I am new to the wine business and a new lover of bordeaux. I have been passionate about wine for a 6 years now and from what I understand the chateaux have been upset at seeing the prices for their wine sky rocket after en primeur with the negociants/brokers/retailers making 100%+ margin over en primeur prices. It seems only natural to me for the chateaux to be upset. As a result of this I feel that the chateaux have stoppped caring about who is actually buying their wines to consume. I guess it will always be a struggle because unfortunatley there are enough rich people out there that are willing to pay anything for the 1st and 2nd growths just to have the wine regardless of how good the vintage. I don’t know when hard working(not wealthy), bordeaux lovers will ever be able to afford a chance to buy a bottle or two of top claret again?

cheers!

Kevin

I agree. Prices needed to be down to 2002 or lower. The problem is that from where the futures are coming out they are trying to provide a floor for future price increases. What if 2009 is not as good as 2008 and the economy still stinks, what do they do?

For me even if pricing was more to my liking, after everything I’d have a hard time buying based on critics reviews as I really don’t trust their ability to be unbiased, especially after tasting through the 2006 vintage at the UGC. Prices and quality are totally out of whack.

Now I see write-ups comparing 2008 to a “combination of 2004 and 2006.” What does that mean. I tasted both 2004 and 2006 at the UGC and found much to like about 2004 as a whole with a more “clasicaly” styled wine and I found 2006 to be filled with harsh, bitter, unripe tannins and fruit as a generalization. So what the heck does a combination of 2004/2006 mean? I don’t know anyone who went to Bordeaux this time and therefore would have to rely on this type of info if I went after things outside of chateau that I trust year in year out.

Even so except for a few wines I’d expect these wines to be released in 2 years at the same price a the futures release. So unless there is something special you want I see no reason to buy.

The Bordelaise did themselves a big disservice with pricing of 2006/2007 after the run up for 2005. Some can hold out. They lost me and I was a buyer who would buy certain wines every year in good vintages and so so as I believe good winemakers do a good job with the material unless it’s an utter disaster. This however would require reasonable pricing constantly and consistently. I really hope that the 2008 campaign is a bust and forces prices even lower. Certain chateau will sell out because the lower prices are being seen as a bargain like 1st growth at $200/bottle.