Without a doubt, Bordeaux is the most famous appellation in southwestern France and the Aquitaine region. However, there are other appellations within the region whose wines are produced from the same grape varieties as Bordeaux, are similar in style, but are less well-known, if not virtually unknown, outside the country.

One of these is the protected geographical indication (IGP) Agenais, covering just 84 hectares and located in the Lot-et-Garonne department. This appellation was officially created in 1982 (then called Vin du Pays Agenais), but in 2009 it received the status of protected geographical indication (IGP Agenais).

Where is it?

Southeast of Bordeaux, approximately halfway to Toulouse, it is crossed by the Garonne and Lot rivers. However, the grapes for the wines must be grown within the department.

A Little History

Vineyards in the Lot-et-Garonne department have existed since the 18th century, with vines being planted so rapidly that in 1747, the Bordeaux governor banned the establishment of new vineyards, which had begun to replace grain crops, fearing famine. However, in the late 19th century, the department’s vineyards did not escape the fate of other European regions and were devastated by phylloxera. Since the mid-20th century, the vineyards have been revived and received the general designation of Vin du Pays Agenais in 1982, and then the more specific IGP Agenais in 2009.

IGP Agenais Terroir

The climate is similar to the oceanic climate of Bordeaux, but with a more continental influence, as the Lot-et-Garonne department is located further from the Atlantic Ocean, meaning the temperature difference is more pronounced: summers are hotter and winters are colder. However, the Atlantic influence somewhat mitigates this difference and brings the necessary moisture. Because Lot-et-Garonne is closer to the Mediterranean, warm air masses reach here in the autumn, favorable for grape ripening. In other words, due to its location, the region is at the crossroads of Atlantic and Mediterranean influences.
The soils here are quite diverse and vary depending on the area. South and west of the Garonne, sand predominates, north of the river, the terrain is hilly with calcareous soils, and the plateau between Lot and Garonne is a mosaic of different soils.
In short: IGP Agenais is a mosaic of different microclimates, which explains the diversity of wine styles.

Grape Varieties and Wines

IGP Agenais produces primarily red wines (67%), followed by rosés (22%) and whites (11%), totaling 4,105 hectolitres per year. Since the IGP has less stringent criteria than the AOC regarding production volume, grape varieties, and production techniques, in addition to the most well-known Bordeaux grapes (red Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, and white Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle), it also allows red Gamay (a Beaujolais grape), Abouriu, Alicante Bouschet, and white Colombard, Chardonnay, and Ugni Blanc (to name a few).
The wines may be barrel-aged or not, purely fruity, spicy, acidic, or soft. It’s impossible to describe the style in a single phrase, as it largely depends on the taste and desires of the winemaker, who isn’t constrained by the strict rules of the AOC.

Tasting Côtes des Oliviers. Vin de Pays de l’Agenais 2017

Aroma: Soft, enveloping, and delicate, with expressive fruity notes of strawberry, fresh and baked red plum, ripe red cherry, and cherry jam. Oak aging reveals hints of smoke, toast, wood, cocoa, and coffee.
Taste: Equally fruity (strawberry, cherry, plum, and a hint of jam) with pronounced notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, and black pepper. Fine-grained, velvety tannins, pleasant acidity, and a fairly long finish with a hint of prune and pepper.
Overall Impression and Quality Rating: A very pleasant wine with a surprisingly good price/quality ratio.

If in the previous article the example of Australian Chardonnay sold by an (incredibly) low price is not only obvious, but it is even a textbook example of the impact of production technology on wine prices is a Bordeaux wine with a protected geographical indication, selling for €3 is a different matter. A wine enthusiast, even someone with a background in the industry, will likely be tempted by such a price, while someone working in the wine industry, and especially a winemaker, will be more than surprised, they’ll be indignant. Moreover, for discounters, €3 isn’t the limit: with the 4+2 promotion, the price per bottle drops to €1.99, €1.69, and even €1.39.
Such prices rightly provoke waves of protests among winemakers, with condemnatory signs hanging outside stores, and entrances barricaded with uprooted vines. And not only for the simple reason that selling a bottle for less than 2 euros (which includes grapes, packaging, labeling, and cork, not to mention production costs) simply makes it impossible to make a profit and live, but also because an unreasonably low price undermines the prestige of the appellation itself, casting doubt on the quality of the wines and their centuries-old status.

So, where did such an incredibly low price come from? Here, not only the discounter’s policy of selling goods at prices (much) below average played a role, but also the crisis of Bordeaux winemaking and the wine industry as a whole:

• decreased alcohol consumption
• decreased interest in wine among younger generations
• preference for other drinks

If we talk specifically about Bordeaux, then the crisis in the region’s winemaking, in addition to the above, was influenced by more specific factors:

• overflowing warehouses, dating back to 2005, when the first plan to uproot vineyards was cancelled due to the “Chinese euphoria” (China had just entered the world stage and began importing wines from Europe en masse), when Bordeaux winemakers, attracted by the population and the “luxury” reputation of European wines in China, essentially staked their future on exporting to that country. At first, the Chinese indeed were buying a lot of Bordeaux, and even wine châteaux were purchased, and prices for the region’s wines also soared, spurred by the Primeurs weeks following very successful vintages. But the COVID-19 pandemic and the burgeoning wine industry in China itself put an end to large-scale purchases, leaving a huge amount of Bordeaux wines unclaimed.
• Bordeaux’s reputation as exclusively red wines, although this is far from true, is causing buyers, who currently prefer white wines, to pay less attention to the region.
• The contribution of wine critic Robert Parker, who once wielded enormous influence in the wine world, especially in Bordeaux. Winemakers were so eager to please his taste for powerful, tannic wines, with a pronounced notes of oak, fearing the loss of everything due to one bad review or comment from him, that they tailored their wines to these tastes. R. Parker retired long ago, and consumer tastes have considerably shifted towards a lighter, fruitier style, without the heavy flavor of new oak, but the reputation Parker bestowed upon Bordeaux remains.

