2010 Readers' Digest - A Good Year in Review

 
 

 

Gruelling but Grenachy & Good. 

With the treadmill set on turbospeed, and the In-Box overflowing, and the challenges and setbacks that characterise all us Start-ups, it’s sometimes hard to see the progress through the trees…  New Years is always a great time to take stock of the actual achievements behind the sound and fury.When I was in the corporate world (back in the days when I actually received more checks than I wrote!) we had to engage in a painful and rigorous year-end self-assessment, and then be subjected to an equally excruciating detailed “peer review”. One of the great things about winemaking is that it’s a highly individualistic, artistic pursuit, but old habits die hard, and I can’t help asking myself what the h---‘s been keeping our whole family and team so fantastically busy all year.   Besides, no one wants to heat about the hard and tedious partsSo here’s my stab at a recap:The first half of the year was monopolised by the freakin’ amazin’ but freakin’ exhaustin’ International Grenache Symposium  which I was given the opportunity to host this past (see seperate post), but I didn’t re-emerge to the real world til august.Meanwhile, back at the ranch:The Vineyard:Benedicte, my indefatigable sister-in-law, just pulled off miracles, restructuring several entire blocks of vineyard in backbreaking conditions, earning us praise from Claude and Lydia Bourguignon, the great soil and viticulture experts.The Wines:Huge year for Jean-Louis, my exceptionally talented brother-in-law who runs the winery:   His edgy decision to age part of our 2009 rose’ into oak barrels paid off, as we racked up top rankings in “critic’s choice” and awards. This year we were again extremely lucky to benefit from the extraordinary winemaking council lof Zelma Long, Thomas Oui, Doug Margerum, and  Jason BaretteThe braggyboots skinny:Wine Awards:  Merci Jean-Louis!

  • La Revue du Vin de France- November 2010: Rose’ 2009 Magnum Selected as  1of 450 iconic wines (“Vins Mythiques”) from France, 1 of 5 from the Rhone, alongside Rayas & Beaucastel :
  • Selected as “rising star” of the Rhone in Opus Vino, exciting new beautiful coffee-table book of best wines in the world, compiled by James Gordon and written by Mary Dooey: unfortunately listed under Domaine de La Verriere instead of Chene Bleu, but still great write-up!
  • Mondial du Rosé - Silver Medal 2010, Rosé Magnum 2009
  • La Revue du Vin de France  August 2010 - the highest rating of any Rhone Rosé (17/20), placing it in the Grand Vin Category

Design Awards:  yeeha!  Pleased as punch about these too:

  • Harper’s Design Awards 2010 – Trophy for Best Wine Label
  • Drinks Business Awards 2010 – Runner-Up Best Overall Wine & Spirits Design

Press, as in hot off the… :

  • Dale Robertson of the Houston Chronicle: “Chêne Bleu...could one day maybe achieve "cult" wine status, a "Screaming Eagle" having taken flight from Provence's garrigue." My favorite quote to date!  May it be prophetic!
  • Unsolicited articles in Fine Wine Magazine, Wall Street Journal, GQ, Tatler Beijing, South China Morning Post, The Drinks Report, Harpers, Avenue L (Korea), Optimum (France) etc, Squaremile, House and Garden, Elle Deco: articles on wines, promising results and recognition for effort and commitment, turning around property, dubbing Chêne Bleu world’s first SuperRhone.

New Markets and Venues:

  • Launched in Scotland with L’Art du Vin (www.aduv.co.uk)
  • Launched in California (wines now available in many US States through www.margerumwinecompany.com )
  • Nobu Park Lane, in tres chic Metropolitan Hotel, London
  • Restaurant 1728, Paris – Chêne Bleu wines awards “la Decouverte de l’Annee » (do NOT miss this restaurant when you’re in Paris, it’s phenomenal)
  • The Wine Cask, landmark restaurant of Santa Barbara
  • The hopping chic-rustique Thomas Cubitt restaurant on chichi Elisabeth Street in London
  • Invited to participate in delegation of Women Winemakers to China
  • Vinisud Trade Fair in Montpellier: our first stand! (see post)
  • Hosted 3rd annual Extreme Wine course—what a hoot!

All very promising, but no time to rest on laurels:  so much more to do and learn!

Awards, Uncategorized