Thursday Business Lunch

Having never heard of "Merlot Noir" before, I just did a Google search on it, and found, at

Kyle, you haven't told us anything about this wonderful wine that we couldn't look up at the web site. What year was it? How did it taste? What restaurant were you at? How much was it on the wine list? etc. Inquiring minds want to know.

I'll tell you only that the wine was 2008, perfume of licorice, blackberries and cherries :)

Some acid, but just a bit to add brilliance to a wine that is really powerful and full bodied.

As I said... wonderful. Don't ask me the price or the place because I don't want to advertise places.

I just wanted to share my experience with this wine.

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Thanks for the notes. I didn't think that the 2008's had been released yet.

They're not. 2008s are currently on sale as futures only. Even the

Mark Lipton

Thanks for the notes. I didn't think that the 2008's had been released yet.

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But I do detect a whiff of spam! Graham

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4818 (20100129) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

Wrong, Mark... they are available. Please double check. Anyway, you don't know where I was :)

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For a guy who didn't want to advertise where he ate lunch you don't seem to have a problem advertising for computers, clothes and cars! Sounds like you enjoyed the 2008 Angelus where ever you were.

Absolutely not.

But I don't visit frequently the newsgroups... so for a period I can write messages, then for months I can be quiet.

It depends if I can find the time and also if I'm in the mood to write.

Anyway, usually I prefer to read quiet groups because I don't like flames, quarrels etc etc.

alt.food.wine is a great group and also you are all of vast knowledge. It's a pleasure to read you.

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Oh, I'm doing a friend a favour, but of course computers, clothes and cars are useless in a wines group... I just forgot to turn it off.

"Kyle" wrote (Referring to Château Angelus 2008!!!!!

Kyle, irrespective of where you are (unless is it already 2012 on your planet) - several merchants are offering Château Angelus 2008 *en primeur*, that is for delivery at some future date.

For you to say you consumed this "at a business lunch at a French restaurant" - irrespective of whether this restaurant was in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France, or Mbabane, Swaziland, or Reykjavik, Iceland or Wooloomooloo, Australia - it is pure fantasy on your part to say you had a 2008 Ch. Angelus.

This wine simply has not been released yet!

Perhaps you are mistaken as to the vintage !!! ;-)

st.helier

Hi Kyle,

This is very odd.

Not if it was Ch L'Angelus. I live in France and because I was curious, I phoned up the Chateau. The wine is not released for sale yet. So either you had a phony or you're mistaken as to the name or the year.

What happens with good wines from Bordeaux is that in general they go into barrels towards the end of the year in which the grapes were picked. Sometimes earlier sometimes later, dependng on all sorts of factors.

Then the following spring, samples are produced for the trade to taste. These are wines blended for the occasion, drawn from barrels, they may or may not reflect accurately what the final wine will be like. OIn the basis of these tastings, the owners start offering their wines to the trade "en primeur". Basically a trader (negociant, importer etc) can buy an option. The first lot is usually offered at the chateau owner's estimate as to what she thinks is fair. Depending on what happens, subsequent lots are sold off at higher or lower prices. As Andrew says, this is a notional sale. Part of the money changes hands, but NO wine is delivered. This allows the winery to recover some of the short term costs (barrels etc).

On the basis of the price the negociants have paid, these negociants will offer "futures", sometimes as early as the summer following the vintage. This may be to selected large retail customers or more often to shops. Again, part of the money (sometimes all) is paid up front, but no wine changes hands. The wne remains in barrel, being racked and tasted regularly.

Finally, sometime between March and September, the final blend is created and after being assembled in large vats, it is bottled. These bottles are often kept at the estate for a short while to before being labelled, boxed and sent out. I've never heard of a good wine from Bordeaux being released before the summer two years after the vintage, but it could hypothetically be released straight after bottling. But with great respect to you, Ch Angelus is not available as yet ANYWHERE.

I do hope that's adequately clear.

All the best Fatty in Forges

Right...... nobody here ever uses a computer, drives a car or wears clothes.

Then I'm wrong, but it was Angelus... there was the bell in the center...

Since I was busy with the business, and I was invited (I did not pay anything).

To be honest, now it could be 2005 or 2006... I can't focus on it at the moment.

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You're a very lucky man to be drinking $150-$300 retail wine at a business lunch. Restaurant prices would be in the $250-$600 range per bottle in The States.