▻ Omnibus XXX
Episode Summary:-
Going, Going, Not Gone? In our latest Omnibus, John Stimpfig looks at how successful the Bordeaux 2023 campaign has been and discusses the winners and losers with Sarah Kemp. 2023 is a vintage which has been liked by The Wine Conversation team, and many châteaux have dropped their prices by as much as 30 percent in the face of the global economic conditions, but has it been enough? John points out that it is not only the percentage price drop that counts, but how the 2023 vintage is priced in comparison to other vintages on the market. There are mixed reports from merchants, with Waddesdon Goedhuis, and Bordeaux Index positive, but Farr Vintners reporting that the campaign is disappointingly sluggish, though they still expect it to be a better campaign than last year.
People in the news this month include the is a new CEO at Groupo Marchesi Frescobaldi, Fabrizio Dosi, who previously served as their Chief Operating Officer, and now replaces Giovanni Geddes, who retired after a long, successful career. Another notable retirement is Australian wine writer James Halliday, who has penned his last column for the Weekend Australian Magazine, after 40 year – big boots to fill. He is being replaced by Nick Ryan. Three great wine figures have also recently passed on, and John looks back on the lives of Patrick Grubb MW, Madeira expert and past Sotheby’s wine director, Fernando Remirez de Ganuza, founder of the eponymous Rioja estate, and Marco Felluga, who put Friuli firmly on the wine map.
The weather watch continues to provide depressing news. Brazil, South America’s third-largest wine area, has suffered floods with devastating loss of life, Chablis has been hit by Spring frosts followed by hail the size of tennis balls. Several of the Grand Crus have been affected and it is predicted that the crop loss will be 25 percent. Over in Catalonia, drought continues, leading to 600 workers being furloughed at Cava firm Freixenet. Regarding Portugal, John discusses the latest vintage releases, which from the 2022 vintage have been mainly single-quinta vintage ports. On another front (away from weather, of course), the cheeriest news of the month is the arrival of Andrew Caillard’s new three-volume book, “The Australian Ark,” which John and Sarah agree is one of the greatest wine books to have been published (listen to our podcast with Andrew to hear how it all came about).
Our US Editor, Elin McCoy, reports on the sale of Santa Barbara producer Sea Smoke to Constellation Brands. “I think it is really important for people to realise how many wineries are cashing in at this point,” she notes. Both Elin and Sarah are sad at the news that the last International Pinot Noir Conference will take place this July. They reflect on their good times at the conference, and Sarah says, “There are many wine events I would be happy not to attend again, but this is not one of them.” Tickets are still available, and both Elin and Sarah hope it can return after a break.
Whilst Elin was in Bordeaux for En Primeur sipping, spitting and partying, she was also hunting down some of the most interesting stories on what’s happening in Bordeaux today. First up, Carmes Haut-Brion, where she attended a lunch and tour of their vineyard of the future. They had decided to replant 12 hectares, and as they looked to the future and climate change, had planted Paulownia Elongata trees between the rows of vines. These trees are some of the fastest-growing in the world, and reach up to 30 feet in height. They were planted to provide shade as well as improve the bio-diversity of the vineyard. (Elin also notes that they are one of the hardest woods anywhere, and are used for surfboards.) Up in Margaux, at Château Giscours, visitors can experience an estate which embraces the true meaning with gardens, farm animals, and ponds. Visitors can order a picnic from the château and sit by a pond, or even stay overnight and have dinner. “The epitome of a winery as a destination,” she enthuses. At Château Cantemerle, where there is a large park with ancient woods, a research project is underway, transporting trees and shrubs from the park into the vine rows, so the terroir of the estate becomes the terroir of the vineyards. Elin has particularly fond memories of the estate, as it was the very first she visited in Bordeaux. The previous owner had a collection of weather reports and asked the young Elin if she wanted to see them. “I want to show you my weather reports,’ he said. I thought, ‘what a great line that is.’”
The investment in the future of Bordeaux impresses both Elin and Sarah. Elin ends her report with her impressions of the new cellars she visited, Châteaux Cantenac-Brown and Bélair-Monange, and Sarah reports on Branaire-Ducru. “They aren’t sitting on their laurels,” they both agree, as a new era begins.
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 15.08
“It’s not a matter of how much a wine has gone down in price.” – John Stimpfig
– How the Bordeaux 2023 vintage is selling – the winners and losers.
– New CEO at Frescobaldi, and James Halliday retires his column after 40 years.
– Lives remembered: Patrick Grubb MW, Fernando Remirez de Ganuza, and Marco Felluga. -
15.09 – 29.10
“I’ve never seen anything like the Australian Ark.” – John Stimpfig
– Weather watch – Flooding in Brazil, Spring frosts and hail in Chablis, drought in Catalonia.
– Declarations of Port prevail.
– Andrew Caillard MW’s Australian Ark – a publishing phenomenon. -
29.11 – 38.27
“I think it is really important to realise how many wineries are cashing in at this point.” – Elin McCoy
– Sale of Sea Smoke to Constellation Brands.
– The last International Pinot Noir Conference. -
38.28 – 59.39
“I want to show you my weather records,’ I thought what a great line that is.” – Elin McCoy
– New developments in Bordeaux: vineyard of the future at Château Larrivet Haut-Brion; epitome of a wine destination at Château Giscours; transporting terroir to the vineyards at Château Cantemerle.
– New cellars at Châteaux Cantenac-Brown, Bélair-Monange and Branaire-Ducru.
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Omnibus XXX for another month of news and views from around the wine world. Who were the winners and losers in the Bordeaux 2023 campaign? Which major US vineyard has been sold? Which wine regions have suffered from nature’s cruel fingers? Find out in our news packed round-up of the wine stories that matter.