No one ever crashed a car after drinking too much Petrus

I have been gripped by the new, first ever, French anti-binge drinking campaign. I had to watch the TV spot, launched the day before yesterday (July 17th) at least four times. My god. The tagline is 'excess of alcohol results in comas, violence, accidents and sexual abuse'. There, but for the grace of my guardian angel, went I. And not on a tropical sandy beach either.

The thing was that in the roaring 90's in Dublin, the more money there was, the more we drank. Nights out. Weekends gone. Restaurant bills one couldn't quite remember paying. Tabs for champagne run up and forgotten until someone was kind enough to remind you.

I was not surprised in fact to read that 'drink related liver disease' as it is called – used to be cirrhosis – in Ireland was up 234% in the last seven years, which falls in nicely with the rise of the Celtic Tiger. Let's hope the fall does us all good.

The thing is, in Ireland you tended to drink the money in your pocket and since we never had very much it was not a problem. As Brendan Behan put it, about growing up in Dublin in the 1920's and 30's: "As regards drink, I can only say that in Dublin, during the depression when I was growing up, drunkenness was not regarded as a social disgrace. To get enough to eat was an achievement. To get drunk was a victory."

As soon as we had a bit of money the problems started and we realized we had never actually learned to drink.

Not like the French who seemed, to us anyway, to drink all day, even at lunchtime - and smoke, and do other kinds of cool things like speak French – but, amazingly, never actually get drunk.

So the launch of the campaign, and all the laws that go with it, to be introduced next year, like upping the drinking age from 16 to 18, was almost a surprise. Notwithstanding the fact that the French papers have been full of really heartbreaking stories about teenagers found in alcoholic coma's before school, an 18 year old who died after a night out celebrating his exam results, and two young men who beat another one to death during an all night party. They were so deranged they actually went back to the party with blood on their shirts.

The figures of how often young people get this drunk, and how much the French actually drink, are disputed – mainly by the pro wine lobby - but the Health Minister is not letting that slow her down.

So, as of next year, no more public, as in on the pavement I assume, drinking near schools. The two girls who got drunk on early morning shooters were in a bar next to their school, you see.

No more open bars, where students pay a nominal fee to drink all night and student union leaders says they always have an ambulance on stand by.

No more buying a bottle of wine from a highway petrol station. No more lax serving of alcohol without seeing ID. No more bottles of vodka from the local supermarket to drink with friends before you go out.

I see a booming business in fake ID's and under the counter alcohol sales looming, but still, it will make things just that bit harder. Actually, in France, until now, teenagers seem to have been pushing against an open door.

I also foresee a very dim future for wine on the web, which is remains illegal in France after the failed attempt last week by a French senator to have it approved as a medium for alcohol publicity. The web? The thing young people use? Allowed as a medium for alcohol publicity? What??

The problem is that no other country as far as I know has actually thought about approving the web because it was never unapproved. Here, it's now a political hot potato and all the cries that wine is not the same as vodka, or beer, that it has a history, a culture, that the very word means moderation – or as a great Bordeaux personage once told me, 'no one ever crashed a car after drinking too much Petrus' - are destined, I fear, to fall on deaf ears for the foreseeable future.

Couhins 2007, Roquefort 2007 and some more white Bordeaux 2007

The 2007 vintage seems to have been more successful for the white wines than for the red wines. I am using the word "seems" because eventually time will tell. As Beverley Blanning MW comments in Decanter: "The wines certainly have lovely pure and delicate Sauvignon-dominant fruit - perfect for early drinking - but it's not clear if they have the acidity or fruit concentration to be long-lived."


This week I tasted four white 2007s, some meant to be drunk early (or at least not after a long period of cellaring), some also fit for the longer term. And yes, all four showed "Sauvignon-dominant fruit".

1. Château Roquefort 2007, Bordeaux blanc sec. Meant for early drinking (2008 - 2010). A very good continuation after the delicious Roquefort 2006. The 2007 (still) comes across lean and clean - especially compared to the somewhat broader 2006 - and with a little youthful sweetness in the nose. In the mouth the 2007 is very refreshing showing a little more acidity than the 2006. Lovely wine, again.

2. Château Reynon 2007, Bordeaux blanc sec. Quite famous white Bordeaux from Denis Dubourdieu. I can see this is a good wine, but I do not like it. At least not in this stage. It displays (no, it shouts out) very animal Sauvignon characteristics that makes me visualise dampy armpits. Even in the mouth it is still stinky, so that's quite an accomplishment. Besides that the wine seems 'well made' (terrible thing to say, something like an 'interesting' wine).

