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.

‘We were looking at it simply as a good night out. We’d won the Regional Trophy and had absolutely no idea we’d got the International.’

During the announcement, Roberts said, he suddenly thought, ‘Bloody hell, they’re going to mention the Grosvenor next.’

Ridgeview was a popular winner: the two winemakers, Roberts and his son Simon, threaded their way to the stage amidst loud applause.

Decanter’s Tastings Director, Christelle Guibert, said this was an incredible home-grown success. ‘What a result,’ she said. ‘As if further proof was ever needed, this unequivocally rubberstamps England’s membership to that exclusive club of truly world class, sparkling wine producers. Up against a clutch of Champagne’s finest, Ridgeview has produced a stupendous wine that defeated them all. It’s a truly remarkable win.’

Ridgeview, a 5.8ha family-run estate in the Sussex Downs, usually makes five different cuvees in any one year, all named after areas of London. As well as its award-winning Grosvenor, recent blends include Bloomsbury, Cavendish, Fitzrovia and Knightsbridge.

Roberts founded Ridgeview with his wife Christine in 1995. Their daughter Tamara, their son Simon and his wife Mardi all work for the winery. www.decanter.com

For most properties the white grape harvest will begin next week, with the Sauvignon Blanc at Chateau Margaux on schedule for sometime between September 10 and 20.
Carbonnieux owner Eric Perrin told decanter.com, ‘The yield will be lower than in 2009, but we are very happy with the quality. Potential alcohol looks to be around 12.5 at the moment. He added that the last ‘serious’ rain fell on July 12. ‘Lovely fresh evenings combined with a dry summer means we are feeling very optimistic.’

However, across the region there are concerns about lack of rain, and also the effects of poor fruit set at the start of the season. John Salvi MW, author of the Bordeaux Weather Report, said the 2010 growing season was ‘a roller-coaster’.

‘Record cold in May, until 16 July only 3.8mm of rain during the preceding 28 days, huge spells of heat up to 35.8 degrees, drought for almost 30 days; everything you can think of.

‘August has been dry but with fewer days over 30 degrees than July. And there is no use trying to deny that there was significant coulure (poor fruit set), and that where there was Merlot, there was even more coulure. Careful grape sorting will be key.’

According to Meteo France, up to the third week of August rainfall has been under half of the 30-year-average of 60mm for the month.

This has meant that many vineyards, especially those with young vines, are showing signs of drought and stress. However, rain has threatened with plenty of cloud cover, meaning total sunshine hours reached only 155 hours by August 20. The 30-year average for August is 240 hours.

‘August has been jumpy weather-wise,’ said Salvi. He added, ‘no doubt the Bordelais will proclaim that September is the miracle month, as seems to be the fashion now.’  www.decanter.com

The wines were rated by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and U.S. magazine Wine Spectator.
‘To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that one hundred 100-point wines have been offered in a single lot at a charity auction or at any type of wine auction,’ said Bruce Sherman, co-chair of the event.

‘The idea germinated between myself and a friend. I viewed it as an engaging challenge, and it was especially meaningful because of the cause – auction proceeds go to help underprivileged and at-risk children.’ Some of the vintners who contributed to the lot and who will attend the event are Ann Colgin, Bill Harlan, Paul Hobbs, Doug Shafer and Christian Moueix.

‘The process of tracking down these special wines was extremely educational,’ added Sherman, a trustee of the Naples Children & Education Foundation, the festival’s founding organization.

‘We learned all about cellaring and took great care that every bottle was perfectly cellared in excellent provenance and perfectly rated so that any re-ratings by wine experts continued to award the wine 100 points.’ Over the last decade, the Naples wine event has raised $82.5 million for local children’s charities. www.decanter.com

Almost doubling the previous world record for a single wine purchase in travel retail, the splurge included bottles of 1947 and 1961 Château Pétrus, as well as a magnum of the 1959 vintage.

The shop said the record was a sign that demand for high-end wines was growing again nearly two years after the beginning of the global economic downturn. ‘We’ve seen a noticeable increase in customers purchasing high-value items for gifting, but also for personal consumption or to diversify their investment portfolios,’ said Andrew Day, CEO of Maritime and Mercantile International, owner of Le Clos.

