Wine tasters swoon over Bordeaux’s ‘liquid beauty’

By Susan Mustascich

BORDEAUX, France — Bordeaux is spoiled for choice as it unveils the 2010 vintage, its third smash hit in six years, in a week of barrel tastings for wine professionals from around the world.
“It’s liquid beauty,” said Denis Dubourdieu, a consulting winemaker and director of the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ISVV) at the University of Bordeaux.
In a system unique to Bordeaux, each spring the region’s chateaux offer trade-only tastings that kick off the futures — or “en primeur” — campaign, in which the wines are offered for sale roughly two years before delivery.
This year 5,000 trade professionals from 65 countries are expected, with attendance down slightly from last year because of a scheduling clash with the upcoming trade show Vinexpo, said Sylvie Cazes, president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux and general manager of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
Top chateaux report that they expect upwards of 500 visitors a day, and Chateau Mouton Rothschild director Philippe Dhalluin said they had a 25 percent increase in requests for tastings.
The latest vintage is quickly winning praise for its freshness, lush fruit and intense tannins.
“The wine is magnificent,” said Stephane Derenoncourt, a consulting winemaker. “Unfortunately these geniuses of communication have already declared two vintages of the century. Now they don’t know what to say.”
To Bordeaux’s delight and chagrin, both 2005 and 2009 were declared “vintages of the century” by many experts, and now the 2010 looks to be another blockbuster.
“We are not going to be asked to be forgiven for having made two great wines in a row,” Dubourdieu said.
“The 2010 is like the 2005, only everything is bigger — more tannin, more finesse, more acidity,” said Patrice Hateau, director of Chateau Pape Clement. “But we have nothing to do with it. It’s the weather.”
Last year’s growing season was long, dry and warm — but not hot.
“We are in a climate cycle that is superb,” agreed Charles Chevallier, who oversees the Chateau Lafite Rothschild estate.
Another trend has weighed in favor of winning vintages: “We have better control of vine disease than we did 15 years ago,” Chevallier noted.
“We used to harvest for the health of the grapes. If there was some problem we picked the grapes before they were completely ripe. Now we use a precise product at the precise moment to keep our crops in perfect health.”
But the buzz is due to more than a fine vintage aging in the barrels, because Bordeaux is above all else a business that generates 3.3 billion euros (4.7 billion dollars) in turnover.
“There is a lot of excitement, because the market is there,” Cazes said. “The principal economies have strengthened, consumer confidence is back, conditions are favorable for the sale.”
And key trading partners who have been scarce in recent years due to the global economic crisis have returned, including American buyers, Dhalluin said.
“The Americans are definitely back,” Cazes confirmed.
But a question mark hangs over Bordeaux’s sixth largest client, Japan, in the wake of that country’s devastating earthquake and tsunami.
“Our Japanese importers are coming to taste and are interested in the vintage but we don’t know what their position will be during the en primeur campaign,” Dhalluin said.
“The Japanese market is in bad shape,” confirmed Philippe Casteja, managing director of Borie-Manoux and owner of several chateaux. “It will recover but it will take a long time. The market is closed, the restaurants are closed.”
On the other hand, China — which has been snapping up Bordeaux by the container load — is expected to enter the Bordeaux futures market in force this year for the first time.
“If you want to be in the Bordeaux business seriously, you need to buy en primeur,” said Casteja. “The Chinese will buy this year.”
“They understand now how it works,” Cazes agreed. “The 2009 vintage worked. The year before, the few who bought in 2008 saw their profits triple,” said Cazes.
Some did even better. Between the en primeur sale and the arrival of the bottles last winter, the price of 2008 Chateau Lafite shot up 590 percent thanks to demand from China.

SOURCE: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jEzzqUH3y9HnptKr2MESNUCkoStg?docId=CNG.1a0d3c9292326e1ddada23d652671adf.311

Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce. Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption. Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink. Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest. With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines. Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event. The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision. Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service. Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party. A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin. Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.yatsleisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com