3. R de Rieussec 2007, Bordeaux blanc sec. The dry white wine from Château Rieussec (Sauternes). For two reasons I had expected a great wine: 1) Château Rieussec is always very good and 2) I expected more or less the same style as from "Le G de Giraud", the fabulous dry white from Château Giraud (also Sauternes). But the R de Rieussec came across more average. It is definitely good, but not special. It lacked some concentration. Not a wine that I do mind drinking, it is nice and in a modest way complete, but just not really convincing.

4. Château Couhins 2007, Cru Classé de Graves, Pessac-Léognan. Wow! (to start with). I was alerted by Decanter, they were enthusiastic about this wine. Couhins is separated from the better known Château Couhins-Lurton in 1968. Since then the new owner, the agricultural research centre INRA, used this property for... agricultural research. And the agricultural researchers themselves drunk the wines (part of the research probably). But since a few years Couhins is sold through the Place de Bordeaux. The 2007 is impressive, especially when looking at its price-quality ratio. The wine has a rich yet soft texture with inciting beams of acidity shooting through - every corner of the mouth is touched. The nose, like Reynon, has some animal treats, but it remains at the good side here. Some oak can be sensed (on the tongue), but that is nicely interwoven with the fruit. A graceful wine with plenty of concentration. Rich and complete. Spirited!

I tasted these wines to decide with which I would (continue to) 'work'. I made my decisions. And should you be curious to actually taste the chosen ones, please feel free to visit my shop. Besides the Roquefort and Couhins you will only encounter wines that, like Roquefort and Couhins, are truly worth being uncorked.

No more Grand Cru Classés from Saint-Emilion...

Mainly because of the launch of my own wine import I was too busy last week to sit down and write a posting for the blog. That doesn't feel good, but sometimes one really has to leave the computer...

So I will restrict myself to mentioning one thing: the trashing of the Saint-Emilion classification (you will have heard about it by now). In November I could still write "Without doubt, many St Emilion châteaux will have heaved a deep sigh of relief: earlier this week the Conseil d'Etat abolished the temporary suspension of the 2006 St Emilion classification." But today no sighs of relief. Just horror. The classification died, it seems.

Many châteaux are about to bottle their 2006, but none of these wines can now be labeled "(Premier) Grand Cru Classé" (there is still the appellation Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, but that doesn't have any value).

If you listen to the reaction of various chateaux-owners, this decision will have a very negative impact on the right bank wines. For some vehement reactions check out the article in the Telegraph.co.uk.

The Saint-Emilion châteaux that initiated the legal steps are Château Guadet Saint-Julien, Château la Marzelle, Château Cadet-Bon and Château la Tour du Pin-Figeac. How will it be to be one of the owners of these chateaux? Are these people at risk? Can they still walk their dog at night in the quiet town of Saint-Emilion? Will they be welcome at the local bars?

There's lots of vague politics involved here. Looking at the ruling, the four chateaux owners might at least have a point. In general, the Bordelais do not seem to be so handy with new classifications (the left bank 2003 cru bourgeois classification was also annulled recently). Anyways, enough food for lenghty articles, or a sappy book I would say. And I am sure some sappy book will soon be published about all the powers behind the new classifications... to bad I do not have the time to go investigate and write...

Biodynamic opulence: Leflaive and L'esquisse

Others have said the same, but if you look at the ongoing improvement in quality of the wines from Giscours and Du Tertre, until today,− if you look at the enormous investments that have been made throughout the last 10-15 years,− if you take into account that Eric Albada Jelgersma had earned enough money to buy Giscours, and later Du Tertre, with the purpose and challenge to transform these potentially grand wines from mediocre crus to truly grand crus, it simply does not make sense to think that Mr Albada Jelgersma commanded to mix up some Haut-Médoc with wine from the Margaux appellation;− to make some minor short-term profit. On announced appeal yesterday's court judgement will probably − and hopefully − be reversed.

Then for something completely different: drinking great wines. Yesterday I enjoyed two beauties: first a Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Clavoillon" 1997 from Domaine Leflaive, and thereafter a L'esquisse de La Tour Figeac 2001. Two very different wines that have one thing in common: advice on biodynamics from guru François Bouchet. Bouchet also consults at Leroy and Chapoutier.


To start with the last wine: L'esquisse de La Tour Figeac − the second wine of Château La Tour Figeac − has quite an impressive background, and I could name it "a small Cheval Blanc" (a description that commercially always works well). The reason: until 1879 La Tour Figeac was part of Figeac, and until 1830 Cheval Blanc and Figeac also belonged together. Ergo: La Tour Figeac and Cheval Blanc belonged together.

