Two good queries in response to my last post, so I thought I would write a bit more on Saint Emilion.

Firstly, sorry if you can't go through to the Wine Spec article, should have thought about it being subscription only. I did pick out the first paragraph, which I thought gave a neat explanation of what happened, but let me elaborate...

Basically, the 2006 version of the classification (which is redone every 10 years and has been since the 1950s) was called into question by four properties who had been demoted. The case has since been in and out of court, first with the classification being suspended, and then with it being reinstituted while the investigations continued. Last week's decision to formally annul the ranking, though, is supposedly final (although Saint Emilion has two months in order to appeal).

It is very confusing for everyone, but as it stands today, all mentions of Grand Cru Classe (NOT Grand Cru) must be taken off the labels. As most properties are now bottling their 2006s, they must decide whether to comply or not immediately, or risk a fine and wait until next year to remove the mention.

What happens now is anyone's guess... but I definitely wouldn't want to be one of the four chateau owners going out for their morning paper in St Emilion village.

The fallout from the annulment of the Saint Emilion classification is going to be pretty severe. At the moment, the chateaux are having to change the labels on all of their 2006 wines, to take off cru classe mentions. A few are saying that are keeping it on and will face the fines.

Bordeaux negociants are already reporting dismay from English wine merchants, and added to the 2007 prices, it is doing more to put people off buying Bordeaux. But there is a bright side - the 2006 are going to become very attractive if they are the last cru classe labels for the forseeable future.

Here is a roundup of various news sources talking about what has happened:

from Wine Spectator: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/0,1197,4473,00.html

Château owners in St.-Emilion need to order new wine labels, just as they are preparing to bottle their 2006 wines. The administrative court of Bordeaux struck down the Right Bank appellation's classification system on July 1, which means any wines from 2006 or later cannot be labelled as Grand Cru Classé or Premier Grand Cru Classé. Château Ausone's ranking is no different from any other estate

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/2236807/Bordeaux-wines-'demoted'-by-French-court.html"

And a few choice reactions, reported in the Telegraph: It's an aberration to condemn the classification over so little," said Nicolas Thienpont, owner of Chateau Pavie-Macquin, recently awarded the second highest rank of St Emilion premier grand cru classé.

"All those who have worked so hard to move up the rankings are being told today: 'sorry, because of four imbeciles who don't agree with it, we will cancel everything'," he said.

In various news sources today, a white wine that is as healthy as red wine has been developed by scientists in Israel.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2177429/White-wine-with-health-benefits-developed.html

'The Israeli wine contains enhanced levels of plant chemicals which are believed to fight heart disease.

Researchers from Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology, found that they were able to fortify white wine with health-giving polyphenol compounds.

Red wine is naturally fortified with the compounds, which are concentrated in grape skins. The fermentation process releases the polyphenols, giving red wine its colour and its antioxidant properties.

White wine is not made with grape skins and therefore lacks polyphenols.

But scientists at Technion discovered that they could boost white wine polyphenols six-fold, by incubating squeezed grapes in the presence of alcohol for 18 hours, before removing their skins.

The technique produces wine that looks and tastes the same as regular white wine but has the same antioxidant activity as red wine.

Israeli wine manufacturer Binyamina has begun using the recipe to manufacture the new healthier white wine, which is expected to go on sale in the US by the end of the year.

Professor Michael Aviram, a researcher at Technion's Faculty of Medicine, said: "There has been an incredible response from those that have heard about the research, with many thinking of taking up drinking white wine more seriously."

Sorry for the seven day absence, I have been taking a break from the en primeur campaign to have a beautiful baby girl!! Emily Rose, celebrated with a Bollinger Grand Annee 1999, first drink I have been able to not just 'taste and spit' for nine months... we are home, she is being very good with sleeping and eating so far, and just maybe the sunshine will come out properly in Bordeaux soon...

While I've been falling in love, the last few wines have come out, and this strangest of campaigns moves into its next phase. Unlike most years, almost all UK and US merchants have been waiting until the end to really even think about ordering their wines. Waiting to see the best value for money overall, and which wines are really in demand (make that about 10 in total, topped by Climens, Leoville Les Cases and Bellevue Mondotte. I also hear the two Ducrus (Branaire and Beaucaillou) are very sought after.

Many merchants haven't even sent out offers as the wines have released their prices, and have been waiting to send out one overall mailing, such has been the low level of interest. Most negociants here in Bordeaux are hoping that they can start shifting allocations over the next few weeks... we shall see.

Haut Brion and Latour both came out today, both at 240 euros also on the Place, the same price as Chateau Margaux.

The first growths are really showing they are clever business brains - and showing up the rest of Bordeaux, who admittedy don't have quite the same margins to play with... still, I am preparing the name and shame board of the campaign, with those who blew any chance that 2007 stood of being successful by stubbornly sticking to last year's prices... suggestions welcome!

