As a big Bordeaux enthusiast, it was an absolute pleasure to work alongside the brilliant team at Hopscotch Groupe on this year’s UGCB (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux) event in Miami. I enjoyed presenting the VIP Atelier for sommeliers and retailers, where I interviewed  Lilian Barton Sartorius (Léoville Barton) and Stephan Von Neipperg (Canon la Gafellière).

The conversation focused on interpretation of vintage in Bordeaux. We compared the 2022 wines with two back vintages (Leoville Barton 2012 and Canon la Gafellière 2016), and talked about how vintage characteristics, as well as evolving practices in the vineyard and winery, are influencing styles of top Bordeaux wines today. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Bordeaux was the region that got me into fine wine and I still think it’s the greatest wine region in the world: history, production, consistency of quality, and yes, innovation. I also think its wines transmit time – vintage variation, ageability, stylistic shifts – better than anywhere else.

Thank you for having me – and thank you for the great conversation!