If you add to the fact that Bordeaux is generally unsold, the low prices that consumers see in stores and “format” the price range they can afford, then the economic situation and future of the region look bleak.

Tasting: Baron de Ceyssac 2023 Bordeaux

Color: Ruby, medium intensity

Aroma: Medium intensity, bouquet Simple, with a dominant flavor of tart red berries (tart strawberry, tart red cherry, cranberry, red currant), but light barrel notes are still present (menthol, liquorice, fresh wood, resin).

Taste:Surprisingly, it’s quite pleasant. The attack is fruity, revealing the same ripe berries as the aroma (strawberry, cranberry, red currant), but slightly sweeter, complemented by notes of black currant and black plum. The tannins are soft, not drying, enveloping. The taste also features slightly more pronounced sweet barrel notes (coffee bitterness, dark chocolate, vanilla). The finish is short but pleasant, with medium but fairly fresh acidity, a subtle hint of blackberry, and a good bitterness.

Overall impression and quality assessement: A surprisingly reasonable wine for its price, even quite pleasant. I think it might have been more expensive initially, but the producer signed a contract with a discounter to sell it at a lower price.

Where did the barrel-aged notes in the profile come from on a wine priced at 3 euros, considering it was aged in oak barrels?

Does this add at least 1 euro to the price? The barrels were definitely used (as indicated on the label), but not new ones, which are needed for micro-oxidation, not for the development of oak flavors. The rather expressive oak flavors (vanilla, chocolate) could have come from the addition of oak chips or staves to the barrels during aging qnd not from used oak. When wine is “infused” with wood in this way, oak notes are more pronounced, in a positive sense, reminiscent of vanilla, charred wood, and toast, rather than, for example, roasted hazelnuts or cocoa. And this option is much cheaper, than new barrels.

Conclusion: Does inexpensive Bordeaux really equal mediocre wine?

In addition to the points above: one of the indirect causes of the Bordeaux wine crisis, paradoxical as it may sound, could be those who gave the region its global reputation. Expensive Grand Crus, undoubtedly great and exceptional wines, have given Bordeaux wines a reputation for being expensive. While this isn’t entirely true, and only 3% of all winemakers produce Grand Crus, affordable Bordeaux will raise questions and doubts in the consumer’s mind. The region boasts plenty of pleasant, easy-drinking, and affordable wines that suit modern tastes and complement both rich winter dishes and light summer appetizers (some reds can even be served slightly chilled). And for these, don’t go to a discount store; it’s better to go to a wine boutique or directly to the château, which will allow the winemaker to reap a fair reward for their work.

Contents:

How did August, one might say, the defining month for the 2025 vintage, go? The beginning of the harvest, a heat wave with temperatures sometimes reaching 40 degrees, American taxes… An article summarizing events in the world of wine in August.

The Impact of the heat in Summer 2025

Today, it is impossible to find a person who has not heard about global warming or climate change, which seems to be going from one extreme to another. Periods of stiflingly hot temperatures in Europe are becoming more frequent, accompanied by extreme precipitation in the form of thunderstorms and hail. Drought and heat have affected many wine regions, from North Africa to Australia, in this review we will focus on France.
How can climate change affect winemaking and wine?

• Grape harvest dates to earlier
• Berries need to be protected from sunlight
• Water stress
• More sugar in the grapes means higher alcohol content in the wine
• Reducing the acidity of the wine
• Changing the aroma of the wine from fresh fruit to jam

During the week of heat, the grapes gained an average of 2% more potential alcohol, which means that winemakers need to hurry with the harvest of white varieties before the berries lose acidity and red ones, destined for rosé wines for the same reason. In addition, thunderstorms and showers that follow the heat can swell the berries too quickly, even breaking the skin, which means the risk of mold.
Comparing the harvest volume in 2025 with 2024, French winemakers produced 14% more overall, thanks to a more favorable sanitary situation (less mildew, downy mildew and gray mold), but 4% less than the average of the last five years due to the campaign to uproot vineyards.

Let’s walk through the French wine regions during the harvest.
Chablis: Compared to 2024, 2025 was much better here. Thanks to the dry and hot weather, the vines produced fairly full bunches without signs of attack by mildew, which, due to the humidity, destroyed most of the harvest in 2024. In 2025, the fungus was unable to develop due to dryness – the bunches were threatened by so-called scorch: when the grapes are exposed to direct sunlight, which dries and burns the berries.

Champagne: Champagne winemakers describe 2025 as a very successful year, but early due to high temperatures in August and the rapid accumulation of sugar in the berries (which means a higher alcohol level in the future wine, which should be avoided in order to obtain the airiness and refreshing style of sparkling wine). But thanks to the same heat, the grapes were spared from mildew, so the bunches are in excellent sanitary condition. As for the organoleptic profile, the acidity of the grapes remained at a sufficient level, and the aromas developed harmoniously, so “winemakers can reap the fruits of a whole year of work with confidence and calm” (David Chatillon, co-president of the Champagne Committee). The start dates of the grape harvest in Champagne vary by commune and variety (the earliest date in 2025 is August 20, the latest is September 4), but in general they are earlier than last year for the region.

Alsace: The Crémant grape harvest opened on August 19, 10 days earlier than in 2024. Overall, 2025 was also a good year for Alsace, thanks to a warm spring that helped the grapes start early, flowering and setting in dry, warm weather in June, followed by July rains that hydrated the grapes, and the August heat that helped sugars accumulate quickly (2% potential alcohol per week, compared to the usual 1.2%).

