Adam Lechmere – East Sussex winery Ridgeview took the top sparkling wine trophy at last night’s Decanter World Wine Awards – to the amazement of its owners.
Ridgeview’s Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2006 beat competition from five Champagnes, including the Taittinger Prélude NV, Charles Heidsieck Millésime 2000 and Thienot’s Brut Rosé NV to win International Trophy for Sparkling Wine Over £10.
Founder and winemaker Mike Roberts – who had invited his entire staff to the ceremony at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden – told decanter.com they were simply not expecting to win.
München, 27. August 2010. Treasury Wines Estates, vormals Foster’s EMEA, das führende Weinunternehmen der Neuen Welt, gibt bekannt, dass der Vertrieb der Marken Beringer und Rosemount, für den bisher Weinwolf zuständig war, auf die Schlumberger AG übertragen wird. Continue reading “SCHLUMBERGER NEUER VERTRIEBSPARTNER VON TREASURY WINES ESTATES”
just-drinks.com editorial team – French wine cooperative Mont Tauch has appointed Jean-Philippe Trollet as its first head winemaker. Trollet will join Mont Tauch, based in southern France’s Languedoc region, from Skalli Group’s Caves Saint Pierre. He was named red winemaker of the year in 2009 by judges for the International Wine Challenge (IWC).
Mont Tauch’s decision to appoint a head winemaker brings more leadership structure to the group. The firm hopes that a head winemaker will be able to better co-ordinate operations as it expands.
“The organoleptic quality of our wines must remain our greatest strength,” said Antoine Leray, UK sales manager for the cooperative. “We also have to ensure that our wines are constantly responding to the needs of the market.”
As well as overseeing wine production, Trollet will also act as the “face of Mont Tauch” at tastings and exhibitions. He will be assisted in running the company’s winery by existing Mont Tauch winemaker Michel Marty.
Havel & Petz: Ähnlich wie beim legendären Veltliner-Tasting 2002 in London gewinnen Österreichs
Pinot Noirs bei einer Expertenverkostung in Singapur. Am Spitzenplatz Fritz Wieninger.
Österreichische Pinot Noirs haben die Nase vorn. Bewiesen haben sie das bei einer internationalen Blindverkostung in Singapur, zu der Michael Thurner, Ex-Weinmarketingchef und seit einigen Jahren mit Austrian Fine Brands in Asien aktiv, am 4. August geladen hatte. 34 internationale Pinot Noirs der Jahrgänge 2002 bis 2008 waren von einer Expertenrunde nominiert worden, 16 „Wine Freaks” haben verkostet und zwölf Österreicher schafften es unter die besten Zwanzig. Erster wurde Fritz Wieningers Pinot Noir Grand Select 2004, einer der Flaggschiffweine des Continue reading “Weingut Wieninger vor internationalen Top-Produzenten”
by Decanter staff – Wineries that ‘clean up’ their wines are removing the life from them, according to Louis Jadot’s head winemaker in the September issue of Decanter. The latest edition of the magazine includes an interview with Jacques Lardiere, a member of the company’s team for forty years.
He told Decanter, ‘I’m not after technical perfection. I don’t have much time for the Australian approach, where the ideal wine is the most neutral.’ ‘It’s easy to clean up a wine, but by removing faults, unless they’re truly detrimental, you also remove its life.’ ‘I refuse to go along with it,’ he adds.
The veteran winemaker is set to retire at the end of 2012, and will be replaced by Frederic Barnier of Chateau de Chassagne-Montrachet. Read Lardiere’s views on biodynamics, terroir and much more in this month’s Decanter.
Graham Tearse – A man awaiting trial for blackmailing Domaine de la Romanée-Conti by threatening to poison the estate’s vines has been found dead in his prison cell. Officials at the jail in Dijon, Burgundy, said the man, who has not been named, hanged himself last Friday.
A man awaiting trial for blackmailing Domaine de la Romanée-Conti by threatening to poison the estate’s vines has been found dead in his prison cell.
Officials at the jail in Dijon, Burgundy, said the man, who has not been named, hanged himself last Friday. His son who was arrested at the same time, will stand trial later this year. Continue reading “Romanée-Conti blackmailer found dead”
by Richard Woodard – Tributes have been pouring in to Graham Beck, one of the pioneers of the modern South African wine industry, who has died at the age of 80.
Beck, a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, died on Tuesday morning in London with his wife Rhona at his side, after a battle with lung cancer.
Following an early involvement in renovations, he spent 15 years working in the mining industry, before buying a stud farm in Robertson in 1976 – and then entering the wine business with the purchase of Madeba farm in 1983.
