ABOUT WINE – Page 91 – Le blog iDealwine

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:3 February 2017

Rivesaltes, the perfect birthday gift!

Are you looking for gift ideas for a significant birthday this year? The start of a new decade perhaps? Have you thought about a vintage Rivesaltes? Why these fantastic sweet wines make excellent birthday presents. If someone you know is celebrating their 50th, 60th or 70th birthday this year, you can be sure that a Rivesaltes from their birth year will hit the spot. The big advantage is that no other vintage wine offers such value for money - you can buy a 70-year-old wine for under €100! This is especially good as although…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:27 November 2016

The Barton family celebrates 190 years in the Médoc

A few days ago, the Barton family celebrated a remarkable anniversary in their own elegant way: the acquisition, 190 years ago, of 50 hectares of land in the Médoc that now forms the Léoville Barton vineyards. A few days ago – first in Paris and then in London – the Barton-Sartorius family gathered to celebrate 190 years of its founding in the Médoc. In the region, that sort of continuity is almost unheard of! The Bartons' Médoc association actually goes back a little further than even that, to 1722, when Irish-born Thomas Barton…

mouton-2014

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:25 November 2016

David Hockney illustrates Mouton 2014

The label for the 2014 vintage of Mouton Rothschild has just been unveiled. In the year of the death of the figurehead owner, Philippine de Rothschild, it was a personal friend of the family, David Hockney, who designed the 69th Mouton-Rothschild label, bearing this message: "in tribute to Philippine". The Mouton labels In 1924, the year in which Baron Philippe de Rothschild bottled his first vintage at the château, he decided to call upon the graphic designer Jean Carlu to create a special label. It met with a mixed reception, and so it…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:24 November 2016

Top wines up for auction in aid of the charity “Restos du Coeur”

French vintners and wine merchants united, for the second year running, in an act of solidarity. Around a hundred magnificent lots are currently being offered for sale in aid of the charitable organisation “Restos du Coeur” in the iDealwine online auction running until 30 November. This is the result of an initiative by a group of major French producers who have joined forces under the auspices of the “12 de cœur” association. With the season of giving approaching, now is a good time to hail the generosity of the large producers who met…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:25 October 2016

Montrachet 2016… no production?

Following a harsh frost this spring, six of the most prestigious estates for the Montrachet appellation will only be producing a single wine between them this year, in micro quantities, which will probably never be marketed. Vineyards were hard hit by bad weather and in particular a frost at the end of April this year, so harvests are likely to be very small in some areas. Unfortunately Montrachet is one of them. Aubert de Villaine hinted to us in September that this was the case, and Le Point has recently confirmed it. Six…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:22 September 2016

An exceptional event! A tasting of 33 Burgundy grands crus

Romanée-Conti, Clos des Lambrays, Clos de Tart, Chambertin, Montrachet, La Tâche – the mere mention of these names is sufficient to set the hearts of Burgundy aficionados fluttering. So just imagine for a moment that you could spend a weekend in the place where they are produced and taste 33 of these legendary wines. This is the premise behind the 33 Grands Crus Wine Experience. Feast your eyes! A single white or red grape variety and 1,463 climats (specific plots). It is this complexity which exerts such a fascination over Burgundy enthusiasts worldwide,…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:2 June 2016

How good is the 2013 vintage?

Our "Vintage Guide" section has been updated to include comments and scores for 2013. Find out more about a year that was marked by precarious climatic conditions. At iDealwine, we are not content just to share our finest wine discoveries with you. We also want to arm you with the information you need to navigate this complex world and to choose well. Every year, we carry out a region by region review of France's winegrowing areas and allocate a score to each vineyard and wine colour. A time lag is to be expected…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:29 May 2016

Ruinart, the very first Champagne house – since 1729

Ruinart is known internationally for the quality of its chardonnay grapes and the purity and aromatic finesse of its cuvées. This illustrious Champagne house has been in business since the beginning of the 18th Century. The history of this renowned Champagne house spans more than three centuries. The story began in the era of Louis XIV with a Benedictine monk, Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709). Originally from Champagne, Dom Thierry worked in t he Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris where he became aware of worldly society and the "bubbling wine" much loved by young…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:13 May 2016

Spring frosts: Loire and Burgundy hit hard

Although it's still too early for a full report, the long-feared spring frosts have taken their toll in northern Burgundy, as well as in the Loire appellations of Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil. We bring you a dispatch from the front line. Given the mild winter and the early appearance of the buds, growers were already on the alert. And their fears were well-founded: the spring frosts hit a number of French vineyard regions hard, mostly (but not all) in northern France. In the Loire, the Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:15 March 2016

Hong Kong, Shanghai: iDealwine continue its development in Asia

A few days ago, iDealwine team took part in the Shanghai Grand Tasting organised by famous duo of French wine journalists Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve. Let’s take a step back and review the presence of iDealwine in Asia and its international development. As you know iDealwine was started to enable wine lovers from all around the world to access fine wines at auction or fixed-price. Already very well represented in the European market, we started reinforcing our presence in Asia since 2010, joining essentially wine fairs as the Hong Kong International Wine…