And with the following the connection is even tightened: Cheval Blanc is known for its high proportion of cabernet franc, and such is the second wine of La Tour Figeac (70% for the 2001 vintage). The vines used for the L'esquisse de La Tour Figeac are also mainly found in the 'Cheval Blanc corner' of La Tour Figeac.

Nice fun facts, but is the wine drinkable? Yes, very much! Beautifully à point now after seven years. Lots of depth and tension. Pure, and a little earthy. Delicious black fruit, succulent and supple.

The second biodynamic wine was the one that we started the evening with: a Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Clavoillon" 1997 from Domaine Leflaive.

Tasting note: fat, ripened nose. Hint of hay, as soft as butter on the tongue, and in the mouth. Broad and complex, yet refined − a perfect whole. Round acids in a long tender finish. Hazelnut. An exalted white, and so vital for its age.

Anyway, all honour to the biodynamic wines. Again a great experience.

Live: Bolomey Wijnimport

Just launched: my own webshop, with only wines that I really like! No big collection, but a personal selection of fine classic wines that I love to offer. This is the address of Bolomey Wijnimport: www.bolomey.nl. The site is in Dutch, but I guess that non-Dutch wine lovers won't have a problem finding the wines they like... Also some (interesting) 2007 primeurs, but that section isn't finalised yet. The Bordeaux 2006 section however is complete.


Next month I will visit Burgundy again, and the Champaign area, and after that I will present some other interesting wines. Of course you are very welcome to check back regularly at Bolomey Wijnimport!

Le Clarence de Haut-Brion

Maybe you have seen the name during the last campaign: Le Clarence de Haut-Brion. It is the new name of the second wine of Château Haut-Brion. Red wine. The second wine of Haut-Brion's white is still named Les Plantiers de Haut-Brion.

In general, the second wines of the First Growths have gained importance over the last years: with the prices of the grand vins exploding, people started to look for the second wines. Those got sought-after, and soon started to be released in tranches just like their big brothers. With a first tranche that is usually sold out quickly, and a second tranche that is − naturally − higher priced. Do take into account that the size of a first tranche is small. Anyway, price orchestration is something these châteaux handle quite well.


It is this climate in which it was time to rename Château Bahans Haut-Brion. For my Dutch ears it has always appeared as a strange, somewhat funny name. Not at all serious, more a clumsy name. In general people had no idea how to pronounce Bahans. Poor Bahans family. They once owned part of Haut-Brion and apparently contributed to the fame of this grand château.

From now on the deuxième vin honours the progenitor of the domain, Clarence Dillon, who acquired the château in 1935. Dillon died in 1979 (aged 96!), but today still seven family members are seated in the board of Domaine Clarence Dillon, to which − since 1983 − also belong La Mission Haut-Brion, La Tour Haut-Brion and Laville Haut-Brion.

I must say: "Le Clarence de Haut-Brion" sounds good, and the new bottle also looks attractive. A few more days to go, and then I will launch my own (online) wine store. Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is one of the wines that I will offer.

The only thing rising in Bordeaux is the rain meter

The rain in Spain may stay mainly on the plain, but in Bordeaux it just stays. And it is getting colder.

"C'est le bordel," is how Jean-Luc Thunevin put it this morning, Monday 16th June. A bordel is literally 'a brothel', but the translation is more along the lines of an effing mess.

Included in the bordel is: the endless rain, the warm temperatures, then the cold ones, the mildew risk, the mud that is making it difficult for the tractors to get into the vines and spray, the wet flowering – although Thunevin says that this has, for some unknown reason actually been OK – and the fact that everyone is working flat out spraying when they can, deleafing and dealing with the fact that replanting in the rain is a pain.

Not included in Thunevin's bordel comment this morning are the primeurs. But they can't be helping.

All the first growths bar Yquem are out now, at the amazing, but not amazing enough apparently, reduction of 26% - meaning 200 euro ex-château, 240 to the trade.

Which makes them lower compared to 2006 but still expensive compared to what they were selling for in 2004 – about 80 euro ex-château. Although, compared to 2004 the big difference is that 2007 is available for sale and the 2004 is harder to find. So you do have to take that into account.

Whether Yquem will come out or not is apparently in doubt. They don't always sell en primeur anyway, but even so, it will be seen I am sure as another indication of a dismal primeur campaign.

A call to Hubert de Boüard was slightly more positive. Yes, the rain is a bordel, or as he put it 'le bazar' – I think that's how it is spelt anyway, it means much the same thing, only without the image of red dresses dumped all over the room. And on the upside Angélus is out – 85 euro ex chateau, 23% down on 2006, 100 to the trade – and the phones are hopping with calls from courtiers. A call to another négociant however reveals that at his end for Angélus, 'the phones are not ringing off the hook'.

