Newsletters
 March, 2012
Dear Customer,
And so to our usual verbiage: our newsletters can be unfashionably verbose, so if you prefer to go straight to a particular topic, the main headings are below.
General
The more eagle-eyed among you have reminded me that in February you didn't get your monthly dose of Boursot news, for which my apologies but it is perhaps a sign of the times that our business has been unusually strong during a traditionally quiet time of the year.
You will have noticed that the price of shopping in France has come down, with a weakened euro against the pound. Currently the euro rate stands at around 1.20 to the pound.
In case you should ever wonder, before VAT the UK duty currently stands at £1.81 per bottle of still wine and £2.32 on each bottle of sparkling wine. Add 20% VAT to both the duty and to the value of the wine and you have ... a very unhappy situation for UK wine drinkers. With the average sale price of a bottle of wine in the UK being £4.55, this means that just over 56% of the cost of that bottle is now consumed in tax.
Thanks to the automatic duty escalator, the level of duty will rise by inflation plus 2% from 1st April.
Over several years a curious trend has emerged whereby shortly before a Budget, the British media is filled with soundbites about how bad alcohol is and how every drinker, responsible or not, needs to be punished by the addition of additional tax. Over the last weeks, we have heard many such "news" stories and with the automatic duty escalator already in place, something tells me there may well be a plan to introduce further taxation to wine drinkers the majority of whom are, after all, an easy target and source of additional revenue. Could the minimum pricing policy be in sight now?
In France there is only a negligible rate of duty on wine, thanks to the country being a major supplier of wine. So, its tax still remains at an almost non-existent rate of around £0.02 per bottle!
Many of you say the same thing – epitomised by one happy customer not so long ago "One has to be crazy to buy wines in England. Virtually no choice on the high street and when you can find something interesting, it's ridiculously expensive... This (coming to Ardres) is so much fun, it's so easy, we make a day of it and everyone is happy".
On our list you get a good selection of French wines here in Ardres with some huge savings over UK prices. You can rest assured that all the wines on this list, starting at just 2,90€ (around £2.50) per bottle, have been tasted and selected by me as being "good" in their own different ways – it's then simply a question of your personal preferences and of course everyone has different tastes.
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Reduced Cross Channel Fares
We are hoping to be able to announce shortly a favourable deal for you with one of the cross-channel operators. Watch this space.
P&O is currently offering day returns from £25 on this link.
In case you didn't know it already, we should point out that Tesco clubcard points can be exchanged for Eurotunnel tickets, although it may not be possible to use these in conjunction with an existing Offer.
Since the demise of SeaFrance, the joint venture between DFDS Seaways and LD Lines has started a new five times per day boat service between Dover and Calais amidst a blare of media noise. However from looking at the DFDS/LD/Norfolklines website, the hours of travel do not appear too attractive and presumably have been set up initially for the much coveted freight traffic. We are told "a second ship will be added at a later date".
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Boursot's Hotel Offer
We have a list of local hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, golf clubs and places of interest on our website under the Local Info button from our Home Page - or directly here. We hope you will find this helpful. Whilst talking about Local Info, we also list the Bank Holidays so that you do not find, on getting here, that everything is closed (except Boursot's Wine Collection of course which remains open every day except Sundays and Mondays and over Christmas).
It is probably true to say that about three or four years ago, the 4 star Hôtel Château Tilques between here and Saint-Omer, was overly crowded with partying Brits and the consequence of that was that the hotel's quality and value seemed to slip.
Now, things are very different as those of you who have been to our Gourmet Evenings at Tilques can testify, and we have no hesitation in recommending the hotel and its restaurant. The food is good and the bedrooms are characterful, light and spacious. With its idyllic setting, and proximity to the bustling and pretty town of Saint-Omer with its historic cathedral, I can't think of a much better combination for an easy and tranquil getaway for a night or two.
As a Boursot's Wine Collection customer, you will receive reduced rates of 129€ per room Sundays to Fridays and 159€ for Saturday nights; these prices are per night for two people, including breakfast and are of course offered subject to availability. When booking, please mention Boursot to get your special rates.
