Wine ChroniclesLovely La Louvière and Couhins Lurton: tastings in red and white
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com September 15, 2015 Special note: Unless otherwise indicated, all photos published here were taken by the talented Hélène Brun-Puginier, with her authorization. However they cannot be copied from this site and re-used without her authorization. When I first came to France, back in 1996, I recall enjoying a bottle of Château La […]
Bordeaux 2015: Could rains complicate potentially excellent vintage?
14 September 2015 By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com The weather chart looks worrying. Rain, rain … and more rain expected this week. It already rained Friday to Sunday, 11-13 September. This brings back memories of reporting on Bordeaux’s 2006 harvest on location in Pauillac for decanter.com. I was talking with Jean-Rene Matignon, director of the famous second […]
Haute Couture at Haut Bailly
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 30 June 2015 This is one of a series of articles on some superb lunches and dinners I was lucky enough to attend during the intense Vinexpo week in Bordeaux in June 2015. Keep checking my website for more Vinexpo highlights throughout July 2015! Dinner with Pingus, Le Pin, Bonneau […]
25 years of wine passion: Florence and Daniel Cathiard at Château Smith Haut Lafitte
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com Château Smith Haut Lafitte, the grand cru classé of Graves – and later Pessac Léognan, when the appellation was created in 1987 – has been run for 25 years as of 2015 by the innovative couple Florence and Daniel Cathiard. I have known the Cathiards since 2002, and long have […]
2014 Bordeaux: Hundreds of barrel samples coming
My new educational blog for Total Wine, too By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles On the eve of a week of intense barrel tastings of Bordeaux’s latest vintage, I look forward to what promises to be a classic style in a positive sense. If tasting Chateau Corbin (grand cru classé) and Chateau Canon (premier grand […]
Bordeaux 2005: high tannin, freshness and balance
Some high alcohol Merlots in Saint Emilion annoy me, but most all wines yield balance and poise, with freshness and opulence By Panos Kakaviatos for Wine-Chronicles.com 3 February 2015 Special note: for tasting notes below, I use a simple system: When bold, I particularly liked the wine. If red and bold, even more. If red, bold and underlined: wine nirvana. […]
Bring prices down in 2014 say Bordeaux buyers: open letter
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles 25 January 2015 Last month, I purchased a bottle of 1966 Chateau Montrose, a top second growth from Bordeaux’s Saint Estephe appellation, which apparently did well in that vintage. The price for the bottle, which I purchased at an auction with apparently very good provenance, was less than $190. I […]
An evening of Château Pichon Longueville Baron: 1989-2010
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 21 January 2015 This was my sixth consecutive annual Bordeaux gala dinner in Washington D.C. The wines of Pichon Baron have been particularly excellent in recent memory since the 2000 vintage. Jean-Rene Matignon – who flew to Washington for this tasting dinner – has been at the helm since 1987 as […]
The empire strikes back: Latour 59 and 62 and why I love Bordeaux
11 January 2015 By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com Most of 2014 I spent visiting wine regions outside of Bordeaux, from Southern Styria to Nemea, Greece. Like many #wine lovers, I got tired of the escalating prices of top Bordeaux wines. And as much as I love Burgundy, there too, some domains have been jacking their […]
French foires aux vins use Parker points as sales points
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles It is that time of year again in France when supermarkets and chains – and, increasingly – wine boutiques are holding sales for wines in the twice a year foires aux vins or wine fairs. Typically, the featured wines are Bordeaux, many from en primeur campaigns that went bust. Plenty […]
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