Newsletters

March, 2007

We still have some Champagne Pol Roger remaining and therefore can extend our amazing offer at just £15 (22 euros) per bottle. Prices at source have now increased hugely forcing our normal selling price up to £17.75 (still cheap compared to the British price!) so if you have a specific need for champagne this year, this is very much the right moment to take advantage of our offer. This offer closes either at the end of March or when stocks run out, whichever is first.

Our dinner at Le Cygne in Saint-Omer on 24th February with Philippe Jonquères d'Oriola sold out within a few days of my last newsletter and I apologise to those who may have been disappointed. A brief report and photo of the man in action at this amazing dinner may be found on http://www.boursot.co.uk/dinner.html.

These wine dinners are proving very popular and as far as it is possible to see at this stage, our next dinner will be on Saturday 21st April when we will be showcasing a selection of our new wines from France's longest river, the Loire. The suggestions from the particular local hotel's menu have not been fast in coming but rather than delay further, I thought I'd advise you of this potential date now. Once I have received and agreed the menu, I shall be in touch again.

Also, so as to give you as much advance warning as possible, our Anniversary Weekend will be held on the 13th and 14th October 2007. As with our Launch weekend last year, there will be:-

• Overground tours of the historic town of Ardres
• Underground tours of the Royal bastions and silos of Ardres
• A Wine Tasting of a selection of our wines in the shop
• A Masterclass given by one of our wine producers
• A Gourmet Burgundy Dinner given by Monsieur Paul Bouchard from Burgundy at the Hotel l'Atlantic in Wimereux

and clearly we will release further details as soon as they are all available.

So: I got out recently - to the Loire where I tasted an eclectic selection of wines, mostly from the 2006 harvest. This is one of the most exciting Loire vintages I have ever tasted and I found it to be uniformly good across the broad spectrum of wine styles available along the length of the Loire – the wines had masses of fresh fruity flavours. Red, white and rosé, dry through to sweet, and indeed sparkling wines – they were all of high quality.

As a consequence, we are buying wines from Bourgueil, Chinon, Ménétou-Salon, Sancerre, Saumur-Champigny, Vouvray, the Vendée and a Cabernet d'Anjou Rosé, as well as a mouth-wateringly delicious Crème de Cassis which complements the quality of our fabulous Crème de Framboise.

There are many other new wines coming on to our LIST in anticipation of the spring and summer seasons. I invite you to try some of these next time you are here, so that these might add further variety to your wine enjoyment.

The website continues to develop and we now have a secure page under Order Wines for when you need to pass us your credit card details. Having heard how card fraud can be effected, we recommend you do NOT give your card details over an unsecured e-mail.

Here in Ardres, I am pleased to have discovered an oh-so-French restaurant, La Renaissance, where they serve good quality menus at €20 and €27,50. Don't be put off by the simple décor – in my experience the food is well presented, well cooked and tasty. By way of a bonus to you, as one of our customers, provided you mention Boursot's Wine Collection when you go in, you will receive a complimentary kir as an aperitif. This benefit also still applies of course at the excellent François Premier restaurant opposite our shop, as well as at the brasserie La Taverne de Kate. If you need further advice on local places to eat, or you'd like us to reserve you a table, do call or e-mail.

With the exchange rate so favourably inclined towards the pound, this is a really good time to come across and get away for the day or the weekend and to sample many of the things that France is famous for – mostly at a fraction of the price that you'd pay in the UK.

Being Brits based in France, we are regularly asked for information on various aspects of life in France, and so a new feature going up on our website will be property purchasing services as well as translation services. We know people who can help you, so will be happy to point you in their direction. Hit this link to contact us.

Easter is traditionally a busy weekend here, so we do recommend that you pre-order your wines so that they are put on one side for your arrival. We shall be open all day Good Friday, all day Saturday, Sunday morning and all day Easter Monday.

Don't forget that our friends at the Ferry Travel Club can arrange well-priced crossings for you on 0870 264 2644, but remember to quote our code “WINE CO” to log into our special deals.

As you probably know already, we are situated very conveniently on your return route from your holiday or long weekend break. Get off the A26 at Junction 2, follow the signs to Ardres and after shopping here you will be back on the RN43 to the port of Calais or the tunnel, just 20 minutes away. Directions may be found HERE.

We look forward to seeing you here again before too long. And please - don't forget to tell your friends about your wonderful experiences at Boursot's Wine Collection!

With kind regards

Guy

Guy BOURSOT
Wine Consultants SARL

Tel: +33 3 21 36 81 46
Mob: +33 6 76 10 32 41
www.boursot.co.uk