On the 1st July 2008 it was announced in Bordeaux that the 2006 St Emilion Classification was invalid, and châteaux were required to remove the classifications of Premier Grand Cru Classé A or B, or Grand Cru Classé from wine labels dating from the 2006 vintage.

On the one hand this ruling is extremely disappointing and potentially confusing for consumers. The St Emilion appellation, unlike that of the Médoc, is at least dynamic in that every 10 years there are opportunities for promotion and relegation. Properties which demonstrate marked improvement are rewarded, while those who rest on their laurels risk demotion. This can be a useful safeguard against complacency and a genuine spur to improvement in quality.

On the other hand it is imperative that the assessment of the wines must be seen to be carried out in an objective and impartial manner if the classification is to be widely respected as a true reflection of the current status of properties in the St Emilion appellation. As this appears to be the stumbling block at the moment it should not be too difficult to amend the procedure so as to overcome the Court’s misgivings.

All of us at BBR who knew Bill were immensely saddened by news of  his untimely death.

 I first met him in the Walnut Tree Inn at Abergavenny, sitting alone in front of a huge plate of mussels , washed down with a bottle of Chablis (Bill didn’t do halves, in any aspect of his life).

He was one of those rare people who, when they entered a room, surged in on the back of a gale of bonhomie, laughter and sharp wit. His knowledge of wine was vast, and his opinions always trenchantly expressed, and he was at his best, seated at table amongst friends, enjoying fine food and wine, fearlessly holding forth on any subject which came to mind.

They certainly broke the mould when they made Bill and his presence will be sorely missed.

I like to start Christmas with a glass of Champagne and the refined elegance of Billecart Salmon  fits the bill perfectly.

Moving on to white wine to serve with oysters I would select a Chablis, and the biting, mouth-watering minerality of Billaud Simon ’s wines has no peer in my book.

With turkey I eschew the tannins of Claret in favour of the aromatic quality and silky texture of Pinot Noir. Denis Bachelet’s Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes does the trick, the older the better as his wines never reveal their true potential in youth.

I prefer a much lighter dessert than Christmas pudding, but if I were having it I would drink a great old Oloroso such as Lustau Old East India; this has amazing raisiny, figgy characteristics with wonderful length and enough concentration to stand up to the pudding.

With cheese I like to have port, particularly for the blue cheese such as Roquefort or Stilton, and I shall be opening Dow 1983 this year in the expectation that it is now reaching peak maturity.

Rounding all of this off, a glass of Berrys Cognac Reserve, a beautifully rounded, aromatic spirit of great smoothness would fit the bill. This acts as a digestif and hopefully wards off the need for Zantac to become the next course!

For more of my favourites, take a look at my Christmas Wine Video Podcask where I describe my favourite Christmas Day wines in our Pickering Cellars at 3 St James’s St in London.

 Have a very merry Christmas!

Speaking to The Times , distinguished UK Wine Writer, Hugh Johnson, recently remarked that innovations created by wine growers to protect their crops from the elements have reduced vintage variations, making any year a good year for wine aficionados. Johnson also noted that vintage-specific demand & wine snobbery were intrinsically linked, sparking a debate within the wine world – are vintages still valid?

In some parts of the world, especially the Southern Hemisphere, it is clearly the case that vintage variation is less pronounced than in the more marginal climates of Northern Europe. Moreover, in the top appellations of Bordeaux and Burgundy, years of success have spawned a scale of investment in technology which has effectively eliminated the incidence of the truly terrible vintages of the past. The days when every decade brought three very good vintages, three shockers and four of average quality seem well past.

Nevertheless I believe that there remain enough variations between vintages, particularly amongst European wines, to ensure that comparison remains a valid and enlightening study. 2003 by Bollinger, encased in packaging which displays the vines under snow (left), is a great example of how vintage variations can produce very different styles from year to year.

I agree with Hugh Johnson that at the very pinnacle of quality, the First Growths of Bordeaux for example, the wines from what are considered the greatest vintages acquire a reputation and value which comes in part from their perception as “trophy wines”, and demand for them spirals as a result.

Slightly lower down the scale, however, I still find it fascinating to discern the different characteristics of vintages which might all be deemed “good” but which are borne out of widely differing climatic conditions. 2003 and 2004 in Bordeaux, for example, present a very interesting comparison, as do 2000 and 2001 in Burgundy, or 2005 and 2006 in the Rhone.

Furthermore, away from the top domaines, where investment in technology is less affordable, one still sees starkly the effect of differing weather conditions on vintages; in everyday Burgundy , for example, the heat of 2003 yielded wines with roasted characteristics, further pushed out of balance by clumsy acidification, followed by the green, herbaceous style of the slightly less ripe 2004s.

If the current global warming trend is permanent, which is far from certain, we may see greater regularity in vintages in European vineyards, but, for now at least, let’s continue to celebrate diversity.

I recently joined our Rh

I recently joined our Rhône Buyer, Simon Field MW, to taste the Rhône 2006s and fermenting examples of the freshly-harvested 2007s.

Years in the trade have taught me that it is unwise to be dogmatic about the quality of a vintage when the fermentations are still to be completed, but it was revealing to see the confidence expressed in the quality of the 2007 harvest by growers not normally renowned for over-statement.  Jean-Pierre Perin, of Château de Beaucastel, spoke about a possible equivalent of the legendary 1947, while Daniel Brunier, of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, marvelled at the perfect quality of fruit harvest at his estates.

The key, after a cold and damp summer, has been a fabulous September, with unbroken sunshine raising sugar levels, while over 10 consecutive days of the Mistral wind concentrated the grapes and ensured the complete absence of any rot or mildew.

Growers in the northern part of the Rhône are also highly enthusiastic, if a little more circumspect at this stage.  We shall know more in a few weeks, but in the meantime the quality of the 2006 vintage should not be overlooked.  On the contrary, it is a vintage of superb purity and finesse, and one which BBR will be delighted to offer for the first time in early 2008.

At a Decanter Magazine Panel Tasting of the 2004 Médoc Crus Classés which I recently attended, Master of Wine James Lawther noted “For lovers of classic Bordeaux, this is the best-value vintage on the market today.”

It is almost always the case that the years which immediately precede and follow a great vintage suffer from living a little in the shade of that vintage. So it was very comforting to find amongst this range of 2004s some wines of great purity, classical expression of terroir and by no means least, relatively modest prices.

In view of the high prices asked for 2005, and to a lesser extent 2006, 2004 represents extraordinary good value, especially for the wines which showed particularly well at this tasting.

I was unable to taste St. Julien and St. Estephe but Pauillac enjoyed a particular high strike rate, with magnificent wines coming from Ch. Pontet Canet, Ch. Lynch Bages, Ch. Clerc Milon and Ch. Pichon Longueville Baron.

A big hit amongst the Margaux appellations was Ch. Kirwan, which exhibited stunning fruit quality and excellent concentration. 

Also among the stars, unsurprisingly, were Ch. Palmer and Ch. Margaux which boasted striking purity of fruit and minerality.