you.
We had to put our dachshund to sleep just before Christmas a couple of years ago.
This caused a pallor to hang over the whole family.

We had had our dog operated for a tumor but, of course, it grew back.

I wish you luck in facing up to a sad situation.

All the best,
Alex R.

Hi Richard, You mention Clive Coates "fallibility", but say that you find that 2002 Ferrier is "nice, if a touch overworked". While Durfort may be better (it has become one of my darlings as well), it is possible that Ferriere is indeed one of the finest in the appellation in the...

Ian, Thanks for the terrific notes on an incredible experience. Interesting that the 85 La Mouline should show so closed compared to an experience a decade earlier... I have two LaLas, but your notes show me that I should not touch them until I'm in my 70s! As for Rhône, even the very best such as t...

Alain Vauthier is living at Simard while Ausone is being fixed up. I believe it is owned by his uncle, but he nevertheless is responsible for winemaking there and the wine is marketed along with the other wines "en primeur" as part of the Vauthier range. Vauthier told us that he was contac...

My friend Alain Bringolf of WineStat/Winemega was in town and so I visited several interesting estates with him on Tuesday and Thursday. The first was Château Ferriere (by the way, there's no accent en the 2nd e). I was anxious to go there because this is about the only Médoc classified growth I hav...

Hi, Alain Bringolf of Winemega/Winestat is in town and we went out to dinner tonight at a very nice brasserie called L'Orléans. Their wine list is excellent. We had 1998 Léoville Barton with the main course (guinea fowl for Alain, veal chop for me). We were both surprised by how approachable the win...

Hound, It really is different this year. Jean-Guillaume Prats made quite a splash when he suggested not having an en primeur campaign at all this spring, and waiting until the fall. The château owners know that they must reduce prices. While it is difficult to overestimate pride and greed, the econo...

http://www.decanter.com/news/277266.html This is hardly the first time I have heard such an observation... All it takes is a really good vintage to set this analysis on its head. BECAUSE, crisis or no crisis, people are sure to buy into a great vintage. And not everyone is experiencing a crisis by a...

Ah, we see François very rarely on BWE these days... I believe he is a frequent contributor to the Squires board. As for the French language in the US, yes, there are plenty of people of Québécois extraction in New England. Sadly, their linguistic and cultural heritage is losing ground quickly. (sam...

Good to see you back posting Alch. Yes, Carbonnieux has a huge production, but they also manage to make one of the best white wines of Bordeaux which, as Tom points out, can age well too. Furthermore, the red - which was lacklustre for years - has improved greatly recently. I suggest you give it a t...

Hi, I went out to dinner this evening at Café l'Orléans http://www.brasserie-lorleans.fr/ This is a bistrot in the heart of town that I hadn't been to since new managers took over. Well, I had an excellent meal and the wine list was far ranging and very reasonably priced. So, we had: 1) 2007 Ch. Bon...

Chris, I see that the use of "mineral" as an adjective is accepted by Merriam Webster. There are some wines whose aftertaste (in particular) is best described that way. Especially white wines, but not only. I find a fair number Google hits with regard to wine tasting as well. The classic w...

Hello, This is my one-man virtual tasting. I have been spending most of today having a look at the text of Harry's book on CDP. So, at the end of the afternoon I thought to myself: hey, isn't it about time you tasted some of the stuff? So, at 6 p.m., I went down to the cellar and found a bottle of t...

I agree that a chat function would be nice.

But then, I don't know how difficult this is to add.

Best regards,
Alex R.

Hi Guys,

Very nice layout. Congratulations on your efforts, Phil!

I am especially relieved to see that the garish letters "phpBB" are not there when you reach the actual site.

Best regards,
Alex R.