Gilbert & Gaillard

Wine Terroirs

16 Aug 2022

Italian rosé enjoys exponential growth

For years, the rosé wine category in Italy was the underdog, considered a marginal genre, almost as if it were a 'non-wine'. In recent years however, global growth of rosés, and in particular still rosés, has allowed Italian wineries to free themselves of the shackles of cultural legacies that did not value the perception and positioning of pink wines. The undeserved victim of prejudices and absurd confusions, rosé is in fact one of the most cross-functional, versatile wines, both for its potential for expression and pairing possibilities.

Wine Terroirs

08 Jun 2022

Sauternes and Barsac

Here, too, winter was wet but quite mild, leading to early budburst though the head start was lost due to a cold spring and start of April marked by frost. Flowering went well but June was particularly wet and caused shatter and disease pressure. Botrytis ultimately established itself well and harvesting went seamlessly, producing beautifully crafted noble-rot wines but in very, very small quantities!

Wine Terroirs

08 Jun 2022

Saint-Emilion and Pomerol

These two neighbouring cousins are no exception to the rule – inconsistency left right and centre! Probably the most challenging vintage since 2013. But 2021 was saved by its unusually long growing season. It began with budburst at the beginning of April and finished with harvesting dates that were spread out until mid-October due to an over-abundance of sunshine. This confluence of events obviously benefited the Cabernets more than Libourne’s ubiquitous Merlot. Here’s a run-down of what to expect.

Wine Terroirs

08 Jun 2022

Graves and Pessac-Léognan

These appellations to the South of Bordeaux experienced a mild winter and early budburst with the now all-too familiar consequences at the beginning of April. The end of the growing season was less eventful, allowing healthy fruit to be harvested, paving the way for a low-volume but high-quality vintage. The whites are fresh and very aromatic. There is greater inconsistency among the reds but with good fruit and lots of crunchy flavours.

Wine Terroirs

02 Jun 2022

In IGP country, Pays d’Oc reigns supreme

IGP Pays d’Oc covers a 120,000-hectare swathe of land from the Camargue to the Côte Vermeille. This extensive area is home to 20,000 winegrowers who produce wines that wear the colours of the South with pride, both nationally and internationally.

Wine Terroirs

30 May 2022

Primeurs de Bordeaux: Haut-Médoc & Médoc 2021

These two extensive appellations cover almost the entire peninsula. By definition, they embrace fundamentally different configurations, with very distinctive vintage variation. We have been extremely selective in our choice of wines in a bid to only present the finest examples – at this stage – of a challenging vintage.

Wine Terroirs

05 May 2022

Good value Burgundy

For aeons, Burgundy’s Grands Crus, labels such as Montrachet, Romanée Conti or Chambertin with their often hefty price tags, have inspired wine enthusiasts the world over. But prestigious wines are not Burgundy’s only forte. We take a closer look at the lesser known side of the region’s wine range – the ‘generic’ Burgundies, which also have a terroir story to tell.