French Vineyards

Off to the printers…

hilyer68 — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:23:40 +0000

My latest book Broke the Grape’s Joy is going to be in print by next month. See what terribly nice things people are saying about the eBook version on Amazon.

Published! My latest book – Broke the Grape’s Joy

hilyer68 — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:22:08 +0000

Sun, Saint-Emilion and Sex (well, a bit…) My latest book, Broke the Grape’s Joy, is now on Amazon and Smashwords. Travelling around le hexagon a couple of years ago gave me plenty of time to think about story lines. The vineyards and the people who manage them were my inspiration. My story is, I suppose, in the A Year In The Sun vein, but there are no leaking sceptic tanks or mysterious chicken thieves in my book. But you will find murder, deceit, bipolar disorder, synaesthesia and Aspergers syndrome… plus the world’s most fabulous wine and an orange 2CV and a Jack Russell, to boot. All that in 80-odd thousand words and all for less than 2 quid!

Get the e-reader format here http://bit.ly/utyvDQ

Get the Kindle version here http://amzn.to/tsszpW

Hope you like the story… Let me know what you think!

My Next Book…

hilyer68 — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:53:04 +0000

Jean Valeix, an English widow, is the owner of a fabulous vineyard in the wine village of Saint-Emilion. But her cherished château is struggling to sell its produce. A handful of people, among them a charming middle-aged Scotsman, a jaw-droppingly beautiful girl and a talented autistic boy, will change her life completely. But not all of her visitors are who they claim to be. All she needs to do is find out who’s telling the truth – oh, and save her business from bankruptcy and solve a murder, too. Only then might she discover that sometimes even good things come in threes.

Viticulture and poetry, mental health and mortality all tumble, along with the cabernets and merlots, into the fermenting vat of the author’s first fictional creation: Broke the Grape’s Joy.

On sale on Amazon from the 30th of November 2011…

Virginia Wine Tourists in Brissac

hilyer68 — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:13:23 +0000

Virginia USA wine tourists (L to R) Ted, Linda. Mike, Carolyn, Stevia and Bill in front of the ancient oak wine press at Château La Varière, in the town of Brissac, Anjou. With thanks to Jacques Beaujeau and his charming wife for an unforgettable visit and tasting of their wonderful Quarts de Chaumes, Bonnezeaux and Anjou Villages Brissac wines.

Les Dégustateurs

hilyer68 — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:26:55 +0000

Louis-Léopold Boilly’s charming portrayal of four wine tasters regarding the wine’s robe, apreciating its aroma, savouring the taste, and finally spitting it out.

Foires aux Vins – Bordeaux Crus

hilyer68 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:58:33 +0000

The following table is a summary of the ‘best’ prices for a batch of Bordeaux crus classés and equivalents at the forthcoming Foires aux Vins (Source: RVF magazine September 2010):

Wine	Year	Price €	Supermarket
Chateau Beychevelle	2008	25.45	Carrefour
Chateau Boyd-Cantenac	2006	24.95	Intermarché
Chateau Brane-Cantenac	2007	26.91	Intermarché
Chateau Calon Ségur	2007	37.15	Auchan, Intermarché
Chateau Carbonnieux	2008	19.30	Carrefour
Chateau Chasse-Spleen	2008	15.55	Leclerc
Chateau Citran	2007	10.40	Intermarché
Chateau Clinet	2008	39.50	Leclerc, Intermarché
Chateau Cos d’Estournel	2007	77.65	Leclerc
Chateau de Fieuzal	2008	18.90	Systeme U
Chateau Giscours	2008	25.75	Intermarché
Chateau Gloria	2007	20.90	Auchan
Chateau Labégorce	2008	16.90	Systeme U
Chateau Lafon-Rochet	2008	22.25	Leclerc
Chateau Lafon-Rochet	2007	23.35	Auchan
Chateau Lagrange	2006	29.90	Auchan, Carrefour, Intermarché
Chateau Léoville-Las Cases	2006	150.90	Carrefour
Chateau Léoville-Las Cases	2007	106.30	Leclerc
Chateau Léoville Poyferré	2007	35.50	Leclerc
Chateau Lynch-Bages	2008	38.65	Carrefour
Chateau Lynch-Moussas	2008	17.65	Intermarché
Chateau Les Ormes de Pez	2008	16.90	Systeme U
Chateau Pontet-Canet	2007	51.35	Leclerc
Chateau Poujeaux	2008	15.80	Leclerc
Chateau Rollan de By	2008	12.50	Intermarché, Systeme U
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte	2007	37.90	Carrefour
Chateau Sociando-Mallet	2007	26.35	Leclerc
Chateau Taillefer	2005	18.90	Carrefour
Chateau Talbot	2008	24.25	Carrefour
Chateau du Tertre	2007	19.95	Auchan, Leclerc
Chateau La Tour Carnet	2008	17.90	Intermarché
Clos du Marquis	2007	25.70	Leclerc
Domaine de Chevalier	2007	28.70	Leclerc

