A Sampler-style tasting bar has opened in Bordeaux, offering tasting samples of all the first growths, and the Right Bank's top wines including Cheval Blanc and Ausone.
The Wine Gallery has been financed by Bordeaux negociants Bordeaux Winebank and Max Bordeaux.
Director Stanislas Garaud told decanter.com, 'it's not a wine bar, nor a wine shop, but somewhere in between.'
'Many people who live in Bordeaux have never tried the first growths, and I hope this will help local people as well as visitors enjoy these mythical wines.'
Thirty to forty bottles will be available at any time for tasting in either 2.5cl, 5cl or 7.5cl with prices starting at €2 for a small sample of chateaux such as Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2006, €5 for Chateau La Conseillante 2004, and going up to €38 for Chateau Ausone 2006.
All the first growths are available at under €30.
They are kept in optimal condition by six Enomatic tasting machines, each costing upwards of €20,000, using nitrogen gas to preserve against oxidation.
A pre-paid card (available in €25, €50 or €75) then allows customers to select the wines for tasting.
All wines are available to buy, and a less expensive range, with many second wines of the top properties, will also be available.
'The only wines missing so far are Chateau Petrus and Chateau Le Pin,' added Garaud. 'But we hope to rectify that very soon.'
Register on decanter.com absolutely free for news alerts delivered direct to your email inbox, and our fortnightly newsletter with advance notice of what’s coming up in Decanter magazine, offers, competitions and more.
PLUS registration is a one-stop shop for the Decanter magazine Archive and Decanter Fine Wine Tracker.