A constant champion of Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines, Graham Beck Wines became a substantial business with the purchase of properties in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. Continue reading “Graham Beck dies”
Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia, 1997 entstanden, feiert mit dem Marktauftritt des 2007-er Jahrganges seine ersten zehn Jahre. Zu diesem Jubiläum wurde der Zweitwein des Weingutes im wunderschönen Ambiente des Restaurant Cracco in Mailand von den renommiertesten Journalisten Italiens und dem Team des Weingutes gefeiert. Mit von der Partie waren der Chefkoch Carlo Cracco, der eignes für die Verkostung erlesene Gerichte zubereitete, und Luca Gardini, Europas bester Sommelier 2009, der die einzelnen Jahrgänge kommentierte. Continue reading “DIE ERSTEN 10 JAHRGÄNGE DES ‘LE SERRE NUOVE DELL’ORNELLAIA’”
Mit dem Frühling und dem Sommer steht die arbeitsreichste Zeit im Weinberg an, denn nach der Winterruhe erwachen die Reben und beginnen zu wachsen. In dieser Phase ist die Unterstützung durch die geschickte Hand des Winzers von grundlegender Bedeutung: Die sogenannten „Grünarbeiten“ ermöglichen das Erreichen des richtigen Gleichgewichtes zwischen Laub- und Traubenmenge, conditio sine qua non für eine optimale Reifung der Trauben. Continue reading “2009 Ornellaia – AXEL HEINZ: IN DER KELLEREI”
Dass man gute Parties nicht nur mit Bier und Hochprozentigem feiern kann, haben die jungen rheinhessischen Winzer längst bewiesen. Die alljährliche „Wein in den Mai“-Party der Gruppe ist über die Grenzen von Mainz und Rheinhessen hinaus jungen und alten Weintrinkern ein fester Begriff. In diesem Jahr haben sich die Winzer von Message in a bottle entschlossen, neue Wege zu gehen und die Frühjahrsparty zum Sommerevent zu machen. Los geht’s am Samstag den 21. August ab 20.00 Uhr in der Alten Lokhalle in Mainz. In lockerer Atmosphäre kann bis in die Morgenstunden zur Musik des DJs getanzt und kräftig gefeiert werden. Neben guter Musik und jeder Menge Spaß Continue reading “Rheinhessens junge Winzer laden ein zur SOMMER.WEIN.PARTY”
Adam Lechmere – Two new vintages of Dom Perignon will be launched during a live webcast at decanter.com this afternoon by winemaker Richard Geoffroy.
The acclaimed chef de cave – along with Decanter’s tasting team and guests – is presenting for the first time Dom Pérignon Brut 2002 and Dom Pérignon Oenotheque Brut 1996 in Decanter’s tasting room.
Oenotheque, Dom Perignon’s top cuvee, is released more than 13 years after the vintage. The last vintage was the 1995, now selling for around £130 a bottle.
by David Furer – Remelluri’s Telmo Rodriguez has returned to take charge of the property at which he was winemaker over a decade ago. After graduating from Bordeaux in the 1990s Telmo Rodriguez took up the post of winemaker at Remelluri, his father Jaime’s estate in Rioja Alavesa. Continue reading “Telmo Rodriguez goes back to Remelluri”
Verkostung in über 70 der interessantesten Galerien Berlins & Erstmals alle VDP Weingüter gleichzeitig bei einer Verkostung
Die VDP Prädikatsweingüter feiern am 05. September 2010 ihren hundertsten Geburtstag mit einer ganz besonderen Verkostung in über 70 der interessantesten internationalen Galerien Berlins. Zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte des VDP präsentieren alle 195 Mitgliedsweingüter gleichzeitig ihre besten Weine in Verbindung mit „contemporary art“. Der Wein und die Kunst spielen dabei eine gleichberechtigte Rolle und jeder Besucher kann entscheiden, ob er auf eigene Faust die Vielfalt der Kunst und der Weine erkunden will oder sich einer der über 200 Führungen von ausgesuchten Art-Guides und Sommeliers anschließt. Continue reading “05. September: VDP – Verkostung in der Berliner Kunstszene”
by Rebecca Gibb – A leading Madiran producer is launching the region’s first-ever en primeur campaign in the UK. Following the excellent 2009 vintage in south-west France, producer Alain Brumont is looking to profit from the success of the high profile Bordeaux en primeur campaign.
Its top wines have been sold en primeur in France since 1985 and it estimates it will sell around 60% of its production as futures this year. However, the producer stresses its wines are not aimed at investors.
Jean Baptiste, export manager at Alain Brumont told decanter.com: ‘Our wines are purely for enjoyment. We don’t play the speculation game; we make wine for drinking.’ ‘Consumers are really turning to our wines because we are seen as value for money,’ he added. Brumont will release his top red cuvées from Châteaux Bouscassé and Montus as part of this en primeur campaign. The wines are also sold in the US en primeur.
by Graham Tearse – Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is to begin exporting wines by sailing ship. The 106 year-old British ketch Bessie Ellen will set sail from Bordeaux for Montreal on July 21, laden with 20,000 bottles of Smith Haut Lafitte.