Foires aux Vins – Dates

hilyer68 — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:07:58 +0000

Here are the dates (as quoted in next month’s RVF magazine) for the September Foires aux Vins in the major French supermarkets. Scroll down to see some of the pre-release prices (more coming soon…)

Carrefour – 8th to 19th September 2010

Casino – 7th to 18th September 2010

Intermarché – 8th to 19th September 2010

Système U – 28th September to 9th October 2010

Auchan – 14th September to 2nd October 2010

Monoprix – 8th to 19th September 2010

Carrefour Market – 29th September to 9th October 2010

September Foires aux Vins

hilyer68 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:59:20 +0000

It’s that time of year again when the French hypermarkets cram their front aisles (and even the odd marquee in the car park) with cases and cases of fine wine. Lots of good value 2008s this year at not much more money than the en primeur prices; and lots of firmly-priced 2007s too!

I’m collating the prices quoted in the French wine press, before the offers are made later in September, starting with these first Bordeaux and Burgundy offers - as published in La Revue du Vin de France (RVF). I’ll be adding more regions (more Bordeaux Crus Classés soon) and more wines over the coming days and weeks…

Bordeaux

Appellation	Producer	Colour	Year	Price (€)	Supermarché
Graves	Château Ferrande	Red	2008	7.95	Systeme U
Graves	Château Lugaud	Red	2009	4.90	Carrefour
Haut-Médoc	Château Barreyres	Red	2007	8.90	Monoprix
Haut-Médoc	Château Cantemerle	Red	2005	21.00	Carrefour
Haut-Médoc	Château Coufran	Red	2001	9.95	Casino
Haut-Médoc	Château La Tour Carnet	Red	2008	17.90	Intermarché
Haut-Médoc	Château Sociando-Mallet	Red	2007	27.51	Intermarché
Listrac-Médoc	Château Fouras-Hosten	Red	1999	10.90	Monoprix
Listrac-Médoc	Château Fourcas Dupré	Red	2008	9.75	Systeme U
Margaux	Château Pieuré Lichine	Red	2008	24.50	Systeme U
Margaux	Château Pouget	Red	2008	29.95	Systeme U
Margaux	Château Rauzan-Gassies	Red	2008	24.50	Auchan
Médoc	Château Bessan Ségur	Red	2005	7.50	Carrefour Market
Médoc	Château Les Grands Chenes	Red	2008	12.95	Systeme U
Moulis	Château Chasse-Spleen	Red	2007	17.95	Casino
Moulis	Château Chasse-Spleen	Red	2008	16.20	Intermarché
Moulis	Château Mauvesin	Red	2009	13.00	Carrefour Market
Moulis	Château Poujeaux	Red	2003	19.90	Monoprix
Moulis	Château Poujeaux	Red	2008	15.80	Leclerc
Pauillac	Château Lynch-Bages	Red	2008	38.65	Carrefour
Pauillac	Château Lynch-Moussas	Red	2008	17.65	Intermarché
Pauillac	Château Pichon Longeville Baron	Red	2002	69.95	Leclerc
Pauillac	Château Pontet-Canet	Red	2007	51.90	Carrefour
Pauillac	Château Pontet-Canet	Red	2006	55.00	Casino
Pessac-Léognan	Château Carbonnieux	Red	2008	19.30	Carrefour
Pessac-Léognan	Château Carbonnieux	Red	2008	19.75	Intermarché
Pessac-Léognan	Château de Fieuzal	Red	2008	18.90	Systeme U
Pessac-Léognan	Château Haut-Bailly	Red	2008	47.95	Auchan
Pessac-Léognan	Château Lafon Menaut	White	2009	8.50	Casino
Pessac-Léognan	Château Larrivet Haut-Brion	White	2008	26.95	Systeme U
Pessac-Léognan	Château Limbourg	Red	2008	11.50	Carrefour
Pessac-Léognan	Château Olivier	Red	2006	19.95	Casino
Pessac-Léognan	Château Smith Haut-Lafitte	Red	2008	36.95	Auchan