Loire Valley: The Crémant grape harvest began three weeks earlier than in 2024. The sanitary situation in the vineyards was also quite favorable – some regions did not register any diseases on the vines at all, others – only small outbreaks that did not threaten the harvest. In the Center of the Loire and Anjou Samur – the same situation: virtually no diseases, good volume, somewhat reduced due to drought, earlier harvest.

Bordeaux: the region once again confirms the legend of exceptional vintages, multiples of five. The warm but humid beginning of spring gave way to heat and dryness in May, and then in the summer, with short breaks for showers, sometimes hail. In August, the region experienced a hot and dry period with temperatures above 40 degrees in some parts. As a result, the vines stopped developing the green part (leaves, etc.) quite early, and concentrated on ripening the berries, which would not be hindered by additional precipitation. At the moment, 2025 is expected to be a very successful year, but September-October can still change everything. And, as in other regions, the grape harvest in Bordeaux began earlier than usual.

Burgundy in general: the 2025 vintage is also much more successful than 2024 – almost no mildew, the grapes are in excellent sanitary condition thanks to the warm weather and dry wind. As in other regions of France – earlier harvest and harvest volumes, somewhat reduced by drought and water stress, due to which the grapes did not gain enough juice. The heat accelerated the ripening of the grapes, but the acidity remained at a good level.

South of France: the first to begin harvesting was the Fitou region – the first bunches of Muscat were cut here already on August 1 (which is not a record for the Languedoc region, since grapes were once harvested here on July 25). It should be noted that this Muscat is intended for wine with a low alcohol content – 9%, so here it is not so much the accelerated harvest due to the heat, but the desire to obtain a wine of a certain style. In Provence, the harvest has already been collected since August 12.
In general, France is expected to have a good quality harvest and a successful year for the wine industry, despite the decrease in harvest volume due to heat and lack of rain.

Château Lafleur in Pomerol quits its famous appellation and even the appellation of Bordeaux

Perhaps one of the most surprising events since the time when the famous Châteaux Ausone and Cheval Blanc decided not to apply for the highest Premier Cru Classé A status (for a reminder, the Cru Saint-Emilion classification is set for 10 years, and the chateaus must reapply for this status after this period).
The owners of Château Lafleur, an equally famous neighbor of the legendary Petrus, have decided to leave not only the Pomerol appellation, but even the general Bordeaux appellation since 2025, in order to have access to a wider range of winemaking practices and grape varieties. According to the owners of the Château, the Guinaudeau family, “the climate is changing so rapidly and radically that we must react and adapt quickly. Our approach to vineyard management is changing faster than the appellation specifications.”
For the Guinaudeau family, 2015, 2019 and 2022 have already shown the need to think about the future and the survival of their vineyards. The final decision to leave the Bordeaux appellation in order to have more freedom in winemaking and viticulture technologies and thus preserve the style of wines was made in 2025, which broke all records.

Devastating fires in the south of France

While the heat and lack of precipitation became a favorable phenomenon for vineyards closer to the north of France, in the south of the country they turned into a natural disaster. On August 5, 15 communes in the Aude department were engulfed in a devastating fire that destroyed 16,000 hectares of vegetation (11,000 hectares of forest, 2,000 hectares of agricultural land, 1,500 hectares of vineyards), killing one person and injuring several others.
Winemakers in the Corbières appellation, which was significantly affected by the fire and is part of the department, are counting the losses not only in terms of the number of vines burned. The smoke that enveloped the already ripe and ready-to-harvest grapes will inevitably be absorbed by the berries and will give them an unpleasant taste and a burnt smell, which will be felt in the wine, making it unsuitable for sale and consumption.

According to Laboratoires Dubernet, the wine can be saved by using reverse osmosis and activated carbon purification, but one of the most devastating fires of the 21st century will leave its mark not only on the final production of the 2025 vintage of the Corbières region but also on its economy, which is affected by the wine crisis.
The gravity of the situation brought the French Prime Minister François Bayrou to the region the day after the fires to (once again) state the emergency and discuss a solution, including state aid. However, even the most famous and emblematic winemakers of Languedoc have failed to convince successive ministers of agriculture and prime ministers over the years that the current climate, droughts and lack of water are a matter of life and death for the region’s wine industry. Particularly acute is the question of allowing rainwater to be collected and used to irrigate the vineyards if necessary. A question that requires only an exception to the rules and specifications of the region. In French wine regions, vineyards cannot be irrigated, except in the first years after planting for better growth and rooting (and then only if necessary). But the water that falls in the form of showers in the southern regions (specific features of the local climate) flows in such a powerful stream that it simply does not have time to be absorbed into the soil. In other words, the rain fell, but for the soil it was as if it had not happened. Winemakers in Languedoc are asking for the permission to irrigate with this type of water (and not from the tap), which could well water the vineyards if it were supplied more evenly. It should be noted that due to climate change, such showers and floods have become more frequent and powerful, which should have been a signal for permission to irrigate in the region. But this has not been done so far.

American duties

Another blow to the French wine industry was the introduction of duties on imported products from Europe by American President Donald Trump. Winemakers had hoped that alcoholic beverages would not be included in the list, but negotiations between the EU and the US have failed, and an additional 15% has been added to the existing 15% surcharge due to the conversion of euros into dollars, meaning that European products will cost 30% more in the US than in Europe.
What does this mean for the industry? The US is the largest importer of wine and spirits from Europe: in 2024, alcohol worth 8 billion euros was exported, of which 5 billion was wine (and 2.4 billion was French wine alone). For France, the US is the largest market for wine exports, and the introduction of duties could mean a 25% reduction in sales. And in the context of the current difficulties, a decrease in exports will hit the already shaky balance of the wine industry. And if this topic is developed further, the losers will be and the Americans themselves: the decline in exports will affect port employment, will entail job losses, lower profits and even the closure of wine boutiques specializing in European wines (not to mention the fact that wine consumption by the population is generally declining). In general, there may be an imbalance in the system of import and distribution of wines in the USA. But, theoretically, the rise in the price of European wines will benefit American wines, which will be in greater demand.