The ship will also carry bottles from Château de Cayx (the Cahors domain owned by the Danish royal family) and Borie de Maurel (Languedoc).
The move was introduced in an effort to cut the chateau’s carbon footprint.
Jane Anson in Bordeaux – Chateau Lafite Rothschild has released a first tranche of its 2009 en primeur wine at €550 per bottle. This is a rise of 323% from last year’s exit price, and 53% on 2005. But the majority of merchants will not put the wine onto the market until larger quantities – with a greater clarity of price – has become available. Continue reading “Chateau Lafite releases at €550″
John Stimpfig – The 75th anniversary of the acquisition of Chateau Haut-Brion by the US financier Clarence Dillon was celebrated last night at the Foreign Office’s historic Lancaster House within St James’ Palace.
The dinner was hosted by Prince Robert of Luxembourg, president of Domaines Clarence Dillon and great-grandson of Dillon, who bought the Pessac First Growth estate in 1935.
Wink Lorch – Henri Maire of the Jura, one of France’s largest family-controlled wineries, has been bought by the Luxembourg-owned investment group Verdoso Industries. Verdoso has taken a majority shareholding in Henri Maire, its first purchase in the wine industry. It plans to inject capital and expertise to revitalise a business that has suffered significant losses in the past two years. Continue reading “Henri Maire sold”
Sigi Hiss – Beim badischen Winzerkeller hat ein Wechsel in der Chefetage stattgefunden. Wie die Zeitschrift WEIN+MARKT vermeldet, hat Axel Hahn am 7. Juni die Nachfolge, als Vorstand für Vertrieb und Marketing, von Günter Hilmert angetreten. Das hat der Badische Winzerkeller gegenüber WEIN+MARKT erklärt. Axel Hahn, 53-jähriger Diplom-Kaufmann, arbeitete vorher bei diversen Unternehmen der Getränkebranche. Seine Karrierestationen waren Gerolsteiner Mineralbrunnen, Margon Brunnen, Coca-Cola, Feldschlößchen und Landskron Brauerei in Görlitz. Zuletzt war er als selbstständiger Berater im Bereich Vertrieb und Marketing für die Getränke Industrie tätig.
Company shareholders approved the name switch at a general meeting on 4 June, Lanson-BCC said today (7 June).
“This new name, adopted at a time when Champagne Lanson is celebrating its 250th anniversary, will help give the group a name that is more in keeping with its profile, its rationale and its ambitions,” the company said.
Lanson is the firm’s flagship international brand. The group owns six other Champagne houses, including Maison Burtin, Champagne Boizel and Champagne Chanoine Freres, but these are not so well-known outside of France. Continue reading “FRANCE: Boizel Chanoine Champagne changes name”
Champagne house Laurent-Perrier could be a takeover target after a disappointing full-year statement this week, according to independent analyst Veronique Adam.
Laurent-Perrier’s net profits tumbled by 44% to EUR10.6m for the 12 months to the end of March, with operating profits of EUR28.7m, down 34% on the previous year.
Jane Anson in Bordeaux – With Vinexpo Hong Kong over, the number of chateaux bringing out wine prices has reached a flood this week – although the big names are expected to hold back until the middle of June. Merchants seem to be sanguine about the wines’ chances, even at the price increases that have become inevitable, though there are rumblings of dissent. Continue reading “Sociando, Giscours release alongside flood of others”
Tina Gellie in Porto – Quinta de Gomariz, in Portugal’s northern winemaking appellation of Vinho Verde, has swept the board at the region’s annual awards.
The 27ha estate in the Ave sub-region took six golds and two silvers – almost a medal for every line they made in 2009 – and all the more impressive given that Quinta de Gomariz has only been selling its wines since the 2005 vintage.
Adam Lechmere – East Sussex winery Ridgeview took the top sparkling wine trophy at last night’s Decanter World Wine Awards – to the amazement of its owners.
Graham Tearse – A man awaiting trial for blackmailing Domaine de la Romanée-Conti by threatening to poison the estate’s vines has been found dead in his prison cell. Officials at the jail in Dijon, Burgundy, said the man, who has not been named, hanged himself last Friday.
by Richard Woodard – Tributes have been pouring in to Graham Beck, one of the pioneers of the modern South African wine industry, who has died at the age of 80.
Adam Lechmere – Two new vintages of Dom Perignon will be launched during a live webcast at 
by Graham Tearse – Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is to begin exporting wines by sailing ship. The 106 year-old British ketch Bessie Ellen will set sail from Bordeaux for Montreal on July 21, laden with 20,000 bottles of Smith Haut Lafitte.
Tina Gellie in Porto – Quinta de Gomariz, in Portugal’s northern winemaking appellation of Vinho Verde, has swept the board at the region’s annual awards.