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Our UK online wine related gift boutique, Grapes & Vines Gift Designs, continues to grow. Click the link above to see the selection of items - from USB flash drives disguised as corks, to our exclusive Nick Newman framed wine cartoons (that you may have admired in our shop), natural wine soaps, wine map tea towels, sterling silver tastevin cufflinks and many, many more wine accessories. These make great presents for wine lovers and you can order these online and the items will be delivered to you at home within a few days. Many of these items are also available to look at in our Ardres shop from where you can of course collect.
Several gifts have been specifically designed and made for us, so you will not find them elsewhere. There are many more items to appear so do please keep looking or sign up via this page to receive direct updates via ezine or Twitter.
The Blog is constantly adding new articles and the wine related ones have been written by yours truly.
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Your Own Events in France
You may know it already but we are often asked to help organise various social events - for groups such as Golf Clubs, Rotary Clubs, U3A, Wine Clubs, Car Clubs, birthday parties, office parties, pre-wedding parties etc.
Typically, we would discuss your desired objectives for your event and then work backwards from there. We can liaise on your behalf with local restaurants and if required, hotels. Being locals, often we are allowed to provide our wines in restaurants at our shop prices and with no cost of "corkage" to you.
Depending on whether you would like it, I can talk a little about the various wines being served, probably concluding with some entertaining words about what's going on in the World of Wine. These events are always fun and they are different: with only 23 miles across that English Channel, but a million miles away in cultural terms, people always seem delighted to get away for a complete change of scenery and for a bit of French life.
With some advantageous deals on cross channel fares as well as with local restaurants and hotels, you can really entertain your guests here in northern France at extraordinary value.
In addition of course, I am happy to travel to you to present wine related events to your groups or dinners.
Do please contact me by phone or on guy@boursot.com to explore your options.
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Forthcoming Boursot Events
All our customer lunches and dinners are of course held in English. Vegetarian and alternative food options can also be provided, as long as we receive notice at the time of booking. Please contact us on ardres@boursot.co.uk or on +33 321 36 81 46 to book for any of our events below.
If a guest speaker is unable to attend, we will endeavour to find another speaker and if none is available, Guy Boursot will present the talk.
Boursot's Wine Collection is usually open on the Sunday morning after a Saturday night dinner.
Saturday 17th March: "Grand Cru Champagne" presented by Benoit Marguet at Hotel Château Tilques, Saint-Omer
The charismatic Benoit Marguet of the Grand Cru producer Champagne Marguet in Ambonnay will be our guest speaker this evening. Benoit is highly respected and has many of his grower champagnes in the best places; he is a proud defender of the concept of "terroir" which defines the various different taste characters between so many wines around the world. He will talk about this and the current developments in Champagne and will also answer any questions you may have.
This will be an evening to remember, comparing several different styles of champagne over dinner and being led by a true champagne professional.
We have blocked off a number of bedrooms at the 4 star Hotel Château Tilques for this dinner, so please let us know if you would like to stay so we can allocate you a room at our advantageous rate of 159€ per double room with breakfasts included.
As always, we are bringing you this dinner at a fraction of what you can so easily pay in Britain for a lesser quality event. The price for the four course dinner and all entertainment will be 89€ (about £75 at today's rate). There are still a few places available.
Saturday 28th April: "Wine" presented by Filip Verheyden at Hotel Atlantic, Wimereux
A beautiful and major new wine book has recently been published and indeed, we have stocks in our Ardres shop or available for you to have delivered through this link.
"Tong" (the Flemish for Tongue) has for a while been producing quarterly publications about wine. With its articles written by wine professionals, whether they be winemakers or Masters of Wine, Tong is a source of useful and interesting information. What is refreshing is that this publication is written and edited in a no-nonsense and impartial style: without any of the gush and sensation that adorns more "popular" wine magazines. As a matter of policy, it also carries no advertising.
