In our hugely buoyant economy, wine funds are now popping up everywhere as an alternative asset class to stocks, bonds and property. Plenty of advice out there for investors who fancy diversifying, which given the stock fall (or as people in the know like to say - a correction!) of the last few days may seem a viable option. Some returns have been spectacular, but this is pretty much limited to Red Bordeaux and a few select Burgundian appellations. This of course will have an impact on the average public buying top quality wine ‚Äì i.e. it will become increasingly rare and therefore expensive, and potentially less fine wine being bought to drink ‚Äì what a shame!å

No not a device to offer recovering alcoholics something in line with fake cigarettes, but soon to be a reality. Reduction in alcohol, removal of corks (a good thing) and now plastic wine bottles. Such heavyweights as Wolf Blass have signed up to this. In a drive to produce more sustainable products, producers have to comply with their buyers - the supermarkets! Now, your average large chain store has more clout than Tyson when he found out Robin Givens was about to do the dirty, which means this will be happening in the near future. Watch this space…..

This fellow had quite a life, born into the Rothschild banking dynasty, taken prisoner of war by the Nazis and coming out of all this to help produce some of the greatest wines of all time. Chateau Lafite was his baby at the same time as his cousin Baron Philippe was making great strides at Mouton Rothschild. The inevitable rivalry was fired up, and this was exemplified when Elie opposed the idea for Mouton-Rothschild‚Äôs inclusion to the premier cru class. It is not always clear that he thought much of the wine. An American wine merchant who visited him once at the ch?¢teau was asked: ‚ÄúDo you drink Lafite, monsieur?‚Äù
When the American replied enthusiastically in the affirmative, de Rothschild flummoxed him with his reply: “Well I don’t, it’s too expensive.”
Never a truer word spoken.

Now for me, anything that calls it self ‘low’ is covering up something. It is almost like it is getting the excuse in first. Low fat, doesn’t really tell you anything other than it is not as fatty as its higher fat sibling. Low tar means that you are still smoking and that really is THE only point. I mean, are you telling me that if you smoke ‘low tar products’ are they really any better for you? And finally low alcohol wine is about to become more prominent in our supermarkets. Buoyed by industry pressure, producers are having to find ways to reduce the alcohol content of its products. Reverse osmosis is the preferred method, which is effectively forcing fluid through a semi-permeable membrane thereby extracting the offending alcohol. I am slightly skeptical because ‘low alcohol wine has been around for ages, except it has gone a little of the radar. Sorry Lambrini girls!

The great debate about glass-size rages on. Does size matter? Well to most members of the Californian ‘alternative’ film industry, it probably does. Jordan, Dolly Parton and indeed our very own Mrs Beckham are also relatively forward in their endorsement of size matters. I digress for most of us we have one or two glass types at home. I have tried to experiment with drinking the same wine in different glasses, and I think it did make a difference. Although in this particular experiment I swapped a thick lipped glass for a Shiraz specific number and there really was no contest.

However, when comparing say two efforts from a reputed glass manufacturer, how much of a difference can there be? The glasses are both top notch, they both cost £60 and they are both designed for different red grapes. A friend recently thought me “slightly mad” for suggesting there could be any conceivable difference in the perceived quality of wine, purely through changing the drinking vessel. Perhaps he had a point?

Not just for getting your date inebriated, although I’m told it works a treat, a decent bottle can be a clincher at the right moment. A night-in, cuddled up in front of the TV, a special meal out, a picnic next to a river or a stolen moment away from the busy schedule. On each occasion you will no doubt invite a bottle along for the ride. There is something about having a glass of wine that sends a trigger to the brain to remind you that you are now relaxing. Is it the seductive qualities that wine possesses? Well the romantics will tell you that wine is in itself is a form of romance, for there is love in every bottle (probably doesn’t help that fine balance of tannin, fruit and acidity though!). A couple of beers is too laddish, cocktails too high brow and whisky too messy (believe me I’ve tried). So for all you would be Cassanova’s out there, spend your time getting the wine right, and like Dennis Nordon said ‘It’ll be alright on the night’.

Rather than go through the whole list (it is basically a supermarket’s Who’s Who), let’s take a look at the top 10. Hardy’s, Gallo, Blossom Hill, Jacob’s Creek, Stowells, Wolf Blass, Lindemans, Kumala, Banrock Station and Echo Falls. Now the first thing that becomes apparent is that there is a distinct absence of anything with a Euro flavour. JP Chenet coming in as the forerunner for us Euros. So what is going wrong?

Well I’m sure we could all point to a few quick wins, but are the French, Italians and Spanish that bothered? This isn’t a new phenomena, like an English tennis player, the old world are getting trounced. Fortunately we have Andrew Murray and I was about to say that the French have.. but the only thing that sprang to mind was Piat D’Or. Oh dear.

Through some of the finest wine regions in the world these men pedal and look no further than the lycra clad heavily muscled buttock in front of them. To some this may be a pleasant thought but alas as a wine drinker we are surely more interested in the land around them.

The Tour makes sure that the order of service is correct, after taking an aperitif in Reims (champagne), the tour follows a delightful journey through Burgundy, the Rhone, Cahors, Bordeaux and finishes with a nightcap in Cognac before the final sojourn into gay Paris. Coincidence or just French romantics making sure that we don’t get things the wrong way around?

At this time of year France is firmly focussed on one thing. A grand ‘crew’ of riders from around the world embark on a tour taking in the collective beauty of France whilst trying their damnest to be the first to the coveted yellow jersey.

Living up to a huge reputation sometimes has a knock on effect. Some of the riders of the tour who have had to resort to ungamely tactics have been thwarted, and sent home whimpering and defending their innocence. I mean come on -’I missed the test 4 times because I was in Mexico!’ That is like saying the 2006 Bordeaux is fairly priced relative to the 2005!

Well the damage has already been done. Alexandre Vinokourov or Vino to his mates, was leading the tour, before his untimely exit due to irregularities. Now Vino, parted with the immortal Arnie line “I’ll be back”. Let’s hope that Bordeaux follows his (albeit dubious) retort and reminds us that it too, unlike most of the Tour de Farce, hasn’t lost it’s head.

First reports from the most important wine region in the world and the annual En-Primeur tastings are mixed. The wines are patchy in quality with Pomerol being the stand out appellation. The reason behind the success of this famous commune is that some grapes were harvested just before the September rains which spoilt the vintage. The wines are precise and fresh, medium in body with a wonderful merlot perfume. They are a long way from the dense and brooding 2005s but will keep and depending on the prices will have mass appeal.

Elsewhere the northerm Medoc is citing Cabernet as the most successful grape and there are some excellent wines where tannin has been controlled. St Emilion is disappointing with some over extraction and green, astringent tannin, despite a sublime Cheval Blanc (Cabernet Franc on clay worked well). The message is that as usual the people with the dedication and resources have made some very good wines, this is a vintage where individual estates made individual wines and different terroirs really came into their own. An interesing demonstration of this is in Margaux where the big two properties have both produced very good wines with a very different blend of grapes grown on different terroirs despite being next door to each other.

My wine of the vintage however was Leoville Las Cases, bang back on form and easily of first growth quality. All we have to wait for now are the prices…..