The store had also seen ‘huge interest’ in en primeur sales for the Bordeaux 2009 vintage, he added. www.decanter.com

By: just-drinks.com editorial team

„Wir glauben, dass durch die Schlumberger AG als Vertriebspartner für Deutschland Beringer nun die verdiente Priorität erhält und sein volles Potenzial entfalten kann”, sagt Udo Koschinski, Business Manager Germany & Austria der Treasury Wines Estates. Ab Oktober wird sich der neue Distributor dann ebenfalls für den Vertrieb von Rosemount in Deutschland verantwortlich zeichnen.

„Rosemount erfreut sich immer größerer Beliebtheit und wir glauben, dass dieser Wechsel der Marke dabei hilft, neue Kunden zu erreichen und damit zu wachsen”, fügt Koschinski hinzu. „Wir sind sehr stolz darauf, diese Weine in unser Sortiment aufzunehmen“, so Rudolf Knickenberg, CEO von der Schlumberger Vertriebsgesellschaft in Meckenheim. „Sowohl Beringer als auch Rosemount verfügen über herausragende Eigenschaften hinsichtlich Qualität und Unverwechselbarkeit.“

Über Treasury Wine Estates (EMEA)

Mit den vier regionalen Unternehmen in Australien und Neuseeland, Nord-und Südamerika, Europa, im Mittleren Osten und in Afrika und Asien, ist Treasury Wine Estates ein internationaler Konzern, der  im Sektor der  Spitzenweine einzigartig ist. Unser Sortiment an Weinen aus der Neuen Welt ist international führend.

In der Gründerzeit der australischen Marke Penfolds Mitte der 1840er Jahre bis zur  Gründung von Beringer Vineyards 1876 wurde der Grundstein für ein großes Erbe der Weinbereitung gelegt. Zu  Treasury Wine Estates gehören Ikonen wie Beringer, Penfolds, Lindemans, Chateau St. Jean, Wolf Blass, Rosemount, Matua Valley, Wynns Coonawarrra Estate und Castello di Gabbiano. Diesen international beliebten Marken stehen regionale Champions zur Seite, zu denen California’s Stags’ Leap, St Clement et Etude und Australiens Seppelt, Coldstream Hills und Devil’s Lair gehören.

Mit über 12.000 Hektar Weinbergen, einem Umsatz von über 35 Millionen Kisten Wein und mehr als AU$ 2.000.000.000 pro Jahr beschäftigt Treasury Wine Estates mehr als 4.000 Winzer, Weinanbauer und Mitarbeiter im Verkauf, Vertrieb und Support in über 12 Ländern.

Unsere Werte

Treasury Wine Estates  besteht aus fünf wichtigen Elementen: die einzigartige Weinbereitung in  den ältesten Böden der Welt, der Weinbau, der sorgfältig sein Erbe bewahrt, eine unübertroffene Auswahl an Weinen, eine Familie von international renommierten Winzern und ein Team von Wein-Managern, die stolz darauf sind, mit einem Fuß im Weinberg zu stehen und mit dem anderen in der Vorstandsetage, um Produkte für Millionen von Weinliebhabern in aller Welt anzubieten.
Weitere Informationen über die neue Markenidentität finden Sie unter: www.treasurywineestates.com

der Auktionskatalog für die Auktion 357 vom Samstag 11. September kann ab sofort von unserer Website heruntergeladen werden:

Jetzt den aktuellen Katalog downloaden

die erfolgreiche 2009-Primeur-Kampagne auf einem extrem hohen Preisniveau lässt auch die Auktionspreise weiterhin ansteigen. Dies führt wieder vermehrt zu Einlieferungen von weltweit gesuchten Raritäten. So dürfen wir Ihnen heute eine hochkarätige Auktion präsentieren, die an Vielseitigkeit kaum zu überbieten ist.