Sources:
La Revue du Vin de France : www.larvf.com
Vitisphere : www.vitisphere.com
SudOuest : sudouest.fr

Introduction
The prices of discount wines sometimes seem like something out of science fiction. Bordeaux for €2, Australian or Chilean wine for €2.50, Burgundy for €3… as if the winemakers were working at a loss. And sometimes this is true.

Why so cheap?
The first tasting was Australian Chardonnay for €2.49 from Lidl. Before commenting, let’s consider how such a low price can be achieved for wine that is transported almost across the entire planet. Factors that determine the price of wine:

• Viticulture costs:
  • Vineyard work difficulties (flat or slopes, maintaining vine health – for example, fighting diseases due to high humidity)
  • Machine or manual harvesting
• Crop volume: the more grapes, the greater the volume of production, and the lower the wine prices
• Production technology: the more stages and the longer it is, the more expensive the wine (for example, wines aged in barrels will be more expensive by definition)
• Packaging: bottle, cork, label, etc.
• Workers’ salaries
• Transportation
• Wine quality and exclusivity: the winemaker has every right to sell young wines of exceptional vintage and becoming rare at a higher price
• Protected Geographical Indication: wines with a protected geographical indication, due to more flexible restrictions on production volumes and the varieties used, will most often be cheaper than wines with a protected geographical designation (and without one or the other – even cheaper)
• The prestige and fame of the name, the law of supply and demand – also determine prices. A striking example is champagne – this sparkling wine is a symbol of celebration and luxury, there will always be a fairly high demand for it, so the prices for champagne are consistently high, and over time they only increase along with inflation, unlike Bordeaux, where even the most prestigious wines begin to lose value

Using the example of Australian Chardonnay, the following factors explain its low price in Europe, not even in Australia itself:

• The costs of viticulture are low: flat terrain, the use of equipment for processing vines and harvesting
• High permitted production volume
• Short production cycle – this wine underwent only alcoholic fermentation, short aging for stabilization
• In this case, there was also no goal to produce something exceptional, harmonious with natural acidity and richness, but affordable and inexpensive. The characteristics for obtaining a more or less correct wine were achieved by using correction technologies – acidification, that is, adding tartaric or other permitted acid to wine or must if the natural acid in the grapes is not enough. This method is much cheaper than using viticulture technologies (for example, working with foliage so that the bunches themselves remain in the shade).
• This wine has the name “Southeast Australia”, which means that the grapes can be from any part of this wine region.
• Considering the volume, style and name, such a wine is not uncommon.
• The wine was transported by sea, in huge tanks, not in bottles, and it was bottled in Europe (namely, in Germany, as the label says). This is the most economical way to ship wine, permitted for inexpensive wines without a protected designation (wines with a protected geographical designation must be bottled within the appellation, and sometimes only in a chateau)

A little about the protected geographical indication “South-Eastern Australia”

South-Eastern Australia is the so-called “wine superzone”, which does not coincide with the administrative boundaries of the regions of Australia and includes:

• Entire states of New South Wales and Victoria
• Some parts of states of South Australia and Queensland

Here are also such appellations as Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, Barossa, where the most famous and expensive wines of Australia are produced. In terms of area, South-East Australia is twice the size of the largest American Viticultural Area (AVA). Obviously, the terroir (a combination of climate, topography and soil characteristics) of South-East Australia is so diverse that it would be impossible to describe it without the context of a sub-region. There are cool and rather damp coastal zones and arid territories in the interior of the continent, where irrigation is allowed, plains where the use of machinery and high yields are possible, and uplands where vineyards are less productive and work can only be done by hand. Accordingly, the wines of South-East Australia vary greatly in style, quality and price. This also includes the island of Tasmania, famous for its high-quality sparkling wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. And its oceanic island climate makes South East Australia even more diverse as a wine region.
The soils of this wine super zone range from volcanic, with a high iron content, to chalky, rocky, clayey…
If we consider South East Australian wines only in the context of the low-cost, low-maintenance category, the grapes are either grown in river plains where the vines are not threatened by fungal diseases due to humidity and irrigation is allowed, allowing high yields with little effort or expense, or they may come from different appellations within the super zone (for example, grapes that producers have rejected as not being of sufficient quality for more prestigious cuvées).

Sample and tasting: Cimarosa Australian Chardonnay 2024, Lidl for €2.49

I’ll start with the tasting comments, which I’ll then compare with the wine’s composition, available online via the QR code on the bottle.

Color: pale lemon, with a golden hue
Aroma: medium intensity, simple and purely fruity, with dominant ripe white peach, nectarine and yellow plum, complemented by melon, fresh yellow Golden apple, fresh white grapes and the sourness of lemon zest.
Taste: repeats the bouquet of aromas (peach, yellow plum, yellow apple, grapes), but with a more pronounced sourness and bitterness of citrus fruits in the attack. The body is medium (-), short aftertaste with a slight tingling sparkle. Medium (+) acidity, which adds a characteristic dryness in the aftertaste – a sign that the wine could undergone acidification.
Overall impression and quality assessment: as expected from such a price – the quality of the wine is average: the drink is quite suitable for consumption, but without organoleptic pleasure.

