Author: James Goodhart
James Goodhart
Founder and Chairman
Founder and Chairman of Bon Coeur Fine Wines, James spends his days running the private client and corporate sales teams. As Chairman of the Board and head of the Bon Coeur Wine Buying Team, James is a man whose inexhaustible passion and proficient palate for wine is tested equally on a daily basis. With over 20-years in the wine business, James has a capacious library of wine knowledge and an impressive black book of contacts. His day job sees a focus on guiding customers through the intricacies of fine wines for both investment and drinking, helping customers build working private fine wine cellars.
-
Top 10 Tips for Building a Great Cellar
I started my own cellar when I was 26; it was a working cellar. I was prepared to invest for at least ten years before I would realise / sell some of my first purchases. My first year was the 1996 vintage, which was an 8.5 out of 10. In some years I have bought more wines, in others I have curtailed my investment. For instance, 1997 wasn’t ...
-
Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Day 7: À bientôt, Bordeaux!
An early start this morning, yet the team were all packed up and on the road by 8.30am for our final day. En route and an hours journey back down to Sauternes to taste the 2021 Yquem (released in March this year) through the Bordeaux morning traffic on the Rocade and out into the countryside. Another English day in Bordeaux with sporadic sun and ...
-
Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Day 6: Time to make up your mind
All in the car for 7.30am and we’re joined by new team member, Rachel, our educator extraordinaire at Bon Coeur who flew into Bordeaux last night, joining us for the last two days of the En Primeur marathon. First stop was D'Issan for breakfast at 8.30am, which is much easier to taste at this time in the morning as Margaux is more elegant and ...
-
Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Day 5: Hopping around the Left Bank
An early start for our first day on the Left Bank departing at 6.30am for our fifth day of tasting, with an 8am (7am GMT) appointment with Calon Ségur awaiting us. Heavy traffic on the Rocade meant we arrived with a minute to spare, and we had to forgo the customary Boulangerie stop in Pauillac. The team were not happy! Calon Ségur ...
-
Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Day 4: Cracking the Cab Franc Code
Early start on a crisp morning as we charged through Bordeaux rush hour for our first stop of the day at Canon La Gaffelière in Saint-Émilion, in the presence of Stephan Von Neipperg, a promising start with Clos Marsalette shining through. Quick hop to Canon as we asked ourselves will it be firing today? We were not disappointed, and it ...