Bordeaux Wine Output To Reach Seven Year Peak

Bordeaux is one of France’s most reputable and prolific wine-making regions. New reports confirm that Bordeaux’s 2016 wine harvest will allow the region’s wine output to reach a seven year peak, as it escaped the adverse weather conditions that hit the rest of France’s iconic wine-making regions.

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Bordeaux Promotes Wine With Christmas Campaign

Industry body the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB) recently launched an innovative new Christmas campaign. The project is designed to “promote the diversity” of Bordeaux tipples to UK consumers.

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Bordeaux’s Unique New Wine Museum Officially Opens

Ideal Wine Company previously reported that a new wine museum will be opened in Bordeaux this year. We can now reveal that this attraction, which has been dubbed the ‘Guggenheim of wine,’ has officially been opened.

Cité du Vin 

Photo: wine-searcher.com

The museum, called the Cité du Vin wine centre, opened on the 1st June 2016 after three years of construction. Set to receive more than 45,000 visitors every year, the space provides guests with an “immersive, interactive, multi-sensory experience” which explores wine cultures across the planet.

Cité du Vin was designed by French architects Nicolas Desmazières and Anouk Legendre. They gave the 13,350 m² building a curved structure which is meant to resemble the swirl of wine as it flows into a decanter. The Cité du Vin bears a strong resemblance to the iconic Guggenheim museum in Bilbao Spain, which is why it has been nicknamed the ‘Guggenheim of wine.’ New reports suggest that it looks set to be just as popular with tourists all over the world!

Star attractions

Metro has labelled the Cité du Vin a “wine theme park” and they make a good point. The Bordeaux-based space may not feature rollercoasters or merry-go rounds, but it does have a wine boat ride attraction. Basically the museum includes a 90 metre pontoon tied to the bank of the nearby Garonne River. You can take a water shuttle and travel from the museum to various Bordeaux vineyards.

But the Cité du Vin’s star attraction has to be its worldwide vineyard tour feature. The museum has 23 rooms which you can visit to “take a tour of the world’s vineyards,” offering you the chance to find out about different wine making traditions from various regions. By visiting this attraction, for instance, you can find out about why wines from Bordeaux have an excellent reputation.

Visit the museum

Tickets for the Cité du Vin provide great value. Tickets cost €20 for adults, €10 for young people and €8 for children, with kids under six entering for free. With your ticket, you can also gain access to a number of other fantastic attractions. These include a 600m² wine cellar boasting over 10,000 bottles and the panoramic Le 7 Restaurant on the site’s seventh floor.

The Cité du Vin wine centre is set to be one of Bordeaux’s most popular attractions. Known for its robust wine making tradition, Bordeaux already attracts a lot of wine enthusiasts every year. The Cité du Vin is a wine lover’s dream, boasting a range of fun, interactive attractions which are incredibly unique. No matter which kind of wine you love, you may want to check out this ‘Guggenheim of wine’ because it’s so comprehensive that it’s sure to have something that you’re destined to enjoy! 

Bordeaux’s ‘Guggenheim of Wine’ to Open in 2016

You might want to think about heading to Bordeaux next summer; the Ideal Wine Company recently learned that the region’s new ‘Guggenheim of wine’ museum, will open in 2016.

Bordeaux wine-making

If France is the wine-making capital of the world, Bordeaux is its crowning jewel. Boasting 60 appellations and producing over two million Euros of wine every year, according to The Wine Cellar Insider, Bordeaux is the largest wine maker in France.

Bordeaux vintages have developed a reputation for excellence. The red grapes typically grown in the region, which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, are used to produce some of the most spectacular bottles on the planet. You can buy a stunning range of Bordeauxs from the Ideal Wine Company product list.

Guggenheim of wine

At this point the region is practically synonymous with wine, which is why it came as no surprise when we learned that Bordeaux will serve as the home of a new wine museum. The Drinks Business reported that the museum, called the Cité du Vin wine centre, will open on 2^nd June, 2016.

The £58 million wine centre (80% public funded, 20% private funded) was designed by French architects Nicolas Desmazières and Anouk Legendre, from French architecture firm XTU. They created a building that has been nicknamed the ‘Guggenheim of wine,” because it resembles the famously avant-garde Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Cité du Vin 

The centre has been designed to provide an “immersive, interactive, multi-sensory experience” for roughly 450,000 visitors every year. It will feature 23 rooms that give visitors the chance to go on “a tour of the vineyards of the world.” These rooms will house 85 exhibits, each devoted to a different wine-making country, to explain the history behind the global wine trade.

