Newsletters
 January, 2009
Dear Customer,
Our newsletters are unfashionably verbose, so if you prefer to go straight to a particular topic, the main headings are below.
Dear Customer,
A very Happy New Year to you. I hope you have had a good Christmas break.
Our newsletters are unfashionably verbose, so if you prefer to go straight to a particular topic, the main headings are below.
General
Very few of us could claim that 2008 was a great year. It was a year in which the press and media never ceased to tell us how bad things were and how much worse they could get: something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, although no-one would deny that aspects of the world’s finances had been less than precarious. So, having seen themselves vindicated as partial governors of the economy, perhaps the media could now take on some responsibility to raise people’s spirits again?
There is of course good news out there, but it does not make the headlines. What the British press will not tell you is that even despite the recent currency fluctuation, buying wine is still considerably cheaper in France than in England, primarily due to the fact that there is virtually no excise duty in France. At the UK’s £1.50 per bottle before VAT against £0.02 per bottle before TVA in France, you can see already that there is a huge difference – add to that the retailer’s profit margin on this cost and the difference works out at a minimum of around £2 per bottle at the cheaper end. Paradoxically, despite duty being a flat rate tax, the price differential increases as the wine increases in value. For example, about a year ago we were selling a white Burgundy at £11 per bottle cheaper than it was found in the UK – o.k., this was not a cheap wine but it does go to demonstrate my point.
You should expect to see the selection of European wines being diminished in the UK over the coming weeks, as retailers will either have to raise their prices substantially or use alternative wines from currencies that are currently more advantageous to them.
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Forthcoming Events
Saturday 31st January: dinner at the Hotel Le Relais in Ardres: get away from all the January blues with an evening of inexpensive entertainment. I shall be hosting a four course dinner, with a minimum of five wines - all for just 49€.
You will have the opportunity to taste and compare wines vertically (i.e. the same wines across different years) to see the effects of age on wine and to discuss whether it is worth paying more for older wines. Wearing my other hat as a wine writer, I will also be giving an entertaining talk on the current trends in the wine world. Afterwards you can simply toddle upstairs to sleep at a price of around only 45€ per room!
Saturday 7th March: Boursot’s Wine Collection will be hosting a wine dinner at Château Tilques near Saint-Omer and I am currently looking for a major speaker for this evening - as always this will be an evening of fantastic value - the price of this dinner is expected to be around 90€ to include a minimum of four courses, five wines and all entertainment in this luxurious setting. We have managed to obtain for you a substantial discount on room rates. Fuller details of the dinner will be announced as soon as they are available.
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Cross Channel Offers
As a Boursot’s Wine Collection customer, until 31st March your special Day Return fare for a car and 5 passengers with SeaFrance will be £23 from Sundays to Fridays and £30 on Saturdays.
To take advantage, you can get these special prices only by calling the Ferry Travel Club on 0870 264 2644 and by quoting our code “Boursot”. If you wish to come for longer, or to add accommodation to your package, do call that number and the helpful staff should be able to quote you a competitive all-in price.
Also we are pleased to continue our Offer whereby if you spend more than 600 euros here, we will pay for your day return crossing. Please call or e-mail us to find out how to take advantage of this Offer.
We are a small company and need all the help we can get, so if you feel that these offers could be of interest to any of your friends or colleagues who might be planning a wedding or large party, do please help them, and us, by passing on our details.
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Hotel Promotion
We are pleased to tell you that we have teamed up with the luxury hotel Château Tilques (click those two words to see their website) just 20 minutes’ drive from our shop in Ardres. Here you can get away from it all and relax over a night or a weekend at advantageous rates through Boursot’s. Please mention Boursot’s Wine Collection when you enquire or book.
Restaurant: Château Tilques has recently opened the Brasserie du Parc in its conservatory, where you can enjoy a weekday lunchtime menu of three courses for just 19,90€ and as a Boursot’s Wine Collection customer you will also receive a free kir (per person!).
Rooms: Château Tilques is offering Boursot’s customers substantially reduced (approx -30%) rates at 129€ per room with breakfast included Sunday to Friday and 159€ for Saturday nights – all of course subject to availability. So please do contact us if you would like to take advantage, as these offers are only available through Boursot’s.
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Burgundy Promotion
As you will probably recall, our Offer continues until the end of January with the exquisite and highly reputed Burgundies of Olivier Leflaive & Frères in the village of Puligny-Montrachet. Patrick Leflaive, managing director, was our guest speaker at our October Gourmet Dinner at the Hotel Atlantic in Wimereux and he has kindly agreed to run an exclusive Burgundy promotion with Boursot’s Wine Collection, which we feel to be an honour as they can sell these wines across the world with absolutely no difficulty.