The message of lower prices helping sales does seem to be getting through at last however. As I write, Léoville-las-Cases has just come out - down about 29% on last year. That one was also rumoured not to be coming out.

The trouble is that for the campaign as a whole, despite everyone having their individual story about why and how their price is like that, it is, quite simply, overpriced.

And when everyone comes round to buying it in shops it will still be overpriced, compared to other vintages and compared to other wines from France and the rest of the winemaking world.

Please take note: I, and about million other people, foresee great bargains in supermarkets come the Foire-Aux-Vins in September 2009.

But, oh why didn't they lower their prices, goes the chorus. And why, can't the first growths come out first and set a good example? Gnashing of teeth and wailing. Not in our time, the response to the responsorial psalm.

Now, even as we speak a war of nerves is most likely being played out between Cheval Blanc and Ausone as to who will blink first and release a price. Only to be trounced, no doubt by the other. Ausone is expected, by the way at 30% up on the first growths, so 260 ex-château?

Anyway. It is all very well in local terms, and great for gossip, but what does it actually do for the consumer? Zip. But, who knows, I bet if it was all nice, and orderly and according to plan, the greatest out first, with nicely lowered prices, and the rest following, people would be complaining that the romance had gone.

Oh my god. It has actually stopped raining for a moment. No. Sorry. It has started again.

Bordeaux 2007: Latour and Haut-Brion released

We must be in the last week of the primeurs campaign, and there isn't really something like a climax. At the end things should speed up a bit, the whole game ought to wrap itself up with some cool fireworks, but no, the machinery isn't as smooth as in 2006 (the 05 campaign), and the final releases come like the last drips of a rain shower. A few on Monday, very few on Tuesday, and then finally Latour and Haut-Brion today. With the utterly surprising prices of... about € 325,- (consumer price)... i.e. the same as Château Margaux almost a week ago. Down about 25%.

La Mission Haut-Brion, very successful in 2006 and as a result priced as a First Growth, went down with 40%.

The most exciting releases were the few that - like Vieux Château Certan earlier - had the guts to really lower their price (and sell):

- Troplong-Mondot Monday morning: −40%
- Nénin on Tuesday: −26% (and to a lesser extent Pichon-Lalande with −20%)
- Ducru-Beaucaillou: −36%

A few more days to go - luckily we also have the European Championship.

For all ratings and prices visit Bordoverview.

Bordeaux 2007 recommendations II

Thursday and Friday were crazy, many châteaux releasing their prices. Most went down, some kept their price at 2006-level, and some even went up. With the release of Château Margaux on Thursday the conclusion of the campaign is in sight, but we're not there yet. The coming week will be the last week of the campaign with the release of the other first growths and the remaining châteaux that are either slow or too cautious, or maybe consider themselves as first growths (Léoville-Las-Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou).

Château Margaux came out about 25% lower than last year, and is of course still rather unaffordable with a resulting average consumer price (for the first tranche) of about 325 euro (including VAT). Being confronted with this price, a pharmacist from Geneva, Illinois, wrote on the Wine Spectator forum: "Best laugh I've had in some time...". Taking into account (also) the weak dollar, I think he meant that the wine is expensive. Château Palmer was released yesterday and will cost about 155 euro, 12% less than in 2006.

In addition to my Wednesday posting I add the following recommendations to my personal − perfectly subjective and arguable − list. Wines with an interesting price-quality ratio:

- Domaine de Chevalier (5 June)
- Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild (5 June)
- Alter Ego de Palmer (6 June)
- Château Clerc Milon (5 June)
- Château Canon-la-Gaffelière (5 June)
- Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux (5 June)
- Château Branon (6 June)
(release date between brackets)

Château Cantenac-Brown was released 12% below its crazy 2006 price, and is unfortunately still priced above its class.

And unless the fact that 2007 is a tough sell, at the end of this week one could sense the primeur fever with the négociants. Some wines are already hard to get − like in normal years: e.g. Léoville-Barton and Pavillon Rouge are playing hard to get (not to mention Pavillon Blanc).

All the details and prices: check out Bordoverview.

Bordeaux 2007 recommendations

After a short off moment during the second half of last week, the past three days the Bordeaux 2007 primeurs campaign seems to be coming to a conclusion. The good news is that we see some serious price decreases. Also, we see some very interesting wines being released - thus the right moment for some first recommendations.