The museum will also include a wine bar and a wine shop, which will give you the opportunity to sample some of the finest vintages Bordeaux has to offer. Furthermore it will feature a panoramic restaurant on its seventh floor, so you can look out on the beautiful French scenery as you sip your stunning Bordeaux red.

Buy a Bordeaux

This is why we suggested you visit France next year – the Cité du Vin Wine Centre will provide you with a holiday experience you’ll never forget. If you want to see why Bordeaux is synonymous with wine, you might want to purchase the Chateau Haut Brion 1996 from the Ideal Wine Company, today!

English Wine Production to Double In Less Than a Decade

New figures have indicated to the Ideal Wine Company that English wine production, once thought of as nothing more than a novelty, is expected to double in less than a decade.

Growing industry

When you think of great wine regions you think of Burgundy, Tuscany and Bordeaux. You can buy some great Bordeauxs here at the Ideal Wine Company. What you don’t think of is Kent, Sussex or Cornwall; the English have never been counted among the world’s best winemakers. Yet this once obvious truth is rapidly changing. Here on the Ideal Wine Company blog we’ve noted that the UK’s wine industry is growing all the time, and that our nation is even developing a robust wine tourism trade.

Wine production to double

The latest data indicates that there are now 470 vineyards and 135 wineries in England, which collectively produce 3.15 million bottles of our favourite tipple every year. A Group of MPs recently toured one of the UK’s most prominent wine producers; Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex, and as they did they heard some rather interesting news.

The latest statistics indicate that English vineyards have recorded an impressive growth rate of 11% over the past decade. The Drinks Business reported that this means that if English Vineyards keep charting their current trajectory, land under the vine in England and Wales, which stood at 1,884 hectares in 2013, will double in the next seven years.

Success story

Tim Loughton MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Wine and Spirits, was one of the politicians touring Rathfinny when the news broke. He commented on the growth volumes English wine production is expected to record, saying that it opened MPs’ eyes “to see at first-hand what an important British success story our domestic wine industry is becoming.”

The chief executive of the UK’s Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Miles Beale, explained why English wine production is set to become such a success story. He said: “It is fantastic to have MPs taking a real interest in the industry and seeing the benefits it delivers to local communities and the wider economy. The English Wine industry has the quality and technical capability to compete globally and – with capacity increasing rapidly – it represents great export potential for our economy.”

Producing stellar vintages

These figures have made it clear that English wine production is no longer the joke it’s been regarded as for centuries. Changing weather patterns are transforming various regions throughout the South of England into major players on the global wine stage, which are increasingly turning out stellar vintages. 

UK Could Become a Centre of Global Wine Tourism

The Ideal Wine Company has learned that a British wine making association recently suggested that the UK has the potential to develop itself into a major centre of global wine tourism.

British wine making 

The British aren’t exactly known as the best wine makers in the world. People look at us British as the wine making novices of Europe; the ones who can craft a good sherry, but wouldn’t be able to produce a fine pinot noir if our lives depended on it. 

The onset of global climate change has signalled a shift in the European wine making landscape. The UK is getting warmer, and as temperatures rise we’re starting to develop a distinct, even respected, wine producing culture. New figures suggest that there are now 470 vineyards in the UK, and these burgeoning estates are primarily growing Chardonnay (21%), Pinot Noir (19%) and Bacchus (9%) grapes. 

Wine tourism  

The Drinks Business reported that recently, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) argued that wine could become a valuable source of tourism for the UK. The publication quoted figures which suggest that tourism became the UK’s third largest service export in 2014. WSTA argued that the UK could develop this rapidly expanding sector by moving into wine tourism, pointing out that the average US wine traveller spends £650 per trip, to suggest that it could generate major revenue. 

The marketing director of English Wine Producers, Julia Trustram-Eve, explained how the UK’s wine tourism market is already growing. She said: “Vineyards are using increasingly creative methods to host visitors, from guided tours and visitors’ centres to places to stay and on-site restaurants. 

