By Karim Attia, 22nd May 2009 An intense and focused red, with concentrated mineral, plum and dark cherry that are flanked by tobacco box notes.  Lithe yet powerful, with a long, elegant and finely chiseled finish of slate and white pepper.  Drink now through 2015.  95pt (J.Suckling, Wine Spectator) As of 22nd May 2009, 12 x 75cl cases of the above were available for £232 (excluding VAT, duty, and delivery). Chateau de Pibarnon is made predominantly from Mourvèdre, a grape varietal that ages especially well, meaning this wine should gain complexity over the next 10-15+ years. Located in the hills between La Ciotat and Toulon, the vines of the Bandol commune face the Mediterranean and were originally planted by the Romans making these some of the oldest vineyards in France . Chateau de Pibarnon is regarded as probably the best in the region, thanks to the efforts of owners Catherine and Henri de Saint Victor who, amongst other things, have expanded the estate from 3.5 ha to over 50 ha and created the amphitheatre of vines known as the Théatre d'Epidaure.

by Karim Attia. CHAMPAGNE, Reims (88 miles due east of Paris). Some time in the 90s I went to France.  During this time I did a little grape-picking in the Beaujolais region (near Lyon).  In talking to my fellow pickers, I learnt that the Champagne region is, apparently, the best for pickers.  The reasons being that the pay is better than anywhere else and the vines are a decent height - unlike those of Beaujolais, which are back-breakingly low. Never made it up there myself but... The chateaux in Champagne are scattered along the Marne River from Chateau-Thierry to Epernay then branches north into the Montagne de Reims, and south into the Cotes des Blancs. REIMS: Piper Heidsieck. 51, bvd Henri Vasnier, 51100 Reims. Tel: 03 26 84 43 00 Pommery & Greno. 5, Place du General Gouraud, 51100 Reims. Tel: 03 26 61 62 63 Ruinart. 4, Rue des Cayeres, 51053 Reims. Tel: 03 26 77 51 51 Thienot. 14, Rue des Moissons, 51100 Reims. Tel: 03 26 77 50 10 AY-CHAMPAGNE: Bollinger S.A. 18, bvd du Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, 51160 Ay-Champagne. Tel: 03 26 54 85 59 Phillipponnat. 13, rue du Pont, 51160 Mareuil-sur-Ay. Tel: 03 26 52 60 43 EPERNAY: Moet & Chandon. 20, ave de Champagne, 51200 Epernay. Tel: 03 26 51 20 00 MAREUIL-LE-PORT: Comte de ...

by Karim Attia. WINES OF BORDEAUX (Vintage Years: 05, 00, 98, 96, 95, 90, 89, 82) BORDEAUX is regarded as the greatest red wine-producing region in France/the world.  Some of the world’s best sweet white wine is also made in the region: SAUTERNES and BARSAC (in good years). Four primary sub-regions are: St. Emilion and Pomerol (both East/right bank of the river Gironde); Graves and Medoc (both West/left bank).  This last is home to the greatest communes. Grapes used are (in descending order): cabernet sauvignon; merlot; cabernet franc; petit verdot.  Weather during the June flowering is the most critical i.e. indicative of quality (cold rain/strong wind – bad). MEDOC Recipe is typically 70% cabernet sauvignon. MARGAUX Greatest name/reputation but an underperformer/trading on former glory: Ch. Margaux Ch. Palmer Ch. Rauzan-Segla PAULLIAC Consistent high-quality and price: Ch. Lafite-Rothschild Ch. Latour Ch. Mouton-Rothschild Ch. Duhart-Milon-Rothschild Ch. Clerc-Milon Ch. Mouton-Baronne-Philippe Ch. Pichon-Longueville Ch. Pichon-Longueville-Lalande Ch. Grand-Puy-Lacoste Ch. Lynch-Bages Ch. Haute-Bages-Liberal Ch. Les-Fortes-de-Latour ST. ESTEPHE High quality and price when good: Ch. Montrose Ch. Cos ST. JULIEN Consistently high quality and good value: Ch. Leoville-Las-Cases Ch. Leoville-Poy-Ferre Ch. Leoville-Barton Ch. Gruand-Larose Ch. Ducru-Baeucaillou Ch. Talbot ST. EMILION (98, 97, 96, 95, 90, 82) Recipe is typically 60% merlot.  Comprising a multitude of micro-chateaux of varying quality.  ‘Grand Cru’ meaningless in this area.  Therefore, look for one of the 68 ‘Grand Cru Classe’, or (the best) 13 ‘Premier Grand Cru Classe’. POMEROL Consistent high-quality and price: Ch. Petrus Ch. ...