Welcome to our November edition. This month we revisit 2009 Bordeaux and offer our team's expert comparison with 2010 (the 09’s were showing very well at this year's UGC tasting at the Royal Opera House).

We hope our monthly market report will be of interest in light of recent economic developments. However, in the main this month’s newsletter focuses on accounts of recent successful events in both the UK and Hong Kong, from our well attended Spain/Portugal tasting here at Hatton Garden, to a lunch invite at Krug, a pair of famed BI ‘Smash & Bash’ evenings, and a trip to Piedmont.

You may also have noticed via our website a recent promotion for zero corkage at the Square which is set to continue until December 17th. Follow our instructions here to take advantage of this very generous offer.

We hope you enjoy the read.

We know many of our customers would be interested to see how the '09s showed at the UGC (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux) annual London tasting.

Though as usual, first growths and some super seconds were in absentia from The Royal Opera House, we did get an all-important glimpse into how the vintage of the century (aside from 2010 of course) is developing in bottle.

A cross-section of our team compared notes on approachability, 2009 vs 2010 and pooled tasting notes round robin style.

October marked another turbulent month for wine prices. The BI Livetrade Index fell 4.3%, taking the pull back since July to around 10%. We're confident that by this time next year we will look back on the period as a strong 'buy' opportunity, as there are undoubtedly deals to be had. Read on for wines worth considering.

On the evening of Thursday 6th October, BI held its inaugural Spain and Portugal tasting - absolutely, one to remember! It was incredible to get all of these fantastic wines and producers in the same room together; and also a real epicurean treat with the Sherry Institute of Spain very kindly donating an entire leg of melt in the mouth, dry-cured jamón too! No small wonder our guests didn’t want to leave…

I was lucky enough to be invited to visit Krug and try their new release from the fabled 2000 vintage, and what a treat they laid on for us.

We arrived at Clos du Mesnil and barely had we stepped out of the mini-bus when the first cork was popped. 1998 Clos du Mesnil, what a way to start the trip. Flinty notes combining with great purity, precision, minerality and Krug's signature freshness.

It had been six years since I was last in Piedmont, one of my favourite wine regions, so when I was offered the opportunity to participate in an October buyer’s trip to visit some notable producers I accepted with great enthusiasm. Great wine plus the beginning of truffle season, what more of a draw does one need?!

Overall the vignerons were very pleased with the vintage - I had visited most of the producers in the line up in the past, so it was a real treat to see the familiar faces of Enrico & Alessandra at La Giustiniana, Franco at Massolino, Guiseppe and Aldo at GD Vajra, Luisa at Bruno Rocca and Franco at Aldo Conterno. Vigne Marina Coppi and Contero were new for me and they delivered top quality like the others. I had the pleasure of tasting many outstanding wines; I cannot say enough about the education and hospitality provided by each vigneron, not to mention the ridiculously good food - truffles, rabbit, vitello tonnato, tajarin pasta, etc. Thank you!

Readers of my blogs (Mum, Dad, and my friend's dog Whiskey) will know all about the great 'Smash & Bash' tradition. In short an annual get together of wine lovers, everyone brings a bottle with a common theme and we eat, drink and be merry. After living in HK for a year I was delighted to finally get Hong Kong's first 'Smash & Bash' locked in. The theme was all things Rhone (or Rhone varietals), the venue; Gough 40 and attending; a mixed bag of the good ship BI London, HK and Singapore, plus a couple of Kiwis, well versed to this kind of shindig.

The Smash and Bash Caravan wheeled up to the wilds of North West London for a triumphant evening of vinous revelry at the famed Arches Restaurant and Wine Bar. This classic address was on splendid form serving up delicious food in a warm and convivial atmosphere (special thanks to Ivana and her team).

Following our phenomenally successful Michelin Madness offer in the summer, we are delighted to offer BI customers the opportunity to BYO without paying corkage at The Square for Saturday lunch, from 1st November to 17th December 2011. Nigel Platts-Martin and Phil Howard were so delighted by the uptake of the August offer that they would like to launch the new opening with this unmissable offer.

Since opening in 1991, The Square has been second to none for fine dining and perhaps more importantly (for some) fine drinking. Despite its two Michelin stars The Square has an extremely well priced and well chosen wine list and is one of the most 'wine friendly' restaurants in town.

1990 Barolo Monprivato – Giuseppe Mascarello
An explosive Barolo with formidable power yet undeniably well-adjusted – an other-worldly assault on the senses – a great wine with much more life to live.
98+ pts – Oliver Sharp (Purchasing)

1995 Clos des Goisses
Voted 'Wine for the Future' at the London office's Smash and Bash Dinner. Delicious, palate tingling quality. Plenty of body and drive but at the moment it's the apple acidity that stands to the fore. Destined to be a gem but worth squirreling away for 5+ years for it to show its best.
95+ pts – Geraint Carter (Investment Group)