A legendary wine, the great Sweet or syrupy white wines of Bordeaux are known throughout the world. It is in this category that we find the famous Sauternes and the famous Château d'Yquem considered as one of the best white wines in the world. Why such a reputation? It is partly due to the development of a microscopic fungus, Botrytis cinerea, which causes, when conditions are favourable, the famous noble rot. But in this region, it is not enough for the Grapes to be ripe to be harvested.
Over-ripening and the development of botrytis cinerea are sought after. This fungus attacks both the interior and the skin of the grape, which wrinkles and takes on a brownish-purple colour. This leads to a concentration of sugars, an evaporation of water, as well as numerous modifications that will transform the grape Juice into a real "liqueur" whose richness can exceed 400 g of sugar per litre. However, the Sauternes region does not have a monopoly on botrytis cinerea, which is also found in the regions: Dordogne, Loire Valley, the sweet wines of Alsace, etc.
While some people prefer to avoid restaurants altogether on Valentine’s Day, for others it’s the perfect excuse to enjoy a romantic evening out. For wine lovers, finding venues with a great selection of bottles is an added bonus. Whether you’re after prestige Bordeaux and classic vintages or interesting and quirky bottles from less well-known producers, the selection below gives you plenty of options. We also tell you what to expect from the wine list in each venue. From Michel ...
The focus of the symposium, unsurprisingly, was on the challenges posed by climate change. As if to illustrate the immediacy of the threat, the symposium took place during a heatwave, with temperatures of over 40°C in Bordeaux and extreme weather events recorded across the coountry: parts of southwest France saw violent storms and winds of 112kph on the evening of 20 June, while vineyards across the Médoc and St-Emilion were damaged by hailstones ‘the size of golfballs’. As Olivier Bernard of D ...
Château Angélus’ announcement that it is withdrawing from the process to create the 2022 St-Emilion Classification has sent shockwaves through the region and raised questions about the ranking’s future form. With Châteaux Ausone and Cheval Blanc having announced their withdrawal last year, three of the top-ranking ‘Premier Grand Cru Classé A’ estates from the last edition of the St-Emilion Classification in 2012 will not be candidates for the revised ranking, due this ye ...
