Vinogusto.com, the European based online wine guide announces a 4th round of investment with an additional capital raise of 200 000€.
Part of this new round is again financed by some of the main current shareholders who thereby renewed their confidence in the project: François Derbaix (Toprural.com), Marta Esteve (Rentalia.com), Christophe Salanon, Alexis Van de Wyer, Olivier Coenen and Marc Roisin (Vinogusto.com). Two Spanish web entrepreneurs are welcomed on board to complete the round, bringing along their expertise to the Vinogusto team: Oscar Matellanes and Juan Leal.
This new round follows the previous three of 355 000 € in 2009, 200 000 € in 2008 and 150 000 € in 2007, for a total capital invested of 905 000€ to date.
The new round will allow the Vinogusto team to:
- develop a first mobile version of the website, making wine recommendations available anywhere to help users choose their wine in various circumstances (From a wineshop, restaurant, supermarket,…),
- enrich the content of the wine database through strategic partnerships (target of 500.000 documented wines),
- continue improving user interface and navigation experience,
- improve their SEO positioning,
- commercialize the vinogusto services in Spain and in the US.
In 2009, the website hosted up to 650.000 visits / month (December) and closed the financial year with a turnover of 105K€. The fist quarter of 2010 shows a +25% growth in traffic (vs 2009) as well as a raise of +300% of the turnover compared to Q1 2009.
Practically speaking, over 300 professionals from the wine industry (Wineries, Online and traditional merchants, Lodgings in the wine regions) have already subscrided to Vinogusto’s services to promote their wines and services.
To date, the renewal percentage of the customers’yearly subscriptions is of 92 %.
Millesima offers a series of interviews of the top Bordeaux estates about the 2009 vintage.
Chateau Leoville Barton: interview with Anthony Barton
“The quality of the 2009 vintage is the result of the climate, which really has been perfect. We don’t need sunshine all the time—otherwise the vegetation would stop growing, which would harm the wine’s quality.” Anthony Barton
Château Cheval Blanc: interview with Pierre Lurton
“The 2009 Cheval is made with 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet France. We find finesse, elegance and power with a thick layer of cashmere on the palate that is always silky and velvety. It is truly a great wine. We are facing an outstanding vintage that has resulted from the work of man combined with an extremely generous Mother Nature.” Pierre Lurton
Château Margaux: interview with Paul Pontallier
“Without a doubt, the conditions seen in the 2009 vintage represent great aging ability. We are in the heart of the blending process, so I still have all these wines on my palate. All lots that will compose either the first, second, or third wine are exceptional.” Paul Pontallier
Château Haut-Brion/La Mission Haut-Brion: interview with Jean-Philippe Delmas
“Then, due to the drought, we obtained the richness of the wine. The wines are of an outstanding richness. I would avoid the word “power” as this richness is totally under control. We have something really harmonious in the glass despite the very high alcoholic levels that are nonetheless not so noticeable in our wines.” Jean-Philippe Delmas
Château Mouton Rothschild: interview with Philippe Dhalluin
“The climate was in fact so ideal, that the vines literally developed right on schedule—the flowering and harvest dates corresponded exactly with the average dates we’ve recorded since 1962. This is indeed very rare! Given an ideal growth cycle together with perfect weather, we of course were expecting a great vintage” Philippe Dhalluin
Château Lafite Rothschild with Charles Chevallier
“As a matter of vinification, we have had thorough work to do to finally achieve the final balance, that is to say not extracting too much, let the tannins express themselves smoothly… The final aim in the blending is to find the wisest balance, to obtain a wine with a great richness or even a kind of opulence yet at the same time keeping its freshness: this will allow the wine to be drinkable.” Charles Chevallier – General Manager
On May 11th 2010, the 50 most promising companies of the Benelux presented their business to a large panel of international investors during the Benelux Venture Forum 2010 organised by Europe Unlimited.
The online wine guide Vinogusto.com is among the 10 awards winners and will be in Dusselfdorf for the European final end of this year.
Vinogusto participates to the Startup 2.0 european contest
Startup2.0 is a competition of European social networking sites whose objectives are to promote and reward the European startups. 2 minutes will be enough to help us!