“The growth in awareness and enthusiasm in locally-sourced and produced food has heightened the interest in rural tourism and the exciting work being done at vineyards across the country. As English wines become available in pubs, restaurants and retail outlets, it is great to see visitors given the chance to look behind the scenes. Wine tourism, in whatever guise, is something that is a growing area in the UK wine industry.”

Set the bar

This is an interesting idea, but here at the Ideal Wine Company we have to point out that wine tourists expect the best. UK wine producers need to ensure they cultivate superior vintages if they want to enter the rapidly growing global wine tourism market. If you want to see the kind of quality these highly discerning wine enthusiasts expect, why don’t you buy a Bordeaux from the Ideal Wine Company today!

Is a Glass of Bordeaux the Secret to a Long Life?

The world’s oldest twins have recently revealed the secret to their longevity. This startling admission has prompted the Ideal Wine Company to ask; is a glass of Bordeaux the secret to a long life?

Life expectancy in the UK  

It’s hard to deny that living conditions in the UK have improved in the last century. The Daily Mail reported that researchers from Imperial College London found that in 1981, average life expectancy was 71.4 for men and 77.4 for women. However, this rose to 79.5 for men, and 83.3 for women by 2012, and is predicted to increase to 85.7 for men, and 87.6 for women by the time we hit 2030. 

Secret to a long life 

This begs the question, how do you live a long life? The answer to this question may be found in recent comments made by Belgians Pieter and Paulus Langerock, who at 102 years old apiece are the oldest set of twins in the world. 

The Langerock twins now reside in Ter Venne nursing home in Ghent, Belgium, and they recently spoke out on why they believe they’ve lived to the grand old age of 102. Paulus was quoted by Yahoo News saying that if you want break the 100 year age mark, “don't waste your time fooling around, don't eat too much and don't run after women."

Paulus, who along with his brother was born on 8th July 1913, also revealed that wine has played a role in pro-longing his life. The Langerock brothers are known to indulge in a glass of fine Bordeaux wine each every day. Paulus is often heard asking his nurse at Ter Venne, to "get us a Bordeaux, but a good quality one," and he cites it as another reason why he’s been alive since 1913. 

Try a Bordeaux 

This doesn’t mean that drinking a glass of Bordeaux every day will help you live longer. Yet the story of the Langerock brothers does suggest that it can’t hurt to indulge in a glass of the fine French tipple every once in a while. If you want to try out the world’s oldest twins’ theory for yourself, why don’t you buy a Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1978 from the Ideal Wine Company, and get pouring!

Turning Slag Heaps into Vineyards

The Ideal Wine Company has recently learned about something extraordinary. A wine producer in the north of France has turned one of the region’s infamous ‘slag heaps’ into a vineyard.

Blight of the skyline

France has been mining the coal seam that runs along its border with Belgium for roughly 300 years. Mining is a dirty game; it leaves behind a lot of coal residue and the miners had to put it somewhere.
They dumped it in the countryside, and over time mountains of the residue, or ‘slag heaps,’ grew up to blight the Northern French skyline. These heaps were once regarded as a national embarrassment, but the BBC has recently reported that the citizens of this region have decided to turn their greatest embarrassment into their greatest asset.

Charbonnay

They’re transforming these slap heaps, called ‘terrils’ by the French, into exciting new projects that have ignited a fondness in the hearts of our continental cousins for these environmental eyesores. Wine-grower Henri Jammet decided to do something truly revolutionary; he transformed one terril into what has become France’s most northerly vineyard.

He planted vines on the slopes of a slag heap in Haillicourt, Northern France, in 2011. Jammet created a vintage that he’s lovingly called ‘Charbonnay,’ a play on the words ‘Chardonnay,’ arguably the world’s most famous wine, and ‘bonnay,’ the French word for ‘coal.’ The novel winery produced 150 bottles in 2013, before doubling its capacity to 300 bottles last year.

“The wine is great.”

Speaking about the project, Jammet said "people here were very surprised, but the wine is great. The terril is stony - it drains well because it is on a slope; the earth is black which keeps in the warmth; and we face south - all things that help the vines."

The innovative wine producer elaborated, "obviously the soil is poor - but that is good. Vines need to struggle in order to bring out the best in the grape. Our wine is sharp because they don't have the sun up here to reduce the acidity - and it's got the proper Chardonnay citrus notes."