Now an additional comment on the taste characteristics and composition of the wine. Here is what is listed in the official database of the European Union (the composition of this wine is not a secret and is available via the QR code on the bottle):

• Grapes
• Concentrated grape must
• Acidity regulator: tartaric acid
• Preservatives and antioxidants: sulfites, ascorbic acid
• Stabilizer: carboxymethylcellulose
• Carbon dioxide

What conclusion can be drawn from this? Firstly, the presence of tartaric acid confirms the use of a technology noted during the tasting – acidification of the wine: its acidity seems unintegrated into the organoleptic profile, dry in the aftertaste. In addition, concentrated grape must was added, meaning the wine was also subjected to chaptalization – the addition of sugar in a permitted form in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. Why was this done if it is easy to grow grapes in large quantities and in favorable conditions for this wine? The large volume is explained by permitted irrigation in a sunny and hot climate, which allows the vine to grow quickly and form a rich harvest and numerous bunches for easy propagation. And this, in turn, means quantity, not quality, whereas in survival conditions the vine concentrates on the quality of the few berries that it can afford to produce. Continuing the logic, more berries – more juice, i.e. more water in the berries and less sugar, which may not be enough to reach the level required by the specifications (the wine in question is exported to Europe, where the laws regarding wines and protected geographical indications are quite strict – to be called “wine”, an alcoholic beverage must have a minimum strength). If the grapes do not have enough sugar to reach the required strength after fermentation, then the winemaker has the right to add sugar in one form or another, which must be completely transformed into alcohol. But this technology will also affect the balance of the wine, although chaptalization is more difficult to determine during tasting than acidification. The alcohol level can be adjusted in this way, but the complexity of the bouquet cannot be improved, so the wine, despite all its body, may seem empty or simple in terms of organoleptics.

Conclusion: to buy or not to buy?
The tasting and the composition confirming it indicate that this is, one might say, an artificial drink, with strength and acidity adjusted to standards, without any signs that allow identifying the origin of the grapes. It is possible to determine the variety by tasting, but this drink is not suitable for wine connoisseurs, unless you are undergoing training to become a sommelier or oenologist.

Continuing the theme of one of the most popular cocktails in the world…
In this article I gave examples of the most diverse variations of Spritz – the use of a specific liqueur depends on the region of Italy (various Amaro, Limoncello, Campari…) or on the country (Lillet, if we are talking about Bordeaux, or Saint-Germain, if it is Savoy).
I recently discovered another option – Giffard Spritz from the French liqueur maker Giffard.

History of the House of Giffard

Emile Giffard, an apothecary from Angers, was more than just a pharmacist who sold medicines. A gourmet and explorer, he was particularly interested in the refreshing and digestive properties of mint. The result of his research was a mint liqueur, the refreshing effect of which was enjoyed by guests of the nearby Grand Hôtel. Then, in 1885, Emile Giffard founded a liqueur house of the same name, having converted his pharmacy into it. The main product at first was mint liqueur, which Emile called “Menthe-Pastille”, “Mint lollipop”, like the then very popular mint candy. Today, the liqueur house is owned by the fifth generation of the Giffard family, and the mint liqueur, with which the history of the house began, is still being produced. In addition, the range includes:

• fruit liqueurs
• cocoa, vanilla, coffee liqueurs…
• elderflower liqueur (similar to Saint Germain)
• Curaçao
• Limoncello
• Spritz
• non-alcoholic liqueurs…

The company’s principles are to support local producers and farmers (65% of raw materials are purchased in France, and all black currants are from the Anjou region, where the plant is located), respect for nature and environmental protection (use of solar panels, recycled glass for bottle production, reducing the weight of bottles).
The technology used by Giffard is maceration, that is, infusing ingredients (fruits, herbs, spices) in alcohol for a certain period, which, depending on the component, can vary from 24 hours to 3 months.

Giffard Spritz – similarities and differences from Aperol

The taste of the cocktail on Giffard Spritz liqueur is pleasant and balanced, close to the cocktail with Aperol with the same proportions. The differences are in the lower sweetness and bitterness of the French analogue, due to the difference in technologies. The dominant flavor is citrus (grapefruit and bitter orange), obtained from grapefruit peel tincture, complemented by rhubarb notes (from red and green rhubarb tincture) and soft bitterness from gentian extract.
The prices for both liqueurs are approximately the same, so Giffard Spritz is a good French analogue and alternative to Aperol, both in flavor profile and price.

Information and photos: https://www.giffard.com/

White Notre Dame de la Solitude is the second wine of the chateau Domaine de la Solitude. The vineyards of the chateau are located in the territory of the Pessac-Léognan appellation and belong to the religious community of the Holy Family, founded in 1820 by the Bordeaux priest Pierre Bienvenu Noailles. Dedication to religion, an orphanage and work in the fields were the main activities of the sisters, but the lands they owned were also distinguished by an exceptional terroir for vines. Since 1854, he created internal management of the community’s vineyards, but in the 1970s, with the consent of the sisters, the management of the vineyards was entrusted to external structures. As a result, the vineyards of Domaine de la Solitude became part of the Graves region, and then of the prestigious Pessac-Léognan appellation. In 1993, at the request of the sisters Olivier , Bernard, owner of the famous chateau in Pessac-Léognan, Domaine de Chevalier, leased the vineyards of Domaine de la Solitude for 40 years (in French, the term is called “fermage”, this is the so-called agricultural lease, when the tenant uses the land to grow crops and make a profit and pays rent in cash or in the products of production). Today, the Domaine de la Solitude range includes two main wines – white and red, the second red wine with the Pessac-Léognan appellation Prieuré de la Solitude, pink Rosé de la Solitude with the Bordeaux Rosé appellation and red and white Notre Dame de la Solitude of the Graves appellation.

Tasting: Notre Dame de la Solitude 2020 – Graves

Notre Dame de la Solitude, appellation Graves, is the second wine of Domaine de la Solitude, which in turn has the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Classic Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend, a harmonious combination of a round body, depth and freshness – a classic and high-quality white Bordeaux.