Hunderte von Originalkisten Bordeaux warten auf einen neuen Besitzer. Besondere Highlights sind sicher Pétrus 1982, Margaux 1990 und Lafite-Rothschild 2000.
Rund 1500 Flaschen schönster Bordeaux aus den Jahren 1982-1989 stammen aus einem sehr feuchten Naturkeller mit stark beschädigten Etiketten. Diese werden an der Auktion separat mit entsprechend tiefen Preisen ausgerufen. Beachten Sie dazu unser vorgängiges Degustationsangebot auf den nächsten Seiten.

Aus dem Burgund sind fast alle großen Namen vertreten von DRC, Dujac, Gros über Leroy, Lafon, Leflaive bis hin zu Roumier, Rousseau und Vogüé. Aber auch sehr viele trinkgefällige Jahrgänge von Bouchard, Drouhin, Ponnelle und vom Hospice de Beaune werden zu sehr moderaten Preisen ausgerufen.

Das Rhônetal ist wieder mit einigen topbewerteten Trouvaillen dabei: Clos St-Jean, Chapoutier, Vieille Julienne, Guigal, Saint Préfert.
Italien und Spanien bieten einmal mehr die ganze Bandbreite vom einfachen Barolo und Rioja bis zur 6-Liter Saffredi, DMG Masseto und MG Pingus.
Auch aus der Neuen Welt finden sich gute und günstige Alltagsweine genauso wie 98-100 Punkte Tropfen.

Light frost in May thinned fruit slightly and reduced insect populations, and the warm weather resumed with a hot summer with optimal rainfall. Yield is expected to be just below average, and the grape quality excellent across the board. Meanwhile, the ripening season in British Columbia is lagging two weeks behind Ontario.

In BC, an extended winter delayed budbreak. Then a cool, wet spring and summer slowed ripening – Vincor reported no veraison visible in the Okanagan region by the second week of August, when grapes usually show 50% colour.

The condensed season combined with a fall freeze and damage from the 2008/09 winter means a reduced crop. ‘The vintage has been challenging because it has been one of the coolest years on record,’ Keith Brown, vice president of winemaking at Vincor Canada said. ‘But the aromatic whites will be excellent.’ www.decanter.com

He told decanter.com the labelling system for the region is ‘incomplete’ at present, and that he plans to introduce a code to indicate a wine’s sweetness on a one-to-five scale. Once this is established, he will invite producers to use the terms sec, demi-sec, moelleux and liquoreux on their labels, too.
He said: ‘LabeIs represent a fantastic opportunity to communicate with consumers and it is a pity not to make better use of this platform.’

Although Alsace producers have traditionally been allowed to mention the grape variety on the front label of their AOC wines, consumers are often unaware of their sweetness level – and in Alsace, this can vary significantly.

Gresser added, ‘Most industries take full advantage of their packaging. It’s all about making the wines accessible.

‘The industry needs to come to an agreement on a common system adopted by every producer. Admittedly, the system is not an absolute science, but it does give an indication of style.’

Some well-known Alsace estates have opposed sweetness codes in the past, claiming that the sweetness in their wines changes over time, thus rendering such codes useless. But Gresser countered this: ‘The vast majority of consumers buy wine for immediate consumption, so I really don’t see this as an issue.’ www.decanter.com

The best vineyard sites such as Minervois La Liviniere and Corbieres Boutenac will be able to use the highest rating: Grands Crus du Languedoc. The appellation’s trade association the CIVL said the idea was to make the system easier to understand.
Jerome Villaret, executive officer of the CIVL told decanter.com, ‘We wanted the hierarchy in order to simplify Languedoc AOC Wines for the consumer. ‘In the Languedoc we have 29 different names of AOC wines, and some of them represent only a very small percentage of the production. Consumers could not remember all of them. ‘With the new hierarchy the consumer only has to remember three categories for Languedoc AOC wines.’

It also sought to clarify the position of three soon-to-be Grands Crus. Terrasses du Larzac, Pic St Loup and La Clape will become Grands Crus du Languedoc. At the moment these are not appellations but are classified under Coteaux du Languedoc: the ‘Coteaux’ is set to disappear within the next five years.

