Prolonging an already pedestrian En Primeur campaign, top Bordeaux chateaux will not be releasing their 2006 prices until after Vinexpo, decanter.com understands.
With only two days to go before the bi-annual Bordeaux wine show gets under way, the First Growth chateaux are saying that release dates have not been decided.
One chateau insider told decanter.com that they ‘sincerely believed it would not be before Vinexpo’.
This view was echoed by Laurent Ehrmann, head of Bordeaux negociant Barriere Freres.
‘I’m willing to bet my Grandmother that Haut-Brion will not release prior to Vinexpo,’ he said, talking of the Grand Vin. He added it was ‘highly probable’ they would not release them during the show.
Some chateaux are selling well, but others cannot find a market. Lafite’s second wine, Carruaudes de Lafite, and the Pauillac Fifth Growth Lynch-Bages are selling out despite their £400-a-case price tag.
Some chateaux, however, are being turned away. With a £550 price tag, Staples said he had ‘walked away from nearly every case’ of many Second Growths, including Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pichon Lalande, and Cos d’Estournel.
The slow-moving 2006 campaign continues to come under attack from merchants.
‘Fatigue is setting in,’ said Bordeaux Index managing director Gary Boom. ‘It’s just crazy – with a vintage like this they should have released in April. It’s really bad timing.’
Even though Berry Bros were set to ‘surpass the money made with the 2000 vintage En Primeur campaign’, Staples said, he agreed the campaign was faltering.
‘I’m tired, frustrated and angry. I just want to go and kick somebody,’ he said. ‘If the Super-Seconds don’t release before Vinexpo, its suicide.’
Written by Oliver Styles
