News from Bordeaux

Harvest season is here. Two weeks ago, while I was in Champagne, vineyard workers were busy picking grapes, and winemakers had their hands full crushing the fruit. Now, Decanter.com reports, it’s Château Latour’s turn down in Bordeaux. One of the grandest of the First Growths, Latour began harvesting Merlot a couple of weeks ago, with an eye toward picking its Cabernet Sauvignon sometime around October 5th.

Below is a video that was posted on Decanter’s web site; that’s Penelope Godefroy speaking, Latour’s Quality and Research & Development Manager. Scenes like this are unfolding all over Bordeaux right now. Let’s just hope the weather holds.

On another Bordeaux note, Château Brane-Cantenac, which readers here know I’m very fond of, has a new label. Fans of the great Second Growth will notice that, starting with the 2007 vintage, the label is just a bit cleaner, with some of the information that had previously been on the front label now relegated to the back one. But it’s still the same general idea, with crisp black lettering set against the famous brushed-gold background. And the capsule, once red, is now black.

Below is a photo of the new label. For my tasting notes on other vintages of Château Brane-Cantenac, click here.

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Back in the States

Last night, after an hourlong hop from Edinburgh to London, followed by an almost eight-hour flight from Heathrow to Philadelphia, I arrived home after a two-and-a-half-week trip to France and Scotland. And this morning, sitting at the kitchen table with my newspaper, cereal, and coffee, I couldn't help but think to myself, This time two weeks ago, I was wandering through the vineyard at Chateau Petrus. A recycling truck was idling outside my window. I was thirsty for a nice glass of red.

Such is the nature of travel, I suppose. Re-entering reality isn't supposed to be easy.

The good news is that now I have my own, thankfully reliable Internet to work with. Which means that I'll be able to post all of those other videos I couldn't while I was away. (Still, I was able to post a number of them from overseas these past two weeks. If you haven't seen them yet, check them out below and let me know if you've tasted any of those wines, too.)

So keep an eye out for my videos of vineyard visits and winery tours from Bordeaux. Also stay tuned for more video interviews with legendary producers.

In the meantime, click on the short video below. I shot it a week-and-a-half ago in Pauillac as I stumbled upon one of the great chateaux of the appellation completely by surprise.

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