Château Smith Haut Lafitte: Pessac-Léognan success story
Excellence is the watchword of this grand cru, an estate that even runs its own cooperage.
The fabulous destiny of Château Lafite Rothschild
You don't need to be a wine buff to know that Château Lafite has quite the reputation. Once the tipple of choice of Louis XIV, this illustrious cru now welcomes in a new tandem to take over the reins in 2018. We take a look at the history of this prestigious domain... Where it all began The Lafite seigneury (in Gascony "la hite" means “mound”) dates back to the 13th century and hails originally from the north-west of Pauillac. Here the estate produced wheat and wine across their 110 hectares in Milon, Loubeyres, Anseillan and Pauillac. During…
Bordeaux wines now contain three times fewer pesticides than less than 4 years ago
The topic of pesticides in wine and particularly in the wines of Bordeaux has become a recurring topic in the news and specialised media over the past several years. A UFC Que Choisir study has recently given a rather positive assessment of the changes in pesticide residues in Bordeaux wines, showing that they have been reduced threefold over four years. The consumer protection magazine UFC Que Choisir published a survey of pesticides and Bordeaux wines at the end of December (No. 565, January 2018). The consumer association looked at the pesticide residue content…
Top 20 of Bordeaux wines
Our regional ranking of grands crus sold at auction in the first half of 2017 would obviously not be complete without a focus on Bordeaux wines, a region that still accounts for more than 50% of sales on iDealwine, making it, therefore, the first region in terms of volume traded at auction. As a reminder, in order to establish this first half-year ranking, we decided to keep only the most expensive wine of each property, auctioned on iDealwine. Moreover, if the wine was sold in a magnum, its price is converted to its…
May de Lencquesaing receives Lifetime Achievement Award from IWC
Honouring a career spanning over 40 years, May de Lencquesaing, ‘Grande Dame’ of Glenelly Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, shareholder of iDealwine and former owner of Pichon Longueville de Lalande, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s International Wine Challenge (IWC). The IWC Lifetime Achievement Award honours a person within the trade who has shown dedication and commitment, and has made a significant difference to the global wine industry. Now in its 34th year, the IWC is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest and most meticulously judged wine competitions. The…
Nightlife at Vinexpo
Vinexpo is an ideal place for professional meetings, although in the evening, Bordeaux and the neighbouring vineyards switch to a much more relaxed and festive mode, with receptions organised from the Haut-Medoc to Saint-Emilion. Here are a few of the highlights that iDealwine team could enjoy. Le Chapon Fin as appetiser In Bordeaux, Marie-Stéphane Malbec (from the PR company Lettres de Château) organised a dinner around several domains in the historical setting of iconic restaurant Le Chapon Fin, owned by Sylvie Cazes, also director of the Cité du Vin. Besides, the aromatic rosé…
Vinexpo 2017: Bordeaux, irreplaceable setting for the wine sector
Vinexpo, the long established Bordeaux wine-and-spirit trade fair ended on 21st June on a successful note. iDealwine team represented by Cyrille Jomand, Angélique de Lencquesaing and Raphaël de Fonscolombe, covered the event with a packed schedule full of meetings and interesting exchanges. For the 19th edition, Bordeaux reaffirmed its position as the world capital for fine wines, gathering the main actors of the wine scene for four intense and exciting days. During this event, which takes place every other year in Bordeaux, the city, in all its finery, welcomes visitors from all over…
Stunning new cellars at Beychevelle and Kirwan
One by one, Bordeaux grands crus are updating their technical facilities... and their first step has been to make a call to the big names in the world of architecture. The latest to join this trend are Châteaux Beychevelle and Kirwan. Some of the finest Bordeaux Grands Crus have been undergoing something of a metamorphosis over the last decade. Their doors, previously firmly shut to visitors, are now being prised open in response to the wave of wine tourism sweeping across the vineyards. And the cellar makeover is a key pillar of…
Bordeaux, a renewed interest | Auction report
The auction that ended on 29 March on iDealwine demonstrated the recent success of several grands crus from Bordeaux. A sign of a renewed interest for the region just as the 2016 En Primeur campaign starts. Bordeaux, in its diversity, finds the favors of amateurs at auction again. The sale that ended on 29 March on iDealwine has proved it once again. Good results have been found in mature vintages, such as Smith Haut Lafitte 2000 (€114, +34%) or Pontet Canet 2003 (€105, +17%). On the right bank, Angélus stands out in the…
Bordeaux: Cos d’Estournel buys back Château Pomys in Saint-Estèphe
Château Cos d'Estournel’s owner has just acquired the neighbouring Château Pomys, once owned by Louis Gaspard d'Estournel. The acquisition is part of a vision to recreate the original complex. Businessman Michel Reybier, owner of Château Cos d'Estournel, a number of hotels and spas, and other vineyards in Champagne and Hungary (Tokaji), has just bought a new property- Château Pomys in Saint-Estèphe. The chateau lies a few hundred metres from the Cos d'Estournel estate and its acquisition is part of "Cos d’Estournel’s heritage plans. The purchase of Château Pomys pays tribute to the…