How important are your senses to you?! Have you gone as far as Ilja Gort, the Dutch owner of Chateau de la Garde in Bordeaux, France, who insured his nose earlier this week for a staggering £3.9 million to cover its loss and sense of smell.

Ilja Gort

Jordan Mackay’s article in April’s Decanter “California Pinot Noir 2005″ gives the Hanzell 4 stars and includes it in the Pick of the Crop.

Dozens of new producers have been awarded the right to produce champagne under the first substantial expansion of the tightly controlled wine region since 1927.

Thirty eight communes (village districts) were named after decades of lobbying and feuding among councils and growers who are excluded from the official boundaries of champagne country.

An hour and a half south past Siena is Montalcino country and we dined and tasted with the Sesti’s, who are famously hospitable.

Sesti

We then had a very long drive south to Carmignano to see the charming and very tall Beppe Rigoli at Fattoria Ambra to taste his Carmignano Riservas, a DOC which was the first to include Cabernet with the Sangiovese. The wines are delicious and extraordinary good value, the Elzana 2005 was really fine and […]