Consumer tasting weekend in Bordeaux

After the success of last year's event, the Union de Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGC) are  offering amateurs the chance to taste a selection of over one hundred wines from the 2005 vintage. (In French the word amateur includes the sense of passion that is lacking in the English usage.) Now in its third year, it has matured enough to warrant an abbreviation: WGA, short for Week-end des Grands Amateurs.

The event takes place over the weekend of 17-18 May in Bordeaux and, according to the UGS's website, which is helpfully in both English and French, offers tastings, dinners and vineyard visits, plus a golf tournament. At the main tasting on the Saturday, producers will be showing their 2005 vintage and one other (between 1997 and 2004).

For more information and to register, go to www.ugcb.net. You can register for the whole weekend or just one event.