Tong has recently produced its first book called "Wine" (!) which will guide everyone, whether novice or professional. I believe that this 288 page book is a must-buy for anyone who has an interest in wine, and that at just £26, it also offers super value. Chapters include: What does good wine taste like? How do I choose wine from a supermarket shelf? Further chapters contain more in-depth knowledge: How to combine wine with food? What is the vine like? How does climate influence a wine's taste? What really happens in a winery? And much more.
Filip Verheyden is co-author and publisher of Tong and he will be our guest presenter this evening. With his outspoken attitude towards wine (and food), you should find this evening both entertaining and illuminating.
The Atlantic hardly needs any introduction. Alain Delpierre, chef proprietor, is one of the region's finest chefs and is one of the few Maitre Cuisiniers of France. Situated on the seafront at Wimereux, you could not find a better setting for a relaxing gastronomic break.
Tickets for this Gourmet Dinner are 89€ (around £75) per person to include a bubbly reception, a five course dinner and five more wines. And of course some top discussion! We have blocked off rooms at the Atlantic and there are also plenty of other hotel rooms within easy walking distance.
Saturday 12th May: "The Diversity of Flavours from the Loire" presented by Guy Boursot at Restaurant Le Cygne, Saint-Omer
The Loire, as France's longest river, runs through a number of different soils and micro-climates giving rise to an array of different styles of wine: white, pink and red, sparkling, dessert – it has them all. As there are so many different styles you will begin the evening tasting a small cross section and then with dinner, you will be able to enjoy six other wines.
The vaulted cellar of the Restaurant Le Cygne makes a wonderful setting for our wine dinners. With its warm atmosphere and excellent and innovative cuisine, this is arguably one of the very best restaurants of the region. There are some simple hotels within easy walking distance.
The price of 74€ (about £62) includes a bubbly reception and five more wines to accompany the four course dinner of fine cuisine. And of course all entertainment!
Sunday 8th July: Mid-Summer Lunch: La Fête de la Belle Roze: Venue, Theme and Price To be Confirmed
We have an idea for this lunch which is a little out of the ordinary, but which is taking a while to get agreement from the interested parties. As soon as we have further news, we will of course report it here but for now, you can certainly put this date in your diary.
That day the bi-annual La Fête de la Belle Roze takes place in the centre of Ardres – the feast that celebrates the saving of Ardres from the Spaniards in the 16th century. It is a fun event that is full of local colour and more will be written about this here in due course.
Saturday 13th October: Anniversary Gourmet Dinner at Hotel Atlantic, Wimereux – details to be arranged
We have blocked off some bedrooms at the hotel for our dinner, for which the theme and speaker have yet to be chosen.
Saturday 17th November: Bordeaux Dinner – Up to Margaux with Pierre Brousse-Schyler of Château Kirwan, 3ème cru classé Margaux. Venue to be arranged.
This will be one of our "great" dinners: we are honoured to have with us the head man from one of the most respected chateaux in Bordeaux. Classified as a 3rd growth in 1855, Château Kirwan in Margaux is nowadays back on top form, producing some stunning and widely acclaimed wines.
The venue and price have not been finalised yet, but we are giving you advance notice as this is bound to be a dinner with strong demand. You can reserve your places now and we will keep you in touch with details as they unfurl.
Sunday 9th December: Ardres' Christmas Market and Boursot's Christmas Lunch at La Griotte, Ardres
From 10am that day, the annual Turkey Festival will be held about 20 minutes away in Licques, a village famed for its outdoor reared chickens and turkeys. Here, a flock of local turkeys is "shepherded" up the main street. Dotted along the route you can enjoy stew served from a huge steaming cauldron, eat roasted meat from street barbecues and you can even try out "Licquoise", a fiery local liqueur that will help to keep you warm. All for free. There are musicians and confrères and there is also a simple Christmas Market brimming with local produce. It is all typically "local French".
And then to lunch in Ardres: Boursot's Christmas Lunch is the fun highlight of the year. Afterwards when your spirits have been warmed up, we suggest you "do" the Ardres Christmas Market which, in 2012, is expecting an injection of new ideas. There will be more on this nearer the time.
You can book now for any event shown above. Other events are in preparation and as soon as we can announce further details, we will report those here.
