BKWine Blog
No big changes, but the decision by the INAO on May 28 means that the following AOC are defined “Armagnac”, “Bas Armagnac”, “Armagnac-Ténarèze”, “Haut Armagnac” and now also ”Blanche Armagnac”. Permitted grape varieties for Armagnac
Appellation Contrôlée (AC) Entre-deux-Mers makes exclusively white wine, between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne in Bordeaux. 194 producers share 1592 hectares. 41% is exported. Belgium, Germany and the UK are the biggest markets. To improve
Contrary to the rest of France, Alsace wines are generally sold with the grape variety indicated on the label, and on Grand Cru wines it is even compulsory. INAO has now decided that it will
As we have mentioned previously, the process has been started to revise the classification in Graves. We recently had the occasion to talk to the presidents of the “syndicates” (growers’ associations) of Graves and of
Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux, has three appellations: AC Graves, AC Graves Supérieures and AC Pessac-Léognan. Pessac-Léognan was part of AC Graves until 1987 when it became a separate AC. The surface
Just off Place Carnot this small restaurant hides in a passage way. Very cosy and unpretentious, the food is not complicated but very well done (and easy on your budget). It is quite popular so
Just a stone’s throw from Beaune’s biggest tourist site, the magnificent Hotel Dieu, you find Le Gourmandin on the main square, Place Carnot. Classic French food with regional specialities. Quite elegant and ambitious, without being
After the renovation the Place du Marché Saint Honoré has become full of restaurants. At this one, as you can guess, they use tomatoes in virtually everything, and they do it very well. Excellent cooking
Fabien Coche has in total 10 hectares that includes patches in several appellations, e.g. Meursault and Pommard. He started working with his father in 1991 and makes the wine himself since 1998. Wonderful, smooth, full-bodied
Excellent red Burgundy wines and not too expensive. The property is run by the very sympathetic couple Philippe and Martine Bernard. It covers 12 hectares split among the appellations Cote de Nuits Villages, Marsannay, Fixin,
Robert Parker, the world’s biggest wine guru, is the subject of a new unauthorised biography. The book is called “The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M Parker Jr and the Reign of American
The EU farm commissioner, the Dane Mariann Fischer Boel, has said in an interview in the Financial times that she wants to cut the subsidies for production of cheap wine that finds no buyers. The
On May 13 in the after-noon hail descended on Bergerac. hail can be devastating, destroying leaves, buds, and branches. It is estimated that up to 400 hectares were hit by the hail. In many places
Amazon.com has started a co-operation with Wine.com to sell wine. They hope to get more momentum in wine sales over the internet than anyone has succeeded in before. Wine has been much more difficult to
The Italian umbrella organisation ICE has decided to cancel its participation in Vinexpo at the last minute. The cancellation is du to a conflict with the organisers of Vinexpo regarding space allocations. This leaves many
Some statistics from CIVA (www.vinsalsace.com): Most popular grape varieties: 22% Riesling 21% Pinot blanc 18% Gewurztraminer 14% (Tokay) Pinot Gris 11% Sylvaner 9% Pinot Noir Appellations: 3.6% AOC Grand Cru 79.4% AOC Alsace 17% AOC
A Portugese cork research institute (CTCOR) has developed a new method to prevent altogether the formation of TCA, thus eliminating cork taint at its source. This new procedure is called Symbios. Read more: Taiwan News
A Burgundian company (Embag with Gérard Michel and Laurent Villaume) has developed a cure for wines with cork taint. You pour the wine into a decanter and put a small plastic grape bunch in it.
Nice wine bar and restaurant in the main town in Burgundy with a very ambitious chef (even sometimes a bit over ambitious…). On Saturdays they sometimes have jazz concerts. Le Bistro Bourguignon 8, rue Monge
Facing the old church Saint Pierre in the Old Town in Bordeaux you can find this very good value-for-money restaurant (and many others on the neighbouring streets). You can e.g. get a very nice foie
A new wine restaurant with a good wine list with a certain emphasis on organic wines. You can for example find the full selection of wines from Julien and Claude Courtois, father-and-son winemakers on the
One of the best estates in Madiran, owned by Patrick Ducournau. Ducourneau is also known for being the person who invented micro-oxygenation – a method widely used today to make tannins softer. His best cuvée,
Framed by the majestic Pic Saint Loup and Montagne de l’Hortus, this vineyard is less than an hour’s drive north of Montpellier. Jean Orliac and his wife bought a small piece of land here 25
Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve were two of the leading names at La Revue des Vins de France (France’s leading wine magazine). They left the magazine when it was acquired by the Marie Claire Group.