1. Clic on the 1st link and join the Startup 2.0 group on Facebook.
(on Facebook, please clic on the “Join” button)
2. Clic on the 2d link and vote Vinogusto.
(find Vinogusto in the list and clic on the “Vote” icon)
That’s all and that’s a lot! Thank you! And if you want to do a little bit more to help us, please tell your friends, relatives, neighbours,… so they can vote for us aswell.
A series of videos highlighting the 2009 Bordeaux Futures campaign. Millesima, the specialist in fine wines and wine futures, takes you behind the scenes with exclusive interviews from chateaux owners explaining the evolution of the ‘09 vintage. It’s an opportunity not to be missed!
Episode 1 – Concept and History
In this first episode, Millesima sets the scene and explains the origins of this so particular event.
Episode 2 – En primeur’s week
The second episode shows the famous En primeur’s week. That is to say the official tasting show to all professional tasters from all over the World.
Episode 3 – “Place de Bordeaux”
How purchases are made through a system of “allocations”: a specific number of cases…
Episode 4 – Customer’s benefits
The advantages of buying wine futures which are still maturing in the barrel…
Episode 5 – Where to buy from?
Why you can trust Millesima for your primeurs 2009.
To help you with the choice of your Bordeaux Primeurs 2009, Vinogusto has a special 2009 wine futures section with scores given by the wine experts and release prices.
Robert Parker wrote his April 2010 newsletter after he spent nearly 2 weeks in Bordeaux.
He begins saying that “The Bordeaux wine hype machine is the best there is, and they are skilled at creating an amazing amount of worldwide interest in their spring wine tastings“. Then he reminds us that – unlike over 400 journalists and wine traders – he assiduously avoids being wined and dined by the châteaux who are showcasing the newest vintage, 2009, which many Bordelais have already pronounced the greatest vintage ever, and of course, only the third “vintage of the century” in the last ten years, if we start with 2000. Wine drinkers, rather than speculators, need to have a coherent strategy to deal with all of this.
His full report will be coming out at the end of April, but he shares a couple of preview comments for wine drinkers.
1. 2009 is an incredibly exciting vintage of opulence, power, and richness, yet the better wines have a precision and delicacy that is unprecedented. However, finding value in 2009 will be the challenge. Forget the first growths or the super seconds. The prices for these wines, he fears, are going to return to the 2005 levels, which were absurd. But this is the new reality. Like Lamborginis, Porsches, haute couture houses such as Chanel, or top-level watch companies like Berguet, International Watch Company, or Roger Dubuis, today’s top 24 Bordeaux châteaux are exquisite brands of status and prestige. However, there are hundreds of Bordeaux châteaux today releasing beautiful wines, and this was not the case 20 or 30 years ago. These are the value wines, and although many include some of the lesser known classified growths, the others emerge from backwater appellations lacking the prestige to fetch high prices. This is where wine drinkers should be focusing their energy.
2. The vintage that was underpriced by the Bordelais, after foolishly overpricing the far inferior vintage of 2007, are the 2008s. This is a classic vintage, with some very strong wines, particularly from the top properties in the Médoc and on the Right Bank of Pomerol and St.-Emilion. There actually may be some Pomerols and St.Emilions that eclipse what those châteaux did in 2009. 2008 is still a reasonably priced vintage and they still represent a bargain. And given what will be the enormous hype machine buttressing the 2009 campaign, 2008 is a vintage that smart money will seek out.
3. With respect to 2007, which was overpriced by the Bordelais, this is a vintage that has a number of very good wines, but unless they are discounted or dumped by the trade, he doesn’t anticipate significant consumer interest. However, 2007 is a great vintage for the dry white wines of Bordeaux (as is 2009), and a fabulous vintage for the sweet wines of Bordeaux, which don’t really have a large market, but are beautiful wines.
To celebrate this event, Vinogusto and l’Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux launche a unique contest with prizes true wines lovers will appreciate: a dinner for 2 in one of the participating prestigious wine chateaux (worth 270€) and 5 gift boxes (worth 66€ each).
