An Introduction to Tasting Reports
En Primeur Barrel Tastings
These are conducted at the domaines between September and December in the year following the vintage. The wines may still be in barrel, or tank, or recently bottled and will not be tasted blind. A range of scores will be given if the wine has not yet been assembled for bottling, or a single score if the wine has been bottled. The complete report with notes on the growing seasons and comments on how each appellation has performed will be released on 31st December. Further tasting notes may be added during the following six months.
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The Burgfest Tastings
The Burgfest Tastings of the principal 1ers and Grands Crus take place three years after the vintage, with the whites tasted in May and the reds in September. The wines are sourced from the producers and tasted blind against their immediate peers. The wines are decanted into neutral carafes and served blind in short flights of single or neighbouring vineyards.
The 10 Year On & 20 Year on Tastings
10 Year On and 20 Year On Tastings are held (together) in June of the appropriate year. The wines are sourced from the producers and are not served blind, so examples of the same wines in the market place may not have the same provenance.
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Producer Verticals
Producer Verticals may be instigated by the producers themselves or be the result of tastings and dinners assembled by reliable collectors or our own efforts. The background to the tasting will be explained in each case in the introductory remarks. These wines are not usually tasted blind.
Vineyard Focus
Vineyard Focus tastings will cover a specific vineyard and multiple producers, either in a vertical or a horizontal format, teasing out the character of the vineyard in question while establishing who are the key performers.
