French brokerage, or courtier, system
Courtiers – a word to conjure polarised views, especially of the Bordeaux trading system. But in France the courtier system is not a one-size-fits-all, though the broker still puts together a customer with the wine they want, that they’ve sourced through their contacts.
Crus Bourgeois 2009 – tasting notes
The Alliance des Cru bourgeois announced the list of cru bourgeois for the 2009 vintage at the end of September 2011. Here are the tasting notes of the wines I tasted.
Crus Bourgeois 2009 – facts and figures
Facts and figures from the 2009 Crus Bourgeois classification
Cru bourgeois awarded to 246 properties for 2009 vintage
In its second year, the annual awarding of cru bourgeois status has been achieved by 246 left bank Bordeaux properties for their 2009 vintage. This is three up on the 2008 vintage.
The other Bordeaux
Without the luxury brand power that goes with top classed growth and astronomic A-list status, other Bordeaux producers must put in the hard graft to get their wines noticed.
Bordeaux 2010 snapshot
While everyone’s been busy with the en primeurs in Bordeaux, here’s a snapshot from three producers who came to London in March 2010 with a sneak preview of their wines. What these three said is being repeated by the specialist Bordeaux writers after their week of tasting and interviewing – 2010 is looking classically classy.
Crus Bourgeois list, vintage 2008
Official Selection 2008 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc.
Crus Bourgeois 2008 list announced
The list of 243 cru bourgeois wines for the 2008 vintage has been announced. After the debacle of the 2003 classification, crus bourgeois is now an annual award of vintage quality based on a blind tasting in the months before bottling. The 2008 vintage is the first to be announced, under this new system.
Crus Bourgeois 2008 – facts and figures
Crus Bourgeois 2008 – facts and figures
The Cazes family business
As well as owning Bordeaux 5th growth Château Lynch-Bages, the Cazes family have diverse food, wine and tourism activities around Bordeaux and as far afield as Australia.
