Vinexpo 2009: Cream of wine world celebrate at Chateau Lafite's opening party
June 22, 2009
By Adam Lechmere
There were no fireworks this year but Chateau Lafite-Rothschild gave a suitably sumptuous dinner to open Vinexpo 2009 last night.
On the expansive lawns of the Medoc first growth, Baron Eric de Rothschild and Philippe Casteja, president of the Conseil des Grands Crus Classes welcomed 350 journalists and chateau proprietors.
Guests included the cream of Bordeaux wine society, as well as journalists from every major - and minor - wine publication in the world.
'I hope you're all going to have a wonderful time,' Casteja told decanter.com, and when asked what extravaganzas had been lined up, he simply said, 'you're going to have a top vintage of Lafite.'
Memories of the extraordinarily lavish party thrown for Vinexpo 2007 at Chateau Mouton - with its firework and fountain setpiece - are still vivid.
Despite (or because of) this, celebrations at Lafite were almost muted by first growth standards.
The wines were certainly fabulous, from the Lafite 1978 in jeroboam, and various other wines depending on which table you sat at - decanter.com was lucky enough to be treated to Rieussec 1989 and Margaux 01 and 95.
But there was a conscious effort to play down the grandness - the great circular chai, for example, was unadorned except for small candles on each barrel.
'A few people expressed doubts about having a grand dinner this year,' de Rothschild said, 'but in difficult times what is more necessary than to count your real friends?'
The party had been due to be held at Chateau Latour, but that property's proprietor Francois Pinault had suggested this was not the time for lavish celebrations, and Lafite stepped into the breach.
Chateau Latour was not represented at the dinner.
de Rothschild also laid emphasis on the intimate nature of the dinner, reminding guests, 'there is a tradition in Bordeaux to receive your friends at home “chez soi”.'
He added, 'the wine business has changed a great deal but it is still a business of real human relationships.'
And he drew stifled laughter when he mentioned 'the humbleness which is the characteristic of all Bordeaux owners', to clarify moments later that it was a joke, 'but it is really true that we do bend our knee in front of this God-given gift of terroir.'
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I find this really distasteful in these difficult economic times. The extravagance and greed showcased at this 'party' for the 'cream' of the wineworld. Who can afford to buy these 1st growth wines but the rich and glutinous?
I doubt you will display my comment, but I am not alone in thinking this party was a shameful flaunt of wealth!
James Marshall
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