All, I’ve begun sharing this link with the national Educateurs group, so welcome in advance to the new visitors. Educateurs, feel free to share the link or lift anything at all. As always, I try to consolidate info that will be of use to our members and you may want to add news for your own group. Either way, welcome!
A few notes on Bordeaux of interest:
Jean-Michel Cazes’ Memoir – Still seeing reports of the passing of this Bordeaux icon. His just-published memoir From Bordeaux to the Stars is recently out and worth a read. Published by Academie du Vin and translated by Jane Anson, read it with a glass of Lynch-Bages in his memory.
And another passing – Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau de Fargues Alexandre de Lur Saluces. Saluces was well known for his work at d’Yquem both prior to the sale to LVMH in 1996 and after. He retired in 2004 and took over his families’ estate, building Ch. de Fargues into a successful house. He was a tireless champion of Bordeux, so raise a glass. More from Winesearcher.
Bordeaux Harvest 2023 — Harvest will be starting by the end of August. Looking for what to expect? This lengthy article from March is a good overview of agricultural techniques in Bordeaux like canopy management and vine genetics and the impact on harvest dates and times. Good info as harvest nears from William Kelley at Wine Advocate.
Still Building Your Bordeaux Reading Library? If you’re looking for a books on Bordeaux, there are a few you should consider foundational to your library. These are my personal favorites. Feel free to share the Bordeaux books you feel have been most useful in your Bordeaux learning! I’ve included Neal Martin’s latest which I have on order — The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide: One Hundred and Fifty Years from 1870-2020. Club Oenologique calls it “strange and compelling” which might make sense as it was a lockdown project for Martin, and a good one for us, too! I would recommend the following books as foundational reading:
- Inside Bordeaux, Jane Anson
- World Atlas of Wine, 8th Ed., Jancis Robinson
- Flawless: Understanding Faults in Wine, Jamie Goode
- The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide, Neal Martin
En Primeur – the wrap up? There is still a lot of discussion about this year’s offerings and significant price increases among some chateaux. Drinks Business had an interesting article that mirrors what many buyers are saying: Maybe 2022 was a year to buy light to see if prices will stabilize next year. You decide, but still very interesting.
Consolidation — Like many businesses, the wine industry is about consolidation and Bordeaux companies are masters of the art. The Paulliac giant Chateau Lafite Rothschild is part of one of a large family with at least 7 properties – including Napa’s Opus One. They have another feather in their cap with the recent purchase of the classic Domaine William Fevre in Chablis. More from Wine Spectator.
Profile: Chateau Figeac — If you’re a fan of this chateau, you’ll know they made big news last September when they were elevated to a new classification/status — 1er Grand Cru Classe “A”. Always a quality producer, this profile goes in depth into their history, philosophy, and wines. Worth a read from Decanter.
Looking to purchase? Leoville Poyferré: Many of our members are on the lookout for older wines to fill gaps in their cellars or build a collection of older wines. The Chicago Wine Company has this note on this outstanding “super second” (which I know is a favorite) with some 2000s on offer (For more information, contact CWC directly and/or subscribe to their mailing list since these offers sometimes sell quickly (and they will list specific bottles available.)
“We’re always quick to sing the praises of all three Léoville properties as the trio of Las Cases, Poyferré, and Barton are quintessential expressions of Bordeaux and comfortably rank among the great wines of the world. Yet despite its Second Growth ranking in the 1855 Classification, the wines from Léoville Poyferré spent a portion of the 20th century just a step behind the other two Léovilles with an underperforming stretch that failed to maximize its incredible terroir in Saint-Julien. Although the property had been owned by the Cuvelier family since 1920, it wasn’t until 1979 when Didier Cuvelier took charge of the estate and began to dramatically improve the quality of the Léoville Poyferré grand vin and set it on course to become a benchmark wine for the Left Bank. Improvements in the vineyard and cellar management quickly manifested themselves to the extent that Léoville Poyferré delivered two of Bordeaux’s legendary wines of the decade with the 1982 and 1990 that are still very much in their prime today.
The momentum continued for Léoville Poyferré as the new millennium drew closer, and after a major replanting program was undertaken that saw the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon substantially increase in both the vineyard and the final blend, the estate was once again deservedly referred to as a “Super Second” — a title that has been cemented even further in recent years. Today we are pleased to offer bottles and cases of the 2000 Léoville Poyferré from stock that has been lying in a professional wine storage facility in Europe where it has been since its original release. For years, Léoville-Poyferré has been known as a wine that benefits immensely from aging and today’s offer brings an opportunity to secure a top vintage that is only now beginning to approach full maturity. Please respond to this email or follow the link below to place your order online. The 2000 Château Léoville Poyferré will be arriving at TCWC in late 2023.”
A subsequent email notes they have a significant number of library wines from a private cellar including the 1982.
“Earlier this month, we had the good fortune of acquiring a very special collection of wines from a longtime client on the East Coast who had the foresight to purchase a number of top flight Bordeaux cases upon release in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. For decades, these wines had been lying undisturbed in professional storage before making their way to Chicago just a few weeks ago. Upon inspection and opening the original wood cases, we were amazed by the impeccable condition of legendary wines like the 1989 Haut Brion, 1990 Pichon Baron, and 1996 Lafite Rothschild. The photos in the collage above were taken by our team this week and affirm what a special collection of mature Bordeaux is now in house at TCWC. This afternoon we are pleased to offer full 12-bottle wood cases of some of the greatest wines produced in Bordeaux over the last forty years, including the towering 1989 Haut Brion that continues to dazzle professional critics and add to its 100-point lore with each new review that’s added. Please respond promptly with any interest and we will do our best to process all requests in the order they are received. Just a single case is available for each line below, and this entire collection is currently in Chicago and available for local pickup, storage, or shipment across the US when weather permits.”
Correspondences — from Chateau Phelan-Segur: Their newsletter is delightful as always, but the latest has results of their work with the Best Sommelier in the World competition.
Planning a trip to Bordeaux? Lost in Bordeaux is a great resource for local activities, festivals, and concerts – bookmark it and keep an eye on activities you can find in the city of Bordeaux! (That’s in between your busy wine appointment schedule, of course.)
Connecting. Creating. 
Thanks for sharing so many leads with links. Will read them one by one.
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