At first glance, Clos Manou might seem run-of-the-mill. But this small estate in the Médoc is far from it. We sat down with Stéphane Dief to talk about how a hobby became his life, the freedom of a fresh start, and why his family’s wines are worth seeking out “It’s difficult when you don’t have…
We caught up with Ch. Belle-Brise’s owner and winemaker Henri-Bruno de Coincy to find out the secret behind this idiosyncratic Pomerol estate Ch. Belle-Brise is a rather inconspicuous Bordeaux property with a “garden” vineyard of just two hectares and an annual production of just 800 cases. With such small quantities produced and a legion of…
When it comes to wine, little has changed in Bordeaux for centuries – but in the 1990s a group of outsiders shook things up: the garagistes. Vinfolio’s Sophie Thorpe talks to three of the movement’s leading figures about its legacy – and what it means for Bordeaux today In 1991, Jean-Luc Thunevin made the first…
One of the leading estates in Bordeaux, Château Léoville-Las Cases is one of the largest and oldest Classed Growths in the Médoc. Along with Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, it is widely considered one of the best estates in Saint-Julien. The Léoville property’s history stretches back to the 17th century, but the vast estate was divided into three parts…
Ten years after The New California Wine was published, Jon Bonné has published a new book – an epic tale of France’s revolution. Vinfolio’s Sophie Thorpe caught up with the author to talk about his ambitious project to capture The New French Wine “I can die happy now,” Jon Bonné chuckles to me. The writer…
Maligned by many, adored by more, Sauvignon Blanc divides wine-drinkers – and no more so than the wine-drinking elite. But why? Vinfolio’s Sophie Thorpe talks to the people behind some of the world’s best examples to explore the grape’s status today It’s easy to sneer at Sauvignon Blanc. Its success has been its downfall. It’s…
Château Lafite Rothschild is rightfully revered. The Pauillac First Growth crafts some of the most refined wines in Bordeaux. At a recent dinner hosted by our sister company FINE+RARE, we had the chance to explore the fingerprint of this special estate and its extraordinary ability to age Few wine estates have the history or pedigree…
Georgie Hindle had big shoes to fill when she took over from Jane Anson as Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent in 2021. Here she talks about how she fell for the region and what it’s really like working as a wine critic I’ve written this having just finished my second en primeur report for Decanter magazine. Four weeks of…
Under Saskia de Rothschild, things are changing at Domaines Barons de Rothschild. One of the newest members of the team is Juliette Couderc – who took over as Chief Operating Officer at Château l’Evangile in 2020, aged just 29. Sophie Thorpe sat down with the vigneron to talk about Lafite’s Pomerol sibling and the evolution…
While the 1855 classification is the most famous and influential classification on the Left Bank, there are several other classifications in operation today. Here’s everything you need to know about Bordeaux’s Graves classification, the Crus Bourgeois and Crus Artisans Bordeaux has several different classification systems. While the Right Bank has only Saint-Emilion’s system (one that…
“A true first-growth chateau embodying elegance, nobility, and beautiful concentrated fruit, Lafite is clearly living up to its immortal reputation.” – Robert Parker Château Lafite Rothschild is one of the most famous wine estates in Bordeaux and the world. One of the Left Bank’s five First Growths, the Pauillac property is renowned for producing wines of…
There are exceptions to almost every rule in 2022 – and, as ever, it’s essential to asses wines individually. Here, however, we break down the region by commune to offer an overview of how each subregion fared in this fascinating vintage The Left Bank The gravel soils of the Left Bank are beautifully free-draining…