Alain Voge is one of the very best producers in Cornas, just south of Hermitage. He is one of the persons that have led the renaissance of the Cornas appellation bringing it from quasi-obscurity 20
Quote from an interview in La Revue des Vins de France: “We [the wine trade] are going through a crisis. There’s been excess everywhere. In the New World too, but there they are much more
On April 16 and 17 (seems like ages ago now) Hermitage had, very unexpectedly, heavy snow fall. For two days we had (we happened to be there that week-end) five centimetres of snow on the
Oak chips in Bordeaux wine is not permitted today. The new boss of CIVB (the Bordeaux producers’ association) has proposed that it should be allowed in the future (but not for all wines). But we
As we have mentioned previously in the Brief the process has started to change the classification in Graves/Pessac-Léognan. La Revue des Vins de France has taken this as an occasion to do a big tasting
I was recently part of the jury for the twelfth edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, one of the many wine competitions around the world. This was the biggest edition ever: almost 200 tasters
No big changes, but the decision by the INAO on May 28 means that the following AOC are defined “Armagnac”, “Bas Armagnac”, “Armagnac-Ténarèze”, “Haut Armagnac”
Appellation Contrôlée (AC) Entre-deux-Mers makes exclusively white wine, between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne in Bordeaux. 194 producers share 1592 hectares. 41% is exported. Belgium,
Contrary to the rest of France, Alsace wines are generally sold with the grape variety indicated on the label, and on Grand Cru wines it
As we have mentioned previously, the process has been started to revise the classification in Graves. We recently had the occasion to talk to the
Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux, has three appellations: AC Graves, AC Graves Supérieures and AC Pessac-Léognan. Pessac-Léognan was part of AC Graves
Just off Place Carnot this small restaurant hides in a passage way. Very cosy and unpretentious, the food is not complicated but very well done
Just a stone’s throw from Beaune’s biggest tourist site, the magnificent Hotel Dieu, you find Le Gourmandin on the main square, Place Carnot. Classic French
After the renovation the Place du Marché Saint Honoré has become full of restaurants. At this one, as you can guess, they use tomatoes in
Fabien Coche has in total 10 hectares that includes patches in several appellations, e.g. Meursault and Pommard. He started working with his father in 1991
Excellent red Burgundy wines and not too expensive. The property is run by the very sympathetic couple Philippe and Martine Bernard. It covers 12 hectares
Robert Parker, the world’s biggest wine guru, is the subject of a new unauthorised biography. The book is called “The Emperor of Wine: The Rise
The EU farm commissioner, the Dane Mariann Fischer Boel, has said in an interview in the Financial times that she wants to cut the subsidies
On May 13 in the after-noon hail descended on Bergerac. hail can be devastating, destroying leaves, buds, and branches. It is estimated that up to
Amazon.com has started a co-operation with Wine.com to sell wine. They hope to get more momentum in wine sales over the internet than anyone has
The Italian umbrella organisation ICE has decided to cancel its participation in Vinexpo at the last minute. The cancellation is du to a conflict with
Some statistics from CIVA (www.vinsalsace.com): Most popular grape varieties: 22% Riesling 21% Pinot blanc 18% Gewurztraminer 14% (Tokay) Pinot Gris 11% Sylvaner 9% Pinot Noir
A Portugese cork research institute (CTCOR) has developed a new method to prevent altogether the formation of TCA, thus eliminating cork taint at its source.
A Burgundian company (Embag with Gérard Michel and Laurent Villaume) has developed a cure for wines with cork taint. You pour the wine into a
Nice wine bar and restaurant in the main town in Burgundy with a very ambitious chef (even sometimes a bit over ambitious…). On Saturdays they
Facing the old church Saint Pierre in the Old Town in Bordeaux you can find this very good value-for-money restaurant (and many others on the
A new wine restaurant with a good wine list with a certain emphasis on organic wines. You can for example find the full selection of
One of the best estates in Madiran, owned by Patrick Ducournau. Ducourneau is also known for being the person who invented micro-oxygenation – a method
Framed by the majestic Pic Saint Loup and Montagne de l’Hortus, this vineyard is less than an hour’s drive north of Montpellier. Jean Orliac and
Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve were two of the leading names at La Revue des Vins de France (France’s leading wine magazine). They left the
Alain Voge is one of the very best producers in Cornas, just south of Hermitage. He is one of the persons that have led the
Quote from an interview in La Revue des Vins de France: “We [the wine trade] are going through a crisis. There’s been excess everywhere. In
On April 16 and 17 (seems like ages ago now) Hermitage had, very unexpectedly, heavy snow fall. For two days we had (we happened to
Oak chips in Bordeaux wine is not permitted today. The new boss of CIVB (the Bordeaux producers’ association) has proposed that it should be allowed
As we have mentioned previously in the Brief the process has started to change the classification in Graves/Pessac-Léognan. La Revue des Vins de France has
I was recently part of the jury for the twelfth edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, one of the many wine competitions around the
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