In my last posting I was complaining about the release price of Château l'Evangile (average consumer release price including VAT € 112). This Monday we saw the most comparable Pomerol château present its price: Vieux Château Certan was released at € 82, an impressive 40% down. A statement. Other major wines were also released at lower prices, but here no statements. Mere necessary corrections. And we shouldn't forget: from châteaux with a fairly stable price tag over the years - such as Léoville Barton - we cannot expect great price drops.

Congenial prices also from Saint-Emilion Premier Cru Classés Clos Fourtet and Pavie-Macquin: both these Derenoncourt-consulted wines are now more or less back on 2004-level. Clos Fourtet (from the new owners of the troubled Poujeaux) was received with varying success; the recently (to Premier Cru) promoted Château Pavie-Macquin stood an excellent chance however.

Big-name-reds with an interesting price-quality ratio are (just some suggestions, and only for the châteaux that have released its price so far):

- Vieux Château Certan (2 June)
- Château Pavie-Macquin (4 June, last minute release)
- Château Montrose (3 June)
- Château Pontet-Canet (22 May)
- Château Léoville-Barton (3 June)
- Château Rauzan-Ségla (4 June)
- Château Haut-Bailly (4 June)
- Château Haut-Bergey (30 May)
- Château Giscours (20 May)
- Château du Tertre (6 May)
- Château Calon-Ségur (3 June)
- Château Phélan-Ségur (21 May)
- Château Gruaud-Larose (19 May)
(release date between brackets)

Note: no original affordable petit châteaux in this list. E.g. from interesting regions such as Côtes de Castillon. Some other time.

By the way: I am not sure how useful it is to buy the "smaller wines" en primeur.

So for now just the Christmas 2012-2020 − or so − bottles. Of course when you think about buying Bordeaux 2007 at all. Check out Bordoverview for all released wines.

Hermitage blanc 1997 from Jean-Louis Chave: splendid consolation

What is happening in Bordeaux? After the primeurs campaign finally started off seriously, and seemed to be in full swing up until about a week ago - with mostly very uninteresting prices being presented (compared to the 2006 vintage the average price drop is 3%) - the caravan came to a standstill halfway this week. Almost.

The most important release was Château l'Evangile 2007 with an average consumer price - including VAT - of € 112,- (i.e. per bottle). I wonder who would be interested in this wine. It received average ratings, it is from this average drink-soon-or-you-will-be-disappointed,-if-not-already vintage. Okay, the price is 16% lower than the 2006, and 33% lower than the 2005, but don't forget that the exceptional 2005 was 124% more expensive than the 2004! And with that the price for the 2007 is still 50% higher than for the 2004... Yet another proof of the Awful Saw-Tooth Theory (see in 4th paragraph if you're interested). I can't get used to these prices.

Probably the big-name-châteaux are making up their minds now... or give the impression they are... and more uninteresting prices will probably be presented next week. Other wines released this week were Malartic-Lagravière (-3%) and Bernard Magrez' La Tour Carnet (-4%). Click here to see all released wines.

As in the old days, perhaps Hermitage can be helpful. Often average Bordeaux wines were "Hermitagé": some powerful red Hermitage was added to give the wines more colour and structure. A practice that has since long been abandoned - except for a nostalgic experiment (since 2004) from Château Palmer: their Historical 19th Century Wine. Palmer plus 15% syrah from the northern Rhône. Interesting.

HERMITAGE BLANC FROM DOMAINE JEAN-LOUIS CHAVE. LUXURY PROBLEM: WHICH VINTAGE TO CHOOSE...

But the kind of help I mean is mental help. To forget about an overpriced Bordeaux vintage by drinking an (equally overpriced?) Hermitage. An Hermitage blanc in this case. From 1997, and from Domaine Jean-Louis Chave.

And why not enhance a great experience - and foster oblivion - by having the Hermitage saumoné? Sure. Thus I cut fat slices of Scotch "Bawykov" salmon, smoked in French oak and beech, and also in a secret mix of spices, and I put these chunks - with organic butter - on lightly toasted white bread. Dramatically delicious.

The Hermitage is beautiful! The colour deep yellow, the nose squealingly rich, and complex. Matured. Pink grapefruit, ripe apple. Hints of butter and brioche. The corpus a little lighter than expected - and lighter than de 1996 - but with a pleasant (and not quite expected) fraîcheur. Long finish, with a slight impression of tea, and a little nutty. Mmm!

So should you want to suppress your sadness about the Bordeaux 2007 campaign, just add some Hermitage to your... salmon... and you're all set. At least for this weekend.

To be continued, as always.

Biodynamic winners, but long term impact of 2007 feared negative

Well, I seem to have done the unthinkable. I rang up a wine merchant to do a quick interview about the grimness of the 2007 primeur campaign and ended up spending nearly 700 euro.

