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Post author:iDealwine
Post published:08/04/2015

Bordeaux 2014: a question of price

In the aftermath of the 2014 Bordeaux En Primeur tastings, the question on everyone's mind is what prices will these wines be sold for? Every year, the En Primeur tastings draw the world’s media to Bordeaux, who evaluate and rate the wines, trying to identify specific strengths and flaws. Stakeholders unanimously hold their breath until the publication of tasting notes, which award some wines as “excellent”, while others "could improve" and some are even ”banished to the corner...”. Until a few years ago, the most awaited report was that of Robert Parker. But…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:30/03/2015

Meursault and Marsannay return to the forefront

All French appellations have their "sleeping beauties", those who lack in fame despite their exceptional heritage. Until “Prince Charming” (an investor) comes along, making every effort to produce wines worthy of the pedigree. This has been happening to the châteaux of Meursault and Marsannay since 2012. One such Prince Charming is Olivier Halley, heir to a family shareholder of Carrefour and head of "H Partners" (owner of brands including "Du Pareil au Même" and "Tout Compte Fait"), who bought Château de Marsannay (35 hectares of vineyards in Marsannay and Côte de Nuits) and…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:30/03/2015

What are the (true) vintages of the century?

Some wine regions claim to produce a great vintage, or even “vintage of the century”, every other year! But despite these commercial declarations, there are still some truly great vintages – those that entice fine wine buyers, especially at auction. But what is a great vintage? Think about it: a winemaker is able to produce an average wine from top quality grapes, but not a top quality wine from average grapes. A great vintage is therefore one that allows a winery to harvest ‘perfect’, top quality grapes. A vineyard can produce ‘perfect’ grapes…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:25/03/2015

Are “old vines” really old?

Chances are, you’ve bought a wine with the term “old vines”, or "vieilles vignes", on the label. But when can a vineyard really be considered “old”? A vine is not unlike a human being. When it is young, between four and eight years old, it has the charms of childhood and the wines are usually mild and full of freshness. Between eight and 14, it reaches adolescence: it grows in all directions and is difficult to control. The viticulturist needs to tame the vineyard to prevent it from producing weak grapes without personality.…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:25/03/2015

High bids for Clos de Tart, Côte-Rôtie and Champagne

One of the February Online Auctions at iDealwine attracted particularly active buyers from outside of France. Representing 30 different countries, these buyers bought nearly 50% of the lots sold, with Côte de Nuits, the Rhône Valley and Champagne all reaping impressive results. While Bordeaux’s prices remained mostly stable, there was renewed interest by Asian buyers in Lafite Rothschild, Haut Brion, La Mission Haut Brion, Palmer and Léoville Las Cases. The wines from Pontet Canet were also sought-after and their conversion to biodynamic practices has been particularly instrumental in the rise of prices for…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:24/03/2015

Selecting the right glass

The shape and size of a wine glass is very important and while experts believe that a wine shows best in a larger glass, is bigger always better? When tasting (and drinking) wine, it is better to hold the glass by its base, not the body, which will warm the wine and make the flavours too volatile. It is a well-known fact that the tulip shape of a wine glass concentrates the aromas, making them more detectable. The type of material used (crystal compared to “cristallin”, which contains less lead) won’t significantly influence…

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:24/03/2015

How much is a vertical of Mouton Rothschild worth?

Château Mouton Rothschild’s labels are annually illustrated by a renowned artist, making it particularly suited to be sold as a vertical. This type of lot, which is highly prized by wealthy buyers, can reach record prices on auction. A vintage vertical of the same wine is a rare and sought-after collection item. Many collectors will therefore patiently collect different vintages of the same wine, hoping to eventually profit from the resale of the batch as a whole. However, not all wines are suited to be sold as a vertical. Mouton Rothschild and Yquem…

Read more about the article How to age champagne

Photo of golden champagne bottle, two wine glasses on black stone background

Post author:iDealwine
Post published:20/03/2015

How to age champagne

Similar to other wines, certain champagne styles will benefit from time in the bottle. Vintage champagnes in particular are well-suited to ageing, while the brut style is generally intended for immediate consumption. When ageing champagne, the bottle format (such as magnum or jeroboam) plays an important role, as well as the storage conditions (humidity, cellar temperature). While vintage wines available after three, five or even 10 years of cellaring, are usually ready to drink, it is not uncommon to keep some for even longer. Producing champagne takes time. It spends a minimum of…