Charles Taylor’s Montrachet Wines of South London is offering consumers the chance to taste Bordeaux primeurs this year, and their event is cheaper than the Bibendum one already announced here. (This events business is a definite trend, with wine magazines everywhere increasingly looking to tastings and events to generate the income that is missing from subscriptions and ads.)
The Montrachet primeurs tasting is, cheekily one might say, on exactly the same day as the Bibendum one, on Wed April 25 from 5 until 8pm in the City at the Innholders Hall, 30 College Street, London EC4. (Charles Taylor assures me that he has held this primeur tasting event every year since 1995 and that it is always on this particular day.)
Say Montrachet gamely, “The early signs are that 2006 looks like being a drinking vintage [I love that phrase – JR], one for the consumer where selection will be critical. Charles Taylor MW will be tasting in Bordeaux at the beginning of April and our offer featuring his recommended wines should be ready immediately prior to this tasting.” Charles Taylor says that they will be showing wines from around 50 properties, although presumably they will not have the array of producers promised by the North London wine merchant.
Tickets are £20 (£10 cheaper than chez Bibendum and refundable against any en primeur orders).
To reserve your place at the Montrachet 2006 Bordeaux Tasting on April 25 contact [email protected]
I heard one smart St James's wine merchant discussing these consumer priemur tastings recently. He was rather sniffy about them, arguing that infant red bordeaux is just too unappealing to be worthwhile for non professionals.
In response to this, Charles Taylor comments: "The majority of our customers are knowledgeable, experienced tasters of young and old Bordeaux and appreciate the opportunity to taste a cross-section of wines from all regions and price-levels. We tend to show about 50 wines as that is the maximum that most people can taste and have half a dozen producers present to discuss the vintage. It is not a profit-making event but a service to our customers. We are not trying to compete in the events market but continuing with our tried and tested formula of a relatively small-scale, intimate tasting offering friendly, knowlegeable advice to our loyal customer base."
I heard one smart St James's wine merchant discussing these consumer priemur tastings recently. He was rather sniffy about them, arguing that infant red bordeaux is just too unappealing to be worthwhile for non professionals.
In response to this, Charles Taylor comments: "The majority of our customers are knowledgeable, experienced tasters of young and old Bordeaux and appreciate the opportunity to taste a cross-section of wines from all regions and price-levels. We tend to show about 50 wines as that is the maximum that most people can taste and have half a dozen producers present to discuss the vintage. It is not a profit-making event but a service to our customers. We are not trying to compete in the events market but continuing with our tried and tested formula of a relatively small-scale, intimate tasting offering friendly, knowlegeable advice to our loyal customer base."
Aidan Bell of Averys adds: Your West Country readers might be interested in the Bordeaux 2006 En Primeur tasting that we are holding in Bristol on Thursday April 26. Tickets are available at £20 each from our sales team on 01275 811 100 or via email [email protected]. Some properties that have already confirmed include Beychevelle, Clos du Clocher, Chasse Spleen, Grand Puy Ducasse, Rauzan Ségla. Last year the tasting included 70 properties including Angélus and Léoville Barton which we hope to be able to confirm in due course. Venue is The Great Hall, Bristol Grammar School, 6.00pm to 8.30pm.
Now, any more..?
Yes. Ben Smith of Bibendum adds: Just wanted to point out that the Bibendum Bordeaux tasting which you kindly publicised to your readers is not only of the nascent 2006 vintage; each château attending is bringing two other recent vintages, which will be available both to taste and to buy. In other words, your £30 affords the chance to taste up to 150 wines. Not bad value I think in that context. Worth pointing out too that there will be representatives there from all 53 châteaux at the tasting – and this is one tasting situation where talking to someone who is involved in the production of a wine can actually be very valuable.
