Today Berrys’ launched their ‘Future of Wine Report’, attracting a whole host of media attention including an article in the Guardian and an appreciative mention on Jancis Robinson’s website.

The world of wine can change pretty quickly. So much has changed over the last 50 years that we thought it would be fun, and instructive, to consider what might be happening in another fifty years, in 2058.

Four of us – Alun Griffiths MW, Simon Field MW, David Berry Green and myself - were locked in a room with bread and water for sustenance until we could come up with some worthwhile thoughts. It made sense to divide the market into ‘volume’ and ‘fine wine’, under which headings we looked at where it would come from (China!), what it might taste like, what technological advantages might have come through and how much it might cost.

Following the last point up, I snuck a look at an old Berry’s price list from 1958 and saw Château Latour 1955 quoted at 15/6d (a snip, you cry). We have some in stock today at a mere £ 1540.00 per bottle, which I reckon is a multiplication in cost of about 2,000! If that replicates itself over the next 50 years then Latour 1955 would be worth over £ 3 million a bottle – frightening thought.

Have a look at our various thoughts

We are in the middle of the 2006 Burgundy Campaign at the moment but I have not lost sight of Pinot Noir from elsewhere. Decanter Magazine commissioned me to write a piece on the best locations in the New World for Pinot – just published in their February 2008 issue, and I thoroughly enjoyed writing it.

Though New Zealand, Oregon and parts of California are most people’s favourite corners my real conclusion is that it is down in part to the real detail of specific sub-regions and most especially to the drive of ultra-talented vignerons with a passion for this grape.

Just what can be achieved was driven home to me last Tuesday at a Paulée lunch with lots of Burgundian friends when a whole host of fine bottles were brought along by the various guests. I brought amongst other things a bottle of Jim Clendenen’s Au Bon Climat Cuvée Isabelle 1996, made from grapes from various vineyards in the Santa Ynez, Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande Valleys of California’s Central Coast. Another guest, by chance, brought the 1997 of the same.

Sitting next to me was Marie-Blanche Lamarche (2nd from right) of Domaine François Lamarche in Vosne Romanée, and she had never tasted a Californian Pinot which had impressed her before but on this occasion, unsolicited, she was full of praise for the two Cuvée Isabelle wines which she felt she would certainly have placed in Burgundy if they had been served blind. Intriguingly the vintages conformed more or less to the Burgundian pattern, with a soft ripe and flavoursome 1997 and a more concentrated, fresher 1996.

Many people appreciate the qualities of the best New World Pinots, but how many wines have been, or might be mistaken for Burgundy? I am not trying to push producers down this path but am intrigued when it happens. Please share your thoughts and experiences.

The A to Z of great Burgundy growers for the next generation is now assured with the birth of Aubert on Tuesday 4th December to Diana and Jeremy Seysses (left) of Domaine Dujac, following the arrival of Zachary to Libbi and Benjamin Leroux (below right) of Domaine du Comte Armand in July.

Babies, proud parents and even prouder grandparents are all doing well. It will be a while before Aubert or Zachary push their parents aside in the vineyard or cellar, but fortunately Burgundy has a great group of vignerons at the helm at the moment.

One such, Christophe Roumier (below left), came over to London last week to host a dinner matching a range of his succulent wines with chef Michael Nunn’s beautifully crafted food.

The mushrooms were magical (not magic!), Michael, and a great backdrop to the pairing of 2002 Chambolle Musigny (starting to show its full flavours) and the more backward Morey St Denis Clos Bussière. Much as we enjoyed the two vintages of Ruchottes Chambertin (1999 and 1995) with the duck, both were eclipsed by some heavenly bottles of the unfindable 1988 Bonnes Mares Vieilles Vignes from Christophe’s cellar.

We snatched a moment before the dinner to interview Christophe about the 2006 vintage, available for sale in January. Don’t forget to check back into Berrys’ Wine Podcasks later this month, when you’ll be able to catch up with Christophe’s views.

The vintage is early but will it be good?

Vigneron David Clark took these pictures of his grapes on June 16th this year to compare with the same pic on the same day a year earlier.

The beautiful April weather got the vine cycle off to a great start, but since then the weather has been almost as indifferent as in the UK. Picking started in late August and is going on this week - I shall be scouting around to look at the grapes as they come in and will report back.