I am shocked. How did it happen? I was never planning to buy any 2007 primeurs. And he was not trying to sell, just answer a few questions.

Then, the issue of biodynamics came up, and bingo, a case of 2007 Château Pontet-Canet was mine. Well, mine when I send over the cheque. And mine in two years time when I pay the bits and pieces left over and it actually arrives. I've not told my husband – you know how it is with shopping – or anyone actually. It all seems a bit not quite the right thing to be talking about. So I just thought I would write about it quietly in my blog. Thank god he never reads it. My husband that is.

I was supposed to buy a new computer.

Now if we had been talking about an organic wine, I doubt I would have flipped like that. But say biodynamic and I get a bit irrational. It ticks all the boxes for me. Moon, homeopathy, care and attention, understanding cycles of things like life. And it is good for the planet. And I feel better drinking it. Never get hangovers either. That of course might be the fact that I drink less of it, but either way, it works. Please God I never find an organic whiskey.

In fact I have now gone so far down the anti agri-chemical road I only buy things if they are organic. And I mean things like jeans and vegetables and shampoo and bread and face cream. Yes, for those of you who don't know, there is such a thing as biodynamic skin cream. It is more expensive and harder to find but that also means I buy less and spend less time choosing it. Where there are 100 different kinds of face cream and shampoo there is usually one or two organic/biodynamic ones. Easy.

Having agreed to buy the stuff, the wine, I then of course had to finish my article all about how 2007 was not worth buying, and would be in the shops in two years time for half nothing and all that.

But still. Buying cheaper is only one half the primeur equation – one that does not for the most part function in relation to 2007. But the other half of the logic still works – that if you want something you probably won't find in the shops in two years time, buy it en primeur.

It could be, of course, that there will be bottles of Pontet-Canet in the shops in 2009. But I am prepared to take that risk. Anyway, it never, ever seems to be in the shops I am in at the moment. The second wine, yes, Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet, but not the grand vin.

Having finished the article and stopped thinking about the whole 'I just bought a case of primeurs' thing, I was comforted to see that the June edition of La Revue du Vin de France (RVF) is full of comments on biodynamics.

Back page interview: biodynamics, page 32 on the issue of terroir, Michel Chapoutier saying real terroir only exists in biodynamic vineyards, and a few other references here and there. Plus Pontet-Canet got a RVF score of 18.5 so that was encouraging.

As to the broader subject of primeurs the whole thing continues lacklustre, possibly now downgraded to washed out. The only bit of upcoming interest is to see whether any of the stars, right or left bank, manage to actually lower their prices in any meaningful way. Well, meaningful to the consumer that is.

Or if they actually dare put their prices up. Now that will be testing the law of demand exceeding supply given that UK merchants have been heard to say they may not be buying the premier crus – can they mean it? – and US ones have said nothing at all.

A further, future bit of interest, might also come from the rumours that the 2007 campaign might in fact damage Bordeaux's share of the fine wine market long term. I have only actually heard one négociant say it – and he is not a French native, though he's been here 20 years selling primeurs – but I have heard mutterings of the kind all over the place.

What they are saying is that 2007 might mean Bordeaux cedes market share to Spain, Rhône and the new world in general. Unthinkable surely. As much as me buying a 2007 primeur?

Bordeaux 2007: 1% price decrease for the Monday - Wednesday releases!

Lots of new releases the last days. The average price decrease in comparison to 2006 is... 1 percent! The Bordeaux trade confirms that it's hard to sell the 2007 primeurs (as expected), and told me that they try to minimize their purchases. So the châteaux will have stocks to dump the upcoming years. View the list of all châteaux on Bordoverview that have released their prices so far.

Other Bordoverview updates:
1. Starting with the 2007 vintage the 5-stars Decanter scoring has just been replaced by their more detailed 20-points scoring. Later I might do the same for older vintages.
2. Now that Parker's scores for the 2007 vintage have been released about three weeks ago - and they're around about everywhere - they can also be found on Bordoverview. So the temporary presentation high-80s, mid-90s etc. is gone.