Buy a Bordeaux

The fact that the French can turn slag heaps into vineyards shows you just how good they are at making wine. If you want to sample a range of the country’s finest vintages, why don’t you buy a Burgundy from the Ideal Wine Company right now!

Bordeaux Poised For Recovery?

In light of comments made by the managing director of Liv-ex, on the fortunes of one of France’s most famous fine wines, Ideal Wine Company has been inspired to ask; is Bordeaux poised for a recovery?

A Superior Vintage

The Ideal Wine Company exists to bring you fine vintages from every corner of the globe at a reasonable price. Many of those vintages originate from the French region of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux wines are a cut above the rest. The climate, temperature and terrain of the region fosters the facilitation of superior bottles. Nevertheless, the value of Bordeaux as a fine wine has been in steady decline in recent years; a trend that according to Liv-ex managing director James Miles, is set to change.

How Bordeaux Can Turn Its Fortunes Around

According to Harpers, Miles suggested that now is a good time to enter the Bordeaux market. This is because prices for Bordeaux currently sit at their “lowest ebb since the early 1970’s,” after four years of continually falling values. In other words, it’s ripe for a boom.

Speaking at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, the managing director gave his opinion on how Bordeaux can turn its fortunes around. Specifically, he called for a “well-priced 2014 vintage,” adding that it would act as a “vital precursor to any kind of sustained recovery.”

A Reasonably Reliable Boom and Bust Every Ten Years

Miles also expanded on the general boom and bust nature of Bordeaux, which he argued is cyclical.  He suggested that evidence illustrates that Bordeaux experiences a “reasonably reliable boom and bust every ten years or so.”

The managing director went on to point out the nature of the boom and bust trend, saying that “while booms and busts in wine are influenced by external factors – in this case, UK pension reform, the collapse of Lehman, the removal of tax in HK and the huge fiscal stimulus in China in 2009 – they also tend to be self-inflicted and tend to start and finish with successful and disastrous en primeur campaigns, in this case the 2005 and 2010.”

The 2014 En Primeur Campaign Has to Work

In other words, yes Bordeaux is poised for a recovery, but that doesn’t mean it will actually recover. As Miles went on to point out, Bordeaux’s 2014 en primeur campaign needs to be able to work with “prices falling far further than many in Bordeaux currently appreciate.”

Ideal Wine Company Guide: How to Spot a Counterfeit Wine

Avoid falling prey to a counterfeit wine scammer and losing your investment, with the Ideal Wine Company guide to spotting a counterfeit wine.

Luxury Wine Scammers They Leave You with Nothing But Swill

At the Ideal Wine Company we have dedicated ourselves to providing you with some of the highest quality luxury wines the global market has to offer for a price that won’t leave you reeling.

As such, we’ve seen this happen countless times. Not everyone comes to a reputable luxury wine provider such as the Ideal Wine Company, and those that don’t, leave themselves unprotected. From here, it’s easy for a luxury wine scammer to lure in an unsuspecting victim with promises of a high quality vintage and leave them with nothing but swill.

Ideal Wine Company’s Top Five Tips for Spotting Counterfeit Wine

You don’t have to take this. Protect your investment and stop a scammer in their tracks with these top five tips for spotting a counterfeit wine:

1. Beware Bordeaux: For some reason scammers love to pass off their low quality swill as Bordeaux, so if it’s a Bordeaux, keep an extra eye out.
2. Presentation is everything: Scammers don’t have the same level of craftsmanship available to them as luxury wine producers, and often, this’ll lead to poor package presentation. If the label’s crooked, for example, you could be dealing with a counterfeit.
3. Glue Residue: An extension of the last tip, if there’s a glue residue around the label, that’s further evidence of poor craftsmanship and is another indicator that you are dealing with a counterfeit.
4. Compare and Contrast: Use the internet, it’s your best friend. Pull up a picture of the luxury wine you’re looking to buy, and compare with the bottle you’re being presented with. You’ll soon see whether you’re being scammed or not. Look at the foil over the cork and contrast as a good baseline.
5. Don’t Trust the Aged: Generally, the older a wine is, the more likely it is to be counterfeit because it’s rarer and harder to find. A good rule of thumb is; if the wine was made before 1980 and priced too low to be true, it probably is.

Don’t fall prey to a counterfeit wine scammer. Use these tips from the Ideal Wine Company to stop them in the tracks and get the most out of your luxury wine investment.