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Woensdag 10 Maart 2010
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| 2009 BORDEAUX |
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The En Primeur 2009 campaign has been launched in London – informally – with the first trade tasting of the Bordeaux vintage from the right bank.
The Cercle Rive Droite is a grouping of some three dozen chateaux ranging form St Emilion Grand Cru Classes to Bordeaux Superiors.
The group includes Pomerol properties like Fleur de Bouard, belonging to the de Bouard family of Angelus, Stephan Derenoncourt's Rol Valentin and a handful of chateaux from St Emilion satellites Lussac, Canon Fronsac and Lalande de Pomerol.
Around half of the properties retain Alain Raynaud as consultant, like Ch. Le Moulin from Mr. Michel Querre.
Raynaud, former owner of Chateau Quinault – which he sold to Bernard Arnault in 2008 – owns two properties, Croix de Gay and Fleur de Gay.
Last night's tasting, at the French ambassador's residence in Kensington, was well attended – but not mobbed – by the UK trade.
The wines were well-received, though journalists are careful not to appear to buy into the general air of over-excitement about 09 that pervades any Bordeaux gathering, and which will reach its peak during en primeur week at the end of this month.
The consensus of press and merchants was that the wines were better balanced than had been expected, with nice lift and perfume, silky tannins and generous fruit. There was some hint of jamminess but not nearly as much as might have been expected with some of the wines weighing in at 14% alcohol. I look forward to go to Bordeaux end of March for the big tastings, but I hope again that prices will be reasonable!!!
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ex-Pichon Ctsse owner opens Stellenbosch... |
24 02 2010 |
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The former owner of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is about to formally open Glenelly, her South African estate.
May de Lencquesaing, who sold Pichon Lalande in Pauillac to Champagne Roederer in 2007, bought the 65-hectare Glenelly in 2003.
The official launch has been delayed until the sale of the 2008 vintage, which is the first to use grapes grown entirely on the Stellenbosch estate. A new winery was completed in 2009.
When it bought the property, Roederer became 15% shareholder in Glenelly, but following some distribution issues over the wine, de Lencquesaing became the sole owner in December 2009.
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Bordeaux 2009 ...overpriced vintage??? |
19 02 2010 |
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As the Bordeaux 2009 campaign starts in earnest, there is no shortage of hyperbole - but some voices are calling for restraint.
'What is clear is that we are onto something spectacular again... but with an ever-increasing demand, especially from Asia, it won't be cheap.'
What I personnaly think : 'The Bordelais are excited enough about 2009 as it is, we don't want them to put prices up too much.'
Speculation is already rife that the first growths will release at prices approaching 2005. Some observers are predicting up to €300 a bottle for the first tranche.
The possibility of high prices at the tail end of recession is already worrying some: would buyers' pockets be deep enough?
One negociant said, 'I have no doubt there will be huge demand for the wines, and we will be able to sell out in theory pretty quickly. But who will have the money when it comes to delivery? That is far less certain.'
Union des Grands Crus director Sylvie Cazes told that there were a number of 'very positive indicators in place' but added, 'this is going to be a difficult campaign to judge, because there are so many elements like the state of the economy to take into account.'
One factor that many merchants are studying is the renewed presence of Asian and American buyers.
It is understood they are booking their places at next month's tastings in large numbers – though the jury is out as to whether that will translate into major orders.
At a major London merchant, Bordeaux Index, owner Gary Boom is buoyant. He expects to sell £25m en primeur this year – more than twice as much 2008 – 20% of it to private Asian buyers.
'For the first time private Asian buyers are going to pile in,adding that his order book was fuller than in any record year.
But Boom had one caveat: 'If [Robert] Parker is lukewarm, we will have to be very careful.'
He put forward one possible scenario: if Parker gives Chateau Margaux 96-100 points, for example, and the chateau priced it at €350, this would translate to over £4500 a case to the consumer.
'Why would I want to buy it if I can get the 1996, which got 99 points, or the 2003, which got 100 points, for £4,500 a case?'
Back in Bordeaux, the expected success of the vintage has seen a few high-profile names putting their wines back on to the Place de Bordeaux – the negociant system – after a few years of selling direct through their own sales network.
Stephen Adams, the American owner of Chateau Fonplegade in Saint Emilion, is now back on the Place after an absence of four years, and Michel Rolland will be selling his Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol and Château Fontenil in Fronsac through a small number of Bordeaux merchants.
To be continued from me in Bordeaux, on location next month
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* all prices are ex. VAT (21%) and ex. Cellars Oostende (B)
Subject remaining unsold
Payment conditions: by invoice |
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