The 2017 En Primeur Campaign started slowly this week with a few wines being released.
After an intensive seven days racing from one tasting / Chateau to another and anointing Charlie Murphy, with his first intensive Union des Grands Crus (UGC) week, we have returned with a good handle on the vintage. Notching up a whopping 53 Chateaux visits and numerous tastings, we tasted over 600 wines, many on several occasions to confirm and re-confirm our verdict.
It was a particularly difficult vintage in the vineyard with many properties suffering to the worst frost in Bordeaux since 1991. However, this wasn’t the case everywhere, many properties survived the frost untouched, especially in St Estephe, Pauillac and St Julien, where properties close to the Gironde River estuary benefited from a degree or two more in temperature; keeping the frost at bay. Others due to aspect, slight breeze or simply pure luck survived unscathed.
We will endeavour to update you on a regular basis with details of the campaign. See our Release Diary for daily updates of wines releases, pricing, market sentiment and our take on the campaign.
Here's an exert from this week's Release Diary -
Monday 23rd April
First out of the starting blocks in this campaign is Chateau Palmer at £2350 per 12. Despite release price being 20% lower than last year, there are good, mature vintages on the market for around the same price which offer value for money. This price release was 4% less than the 2015 but with a less favourable exchange rate, it works out more expensive and the 2015 is a more superior wine. The second wine Alter Ego de Palmer has been released at £585. This we think is a fair price and have taken our allocation from the chateau.
There have also been a few Cru Bourgeois releases recently with Chateau Lannesan at £115 and Chateau Beaumont at £105, with both Chateaux keeping their prices the same as the 2016 releases respectively.
There have been some big name releases this week are Palmer (£2350), Haut Batailley (£495) and Valandraud (£1200). To date we have bought the following five wines which we think work and are the best buys are:
Alter Ego de Palmer, Margaux at £585. At quarter of the price of the Grand Vin, we believe this works well as the quality is excellent.
Labegorce, Margaux at £215. It is a chateau on the rise in terms of quality and over delivers. Most Critic scores are 90+.
Clos de Lunes, Lune d'Argent at £95. A really fun, vibrant white that is neighbour to D'Yquem and is made by the Team at Domaine de Chevalier.
Finally, two right bank wines from the Moueix stable; La Fleur Gazin, Pomerol at £320 (allocations down 20%) and Puy Blanquet, St Emilion Grand Cru at £155 which is a vibrant, classy Grand Cru at a bargain price.