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News in the World of Wine
You often ask me as a wine presenter and writer to tell you my thoughts about what appears to be happening currently in the global wine market.
After the aerospace industry, the wine and spirit business is the biggest contributor to the French economy so it was excellent news in 2011 when France posted her best ever export figures with both a growth in volume by 2.4% and in value by 10.5% exceeding 10 billion euros. And all this during times when the euro seemed expensive to other markets, confirming that wine drinkers so often seem to return to the traditional home of wine for their favourite purchases.
In addition, Champagne bounced back to profitability last year with a volume increase of 9%, which you may find amusing if you have been following my monthly newsletters over the last couple of years. Most producers have raised their prices in 2012 as their stocks are being depleted. You should come to our March dinner, where you can interrogate a Champagne grower!
One of our newsletters can hardly go by without mention of the burgeoning Asian market. Once again, there are reports coming through of Asian château purchasing activity in Bordeaux; as you have heard me say here and in my talks before, much of this is about controlling the supply and distribution to the Chinese and neighbouring markets. Huge volumes are involved: it has been reported that Chinese wine consumption grew by 33.4% in 2011 to reach 156.19m 9-litre cases, knocking the UK from the top five wine consuming nations. And it is forecast that China will see a further 54.25% increase between 2011 and 2015.
Always at the forefront of its game, the French giant LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) is reported to have signed a deal with VATS, China's largest alcoholic drinks distributor, to develop 30 hectares of vineyard in the mountains of Yunnan province in south west China close to the border with Tibet. This vineyard is expected to be producing wine for the Chinese market within four to five years. In 2011 LVMH agreed a joint venture to produce high quality sparkling wines from a 67 hectare vineyard in Helanshan district. And in 2007 the company acquired a majority stake in a premium distiller in Sichuan province.
As always, the drinks giants have been busy preparing themselves for the next "big thing"!
A relatively new phenomenon is that the Chinese are not just thinking about Bordeaux. Whilst that bubble has been inflating over the last three years, more Asian consumers appear to be becoming aware of quality wines from other classic regions. To the best of my knowledge a first has just been created with a Chinese businessman buying vines in the village of Vosne-Romanée in Burgundy's hallowed Côte de Nuits. "Foreign" (i.e. not local) and buying vines in Burgundy do not normally go together in the same sentence – indeed there are organisations at work to protect the area from incursion. That's probably illegal under EU law, but since when did that make too much difference?
So Mr. Shi Yi has been clever enough to buy several plots of Pinot Noir vines with assistance from a friendly local vineyard owner and winemaker. This duo has already shipped three containers (3,000 cases) of Burgundy to China and you can be sure that as the taste of these wines spreads, further demand will blossom. Official Burgundian feathers are being ruffled!
I was amused to hear a call from one of the British government ministers for the literal "watering down of drinks" in Britain. I must have missed out on part of the conversation, because clearly it cannot be quite as simple as she appears to believe. Wines do not taste the same if they have been reduced in alcohol and many spirits would need to have their legal definitions changed so as to allow lower alcohol levels. This seems to me a non-starter but presumably it has encouraged further debate, which was probably the real intention.
As I said at the beginning of this e-mail, there is an abnormally high level of noise coming through the media at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I do not condone abuse of alcohol, but this has little to do with wine drinking; those who want to abuse themselves can find more effective ways of achieving this than by drinking relatively low alcohol wine. And why is it that multi-national spirits giants have still not had their knuckles rapped for actively promoting spirit and fruit juice mixers that are specifically targeted at a burgeoning youth market? And what of the brewers who promote half price drinks et al? Are all of these companies too big to punish?
So the much easier option is to raise further tax on drinkers, the vast majority of whom enjoy the occasional glass responsibly. They may grumble but historically they accept and adapt quickly enough. A move towards a minimum pricing policy could be only a short time away, but I understand that such a policy will be classified as illegal under EU law, so some smart footwork will be needed by government ministers to try and convince other European partners to change European law. Again, that seems to me a non-starter, so what then would be the alternative…? I'm sure that government already has an answer.
