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Bibendum gets ready for mega Bordeaux tasting - 25/02/2009

The world's most important wine region is getting ready to lock up its chateaux (and daughters!), head through Le Tunnel and set up camp in NW8. Bibendum's Annual Bordeaux Tasting will once again peel back the layers and reveal the reasons why so many are stuck on Bordeaux.

April 22nd is the big day as Bibendum takes over the Nursery Pavilion at Lord's Cricket Ground from 4pm to 8pm to taste some of the finest reds and whites known to man. Since Bibendum hosted the first ever such public tasting of this kind and scale in 2006, the tables have been graced by winemakers and owners from Cheval Blanc, d'Yquem, Leoville Barton, Angelus, Pontet Canet and many other big names.

Short of flying over to Bordeaux, this tasting is the best way to understand the chateaux, wines and people of this fantastic region. As in previous years, all the chateaux will be bringing multiple vintages so visitors can taste and buy wines to drink now as well as to lay down. The final line-up of chateaux will be released in a couple of weeks but we can confirm that it will include La Conseillante, Leoville Barton, Pontet Canet, Beychevelle, Haut Bailly, Troplong Mondot, Pichon Baron, Montrose, Lafon Rochet and Suduiraut, amongst many others.

On a recent buying trip, Bibendum's crack tasting team (okay, Ben and Alex...) spent a few days talking to the Bordelais about their hopes and fears for 2008 as well as selecting the very best of their drinking vintages for the tasting. Rather than retreating behind their battlements in these tough times, the chateaux are keener than ever to come over and pour their wines for London's knowledgeable tasters. On top of this, they are very optimistic about the quality of the 2008 vintage currently in barrel.

"The Ben Collins annual February trip to Bordeaux is usually a bit like that period at the beginning of the Second World War (no I wasn't quite around) when people sat around waiting for things to happen and not much actually did. In a mega vintage the hype is on full throttle and nobody gets to taste any wine under any circumstances. Well this time I tasted quite a lot of wine and I can report that the wine IS good so that is one box that can be ticked. I reckon that this vintage is superior to 2007 and on a par with 2004 and some bits of Bordeaux will be as good as 2006.

That is only part of the story however. Unless the price comes down 40% - 30% for the exchange rate and 10% for the market then there will be very little justification for consumers to buy this vintage and more importantly that reduction may not even persuade the customers to get their wallets out." Ben Collins, Fine Wine Director

The Bibendum Annual Bordeaux Tasting is an unmissable tasting for anyone wanting the ultimate Bordeaux experience. Meet the winemakers, understand the different appellations, compare vintages and come and taste for yourself.

Bibendum Annual Bordeaux Tasting

A tasting of several vintages from over 60 great chateaux of Bordeaux

Nursery Pavilion, Lords Cricket Ground, St John's Wood, London NW8 8QN

4pm-8pm, Wednesday April 22nd 2009

Tickets: £30 each or 2 for £50

For ticket enquiries email sales@bibendum-wine.co.uk, call 020 7449 4120, or visit the events page for more details.