These three Grand Cru sites have applied to the French authority, the INAO, to create new appellations. Villaret added: ‘They will, in time become AOCs. We expect approval for Pic St Loup and La Clape to be received in 2011. It could take longer for Terrasses du Larzac.’

The new pyramid hierarchy will appear on wine labels from the middle of 2011.  www.decanter.com

Die 78igste Weinversteigerung der WB WEINBÖRSE AG findet zum ersten Mal in der Stadt Luzern statt. Im Radisson Blu Hotel gelangen am Samstag, 4. September von 10 bis 17 Uhr 1375 Einzellots mit über 10’000 Topweinen unter den Auktionshammer mit Zuschlag an den Meistbietenden.

Es werden internationale Broker, Weinhändler und viele private Weinliebhaber für diese grosse Versteigerung erwartet. Im Angebot sind 670 Flaschen grosse Burgunder u.a. der gesuchten Domainen Ponsot, Vogüé und auch Romanée-Conti. Alle wichtigen Bordeauxweine mit Ausrufpreisen unter dem aktuellen Marktwert bis hin zu weltweiten Raritäten von 12er-Originalholzkisten von 1982 Château Lafleur und 1982 Château Pétrus. Der Zuschlagpreis dieser zwei legendären Pomerols wird mehrere Zehntausend Franken betragen.Viele Grossformate wie Doppelmagnums (3 lt.), Impériale (6 lt.), Balthasar (12 lt.) Nebuchadnezar (15 lt.) und auch ein paar 18litrige Melchiorflaschen kommen in den Ausruf.

Für Liebhaber von Süssweinen gibt es günstige Sauternes und auch rarste, tiefgoldenbraune Bouteillen vom Prestigeweingut Château dYquem; der älteste vom Jahrgang 1893!

Ein riesiges Italienangebot zu unglaublichen Tiefpreisen wird im Auktionskatalog angeboten: Altare, Ama, Azelia, 500 Flaschen Ceretto, Alceo, Testamatta, Masseto, Giusto di Notri, Sassicaia etc.

Weiter, sehr alte Flaschen:1817 Dulce Cartamena Solera (Gabriel; 20/20!), 1845 Bual und kaum mehr auffindbare Sherrys von den Jahrgängen, 1874, 1862, 1842 und 1806.

Ebenfalls sind gigantisch bewertete Rotweine aus Kalifornien dabei: Araujo, Bryant, Colgin, Harlan und Pahlmeyer. Und aus Australien: Henschke, Duck Muck und mehr als 100 Flaschen vom legendären Penfolds Grange!

Den Auktionshammer schwingen abwechselnd Peter Bertschinger und René Gabriel. Vor der Versteigerung kann man einzelne Weine aus dem Saalprogramm verkosten und am Mittag gibt es einen Imbiss und dazu einen grossen Schluck Bordeaux aus einer gigantischen Grossflasche 2002 Château Beauregard aus Pomerol.

Die Schäppchenjagd ist ab sofort eröffnet – wir nehmen Ihre schriftlichen Gebote gerne ab sofort entgegen.

Die nachfolgende Auktion (WB 79) findet dann wieder in Zürich statt, nämlich am 13. November im Crowne Plaza Hotel. Hierzu können bereits wieder Listen zum Einschätzen geschickt werden. Die Weinbörse versteigert Weine von Einliefern aus der ganzen Schweiz und Europa. Kostenlose Auktionskataloge und weitere Informationen erhält man unter: www.weinboerse.ch.

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre aktive Teilnahme am 4. September 2010 in der Leuchtenstadt Luzern!

Weinfreundliche Grüsse

Peter Bertschinger, René Gabriel & Max Gerstl

WB Weinbörse AG, Zaystrasse 14, 6410 Goldau

Tel.: +41 61 813 19 33   Fax  +41 61 813 19 34     peter.bertschinger@weinauktion.ch www.weinboerse.ch

By: Stuart Todd – one of Bordeaux’s largest AOC wine cooperatives, La Cave des Hauts de Gironde (CHG), is investing EUR13m (US$16.7m) in a restructuring and expansion programme.

