France Adds A New Appellation – Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun

The village of Laudun in the Côtes du Rhône is set to become its own AOP likely by its 2023 vintage, following decades of lobbying.

News emerged last week after officials from France’s national appellations body, the INAO, presented their findings on the move back in December and following a vote by local winemakers.

The next step will be a public inquiry by the INAO in the three communes that make up the Laudun production area in order to establish the official area of production (which will cover over 1000 hectares (2500 acres). The appellation is expected to be formally inaugurated in June this year although the title will likely not be seen on labels until 2023.

“It will be the conclusion of a great undertaking,” Luc Pélaquié, head of the Laudun winegrowers’ union, told regional newspaper Midi Libre. “I salute the hard work and spirit of the winegrowers who have labored for the future of local viticulture.”

The Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun title encompasses the communes of Laudun, Saint-Victor-la-Coste et Tresques in the Gard department on the right bank (west) of the Rhône, north of Lirac and Tavel, and over the river from (and to northwest of) Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Vineyards in Laudun currently cover around 560 hectares (1400 acres).

The region is known for being one of the largest producers of white wines of the Villages. Laudun whites, predominantly from Grenache Blanc and Clairette (although Viognier, Bourboulenc, Marsanne and Roussanne may also figure) make up around a quarter of all production in the area.

Reds are predominantly blended from Grenache and Syrah, with the former being just proportionally larger in terms of overall vineyard plantings. Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault can also figure in minor proportions.

In total, the region produces just under two million liters of wine a year through 18 wine estates, six cooperative wineries and 18 négoce operations. Over half of all Laudun production is sold in retail outlets in France while a quarter of production is exported to UK, China/Hong Kong, US, Belgium and Sweden.

#winelover #instawine #wine #frenchwine #madeinfrance #cotesdurhone #villageslundun #laudunwineregion #vin #winenews #vinslaudun @vinslaudun #winetime #redwine #whitewine

The Château d’Yquem 2019 Vintage

Château d’Yquem has unveiled the 2019 vintage of its iconic Sauternes wine. The announcement of the new vintage follows the postponement of its release last fall, which the brand followed with a new Lighthouse initiative.

When aged, Château d’Yquem’s famed wines are best drunk after 10 years, with seemingly no upper limit on the liquid’s ability to develop intensity and complexity. However, the estate is now also putting added emphasis on drinking the wine young, with its Lighthouse initiative encouraging consumers to try the wines when they’re newly released to market.

Lighthouse Program
The Lighthouse program focuses on larger formats, such as jeroboams, to enable consumers to taste the new 2019 vintage by the glass, with key partnerships globally including Annabel’s, Portland Restaurant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (London), and various boutique wine bars in Paris.

Tasting Notes
The Château d’Yquem 2019 vintage is a fragrant and vibrant release with a surprisingly high (45%) proportion of Sauvignon Blanc. “Sauvignon Blanc brings more acidity and freshness, so is helpful for balancing the opulence of the Sémillon,” says Yquem cellar master Sandrine Garbay.

2019 Growing Season
This was a challenging year, warm conditions alongside plenty of rain led to serious mildew pressure. There was good weather from flowering through most of the summer, before heavy rain in late September created the perfect conditions for a “massive infection” of noble rot. The harvest window was brief, with 120 pickers working intensively between October 7 and 14.

The 2019 vintage will be released March 22nd, 2022.

#wine #tasting #winetasting #somm #sommlife #tasting #sweetwine #sauternes #Yquem #chateaudYquem #chateauYquem #lightsofYquem #bucketlist #onceinalifetime #wine #finewine #winelover #instawine #vintagewine #frenchwine #madeinfrance

@Yquem_Official

Queen Elizabeth ll launches her own sparkling wine to celebrate her “Platinum Jubilee”

A few weeks ago, Queen Elizabeth II achieved a new milestone as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, officially reaching the 70th anniversary of her ascension to the throne on February 6, 1952. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee won’t officially be celebrated until June of this year, as the England plans a four-day fête to mark the occasion. Anyone one who wish to toast the Queen will have the chance to do so with Her Majesty’s very own sparkling wine.

Available now, Buckingham Palace English Sparkling Wine comes from (and will benefit) the Royal Collection Trust, a charitable department of the Royal Household that is “responsible for the care of the Royal Collection and manages the public opening of the official residences of The Queen.” According to the RCT, the label features a design based on the embroidery of Queen Elizabeth’s Robe of Estate worn during her coronation, and the “EIIR cypher is surrounded by golden olive leaves and ears of wheat to symbolize peace and plenty.”

The tipple is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier and is priced at £39. The grapes come from vineyards in Kent and West Sussex and is produced using the traditional method to create a golden sparkling wine with rich, honeyed aromas.

It can be purchased online from the Royal Collection Shop, though the website notes that it can only be shipped within the United Kingdom.

Website:  https://www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk/

#sparklingwine #sparklingwinelovers #englishsparklingwine #wine #winelovers #PlatinumJubilee #royals #britishmonarchy #britishroyals #theroyalfamily #queenelizabethii #elizabethii #celebration #winenews

Burgundy’s Rising Prices Drive Liv-ex 1000 Index In January

 

  • The Liv-ex 1000 continued its bull run into the new year, rising 3.5%.
  • The Burgundy 150 was its best-performing sub-index, up 6.4%.
  • Champagne 50 and Rest of the World 60 followed, both rising 5.6%.

