Meanwhile in France…Macron affirms wine’s position in French culture
Wine has found itself unwillingly in the headlines in recent months. We look at the debate surrounding France’s much adored national drink.
A year at auction: the Top 50 most expensive bottles of 2017
2017 was a record year for the iDealwine auction platform. More than 111,000 bottles, originating from great vineyards all over the globe, were exchanged over the course of the year. We reflect on the 50 highest priced wines sold at auction last year. With the 2018 iDealwine Barometer flying off the printing press next week (information to follow soon, watch this space!), we take a moment to consider the staggering rankings that emerged from auction in 2017. 2017 was a year of superlatives for the iDealwine auction platform that saw wines (but not…
Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynen, master of the Mâconnais
Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynen’s reputation precedes him. Hailed as a master of Chardonnay, Jean-Marie has been influential in elevating the reputation of Mâconnais wines. The success story of his small Vergisson domain has put this little slice of Burgundy on the map. We were fortunate enough to talk to Jean-Marie and learn more about this iconic domain. It was in the 1970s that Maine and Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynen made the decision to pack up and leave their native Flanders. They headed to Burgundy in the pursuit of learning French and becoming winemakers. After a pleasant sabbatical…
The principle grape varieties of France | Part 2: Alsace
This week in our tour of the grape varieties of France we head to Alsace. Its perilous location on the German border has given this region a unique viticultural heritage and influences from both countries permeate the wines produced here today. It runs 100km in length from North to South but spans only 2 to 15km in width. With the Vosges Mountains to the West and the Black Forest to the East, this narrow and picturesque slice of France is a series of rolling hills and valleys carpeted in vines and interspersed with…
The iDealwine team
iDealwine at The City Wine Show: the recap
We joined in the fun at The City Wine Show in London last weekend, pouring some nice bottles for fellow wine lovers and introducing new faces to some of the iDealwine classics. Read on to find out what we got up to. Just a stone’s throw from St Paul’s Cathedral, the beautiful Stationer’s Hall was the perfect venue. London even graced us with some pleasant weather and the oak panelled 17th century hall was bathed in glorious sunlight that glimmered as it shone through the intricate stained glass windows. A beautiful setting! With…
iDealwine at The City Wine Show
On Friday 13th and Saturday 14th April, iDealwine heads to the City Wine Show in London. This event in the heart of the city is a great opportunity to chat with producers from all over the world. We’ll have our own stand too so be sure to come and say hi! With delicious wines open to try, you’ll want to pay a visit to the iDealwine stand! Come and have a taste of the magnificent Château Haut Marbuzet 1996 or the Domaine du Tunnel Cornas 2014. We’ll also be pouring: Bret Brothers Pouilly-Vinzelles…
Champagne exports in 2017: a record year
The Comité Champagne (Comité interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne) has announced that Champagne has set a new record for turnover in 2017, with sales reaching €4.9 billion. This strong progression has been fuelled by a growing international market and a subsequent increase in exports. Last week the trade association Comité Champagne revealed the impressive Champagne sales figures for 2017. At €4.9 billion, 2017 has been a hugely successful year for Champagne producers. This is thanks mainly to an increase in exports which registered a 6.6% rise compared to 2016. The Comité Champagne also…
RECORD: German Riesling from Egon Müller fetches €12,160 at auction
It’s record after record here at iDealwine! First, we saw a bottle of Hermitage Cuvée Cathelin from Domaine Chave go for an impressive €8,512 at auction. This time, it was the exceptional Trockenbeerenauslese 1976 from Egon Muller that reached new heights: this German Riesling was cinched by a Chinese wine enthusiast for €12,160. Egon Muller’s superbly light sweet wines have become renowned for their finesse to the extent that they are now prized the world over. This domain has remained in the family since it was first founded in 1797. Jean-Jacques Koch’s (Egon…
The principle grape varieties of France | Part 1: Bordeaux
Welcome to the iDealwine guide to the grape varieties of France! We’ll take you on a tour of all the finest French winemaking regions, explaining the key differences between the most commonly found grapes and their specific characteristics, with a little bit of history thrown in too. First stop, the legendary vineyards of Bordeaux. Petrus, Château Margaux, Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château d’Yquem… These domains are emblematic of this great region. Bordeaux is the second biggest winemaking region after the Languedoc-Roussillon and is divided into three different areas stretching across the Garonne and the Dordogne…