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Bio-Dynamic Calendar
You will have heard me talking or seen me writing about bio-dynamic viticulture over recent years and I thought it would be fun to show on our home page at www.boursot.co.uk an indicator as to how your wines might taste today! There is then a link in the panel which will take you to an article in which I have tried to précis some information on this curious phenomenon which remains largely unproven scientifically.
As hard to comprehend as it all seems, so many top vineyards around the world are now practicing bio-dynamic that it is not easy to ignore this phenomenon. And over the last few days, researchers in Germany have found that bio-dynamic wines do taste better than conventionally made wines. It is not for nothing that most major British supermarket chains only show off their wines to the Press on "Fruit" or "Flower" days! "Root" and "Leaf" days are not bad as such, but you may find that your wines do not taste quite so open and fruity on these days. I will be interested in your thoughts.
Treat this as a bit of fun!
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Wine Tourism
Whilst much of Europe has been relatively slow to catch on, nowadays Franc's vineyard areas in particular have really embraced wine tourism. You just have to visit Epernay, Beaune or Bordeaux to appreciate how wine tourism has been accepted and developed.
If you should like to visit one of France's viticultural areas, do go to our vineyard tours company on www.overthetoptours.net - we will take you behind the scenes in many of the great vineyard areas where you will meet and often dine with some of the producers. We make up private tours specific to your preferences. Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc, Loire and Rhône are all areas that we visit and where we have great contacts.
We make up private tours specific to your preferences, so if you have a group of friends or colleagues whom you would like to get together on a vineyard tour, please do contact me on info@overthetoptours.net and we can start working out a strategy.
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Our address is @Boursots_Wine. Do please feel free to mention us and our wines if you are happy with what we do, and we will be pleased to retweet your comments to our own followers.
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Boursot's New List
You can always see our latest list on this link and if you would like to print it, it's available on this link. In case you are seeing an old version of the price list, try pressing Ctrl and F5 simultaneously on your computer so as to refresh the page.
You will probably recall the inexpensive but very tasty claret from Château Saint-Romans with which we ran for a number of years. The wine was very popular here and so it was a particular blow when the château announced that its young vines were now maturing and so would go into its main blend and that therefore this wine would be discontinued. It has taken a little time to find a suitable replacement but you should find that the Château Haut Pingat, Bordeaux from the excellent 2009 vintage will fulfil your expectations. This red is rich and soft on the palate and is worthy of a much higher price than the 5,40€ (£4.50 at today's rate) that we are charging. We have reserved what seems to be a decent quantity of the 2009 in Bordeaux, before we move onto the 2010 which inevitably will be at a higher price. So if you like good but sensibly priced claret, we urge you to react quickly.
New wines to the List this month:-
| Ventoux, La Claretière, Pierre Amadieu (Rhône), 2011 | 4,50€ |
| Château Haut-Pingat, Bordeaux, 2009 | 5,40€ |
| Château de Targé, Saumur-Champigny (Loire), 2008 | 9,40€ |
| Gigondas, Romane Machotte, Pierre Amadieu (Rhône), 2009 | 10,90€ |
| Pommard, Les Noizons, Domaine Mazilly Père et Fils (Burgundy), 2009 | 21,00€ |
| Marguet Père & Fils, Vintage 2006, Grand Cru, Brut Champagne | 26,00€ |
| Returning wines:- | |
| Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise, Buissonier, Vignerons de Buxy (Burgundy), 2007 | 6,30€ |
| Le Petit Roy, Domaine Jean Royer (Rhône), 11ème Année | 9,90€ |
| Beaune Vignes Franches, Premier Cru, Domaine Mazilly Père et Fils (Burgundy), 2009 | 17,00€ |
| Pommard, Domaine Coste-Caumartin (Burgundy), 2005 | €18,50 |
Blason d'Issan, Margaux (Claret), 2006
(2nd wine of Château d'Issan, 3ème Cru Margaux) | 23,20€ |
Connétable Talbot, Saint-Julien (Claret), 2007
(2nd wine of Château Talbot, 4ème cru) | 24,30€ |
La Sirène de Giscours, Margaux (Claret), 2006
(2nd wine of Château Giscours, 3ème cru) | 25,00€ |
| Marguet Père & Fils, Brut Réserve, Grand Cru Champagne | 22,20€ |
| Billecart-Salmon, Brut Réserve Champagne | 29,20€ |
| Billecart-Salmon, Brut Rosé Champagne | 42,40€ |
You will see that at the end of the red wine section, we have mentioned that we have some clarets from the great 2010 harvest, which are still maturing in Bordeaux. Among the wines we bought are Batailley, Blason d'Issan, Connetable de Talbot, du Tertre, Giscours, Kirwan and Pontet Canet. If you should be interested in buying some of these, do please contact us by telephone or e-mail.
