Polls

Current Poll

Bordeaux 2012 is turning out to be 'better and cheaper' than 2011, according to many. Will you buy?

Poll

  • Yes - finally a vintage that I may be able to afford (44 vote, 31%)
  • No - Bordeaux left me behind years ago (34 vote, 24%)
  • Probably not - I'd rather buy vintages already on the market that offer better value (62 vote, 44%)

Previous Polls

A major French study has found pesticide and fungicide residue in 90% of wines tested. Are you worried?

  • Of course I'm worried - I thought that sort of thing went out in the 1970s (495 vote, 54%)
  • Not in the least - you'd inhale more pollutants in five minutes in Bordeaux city centre (363 vote, 39%)
  • I'm going to drink nothing but natural wine from now on (62 vote, 7%)

Beaujolais Nouveau has 'destroyed the region', says a veteran Beaujolais producer. What do you think?

  • I agree. There are fabulous ageworthy crus we never see because everyone thinks Beaujolais should be cheap and early drinking (830 vote, 54%)
  • Rubbish! Who would have heard of Beaujolais if not for Nouveau? (94 vote, 6%)
  • The race for Nouveau is just harmless fun - isn't there room for both that and serious cru Beaujolais? (609 vote, 40%)

How long do you wait before first broaching your case of Medoc cru classe from the most recent vintage?

  • I always open a bottle immediately, to see the style of the wine (122 vote, 31%)
  • I can't resist dipping into the case within the first five years (105 vote, 27%)
  • I try and wait at least 10 years - top clarets need it (149 vote, 38%)
  • I leave the case intact - I'm usually buying to sell on (15 vote, 4%)

Is the French Appellation Contrôlée (AC) system fatally flawed?

  • Yes, it stifles innovation and makes producers conform to outdated rules (253 vote, 30%)
  • Yes, it allows lazy producers to hide behind a famous name (207 vote, 25%)
  • No, it ensures the survival of local grape varieties that would otherwise be uprooted (184 vote, 22%)
  • No, it's a useful consumer guide to wine style (186 vote, 22%)

A one-week promotion of cut-price classed growth claret arrives at your local supermarket. Do you:

  • Steer clear - supermarkets are for bread and milk, not classed growth claret. Wine-lovers should support local wine merchants. (292 vote, 28%)
  • Proceeed with caution - Own-wooden-cases and proof of temperature-controlled storage are your minimum requirements (189 vote, 18%)
  • Sample a case first - and then go back for more if it's the real deal (342 vote, 33%)
  • Fill your boots - Your wine merchant never offers you these prices... (214 vote, 21%)

Bordeaux schoolchildren as young as six are being taught about viticulture and winemaking. Is this a good idea?

  • Of course. Problems with alcohol stem from ignorance (561 vote, 76%)
  • Possibly, though can a six-year-old really appreciate the nuances of grape maturity? (134 vote, 18%)
  • No. Wine is a subject best understood by adults (44 vote, 6%)

The St-Emilion classification has finally been announced after six years of legal battles. Are you...

  • Delighted: at last I can buy St-Emilion with confidence (91 vote, 15%)
  • Outraged: Pavie above Figeac? Nonsense. It'll just encourage producers to inflate prices further (88 vote, 15%)
  • Bored: the obscure wranglings of French bureaucrats mean nothing to me. What has premier grand cru classe meant up to now? (414 vote, 70%)

Australia's Taylors winery has released a sparkling wine under screwcap. Would you buy it?

  • Of course. The closure is irrelevant - it's what's in the bottle that counts (593 vote, 67%)
  • Yes. Being able to reseal fizz after it's opened is a bonus (110 vote, 12%)
  • Maybe. But is it really possible to maintain quality using cork? (51 vote, 6%)
  • Never. Sparkling wine without the pop? That's like Laurel without Hardy (128 vote, 15%)

California has finally banned foie gras. Are you…

  • Depressed. West Coast dining will never be the same (458 vote, 24%)
  • Annoyed. This is a political ban – there are far worse farming practices out there (794 vote, 41%)
  • Indifferent. I can take it or leave it (226 vote, 12%)
  • Delighted. Force-feeding any animal to produce a luxury product is wrong (436 vote, 23%)

Page 1 of 4

Previous

Next

Polls