Pessac-Léognan	Domaine de Chevalier	Red	2007	29.95	Casino
Pessac-Léognan	Domaine de la Solitude	White	2009	13.95	Systeme U
Saint Julien	Les Fiefs de Lagrange	Red	2008	13.95	Systeme U
Saint-Estèphe	Château Cos d’Estournel	Red	2007	79.00	Auchan
Saint-Estèphe	Château Haut-Marbuzet	Red	2008	24.95	Auchan
Saint-Estèphe	Château Lafon Rochet	Red	2008	22.25	Leclerc
Saint-Estèphe	Château Lafon-Rochet	Red	2006	25.00	Casino
Saint-Estèphe	Château Les Ormes de Pez	Red	2008	16.90	Systeme U
Saint-Estèphe	Château Petit Bocq	Red	2008	15.20	Leclerc
Saint-Estèphe	Les Pagodes de Cos	Red	2008	27.50	Leclerc
Saint-Julien	Château Beychevelle	Red	2008	25.45	Carrefour
Saint-Julien	Château Léoville-Poyferré	Red	2007	35.95	Auchan
Sauternes	Château de Malle	White	1998	18.95	Auchan
Sauternes	Château de Rayne Vogneau Madame de Rayne	White	2001	14.90	Systeme U
Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux	Château Montseigneur	Red	2009	5.30	Carrefour
Bordeaux	Château Marjosse	Red	2009	6.90	Carrefour
Bordeaux Supérieur	Château La Caderie Cuvée Aurélie	Red	2009	4.50	Auchan
Bordeaux Supérieur	Château Reignac	Red	2008	13.50	Leclerc
Côtes de Bourg	Château Fougas Maldoror	Red	2008	9.95	Auchan
Côtes de Bourg	Château Montfollet Cuvée Altus	Red	2009	6.90	Carrefour
Côtes de Bourg	Clos des Moisettes	Red	2006	5.60	Intermarché
Fronsac	Château de la Rivière	Red	2002	11.90	Monoprix
Fronsac	Château La Fleur Chadenne	Red	2006	9.50	Casino
Graves des Vayres	Château Cantelaudette Cuvée Prestige	Red	2008	6.00	Leclerc
Graves des Vayres	Château d’Arveyres Cuvée Prestige	White	2009	6.00	Intermarché
Graves des Vayres	Château Lesparre	Red	2005	6.30	Carrefour Market
Lalande-de-Pomerol	Château de Bel Air	Red	2007	9.90	Systeme U
Lalande-de-Pomerol	Château Jean de Gué	Red	2008	16.99	Leclerc
Lalande-de-Pomerol	Château La Fleur de Bouard	Red	2008	18.95	Auchan
Lalande-de-Pomerol	Château les Capucins	Red	2009	5.99	Carrefour Market
Montagne-Saint-Emilion	Château La Croix Bayard Cuvée Tradition	Red	2009	5.79	Systeme U
Pomerol	Château Clinet	Red	2008	39.50	Intermarché
Pomerol	Château La Croix de Gay	Red	2008	20.90	Leclerc
Pomerol	Château Plince	Red	2008	18.50	Systeme U
Pomerol	Château Taillefer	Red	2005	19.95	Monoprix
Pomerol	Château Taillefer	Red	2005	18.90	Carrefour Market
Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion	Château Bois de Cadet	Red	2009	4.90	Carrefour
Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion	Château Branda	Red	2008	9.50	Carrefour Market
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château du Calvaire	Red	2007	8.70	Casino
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château Jean-Faure	Red	2007	22.00	Monoprix
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château La Fleur Cardinale	Red	2008	24.50	Auchan
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château Larmande	Red	2008	15.95	Systeme U
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château Monbousquet Cuvée Angélique	Red	2006	13.50	Casino
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château Pavie-Macquin	Red	2008	47.95	Auchan
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru	Château Yon Figeac	Red	2007	16.95	Carrefour Market

