Michel Chapoutier: the “inventor of soils”
Maison Chapoutier has become a landmark estate in the Rhône Valley, and for good reason...
iDealwine’s Top 50 most expensive wines at auction in 2016
2016 ranking of the most expensive lots and bottles still shows the strong domination of Bordeaux and Burgundy, yet the record is held for the first time by a bottle from the Rhône. In 2016, iDealwine held 26 auctions and a charity sale, accounting for nearly 100,000 bottles (97,413 to be precise) changing hands during the year. The 2016 figures were very positive for the website, which consolidates its position as Europe's leading player in online wine auctions. Taking into account only business activity from auctions (i.e. excluding fixed-price sales), transaction volumes in 2016…
WineDex up nearly 8% for first half of 2015
Driven by the success of Burgundy wines, the iDealwine indices have recorded a growth rate of nearly 8% for the first half of 2015. During the last six months, buyers were particularly interested in top French wines, with the iDealwine iDealwine 100 indice appreciating by 7.92%. Several factors contributed to this good performance, but it can primarily be ascribed to the popularity of top Burgundy wines. These are traditionally more difficult to find than Bordeaux and available in minute quantities, with the top domaines of Côte de Nuits even more in demand due…
The six wines tasted during the iDealwine blind tasting competition
View from the top at London Wine Fair
What an exciting few days it has been! Last week, iDealwine exhibited at the London Wine Fair for the first time, as part of the newly launched premium wine section, The View. In-between seeing old friends, making new ones and tasting some amazing wines, we also put our visitors’ taste-buds to the test with our blind tasting competition. While the jury is still out as to the exact visitor numbers, the 35th edition of this world-leading trade event can no-doubt be hailed a success. Held again at Olympia London, the fair was set…
Grilled lobster with salted butter by Chef Olivier Roellinger
An inexpensive, yet delicious and powerful dish! Great with Champagne or white wine. Preparation time: 20 min Cooking time: 15 min Serves 8 people Ingredients: - 4 lobsters (800g each) - 150g salted butter - Juice of 2 lemons - 3 tablespoons of heavy cream - A few drops of Calvados - Ground black pepper Preparation: Pre-cook the lobsters It is best to boil the lobsters as soon as possible – this will prevent it from releasing its water and preserve the freshness of its flesh. Bring a large amount of water to…
Meursault’s Roulot impresses on auction
Roulot may be less renowned than other Coche-Dury or Auvenay producers, but has emerged as a sought-after success during the recent auction sales of white Burgundy. A key reason for this is that Jean-Marc Roulot’s Meursault wines are not only of exceptional quality, but also with a strong personality and style which is becoming more and more popular. Many Meursault producers have gained a reputation for creating big and opulent Chardonnay that is rich and concentrated, often marked by a “smoky or toasty” character, wrongly suggesting that this is the only style of…
A thirst for Rhône
While Bordeaux and Burgundy remain synonymous with fine wine investment, the Rhône Valley is growing in popularity, with renewed interest in top wines particularly from Côte Rôtie and Hermitage. In addition, the entire Côtes du Rhône AOC experienced a 27% value growth in the UK over the last decade. iDealwine’s iDealwine Rhône indice registered an increase of 6.95% for the first quarter of 2015 – more than either Burgundy (+5.49%) or Bordeaux (-1.23%). Angélique de Lencquesaing, co-founder of iDealwine, explains that the Rhône Valley has become one of the most praised regions over…
Rhône wines attract buyers from around the world
The price evolution of top Rhône Valley wines should be closely monitored. While these wines represent less than 10% of iDealwine’s Online Auction sales, they recently experienced a surge in popularity, some registering record sales. The latest iDealwine auction focused on Rhône Valley wines, with the northern part of the region taking the lead. The wines of Côte-Rôtie dominated the auction, instead of the usual Guigal, with its famous trilogy LA-LA-LA (Landonne, Turque, Mouline). These flagship wines are on the rise again and Jamet in particular captured the buyers’ attention, with a classic…