The end of the critic? Why Carruades de Lafite is an important indicator for 2010 Bordeaux En Primeur

The ultimate wine brand in in the world is not Lafite. It is Lafite’s second wine: Carruades de Lafite. Once the Bordeaux circus returns, the points are published and the prices are drip-fed out to the buyers by the Chateaux, keep an eye on the prices of Carruades de Lafite. If the "Carruades trend" continues, this could signal the end of the critic-led Bordeaux price.

More than any other wine, quality is irrelevant to its price: over the years, Carraudes de Lafite has become pure brand. It is a signifier (the Lafite name) without the need for any reference to its signified (the actual wine in the bottle). The points and tasting notes are irrelevant.

However, the label, and how the name is attached to the first wine of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, is very important. Whether it has a high or low score.

Unlike Lafite, which is often lauded as the wine of the vintage, it can not be said Carruades de Lafite has the same quality. For example, Carruades averaged a modest 89 Robert Parker points between 2000 and 2006. Yet the insatiable thirst for Lafite means even these back vintages have increased in price, some on par with other first growths such as Mouton Rothschild.

The spectacular rise in the price of Carruades over recent years throws into question the role of Western wine critics and the 100 point system’s effect on price in the Asian market. I wager the “Western” idea of scores will be irrelevant to the eventual price again this year.

Just like the waiting list for a Hermes Kelly bag, it won’t matter about the colour or the price, buyers will just feel lucky to be on the Lafite list. Perhaps they will even be happy with a fake.

Neither alternative – scores or brands – are particularly appealing ways to set prices for wine in themselves. But imagine a time when we will look back and say: at least scores kept the quality of the wine a little more honest; compared to now, when pricing is based purely on brand alone.

Image: High Fashion lollypops

Librarians love 01 Les Pagodes de Cos

The 01 Pagodes de Cos, the second wine of Cos d'Estournel, is reckless, obstinate and from all accounts of previous vintages, annoying. The initial brett farmyard characters will either delight or disgust you depending on whether worn leather smells like the promise of sitting in a new car or crusty old boots. But to me, it's not that simple.

Old Man Claret: Bordeaux at £10 - £15 per bottle

"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." - Henry Miller

Why drink Bordeaux at £10-15? Many other wines stride in with hi-how-are-you blasts. At this price, there are many choices for a medium-bodied red wine from nearly every corner of the globe. That’s why some are asking, is Bordeaux even relevant anymore?

From wine to widget (or, my Bordeaux sulk in Rome)

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. – Marcel Proust

"What I don't understand," said my Roman friend as we walked through the ruins of the ancient city of Rome, "is how these high prices of Bordeaux wine (En Primeur) can be in the public good?"

Yesterday I was on holiday in Italy. Frankly, I needed a holiday. After waiting weeks for the big names of Bordeaux to release their wines, and just a torturous drip drip drip, I was officially in a Bordeaux sulk.

Bordeaux En Primeur 2009 vs The Volcano

Ejafjallajokull may have told Europe to kiss it's ash during the week, but volcano or no volcano, the 2009 En Primeur show must go on.

Ten wines to buy 2009 Bordeaux En Primeur

a beautiful dream...

Following on from my post En Primeur - five questions to ask before buying I'd like to share with you the list of 10 clarets I'd buy from Bordeaux 2009 En Primeur.*

Notice there are no first growths or fashionable names (Mouton, Lafite, Margaux, Cheval Blanc, Ausone etc). En Primeur on this level is more about obtaining the limited allocation rather than buying for long-term drinking. They have their own allocations and prices determined by their own market, which exists in another stratosphere.

This is a fantasy shop, but it's a realistic fantasy shop. There are a few cases in my list for around £200 - £240.

Without knowing the prices yet, nor the demand (will China be a huge presence in En Primeur buying this year, after all? The debate continues...) here is my fantasy shopping list of 2009 Bordeaux based on quality/value and good long-term drinking pleasure based on reports from last week at the En Primeur tasting.

So, let's go shopping!

Price Guide - expensive to value £££££ - £

1. Leoville Poyferre, St-Julien £££

2. Pontet Canet, Pauillac ££ - £££

3. Domaine de Chevalier, Graves £ - £££

4. Grand Puy Lacoste, Pauillac £££

5. Clos du Marquis, St-Julien £££ - ££££

6. Smith Havt Lafite, Graves ££

7. Haut Bailly, Graves ££

8. Calon Segur, St Estephe £££ - ££££

9. La Fleur Gazin, Pomerol £ - ££

10. Chateau Poujeaux, Moulis £

Image: Sofia Sanchez

* based on instant twitter updates from tasters attending the En Primeur tastings in Bordeaux

Link: En Primeur - five questions to ask before you buy

Link: Bordeaux 2009 En Primeur - the dispatches, Dr Vino wine blog

En Primeur - five questions to ask before you buy

What is En Primeur?

En Primeur is the art of buying wine when it is still in cask before it is bottled. There is usually a two year wait before it is finally delivered, which happens shortly after the wine is bottled and shipped. After vintage, wine merchants and writers visit the Estates, Domaines or Chateau to assess the quality for their customers. This is when the campaign begins.

In the United States, buying wine En Primeur is known as Wine Futures, which is slightly more demystifying; it clearly links the buying of unbottled wine in cask to the concept of buying futures on the stockmarket. It's the same level of reward. And risk.

For those who don’t know much about Bordeaux, En Primeur can be on the trickier end of wine buying. For those who do, it can be a way to buy wine at a relatively low price which returns decades of enjoyment.

However, unlike other forms of investment, it’s a speculation you can eventually enjoy drinking. And if you do it right, you’ll always have quality wine on hand at a fraction of the future shelf price.

Right now, wine merchants are coming back with their report on the 2009 vintage in Bordeaux. Each year there will is a lot of hype between the facts; so, what do you look for when buying wine two years before it is bottled, often without having the chance to taste it?

Despite the very top Chateau bought on allocation (which means, only people who have a track record of buying Chateau such as Mouton-Rothschild etc are considered), there are still plenty of excellent buys to be found in Bordeaux. The question is how to pick wines right for you.

Five Questions to Ask

1. Are you buying from a reputable, solvent wine merchant who has a track history of delivering En Primeur?
2. Does this wine have the ability to age for at least 10 years (especially, Bordeaux)?
3. Is the base price reasonable enough to allow future growth in price?
4. Is this a good property but undervalued with respect to quality?
5. Is this one of the good to great vintages?

I remember one man at the Burgundy En Primeur in January wincing over an unbottled red, "At this stage," he said, "It's like children when they are young, you never really know how they will really turn out. And I've made some mistakes!" But he was still there again at the yearly tastings.

Apart from asking these 5 questions, I suggest starting with a Chateau you know and like, develop a relationship with your wine merchant over a period time and, most importantly, listen to your instincts!

Link: Ten wines to buy 2009 Bordeaux En Primeur