A dinner for 2 in one of the participating prestigious wine chateaux (worth 270€)
Saturday 5th of june 2010 : 20h15
Châteaux in various regions belonging to the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux will be glad to welcome you to a convivial dinner at which several estate owners will help you to discover their wines : dry white, red, and sweet white Grands Crus from Bordeaux.
These dinners will be served in the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes, Saint-Émilion, and Pomerol regions.
5 gift boxes (worth 66€ each)
Saturday 5th of june 2010 : 10h30 – 17h00
L’ Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux offers a unique gift idea dedicated to all Grands Crus lovers! This elegant box:
- one entry fee for the tasting on Saturday 5th June 2010
- one guide presenting the characteristics and the past historic of the 132 property members of the association which will allow all amateurs to well prepare the tasting.
Contest
To win one of these prestigious prizes, simply send your answer by e-mail to the question below before April 1st at
contest@vinogusto.com. The 6 winners will be designated by draw among the correct answers.
During the “Week-End des Grands Amateurs 2010″, how many wines produced by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux will be presented during the Saturday June 5th wine tatsing session?
- Answer A: 50 – 99 wines
- Answer B: 100 – 199 wines
- Answer C: over 200 wines
Important: don’t forget to provide us your complete contact details along with your answer so that we can contact you in case you’re part of the winners.
The 5th weekend of the grands amateurs will be held in Bordeaux the 5th and 6th of June.
L’Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux is organizing a weekend dedicated to all wine lovers.
No need to be a trade professional: you can participate to an extraordinary tasting of more than 100 Grands Crus, be welcomed in the châteaux and share dinners with the owners of the properties.
Bus tours are also proposed to you on Sunday, leaving from Bordeaux towards a selection of Grands Crus châteaux in the Medoc, Saint Emilion, Graves and Sauternes regions. A golf competition will also be held at the Golf du Médoc.
We will be waiting for you in Bordeaux on 5 and 6 June to share unforgettable moments in the heart of the Bordeaux vineyards!
THE TASTING
Saturday 5 June, Hangar 14 in Bordeaux, 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
DINNERS
Saturday 5 June, Bordeaux vineyards, 8.00 pm
SPECIAL PARTY
Saturday 5 June, 8.30 pm
VINEYARDS TOURS IN THE BORDEAUX REGION
Sunday 6 June 10.00 pm – 05.30 pm
GOLF TOURNAMENT
Sunday 6 June : the Union des Grands crus de Bordeaux Cup will be held at the Golf du Médoc.
Online booking and detailed programme on www.wga-ugcb.com
The CIVB launches an Environmental Management System. Goal is to reduce the carbon produced every year (200,000 tonnes) by 25% by 2020 and by 75% by 2050.
The aim of the new system is to make it easy as possible for companies, whether chateaux or negociants, to reduce their environmental impact. Training and documentation will help companies work out emissions levels, set up alert systems for reducing impact, and run efficiency audits. From this year, the CIVB will be running a pilot study with 20 companies. The intention is for them all to be certified with the internationally-recognised standard, ISO 14001.
A pioneer estate is Chateau Dillon (Lycée Viticole de Bordeaux), where the ISO certification has been in place since 2004. They claim they use about a fifth of the water other properties use.
According to Decanter.com, Sibaritas, the Spanish consumer wine magazine created in 1983 and edited by José Peñin, has suspended publication after 18 years.
The recession and the rise of online wine sites meant reader numbers dropped significantly in 2009. Peñin says: “New technology, reader trends and ways of communicating about wine have pushed us to explore the Internet as an option”.
The launch of an online version of the Guía Peñin guides is planned in October. The site will feature thousands of searchable wines from the Guía Peñin annual guides, tasting notes, tasting reports and a blog.
The monetization strategy is not announced yet. We’ll they adopt the erobertparker.com strategy with a subscription fee or go for a free access approach?
Prior to this, Peñin is due to launch guiapeninenruta.com next week, a wine travel blog, with sections on Spanish wine regions, producers and individual wines. It won’t however feature any wine scores.