The broadest measure of the market, the Liv-ex Fine Wine 1000 index, rose 3.5% in January to close the month at 439.3.

The index is up 22.3% over one year versus 25.2% for the industry benchmark, the Liv-ex 100. All of the Liv-ex 1000 sub-indices increased last month.

Burgundy outperforms the broader market

The Burgundy 150 index was the best performer, up 6.4%. Prices for the region’s wines continue to soar, driven by looming shortages. Meanwhile, the 2020 En Primeur campaign stimulated demand for back vintages and the region took 24.6% of the market by value last month.

Both the Champagne 50 and the Rest of the World 60 sub-indices rose 5.6%.

Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 – the most traded wine by value in January – was also the top price performer in the Champagne 50, up 19.2%.

The biggest mover within the Rest of the World 60 was Dominus 2015, up 17.7%.

The Bordeaux 500 index has continued to lag behind the other sub-indices, rising just 1.0% in January. The performance of its sub-regions has been mixed, with some of the best-performers coming from Pomerol and rising between 14% to 18%.

Source Liv-Ex

#finewine #wineinvestment #wineinvestors #champagne #winenews #bordeaux #burgundy #frenchwine #livex #alternativeinvestment #investment #alternativeinvestments

@livexwine

Six Tips for Ordering Wine in Restaurants

Here’s a convenient list on why wines get marked up, and how to get the best deals and service when ordering. The list is compiled by EBT who interviewed some trade experts.

  1. The highest-priced bottles have the lowest markups

If you are determined not to pay more than £25 for a bottle of wine, you might be missing a great deal, said Mark McDonald, chef and co-owner of Old Vibe Kitchen & Bar in Costa Mesa. “Sometimes it can take a year or more to sell 12 bottles of £150 wine,” he explained. “Typically, if I did a standard markup on that it wouldn’t be approachable, and it would be harder to sell. We want people to experience some of these wines that are a little more special, and that are a higher price point. So, we take less of a margin on those.”

  1. Wine by the glass has the highest markups

The “I’m going to save money by having just one glass” plan doesn’t always work out as cost-effective. After all, many restaurants charge the same or nearly the same price for a glass as they would for the bottle. That’s because if they serve one glass and the rest of the bottle doesn’t sell in a week, it will not be at its best, unless they’re using a Coravin or similar, and therefore they’ll have to throw it out anyway.

The per-glass price of a bottle that’s £10 wholesale would be £12. Even if it’s only marked up double £20 when it’s sold by the bottle, you buy two glasses of wine, and you’re spending £24. Might as well buy the bottle and get four glasses for £20.

Lawry’s Restaurants solved that problem by narrowing down its by-the-glass selection. “We did some analysis on it. If you have the right amount of wine by the glass for the restaurant, it really doesn’t cost any more,” said Laura Ratner, director of service and training at Lawry’s Restaurants Inc. “It’s like, if I’m going to have a glass and a half, two glasses, as is my dining companion, then definitely get the bottle and yes, you’re more assured of a higher quality product, you know exactly how long it’s been open. It just makes more financial sense.”

  1. The wine service you get at a restaurant can’t be replicated at home and that’s why you’re paying extra
  • It is a fact that most restaurant wines come directly from wineries or a trusted distributor or agent. Bottles don’t sit around at room temperature on supermarket shelves, or worse, out in the sun on a loading dock. They have been stored at the restaurant cellar, often in temperature-controlled areas, which is part of the restaurant’s footprint;
  • The selection is always going to be better than the average person could own or store themselves, sometimes with hundreds of bottles or more. Restaurants have well-trained staff, sommeliers and general managers on hand to answer any questions about the wine and to hear from you about what kinds of wines you like. Most good restaurants will have made sure their team attend wine tastings at work led by experts from distribution companies or wineries; and
  • The glassware must be sturdy. When fine dining rooms use fancy, fragile glasses, they could be losing a dozen a week. In most restaurants, when the wine list gets revamped, the glassware also receives an upgrade.
  1. Don’t think you’re paying a sommelier’s salary

Starting in the late ’80s, the number of people getting sommelier-certified saw an uplift. Fine dining restaurants at the highest levels still might have somms, but most restaurants, even upscale chains, can’t afford to pay a somm full-time so that expense is not getting passed on to wine buyers. Most often restaurants require waiters and general managers to study wines served and/or get some sommelier training.

“We can’t afford to pay somebody hourly to come in just to open wine between six and nine o’clock, it doesn’t make sense,” said Lewis. “I’m like an acting GM. I do the wine service. I’ll open wine all day long.”

  1. The most popular wines are sold at the lowest prices

Restaurants won’t excessively mark up a well-known wine. “Don’t forget, people now have their iPhones when they’re going to a restaurant,” said Tony Maalouf, restaurant manager at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside. “They have an idea what they’re buying and they know what the market price is for that wine,” he said.

  1. Corkage fees: Remember the rules of engagement

Bringing your own wine has become more common in some venues aiming to keep overheads down, especially during and post-pandemic. But we often need to remember in these instances that wine is the only thing on the menu for which you can name your price. Remember, if you bring your own wine then it’s only courteous to show up with something that’s not already on the wine list, especially a bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion. It’s also considered a nice gesture to offer the server a taste.

#wine #winelovers #winetasting #wine #instawine #winetips #winelist #winetime #sommelier #somm #restaurant #vino #vin #redwine #whitewine #rosewine #foodandwine #winegeek #winebar #winecellar

 

 

Sources:
Drinks Business
EBT