Cheers Leader

Doomsayers predict many French wines are destined to fade away as market pressure from New World competitors increases. Bordeaux, as one of the world's most imitated bouquets, has suffered mightily. But you'll be hard-pressed to see much gloom at this summer's fifth Bordeaux Wine Festival. In fact, this year, the world's largest wine region has ample grounds to celebrate: American wine pope Robert Parker is one of the many critics who believe the 2005 Bordeaux vintage is the finest in a century, heralding Bordeaux's comeback.

From June 29 to July 2, some 300,000 oenophiles will make the pilgrimage...