Traditionally this is a quiet time of the year but we are taking advantage of this in seeking out and buying various new wines to put onto the list in coming months. You will see the fruits from next month.
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Stocks
Inevitably our stocks rise and fall according to the season. If there is something that attracts your eye in our current list, do call or e-mail us and we shall be pleased to put some stock on one side for you, so as to guarantee that you can have it for when you want to visit.
We also have a range of unusual sizes in wooden boxes, making smart gifts. For example, we have magnums, jeroboams (double magnums) and imperials (quadruple magnums) of Bordeaux, Champagne and Minervois, most of which are in wooden boxes at very sensible prices. As with our wine-related accessories, these make beautiful and unusual gifts.
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Special Offer for March
This month we are pleased to be highlighting our fabulous rosé that has won many friends over the last few years. We are reducing the price by 12% during March.
It is a wine that can be enjoyed all year round, as intimated in the notes below! But summer will be here soon...
Le Syrah Rosé de Morin-Langaran (Languedoc), 2010 5,90 € 5,20€ (£4.30)
Full fruited dry rosé in a stylish clear bottle, produced on the Etang de Thau in the far south. With the body of a red and the freshness of a white, this is wonderful for enjoying at all times – even in winter! One of the most attractive rosés you will taste.
You can reserve your order by telephoning or e-mailing us and we will be pleased, at no additional cost, to hold onto your wine until you can collect. Stocks are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
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In Conclusion
We are constantly being told that our offering is so much more exciting and wide ranging than the equivalent retail operation in Britain. We are proud of our wine selection which, thanks to your support, has been growing and is finding a wider audience with each passing month.
We do not advertise and it is unlikely that you will read a review on us in the British media, but we have found that your word of mouth continues to be our best source of new customers. So, if you are happy with what we do, please continue to help us by telling your wine loving friends, or tweet or blog about us - or you could refer them to our "Receive Monthly Newsletter" button on the home page of www.boursot.co.uk. We will be very grateful to you.
As with all our wines, we stand by our guarantee to take back any resaleable bottles if you find that the wine is not to your taste or if you have too many bottles left over after a party.
Remember: according to HM Customs & Excise you can take back as much wine as you like from France to Britain, provided that it's for your personal consumption. If you want to take back a lorry full of wine for your own use at weddings and parties, you are perfectly within your rights to do so.
We are open from 10 to 6 from MONDAY to SATURDAY (even if it's a French or British bank holiday), and we do not close for lunch.
If you are returning from a holiday, Boursot's Wine Collection is situated just off the old main north-south road (RN943) and 5 minutes off Junction 2 of the A26. Then from Ardres to the port or the tunnel in Calais takes 15 minutes. Please let us know if you should like to visit outside our normal opening hours; often it is possible to open up or else to leave your order nearby for you to collect - and we have a secure web page on which you can leave your card details.
We hope to see you here again very soon, whether it's for our delicious and easy to enjoy Petit Pont Réserve wines at around £3 a bottle or whether it's for something more exclusive for your special dinner parties. We have them all.
A bientôt!
With all best wishes,
Guy
Guy Boursot
Wine Consultants SARL
Boursot's Wine Collection
9 Rue de l'Arsenal
62610 ARDRES
+33 3 21 36 81 46
www.boursot.co.uk
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