Color: yellow-lemon of medium depth

Aroma: expressive, floral, slightly sweet. At first, notes of linden honey, acacia, chamomile tincture, candied lemon, lemon zest, fresh citron, apricots, dried wild flowers and hay are felt, as well as sour shades of kiwi, gooseberry and pomelo.

Taste: fresh, with a citrus attack (lemon, lemon zest, citron) and a long sour-bitter aftertaste (grapefruit). Sweet honey and floral notes (linden honey, acacia, dried flowers) are also felt, as well as tertiary notes of hay and wax. A rich, developed, but at the same time pleasant and harmonious wine with good acidity.

What to pair with: a good ensemble turned out with oysters, thanks to the acidity of the wine, but it went better with the creamy texture of risotto and hard cheeses from sheep and goat milk, as well as with white fish.

Doesn’t the name of the winery seem a bit Italian to you? And this is not without reason. Crimea’s favorable location for international trade attracted Italian merchants. The Venetians were the first to arrive in Crimea, followed by the Genoese, who controlled the peninsula for about 200 years and left their mark on it during this time.

Historical background

Due to its geographical location, the Crimean peninsula was a strategically important point for international trade, a link for trade exchange between Western Europe and Asia. It is not surprising that Crimea often became the cause of clashes between states that wanted to completely control the peninsula.

As a result of the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204), the Crusaders stormed Constantinople and ousted the Byzantines, thereby gaining unhindered access to the Black Sea. The Venetians took an active part in the crusade and, as a result of its successful completion, received the right to freely navigate the Black Sea. Genoa, the enemy of the Venetian Trade Republic, on the contrary, was forced to leave the lands captured by the crusaders and forget about trading activities on the Black Sea coast for a while.
Then Genoa became close to the enemy of Venice – the Nicaean Empire. In 1261, the two states concluded the Treaty of Nymphaeum, according to which the Genoese were granted broad trading privileges and exclusive access to the Black Sea in exchange for help in recapturing Constantinople. Following this event, the Genoese founded Kaffa (Feodosia), which turned into a major trading center on the Black Sea coast, and gradually began to expand their possessions.
As a result of the war between Genoa and Venice (1293-1299), the parties signed an agreement under which the Venetians lost the opportunity to enter the Black Sea for 30 years, which made the Genoese the full owners of trade relations through the Crimean Peninsula. Soon the Black Sea coast became surrounded by Genoese ports, stations and fortresses, which supported Genoa’s presence in this region.
In 1343, the Genoese ousted the Greek princes from the fortress of Yamboli, which then stood guard over Genoa’s trade and political activities in Crimea. On Italian maps, this place was marked as “Chembalo”, and its modern name is Balaklava.
As you may have guessed, the Genoese name of Balaklava explains the Italian name of the wine. More precisely, Loco Cimbali was the name of the areas and villages around the fortress where grapes were grown.

A little about the winery

Loco Cimbali is a joint project of the Zolotaya Balka enterprise and the famous winemaker Oleg Repin to create a premium line of wines on the diverse terroir of the Balaklava Valley. For Loco Cimbali wines, plots with the most favorable terroir for Merlot, Chardonnay, Rkatsiteli, Pinot Noir, Saperavi, Bastardo Magarachsky and Cabernet Sauvignon are selected. Each plot occupies less than 20 hectares (except for Merlot, which is 26 hectares), which in addition to high quality, also gives these wines exclusivity. The wines are aged in French oak barrels, and after assemblage – in bottles, to create a harmonious bouquet.

Tasting: Loco Cimbali Rkatsiteli Barrique 2020

Rkatsiteli, aged in barrels, especially caught my attention in the Loco Cimbali range. And the tasting was really very interesting.
Aroma: Pronounced, complex, combines sweet and sour citrus fruit notes (orange zest, baked apple, ripe fresh apple, baked pear, a little of grapefruit), spices (vanilla, Timut pepper with a hint of grapefruit, lime zest), roasted hazelnuts, smoky shade, croutons.
Taste: Rich and complex, with a medium (+), enveloping body, fairly high acidity and a long aftertaste with grapefruit bitterness. Pleasant fruity bouquet (ripe apple and pear), with citrus shades (grapefruit, orange, lemon zest), sweet spices (vanilla, a little cinnamon), milky notes of caramel, praline and toasted brioche.
Overall impression and quality rating: very good, unusual wine, with a deep and complex taste
What to pair with: white meat in a creamy sauce, hard cheeses with nutty notes (like Comte)

Universal Spritz Recipe

It would be appropriate to start the second part of the article with a recipe for the Spritz cocktail. It is very easy to remember, since the proportions are almost always the same, only the components change – liqueur and sparkling wine:

• 2 parts of liqueur (or aperitif, depending on the recipe)
• 3 parts of sparkling wine
• part of carbonated water (not mineral)
• Ice
• Decoration (lemon, orange, a sprig of rosemary …)

Just one recipe allows for many variations:

• with liqueur (which was mentioned in the previous article)
• with sparkling wine (usually brut is taken, but semi-dry sparkling wine is also allowed, for those who like it sweeter)
• and even water (for example, you can replace carbonated water with Schweppes for a more expressive bitterness).

History of the aperitif Aperol, Campari and Select

Campariappeared earlier than all the others – in 1860. It was created by Gaspare Campari, who founded the eponymous company Gruppo Campari near Milan. In Milan itself, Gaspare opened his own bar, where you could taste the liqueurs he created himself. The bitter and expressive aperitif quickly became popular in Italy, and since 1926 Gaspare stopped the production of all liqueurs except Campari, and focused on making his company known throughout the world.