This is a “must do” opportunity for Burgundy lovers – where comparable our prices are on average 18% lower than the price charged by Leflaive’s own agent in the UK, so you can imagine the price differential if you were buying these “retail” in Britain. Inevitably Burgundy stocks are limited and these wines are offered subject to remaining unsold, and this Offer runs until the end of January 2009. Wines that have sold out are marked appropriately and those wines with a vintage change have had their years adjusted in red.
WHITE BURGUNDY
| Bourgogne, Les Sétilles 2007 | 11.00€ |
Saint-Romain 2006 | 15.79€ |
Auxey-Duresses 2007 | 18.00€ |
Chablis 1er Cru, Côte de Léchet 2006 | 18.80€ |
Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, En Remilly 2006 | 23.60€ |
Meursault, Les Tillets 2006 | 31.50€ |
Chassagne-Montrachet 2006 | 31.90€ |
Puligny-Montrachet 2006 | 34.29€ |
RED BURGUNDY |
Bourgogne, Cuvée Margot 2006 | 10.80€ |
Côte de Beaune Villages 2004 | 14.20€ SOLD OUT |
Chassagne-Montrachet 2006 | 19.30€ |
Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru, Les Fichots 2006 | 17.54€ |
Pommard 2004 | 26.79€ |
Pommard 1er Cru, Les Charmots 2003 | 35.00€ SOLD OUT |
Pommard 1er Cru, Les Epenots 1999 | 43.85€ |
The prices shown are in euros.
For further descriptions of any of these wines, please contact us on ardres@boursot.co.uk.
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Additional January Offer
During January, we are pleased to offer genuine reductions on the following wines – these are not mass retailer “Offers” of making up prices and “discounting” off them.
Each wine is delicious to enjoy now, and we would urge you to take advantage of this Offer by reserving your stocks now by e-mailing your requirements on ardres@boursot.co.uk.
WHITE WINES |
Château Marie du Fou, Blanc, Fiefs Vendéens-Mareuil (Loire), 2007
A glorious barrel-fermented wine from the Vendée made from 70% Chenin Blanc and 30% Chardonnay.
This beautifully presented wine is light but full of grapey flavour with a remarkably long finish. As with so
many Chenin wines, the flavour of this wine will get richer over the coming years. | 8,00€ | 7,50€ |
Chablis, Saint-Martin, Domaine Laroche, 2007
Laroche’s Saint-Martin is made from the best vineyards in the village of Chablis, and is of a Premier Cru quality
but without the price tag. It has the minerality of a good Chablis but it has a softness of style and is really easy
to appreciate. You may recall that we used to list this wine but delisted it after its price kept rising – now
we’ve bought a parcel at a much more sensible price. Simply delicious: this is great Chablis. | 12,40€ | 11,40€ |
RED WINES |
Château Le Monge, Médoc (Claret), 2002
This is, simply, a good value wine with a firm fruity and rounded style – a typical Médoc. Not an enticing label
but the contents are good and honest and, as already said, of great value. | 5,80€ | 5,40€ |
Château de Lascours, Nobilis, Pic Saint-Loup (Coteaux du Languedoc), 2006
Lascours’ special “Nobilis” blend is made from 60% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre, so the wine
has complex aromas of wild spices, fruits and tannins. From the château’s 35 hectares on sandy-chalky soil
in the Pic Valley, this is a stunning and really fruity mid-weight wine. Better value than many Rhônes. | 6,00€ | 5,60€ |
Offered subject to remaining unsold
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The January List
Our new list is available on the website and to view on this link or to print on this link. Many of the wines that sold out towards the end of the Christmas trading season are either back in stock now or are coming back in shortly. Remember that we charge in euros; for the moment I have not readjusted the exchange rate as today this seems to be improving in your favour – and who knows, it might even improve a bit further before my review again next month.
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Opening Hours
Do please remember that normally we are open from 10am to 6pm MONDAY to SATURDAY and we do not close for lunch. If you know that you can only come outside these hours or days and would like to collect some wines, do please contact us so that we can open up for you.
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Boursot’s Home Delivery Service
Our Home Delivery Service is now available and further details may be found on this link to the relevant page on our website. This is very much a trial service and consequently there is only a short list of wines currently. The success of its development depends on whether you gauge it to be a useful addition and whether you use this service, so I look forward to hearing your reaction.
We can of course also send over most wines off our main Ardres list but shipment and clearance through HM Customs may take a little time to co-ordinate. Please enquire for further details.
I expect to write a fuller newsletter in February but in the meantime you really should hop across to pick up more of our good value wines or even come to one of our fantastic events! I look forward to seeing you again soon.
With all best wishes
Guy
Guy Boursot
Wine Consultants SARL
Boursot’s Wine Collection
9 Rue de l’Arsenal
62610 ARDRES, France
Tel: +33 321 36 81 46
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