Pierre Breton

Bertrand Celce has been to see Pierre Breton (Bourgueil and Chinon). This post features some egged shaped vats.

Bertrand Jousset

Bertrand has also been to see Lise and Bertrand Jousset (Montlouis).

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Bunch in the Quarts de Chaume: late September 2010

Good post from Patrick Baudouin rounding up his 2010 vintage here.

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Rebecca Gibb

Rebecca Gibb has some sharp criticism of the first Wine Future and wonders whether the second one will be any better. 

'Will Winefuture 2011 sink or swim?

Tuesday 30 November

Winefuture 2009 - where were the future wine leaders?

Winefuture moves to Hong Kong in November 2011

I sincerely hope the second edition of this conference is better than the first, as I would have been seriously pissed off if I had spent more than 700 euro on a ticket to Winefuture in Rioja.'

Read the rest here.

Rebecca: looking at the wine celebs on the confirmed speakers this looks more like a golden oldies convention with a number of brickies (a technical term for wine critics over 60) present, although, of course, there are exceptions like Gary Vee and Debra Meiburg. Many of the speakers were at the first edition. 

I doubt the future wine leaders will be found here. Instead you are probably more likely to find them at the wine bloggers conferences in the US and Europe. 

Which reminds me I still haven't had any answers from Dr Pancho Campo about the current status of his conviction and one year prison sentence in Dubai imposed in June 2003. I can only assume that the conviction still stands, otherwise Pancho Campo would surely have been keen to explain that it had been set aside. Instead two associated parties sent messages to a leading wine magazine that legal action against me was probably imminent. Campo's lawyers had previously threatened Gerry Dawes with legal action in relation to Pancho Campo's then appearance on Interpol's wanted list.

I suspect the continued uncertainty over Campo's Dubai conviction may have been in factor in Rioja turning down Campo's attempted takeover of Los Grandes de la Rioja earlier this year. Apparently he was promising to give Los Grandes a high media profile with more razzamtazz – making it another celebrity jamboree, perhaps. Wisely the Riojans decided that Los Grandes was already in good hands.   

 

Centre of Logroño by night 

Arrived about 9.30 last evening in Logroño for the 6th edition of Los Grandes de la Rioja, which runs from 11th to 14th. This event was first held in 2000 and this is the third time I have been invited. The first time was 2002 or 2004, probably the former but I forget. Then I came again in 2008. Los Grandes is a very good opportunity to taste a number of Riojas on Monday and Tuesday as well as visit interesting bodegas.

Alvaro Palacios (April 2008)

The 2010 programme looks good. Today we start with a visit to Bodegas Viña Herminia, followed by Bodegas Palacios Remondo, which will include lunch. This is Alvaro Palacios' winery and we had a memorable visit and excellent lunch there in 2008, which concluded with Alvaro picking up a guitar and singing. Our programme promises some free time this afternoon in Logroño but if last time is any guide then the two hours free is likely to be considerably shortened by the time we leave the Palacios bodega. 

Guitar-playing wine producer (above and below)

Today finishes with a visit and dinner at Roda, which was one of the bodegas I visited on the first trip when it had not long been established.