Lafite Rothschild
BERNARD PORTET’S NEW WINEMAKING PROJECT, HERITANCE
After 40 Years as Clos du Val’s Winemaker, Bernard Portet Debuts Heritance, His New Winemaking Project Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Bernard Portet, renowned Napa Valley vintner, and talk with him about his new winemaking project, Heritance. I had met Bernard years ago when he was co-founder and winemaker at Clos du […]
Click here to read entire article »Retrospective Review: Volume II, Number 5 (April – May 1981)
We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume II, Number 5 of The Underground Wineletter. Below you’ll find an updated review of each article, where I will go over what we got right and what we got wrong. We will follow this format with each successive issue. So Volume II, Number 6 will be coming […]
Click here to read entire article »THE BEAT GOES ON AND ON … “SUM YUNG VINE” X 2
OK. I just learned that it is not only Mouton Rothschild with its 08 label with a Chinese artist that focused on the Chinese market, But, apparently Lafite Rothschild preceded Mouton with its 08 bottle embossed with the Chinese symbol for lucky number 8. So it seems that one good deed deserves another.
Click here to read entire article »Retrospective Review: Volume I, Number 4 (February-March, 1980)
In Volume I, Number 4, February-March 1980, we began with why the “Underground Wineletter? Are We Terrorists?” In this edition I wrote why we began the wineletter, what we set as objectives and our approach. Then, as now, our interest is in drinking wine and reporting on it’s merits as objectively as possible. We expect criticism, especially when our comments may be unfavorable. But, our only objective is to offer opinion that is constructive and in the end everyone – producer, distributor, retailer and consumer – should benefit. The “Underground” reflects our commitment to be as free from outside influence as possible. As we said then: “This is our battle.” Not exactly the stuff to satisfy Genghis Khan, but we think Thomas Jefferson would approve. And, far away in some remote and well-stocked, sub-celestial cellar, Bacchus smiles, nods approvingly and proclaims “Finally on earth, The Underground Wineletter, Veni, Vidi, Vici.”
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