Oh - special advance mention should go to Cantenac Brown, who for the second year running raised the price from 2005. Apparently this wine hasn't even been offered by merchants, as no one thinks for a second that it will be taken up by customers...

From www.vinimarket.com this morning.

A plea for more wine on the Internet

Talking about wine in France is not just a dangerous cause, it has also become a losing battle over the last few weeks. First a French newspaper was fined for inducing the preposterous idea that champagne might be an enjoyable drink, then the Heineken website was forced to close a couple of its windows, and then Microsoft announced to its clients that the keywords and an advertisement related to wine would be removed from their website.

The fine line between promoting and advertising, information and publicity seems to be made of a certain shade of red that French judges can't see, due to some selective colour-blindness. There was hope, in France, that the government would tackle the issue promptly after the last election. Wine professionals are still waiting. There is nothing written in the French Law as to how they should handle information, promotion and advertisng on wine on the Internet. Judges have interpreted the silence of the Law as an invitation to apply the status of all other media to the Internet in that matter. But, for many reasons, we believe that Internet is not like any other media, hence deserves to be treated differently. Wine professionals are still struggling. We'll keep you informed

You think Giscours is having problems with a 15 year old adulterated wine case? http://www.decanter.com/news/257867.html

Producers in Italy are facing a complete ban in the US of their Brunello di Montalcino wines unless Italian authorities comply with US authorities

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-italy-wine_spolar_nujun09,0,6646114.story

As the Chicago Tribune says@
Brunello wine is an elixir of Tuscany, and Americans are its most enthusiastic foreign consumers. The U.S. market drinks 25 percent of the roughly 7 million bottles produced annually.

The American trade bureau has agreed to send investigators to Montalcino to meet Tuesday with Italian officials who are privy to details. U.S. trade authorities also are suggesting extensive laboratory analysis of the suspect wine.

"We've asked the Italians to give us a list of vintages and producers affected," Resnick said. "So far they haven't."

They're all at it now.

Chateau Margaux came out yesterday, at 240 euros (price on the Place of the first tranche), down around 27% from last year. The other firsts should follow pretty swiftly I would think.

Already this morning Pape Clement red (down) and white (up) out, Carbonnieux out, Leoville... it's going to be a busy day for merchants.

The German city of Mainz has become the latest 'wine capital' to join the wine tourism network, Great Wine Capitals.

www.greatwinecapitals.com

The others are Bordeaux, Cape Town, Florence, Mendoza, Melbourne, Oporto, Bilbao-Rioja and San Francisco-Napa.

I'm pleased to see they are expanding, as I really think this is a great idea, and as I follow wine tourism closely, particularly in Bordeaux of course, it's great to see official bodies helping to make it economically viable. I have also been lucky enough to visit all of these wine capitals (excepting Mainz!) and know they really are worthy of recognition.

From the press release:
Meinz is the capital of the German state Rheinland-Pflaz, the most famous wine region in Germany. It is home to the German Wine Institute, the German Wine Fund, and the Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter Wine Bourse, which brings together the top winemakers of Germany with the wine merchants of the world.

Six out of all thirteen wine regions for quality wine in Germany (Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Mosel, Nahe, Mittelrhein and Ahr) are located in this area. The state is also the only one in Germany to have appointed a wine minister. Today, some vineyards are planted in the city itself, and the old districts of the town house many crowded WeinStube (wine restaurants) where they serve regional food with local Riesling, Muller Thurgau and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir).

Mainz will now be eligible for this year’s Best of Wine Tourism awards that in 2007 saw over 320 properties from five continents competing for the titles. This year’s international ceremony will be held in Cape Town in November 2008.

Feeling all positive about Bordeaux again this morning (must be the sunshine aswell).

Two more big name estates come out with price drops - La Conseillante down 20% from last year and Brane Cantenac down 16%

From the lovely Corinne at Brane: 'Henri truly made a very special effort for the customers and mostly for the export customers. Here is a copy of what Barrière (Freres negociants) sent out to all their customers as I think it reflects the importance of this decision, the respect of the market and the necessity to listen to its warning signals....'

From Barrière Freres Web site!
Here’s a real smart release !! Finally an estate which has heard the sounds of the market :

Ch Brane Cantenac 2007 22.50 €/b (price -14% vs. 2006 & lowest price for older vintages is in the 27 to 28 €/b range)

Volumes are generally much lower vs. 2006. Nonetheless, congratulations Henri Lurton for having looked at YOUR market and I am sure that this release will continue to re-enforce the market’s appreciation of your brand in the short and medium-term !!'

Besides these two properties, I did a price roundup for Decanter yesterday, here is the link:
http://www.decanter.com/news/257750.html