Aperolwas created in Padua by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in 1919, after 7 years of experimentation. In the post-war period, the drink quickly became popular in Padua and Verona, but the cocktail with prosecco appeared in 1950. In 2003, the Aperol brand was bought by the above-mentioned Gruppo Campari, which, after a large-scale advertising campaign, made the Aperol Spritz cocktail one of the most famous and popular in the world.
Select appeared a year later, in Venice (that’s why Spritz with it is called Venetian), at the Fratelli Pilla & Co liqueur factory. It took the creators 9 months and 30 aromatic components to develop the composition of the aperitif, which was initially served in its pure form, and since 1970 has become one of the types of Spritz cocktails. Today, the Select brand belongs to the Italian Gruppo Montenegro.

The difference between Aperol, Campari and Select

The first is, of course, the composition, which is kept secret for all three products. Only the main ingredients are known, which are most pronounced in the taste, and which can be determined by carefully tasting the three cocktails.

Taste
With Aperol Spritz, the cocktail turns out sweeter than the other two, and due to this sweetness, its bitterness seems less pronounced. The most pronounced citrus notes here are bitter orange and grapefruit, which are complemented by a characteristic note of cinchona bark, which is also part of its composition. Of the known ingredients, the basis of Aperol is:

• Bitter orange is the main and most striking component in the taste
• Cinchona
• Gentian
• Rhubarb
• Various roots
• Spices

With Campari, the cocktail is an acquired taste – the most bitter and the strongest, due to the highest strength of the liqueur, as well as the longest bitter (in a good way) aftertaste. Because of its pronounced bitterness, sweetness in this cocktail fades into the background. Citrus notes with bitterness (bitter orange) are felt less, giving way to cinchona and bitter medicinal herbs. The composition of Campari is similar to Aperol, its difference is probably provided by other technologies used in production (distillation with aromatic components or their maceration), and other proportions of components:

• Bitter orange peels
• Cinchona tree
• Gentian
• Rhubarb (the least pronounced shade)
• Roots
• Bitter herbs

Cocktail based on Select in bitterness is between Aperol and Campari and has more a distinct note of rhubarb and sweet spices. Here are its famous ingredients:

• Rhubarb – processed separately, which gives the liqueur a characteristic taste and a pinkish hue
• Wormwood
• Bitter orange
• Juniper
• Spices: coriander, cloves

Unlike the two previous cocktails, the Select version is garnished with an olive instead of an orange.

Color
Different technologies applied to the components individually affect the color. Thus, the color of Aperol has an orange tint, Select is deep red, with a pinkish raspberry tint reminiscent of the color of rhubarb, and Campari is deep bright red.

Photo:

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Summer is the time for cold soft drinks, pink and white wines, and, of course, cocktails. As an introduction to an article dedicated to one of the most popular cocktails, here is a list of the most famous and consumed cocktails in the world:

1. Mojito
2. Margarita
3. Old Fashioned
4. Pina Colada
5. Martini
6. Cosmopolitan
7. Negroni
8. 8Daiquiri
9. Manhattan
10. Spritz

Despite the fact that Spritz is only in tenth place, there are many variations:

1. The immortal classic – Aperol Spritz
2. Also almost a classic, even a competitor – Campari Spritz
3. A less known version of the red shade is Select Spritz (or Venetian Spritz)
4. A whole series of cocktails based on Amaro bitter liqueurs
1. Averna
2. Cynar
3. Veccio Amaro del Capo
4. Amaro Montenegro
5. Options with citrus flavors:
1. Italicus Spritz
2. Limoncello Spritz
3. Lemon Spritz
6. Sweeter floral Hugo Spritz
7. More local options with local liqueurs or aperitifs
8. Spritzer – an analogue with still wine instead of sparkling wine
9. With fruit juice instead of liqueur…

… the number of options and flavors is limited only by the bartender’s imagination. You might even think that a spritz is ultimately a sparkling wine (not even prosecco) with some kind of filler.

Different liqueurs – a difference in taste

The first three options – based on Aperol, Campari and Select – are distinguished by the balance between bitterness and sweetness, which is achieved by using one group of ingredients with some differences. In the next article, I will describe these three cocktails in more detail, but I can already say that the spritz based on Campari is the bitterest and the strongest. The other two are sweeter, but the sweetness of Aperol resembles an orange, and Select – rhubarb.
Amaro-based cocktails are distinguished by their pronounced bitterness and sweetness, with wider variations in taste, since recipes can include different combinations of ingredients – herbs, dried fruits, etc.
Citrus cocktails are different types of lemon in the taste (depending on the liqueur used), or bergamot in Italicus. Here, acidity and sweetness are balanced.
Hugo Spritz is a cocktail based on Saint Germain liqueur, which is made from elderflowers, with a delicate taste, but a more pronounced sweetness.
From local spritz – a version with Bordeaux aperitif Lilet.
In other words, Spritz is a multifaceted cocktail, in which it is fashionable to try local liqueurs and aperitifs, considering that in their pure form they are an acquired taste.

Is it necessary to choose prosecco for a spritz cocktail?

Not at all. Prosecco is a classic of the genre and a canonical component for this cocktail, the main taste of which is due to the liqueur. Moreover, in the cocktail itself, the delicate notes of sparkling wine will be completely hidden by the more pronounced taste of the liqueur. Sparkling wine in a spritz is not needed to make its bouquet more complex, but to dilute, in a good sense, the bright taste of the liqueur, to make the sweetness less pronounced, and the bitterness more delicate and light. Therefore, it does not matter at all whether your cocktail contains prosecco, cremant, cava, sekt or even champagne, you still will not notice the difference.
Then why is the prosecco option considered an indisputable rule? Spritz is an Italian cocktail, a classic drink for aperitivo, and prosecco is an inexpensive and simple Italian sparkling wine, one of the Italian wines with the largest production volume, i.e. just what you need for a cocktail where sparkling wine doesn’t play a big role.
So feel free to replace prosecco with any other available option.

