I write from New York, about to fly home to London after a wonderful week in New England and New York (tasting notes to follow; picture left). A great $2m was raised for Room to Read at our FT dinner in the New York Public LIbrary on Thursday night after a great wine dinner at Italian Wine Merchants on Wednesday.
If all goes according to plan, I'll have time for a night's sleep and packing before heading off again to the Rhône Valley and Burgundy to taste the 2009s – although it sounds as though France, in the grip of strikes, may be difficult to navigate.
I plan to report on the Rhône 2009s towards the end of next month with our major Burgundy 2009 report scheduled, as usual, for the second half of January.
Over the next two weeks it may be difficult for me to respond to the forum other than in the evenings but all will be in the very capable hands of Julia and the rest of the team – and I will certainly be adding to the site with my usual obsessive frequency.