The releases of the last three days:

19 May GRUAUD-LAROSE (Saint-Julien) € 40 (0%)
19 May DE FONBEL (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 15 (+7%)
19 May SIAURAC (Lalande de Pomerol) € 12 (0%)
19 May VRAY CROIX DE GAY (Pomerol) € 37 (0%)
19 May TALBOT (Saint-Julien) € 34 (+3%)
19 May DOMAINE DE L'A (Côtes de Castillon) € 22 (0%)
19 May DURFORT-VIVENS (Margaux) € 25 (-4%)
19 May BRILLETTE (Moulis) € 15 (0%)
19 May BEAU-SOLEIL (Pomerol) € 19
19 May LALANDE-BORIE (Saint-Julien) € 17 (-6%)
19 May LES CARMES HAUT-BRION (Pessac-Léognan) € 39 (-5%)
19 May CLOS PUY ARNAUD (Côtes de Castillon) € 17 (0%)
20 May LUCHEY HALDE (Pessac-Léognan) € 19 (+6%)
20 May GISCOURS (Margaux) € 37 (-3%)
20 May MONBOUSQUET (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 40 (+8%)
20 May CLOS LES LUNELLES (Côtes de Castillon) € 30
20 May CORBIN (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 19 (0%)
20 May LUSSEAU (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 19 (-10%)
20 May CLINET (Pomerol) € 46 (-16%)
20 May SAINT-PIERRE (Saint-Julien) € 38 (-3%)
20 May LYNCH-MOUSSAS (Pauillac) € 22 (-4%)
20 May POTENSAC (Médoc) € 17 (0%)
20 May CLOS DU JAUGUEYRON (Haut-Médoc) € 12
20 May VEYRY (Côtes de Castillon) € 16
20 May GRAND CORBIN-DESPAGNE (Saint-Emilion GC) € 19 (0%)
20 May COTE DE BALEAU (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 14 (0%)
20 May MARQUIS D'ALESME-BECKER (Margaux) € 24 (+4%)
20 May D'ISSAN (Margaux) € 33 (-6%)
20 May PRIEURE-LICHINE (Margaux) € 31 (0%)
20 May GRAND ORMEAU (Lalande de Pomerol) € 17
20 May TOUR DE PEZ (Saint-Estèphe) € 15 (+7%)
20 May MOULINET (Pomerol) € 19
21 May FLEUR DE BOUARD (Lalande de Pomerol) € 23 (-4%)
21 May RAUZAN GASSIES (Margaux) € 27 (0%)
21 May LA CROIX DE BEAUCAILLOU (Saint-Julien) € 26
21 May LA CABANNE (Pomerol) € 23
21 May VILLA BEL-AIR (Graves) € 10 (0%)
21 May CROIZET-BAGES (Pauillac) € 10 (0%)
21 May BEAUREGARD (Pomerol) € 25 (-7%)
21 May PHELAN-SEGUR (Saint-Estèphe) € 25 (0%)
21 May L'ARROSEE (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 36 (-3%)
21 May COS-LABORY (Saint-Estèphe) € 22 (-4%)
21 May JOANIN BECOT (Côtes de Castillon) € 17 (0%)
21 May JEAN DE GUÉ (Lalande de Pomerol) € 20 (+5%)
21 May FEYTIT-CLINET (Pomerol) € 38

Bordeaux 2007: overview of last week's releases

Last week we saw quite a lot of châteaux release its prices. Below you find a list with the most important releases; to view all new releases just follow this link to Bordoverview. Most châteaux that have released their prices belong to the middle echelon, mostly châteaux with a pricing policy that is directed to a (more or less) stable price level over the years. In good years the prices of these wines do not increase a lot, so naturally in lesser years these prices don't move a lot either.

But there are also some wines that have made major leaps with the 2005 vintage (and sometimes, to a lesser extent, also with the 2006 vintage). An example is Rol Valentin with a very expensive 2005, then almost returning to 2004-level with its 2006, and now equaling 2004 again with 2007. Some of the other more expensive wines in the list made comparable moves, but failed to fully return to 2004-level. A more common move unfortunately.

And then there is Jean-Pierre Moueix with his elastic prices. Yesterday he presented his wines with an average price decline of 30%. Great, but we should not forget the kangaroo bounces that he made with the 2005 and also - especially - the 2006 vintage.

The only exception to the trend is Château Fonbadet (Pauillac): this château is steadily pushing up its prices over the last years.

Click on any wine in the list below to view its pricing history since the 2004 vintage. The prices mentioned are average European consumer prices, with Value Added Tax included. Between brackets is the relative price change as compared to the 2006 vintage.