New Zealand Winegrowers picks positives out of tough year

New Zealand’s wine surplus oveshadowed a 5% rise in exports by value for the year to the end of June, official figures show. Exports increased by 5% on the previous year to reach NZD1.04bn (US$736m), trade body New Zealand Winegrowers said today (23 August). However, the average value of bottled wine exports fell by 11% as a wine surplus in the country continued to put pressure on pricing.

New Zealand Winegrowers said the sector made a “critically important step” in rebalancing supply and demand by reducing the 2010 grape harvest haul by 7% on 2009.

However, the surplus has caused significant problems for several companies over the past year. “The sheer volume of surplus bulk wine sales, currently running at 28% of New Zealand’s total export sales volume, is testing the financial sustainability of the NZ wine industry,” said the chairman of New Zealand Wine Co, Alton Jamieson, earlier this year.

“Times are tough in the industry and we must be very focused if we are to continue the progress of the past year,” said Stuart Smith, chair of NZWinegrowers. “For the next two years that focus must remain on rebalancing and recovery. From there, future growth must target enhanced value ahead of production capacity,” said Smith.

The trade body highlighted some positives from the past year, including Pinot Noir exports reaching NZD100m for the first time, strong export growth into Asian markets and packaged wine exports up by 14%.

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).

More than 100 wines will be available to taste from 6.30-8.30pm. A session for the trade will be held between 11.30am and 4.30pm. Decanter contributor Stephen Brook will also host a seminar for the trade, with recommendations for a modern sommelier’s wine list and insights into Barolo vineyard diversity. Brook said: ‘The quality of Piedmont wines has never been better than it is today. This is a chance to see to taste some fantastic wines and find out there is more to Piedmont than Barolo.’ For more information or to book tickets, click here

Dick Peterson, owner of Swedish Hill, one of the largest wineries in the region, told decanter.com production of the sparkling Riesling was very limited. ‘We have had significant Riesling shortages in recent years and felt we had to concentrate on our varietal Rieslings or not have enough to make anything. This year we decided to bring it back, and I now wish we’d made more than four hundred cases,’ he said. For the second year running, Sheldrake Point Vineyards – also in the Finger Lakes – won Winery of the Year. The wines were evaluated by 22 judges from the US and two from the UK.

The victory of Swedish Hill’s sparkling riesling – an equivalent of German winzersekt – emphasizes the steadily emerging theme-and-variations strength of Finger Lakes rieslings. In recent years, to reflect the International Riesling Foundation’s efforts to help consumers define what’s in a riesling bottle, New York’s contest has introduced categories for dry, medium-dry and medium-sweet versions; fully sweet types fall into separate late-harvest and ice wine categories. In this year’s contest, which was open to the state’s 280 producers, nine of 32 double-gold medals – those awarded when all of a panel’s judges agree that a wine merits a gold – went to Finger Lakes rieslings. At least 18 of the 74 gold medals also did so. Howard G Goldberg, New York City

The service is free to consumers, although each winemaker who registers for the service must pay a small fee. There is also no obligation to buy wine after the tasting, although the organisers expect a minimum of four people to attend. The service will launch with just 20 winemakers, but Kazek hopes that number to rise to 400 by the end of the first year.

‘Consumers enter their details on the site, and express an interest in specific styles of wine. Winemakers then enter their routes around the country during wine fairs and sales trips, and we match up the two. The idea is to create a direct link between wine lovers and wine producers, and to bring the idea of fine wine right to the consumers’ door,’ he added.

Pinot Noirs bei einer Expertenverkostung in Singapur. Am Spitzenplatz Fritz Wieninger.

Die Käuferreichweite ging weiter zurück. Bei den Weinarten gab es bei deutschen Weinen markante Veränderungen. Hier stieg der Weißweinanteil auf 50,6 Prozent. Er lag damit erstmals seit dem 2. Quartal 2007 wieder über 50 Prozent und sehr deutlich vor den roten Sorten (36,8 Prozent). Quelle: DWI