This article is running on a variety of new sources. I am not sure at this
point if this means that there will just be reduced quantity at great
quality...therefore raising pricing? Or are they actually saying quality is
also an issue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3177934.stm

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:10:01 GMT, "dick" > wrote:

>This article is running on a variety of new sources. I am not sure at this
>point if this means that there will just be reduced quantity at great
>quality...therefore raising pricing? Or are they actually saying quality is
>also an issue.
>
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3177934.stm
>
>

"The fragrance may occasionally leave something to be desired".

This statement apparently applies to French wine this year. Not
Burgundy or Languedoc or Bordeaux or Loire, but to the ENTIRE
country!!!


Ridiculous

Mike

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:10:01 GMT, "dick" > wrote:

>This article is running on a variety of new sources. I am not sure at this
>point if this means that there will just be reduced quantity at great
>quality...therefore raising pricing? Or are they actually saying quality is
>also an issue.
>
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3177934.stm
>
>

Mo

"once-mighty French producers have lost their global pre-eminence to
more market-savvy Australian rivals"

There's an outright distortion. The fact is, Australia may be more
market savvy, but it produces less wine than Languedoc.

Australia, 96-99, 7.2 million hl
France, 96-99, 55.9 million hl
Languedoc, 97, 14.1 million hl

Mike

Mike, this is not in anyway meant as a French wine bashing from me. Just so
we are clear.

The news article was forwarded to me from my father in law and it appeared
on the BBC and also on virtually every news source I can find. Its also on
Robert Parkers site with a link to same article in the Washington Post.

Can you explain your understanding of the 2003 vintage in France? This
will have impact on pricing but I am not sure if quality is excellent and
supplies short, pricing is going up. The article is not very specific in my
opinion.

Dick


"Mike Tommasi" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:10:01 GMT, "dick" > wrote:
>
> >This article is running on a variety of new sources. I am not sure at
this
> >point if this means that there will just be reduced quantity at great
> >quality...therefore raising pricing? Or are they actually saying quality
is
> >also an issue.
> >
> >http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3177934.stm
> >
> >
>
> "The fragrance may occasionally leave something to be desired".
>
> This statement apparently applies to French wine this year. Not
> Burgundy or Languedoc or Bordeaux or Loire, but to the ENTIRE
> country!!!
>
>
> Ridiculous
>
> Mike

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:32:28 GMT, "dick" > wrote:

>Mike, this is not in anyway meant as a French wine bashing from me. Just so
>we are clear.

Hi Dick

It's OK, that was clear to me.

>Can you explain your understanding of the 2003 vintage in France? This
>will have impact on pricing but I am not sure if quality is excellent and
>supplies short, pricing is going up. The article is not very specific in my
>opinion.

I have obviously not tasted anything yet, apart from some free running
mourvedre and grenache juice, but I have been following what the
winemakers are saying.

It appears that in the southern latitudes here results are variable. A
majority of winemakers were influenced by a scare started by the
enologists (you know, those guys that give prescriptions but have
never seen the fruit on the vine), they were told that the vintage
will be flat and low in acidity, and so they harvested WAY too early
and added tartaric. This also ensured that they could go off hunting
by the first of september and be done with the damn grapes.

The more thoughtful winemakers actually tasted the grapes and measured
things, and found that in fact there was plenty of potential left for
a well balanced harvest. And so some have only just finished, over a
month and a half after their colleagues, and are showing some superb
results, fine mature grapes with plenty of acidity and no need for
those expensive prescriptions (there is no medicine left on the
shelves anyhow).

Apparently conditions in Bordeaux are similar, expect some great
wines, and some really mediocre ones, as always.

Mike

Thanks.

dick

"Mike Tommasi" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:32:28 GMT, "dick" > wrote:
>
> >Mike, this is not in anyway meant as a French wine bashing from me. Just
so
> >we are clear.
>
> Hi Dick
>
> It's OK, that was clear to me.
>
> >Can you explain your understanding of the 2003 vintage in France? This
> >will have impact on pricing but I am not sure if quality is excellent and
> >supplies short, pricing is going up. The article is not very specific in
my
> >opinion.
>
> I have obviously not tasted anything yet, apart from some free running
> mourvedre and grenache juice, but I have been following what the
> winemakers are saying.
>
> It appears that in the southern latitudes here results are variable. A
> majority of winemakers were influenced by a scare started by the
> enologists (you know, those guys that give prescriptions but have
> never seen the fruit on the vine), they were told that the vintage
> will be flat and low in acidity, and so they harvested WAY too early
> and added tartaric. This also ensured that they could go off hunting
> by the first of september and be done with the damn grapes.
>
> The more thoughtful winemakers actually tasted the grapes and measured
> things, and found that in fact there was plenty of potential left for
> a well balanced harvest. And so some have only just finished, over a
> month and a half after their colleagues, and are showing some superb
> results, fine mature grapes with plenty of acidity and no need for
> those expensive prescriptions (there is no medicine left on the
> shelves anyhow).
>
> Apparently conditions in Bordeaux are similar, expect some great
> wines, and some really mediocre ones, as always.
>
> Mike

In article >, Mike Tommasi
> writes:

>This statement apparently applies to French wine this year. Not
>Burgundy or Languedoc or Bordeaux or Loire, but to the ENTIRE
>country!!!

You're right, ridiculous!

But thanks Dick for posting
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

I just spoke to the owner of the wine store where I do most of my futures to
ask him about 2003 vintage.

He said that he will be in Bordeaux for the Grand Cru tasting in a few
weeks. But the rumor is that it will be an outstanding vintage quality wise
from top producers. Pricing will be determined based upon market conditions
but his guess is the prices will escalate.

dick


"Dale Williams" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, Mike Tommasi
> > writes:
>
> >This statement apparently applies to French wine this year. Not
> >Burgundy or Languedoc or Bordeaux or Loire, but to the ENTIRE
> >country!!!
>
> You're right, ridiculous!
>
> But thanks Dick for posting
> Dale
>
> Dale Williams
> Drop "damnspam" to reply

Looking forward for your follow up article about the wine tasting. Maybe,
if we do this properly we can interview as many people as we can who went to
this tasting and write down the comments in here.

Just my two cents.

Mark
Not4wood


"dick" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> I just spoke to the owner of the wine store where I do most of my futures
to
> ask him about 2003 vintage.
>
> He said that he will be in Bordeaux for the Grand Cru tasting in a few
> weeks. But the rumor is that it will be an outstanding vintage quality
wise
> from top producers. Pricing will be determined based upon market
conditions
> but his guess is the prices will escalate.
>
> dick
>
>
> "Dale Williams" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >, Mike Tommasi
> > > writes:
> >
> > >This statement apparently applies to French wine this year. Not
> > >Burgundy or Languedoc or Bordeaux or Loire, but to the ENTIRE
> > >country!!!
> >
> > You're right, ridiculous!
> >
> > But thanks Dick for posting
> > Dale
> >
> > Dale Williams
> > Drop "damnspam" to reply
>
>

"not4wood" > wrote:

> Looking forward for your follow up article about the wine
> tasting. Maybe, if we do this properly we can interview as many
> people as we can who went to this tasting and write down the
> comments in here.

Union des Grands Crus tasting week - as always - will be held end
of March / beginning of April. I have been posting my impressions
since 1998, iirc.

M.