13 May CITRAN (Haut-Médoc) € 13 (0%)
13 May CHASSE-SPLEEN (Moulis) € 21 (0%)
13 May LARRIVET-HAUT-BRION (Pessac-Léognan) € 20 (-13%)
13 May GAZIN (Pomerol) € 42 (-5%)
13 May ROUGET (Pomerol) € 26 (-7%)
13 May HAUT-MARBUZET (St-Estèphe) € 32 (-3%)
13 May LABEGORCE (Margaux) € 19 (-5%)
13 May LAFON-ROCHET (St-Estèphe) € 27 (0%)
14 May MAZEYRES (Pomerol) € 17 (0%)
14 May FERRIERE (Margaux) € 23 (0%)
14 May LA POINTE (Pomerol) € 23 (-8%)
14 May MONBRISON (Margaux) € 21 (0%)
15 May LAROZE (St-Emilion Grand Cru) € 20 (0%)
15 May GLORIA (St-Julien) € 25 (0%)
15 May FONBADET (Pauillac) € 21 (+10%)
15 May LAGRANGE (St-Julien) € 33 (-3%)
15 May HAUT-BAGES LIBERAL (Pauillac) € 24 (-4%)
15 May POUJEAUX (Moulis) € 20 (-5%)
15 May BELLE-VUE (Haut-Médoc) € 13 (0%)
15 May DESMIRAIL (Margaux) € 21 (0%)
15 May ROL VALENTIN (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 30 (-9%)
15 May PETIT VILLAGE (Pomerol) € 36 (-5%)
15 May DE FIEUZAL (Pessac-Léognan) € 22 (0%)
16 May HOSANNA (Pomerol) € 75 (-35%)
16 May LA FLEUR-PETRUS (Pomerol) € 70 (-22%)
16 May PROVIDENCE (Pomerol) € 61 (-34%)
16 May LATOUR A POMEROL (Pomerol) € 43 (-22%)
16 May MAGDELAINE (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 43 (-22%)
16 May FONROQUE (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) € 19 (-5%)
16 May SIRAN (Margaux) € 20 (-5%)

Something else: on eBay I have some interesting older wines for sale again. For example Léoville-Las-Cases 1982, Palmer 1988, Lynch Bages 1999... just follow this link to see all wines.

Bordeaux 2007 - wines for the châteaux to guard?

As the prices have begun to trickle out over the last two weeks for Bordeaux's 2007 wine primeurs, things feel basically, a bit flat, with some little flurries of interest.

The first flurry was over the Sauternes and Barsac prices, which all came out higher than 2006, on average by about 5%. Everyone was focussing so much on the need for red prices to come down, the fact that whites and sweets went up - on the basis of the good press they got during the tastings - was almost a shock.

The next flurry was over the châteaux that got 70-73 points from Parker – but they are going to resend a sample of their wine over to him as they are convinced there was a problem of some kind – so they shall remain nameless for the moment.

Then, the next flurry was about Château Beychevelle selling out in less than two hours. It got an average Parker score of 87-90, but it came out early and priced itself 5% down on 2006, at 21 euro per bottle ex-château, with a suggested resale price of 25.50 euro per bottle to wine merchants – one of which one is now selling bottles at 28.50 euro (ex-VAT). The combination worked wonders.

Négociants however will tell you there is no magic to the thing, it is just that Beychevelle has got the formula right.

The formula? Basically a good wine, that does not do bizarre price leaps or twists, which knows how to price itself so that everyone in the chain makes money – from château, via courtier (aka Mister 2%), to négociant, importer and finally retailer.

Plus, and it is an important plus, since Beychevelle sells 95% en primeur there are no worries, for négociants anyway, about further stocks unexpectedly coming onto the market (either from the château or from some merchant connected in some way to the château) later on, at a different price.

Well. When it's explained that way, it makes you wonder why so many others get it wrong and end up with, what a Swiss journalist is said to have called 'vin de garde' – meaning it's one the châteaux will be keeping.

Of course the answer might be that since it's the négociants that bear the brunt of the pricing 'mistakes', what do the châteaux care if they have a bit of vin to guard? And this year in particular, what do they care, when they have, in general, both empty cellars and full pockets after sales of the amazing 2005's which carried over into the 2006's.

The négociants are the ones who have to buy and keep the stock, after all, on the basis that they can't tell customers they don't have X wine. Which means, at best, they must buy a decent range of wines, cleverly, or at least be on good enough terms to put in a phone call the moment they get an order.

From that point of view, not just pricing, but payment terms are also said to be making a crucial difference between sales or not this year.

Négociants are said to be offering clients the 2007's for a 15% to 25% deposit, and no further payment until June/November 2009. And they are expecting the châteaux to do the same for them. Kind of defeats the point of primeurs, but there you go. The rules are different this year.

So, for mid range châteaux, it will be their pricing terms, as well as their prices, that make the difference.

As ever, none of this applies to any of the most in demand wines, whose orders exceed supply, like the top five or the super seconds or right bank stars. But it is interesting to think that the range of decent Bordeaux 2007's you will find on the shelves in two or more years time may possibly have as much, or more, to do with pricing terms, as actual taste.