This is the time of year the good old British wine trade decamps to Bordeaux to taste and maybe buy the ‘En Primeurs’; (last year’s vintage now sitting in barrels and still a year away from being delivered).“Can’t move for red trousers and brogues” moaned our resident Bx expert a few years back…then shortly after thought it best to move to California…Can she be happier with guys in chinos? Really?
I was meant to go back to Bordeaux this week. For this, the great reveal…and some lessons in regenerative wine farming. And intended, goody me, to go by train. But, instead, silly me went and booked on EasyJet. Need I say more?
Actually, I’m not that fussed at missing the jamboree. I don’t often go and anyway my corduroys are all navy blue. Don’t show stains. Which is important as I told my best mate Dick who, being an architect, once accompanied me to a tasting in a white suit. This was a ‘pro’ tasting. Unlike normal people, we wine pros spit the wine out. And we like to show off. Little jets of young, i.e. very staining, red fly everywhere. He had to burn that suit.
Anyway, I am told by our ‘Mr Fine-wine Gus’ that it’s a perfectly good Bx vintage, more traditional than in recent years…which is to say it’s a vintage like we used to make before the world started overheating. Buy it…carefully. Only from the best winemakers. Remember to also drink it. Don’t just invest in it, please.
He said our Château La Clarière 2021 was “outstanding”. You’ll say “Of course he would say that; he works for you”, which only shows you don’t know my lot. Respect for my grey hairs? No way. Does this surprise anyone born in the respectful days of old?
Also, everyone says it’s a stonking vintage for whites. Good Bordeaux white – I mean a dry white, particularly – is terrific value these days. Buy now.
Gus and the Fine Wine Boys (sounds like a band!) can be found on –(laithwaitesfinewine@laithwaiteswine.com).