Burgundy & Beaujolais

Appellation	Producer	Colour	Year	Price (€)	Supermarche
Saint-Amour	Château de Saint-Amour	Red	2009	5.90	Carrefour
Givry	Domaine Vincent Lump	Red	2009	7.95	Carrefour
Chablis 1er cru	Sélections Domaines Brocard	White	2009	9.95	Carrefour
Chambolle Musigny	Domaine Frédéric Magnien Coeur de Pierres	Red	2009	27.95	Carrefour
Morgon	Domaine de Bellevue	Red	2009	4.95	Casino
Chablis 1er cru	Andrée Tremblay Montmains	White	2009	10.50	Casino
Pommard	P Charlopin Grandes Réserves	Red	2009	21.90	Casino
Macon-Villages	Domaine Eloy	White	2009	4.70	Intermarché
Juliénas	Domaine Grumeline	Red	2009	4.85	Intermarché
Pouilly-Loché	Domaine du Clos des Rocs	White	2007	13.95	Intermarché
Gevrey-Chambertin	Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy	Red	2007	18.95	Intermarché
Rully	Jean Chartron Mont Morin	White	2008	10.59	Systeme U
Santenay	Domaine Sorine & Fils Vieilles Vignes	Red	2009	10.05	Systeme U
Saint-Aubin	Chateau de Santenay En Vesvau	White	2007	12.50	Systeme U
Chambolle Musigny	Dominique Laurent Vieilles Vignes	Red	2008	29.00	Systeme U
Moulin-a-Vent	Domaine des Rosiers	Red	2009	6.75	Auchan
Rully	Domaine du Meix Guillaume Vieilles Vignes	White	2009	8.95	Auchan
Santenay	Domaine Saint Francois-Michel	White	2008	13.50	Auchan
Passe-Tout-Grains	Chateau Ferrey Montangerand	Red	2009	3.95	Monoprix
Pouilly-Vinzelles	Domaine du Clos des Rocs	White	2008	9.95	Monoprix
Ladoix	Domaine Claude Chevalier	Red	2008	15.50	Monoprix
Meursault	Ropiteau	White	2007	18.90	Monoprix
Savigny-les-Beaune 1er cru	Louis Jadot Les Lavieres	red	2003	19.95	Monoprix
Juliénas	Thorin Terres de Galene	Red	2009	4.95	Carrefour Market
Chablis	Domaine Eugene Carion	White	2008	7.80	Carrefour Market
Brouilly	Les Tours de Pierreux	Red	2009	5.95	Leclerc
Morgon	Arnaud Aucoeur Vieilles Vignes	Red	2009	6.15	Leclerc
Chiroubles	Domaine Cheysson Cote 400	Red	2009	6.65	Leclerc
Nuits-Saint-Georges	Coron Pere & Fils Les Vigottes	Red	2009	15.80	Leclerc
Gevrey-Chambertin	Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy	Red	2009	18.50	Leclerc

I told you it was good!

hilyer68 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:09:45 +0000

Congratulations to Manu and Tess Guillot-Broux (right). I’ve just read in this month’s Bourgogne Aujourd’hui magazine that their excellent organic Mâcon Cruzillle ‘Les Genièvrières’ 2008 has been awarded 18.5 points by the mag’s esteemed tasting panel. “a sublime Genièvrières…quite simply a true ‘vin de garde’ with a fresh, pure nose and floral and vanilla notes…an unctuous palate, subtle, round and ‘gourmande’.” The red wine, noted as “superb” gets 16.6 points.

www.guillot-broux.com

Natural Pool in the Minervois vines

hilyer68 — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:41:03 +0000

My good friends Denis (right) and Sophie Morin have 127 hectares of garrigue and vineyards in the beautiful Minervois countryside. Their prize-winning Minervois reds and rosés alone are worth a visit to the Morin’s winery La Villatade and you can stay for a night or two (or longer) in their beautiful rooms and cottages within the Chateau’s age-worn walls. This harvest time you’ll be able to pick a few grapes and cool down afterwards in their latest attraction: a natural bathing pool (below) created within an ancient stone cistern, right in the middle of the vineyard.

For information about staying at Chateau La Villatade click here…