How can we characterize the wines of 2024? Fresh, tangy, easy to drink, pleasant but not exceptional. The meteorological conditions of 2024 have been a difficult test for Bordeaux winemakers – temperatures generally below average and increased rainfall have remained stable throughout almost the entire vegetative cycle, which has slowed down the ripening of the grapes and created conditions for the spread of mildew and gray mold. An unstable rainy autumn has also made the grape harvest difficult. As a result, not only the terroir, but to a greater extent the work of the winemakers has become decisive in the final result and profile of the wine.

In this article, I will tell you what to expect from the wines of the 2024 vintage and give a description of this difficult year.

Characteristics by months and seasons<>/h2

Each season affects the vegetative cycle of the vine, its development, and, accordingly, the characteristics of the grapes. It is the grapes that are the determining component of the organoleptic profile of wines, and therefore understanding the influence of weather conditions throughout the vegetative cycle can give a preliminary assessment of the character of the wines. Let’s consider each season of 2024 in detail.

Winter: wet and warm, which slowed down the onset of bud break and made work in the vineyards difficult. But another reason for the delay in the onset of the vegetative cycle and its uneven onset throughout the region is the frequent practice of late pruning, which somewhat delays the onset of bud break and thus helps to survive the period of possible frosts without losses.

Spring: warm and sunny April (from 3/04 to the middle of the month) contributed to the opening of buds and a relatively quick start to the cycle. On average, this happened 2 days later than in 2023, under favorable conditions. In about a week during this period, the vine developed three full leaves, but after a radical and prolonged drop in temperatures starting on 15/04, three frost episodes (19, 22 and 23 April), vine growth slowed to one fully expanded leaf per week. However, the frosts did not cause serious consequences and crop losses, and multiple heavy rains did not exceed the average rainfall for this period. May, wet and cooler – by the end of the month there was 80% more rainfall than average, and 30% less sunshine. As a result, spring 2024 was 34% wetter than average, and May 2024 was the first month in the last 2 years with below-average average temperatures. In these conditions, the growth rate of the vines in May was average, and on the developing leaves there appeared

Summer: in general, a rainy June (despite the dry and sunny last week) made it difficult for the vines to flower and contributed to the physiological disorders of the vines – coulure (dropping of flowers without the formation of ovaries) and millerandage (formation of berries of different sizes on one bunch of grapes). But due to the uneven distribution of precipitation (mainly in the form of thunderstorms), alternating with hot weather, the most serious problem in the Bordeaux vineyards in the summer of 2024 was the fungal disease mildew, which spread not only to the leaves, but also to the forming bunches. July began with a cool week, but then an anticyclone brought alternating hot (with temperatures above average) and cool (with temperatures below average) periods and thunderstorms. Thanks to the dry and sunny last ten days of July, by the end of the month the berries had already started the ripening process in the earliest areas, despite the slowdown of this process in the region as a whole due to excess moisture in the soils (accumulated during the rainy winter, spring and summer thunderstorms). Obvious ripening began only by the end of the last week of August, which turned out to be quite warm and sunny (not counting individual thunderstorm episodes). By the end of August, the Merlot variety had almost completed the first stage of ripening – the change of green color of berries to red. At the same time, mildew continues to pose a threat to the vineyards of Bordeaux, to which was added the phenomenon of “rot brun” – the drying of berries affected by mildew. The last week of August turned out to be hot, with temperatures above 30 degrees.
Autumn: Unlike the end of August, September was again distinguished by coolness and increased precipitation, which slowed down the accumulation of sugar in the berries, but did not affect the gradual decrease in acidity. The rainy season that began on September 20 accelerated the harvest of Merlot, whose ripening had been slowed by the cool weather. However, the variety gradually acquired more pronounced fruity tones, while maintaining a noticeable but not sharp acidity. The later Cabernet Sauvignon, which was harvested in mid-October, finished ripening in more stable and favorable conditions, significantly changing its organoleptic characteristics – the berries acquired more intense fruity tones and significantly reduced the level of acidity.

How did the wines turn out in such conditions?

The 2024 vintages should not have the richness, power and tannic structure of exceptional vintages such as 2009, 2010, 2020 and 2022. The 2024 vintage can be described as fresh, delicate and easy to drink.
The reason for this was the rainy weather – a typical characteristic of an oceanic climate, often difficult and demanding from a viticultural point of view. The 2024 vintage required effort and reactivity from the winemakers: from April until the beginning of ripening, they resisted attacks of mildew, to which were later added coulure and millandage due to rains during flowering, and even gray mold, which did not affect previous vintages. As a result, depending on the terroir, the location of rains and thunderstorms, the technologies used, the funds involved and the sorting of grapes, the amount of harvest and the character of the wines in some places differ significantly.
Red wines with a dominant of Merlot are aromatic and fruity, but in 2024 they do not have the depth and density of wines of more successful vintages, although the most favorable areas for this variety on the Right Bank yielded more full-bodied and concentrated wines. On less favorable terroir, this variety acquired grassy shades and sometimes even a “watery” character.
Those dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which was able to ripen in drier and sunnier October weather, are distinguished by greater richness, especially on the most favorable gravel terroir. As for white wines, the absence of prolonged periods of heat and the soil being saturated with water, gave aromatic citrus-floral Sauvignon Blanc with high acidity. The more capricious Semillon expressed itself differently, depending on the terroir – the most favorable gave rich, juicy and aromatic wines, less suitable resulted in a lack of concentration.
For sweet wines, 2024 was quite successful, thanks to the early appearance and uniform distribution of noble rot. In general, sweet wines turned out to be balanced and aromatic.
Overall, 2024 will not go down in history as an exceptional year for Bordeaux wines, but it is quite capable of satisfying the modern consumer who prefers drinkable and fruity wines that do not require long aging and maturation.