UK wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd has warned that it will not buy a single case of Bordeaux 2008 unless prices drop by 50%.
Berry’s Bordeaux buyer Simon Staples spoke ahead the team’s week-long tasting. He said a substantial price drop is essential to ensure any future for en primeur in Bordeaux.
He added” “I would be happier as a stockholder to have a bargain vintage, to give everyone something to get excited about. No-one has been excited about Bordeaux since 2005, the consumers are either bored of the prices, or bored of buying five or six vintages on the trot.”
Staples said the economic downturn is another reason the châteaux need to seriously review prices.
Some merchants have decided against going to taste the wines but Staples added: “We would be doing our customers a disservice if we were to take that stance and not go to Bordeaux. During the week, for better or for worse, we will bring our customers the truth about the vintage. By Friday 3 April, we’ll have covered nearly 40 châteaux and tried over 300 wines and will be able to share a complete overview of the vintage.”
Bordeaux consultant Olivier Dauga said: “What Simon Staples has said is right but it only concerns 2% of Bordeaux wines (the grands crus)
"For the remaining 98% Bordeaux wines are the best value for money and perhaps less expensive than other wines in the world.
"There are thousands of wines out there to be discovered."
