Since publishing our first Bordeaux en primeur tasting report we have tasted in Hong Kong an extra 500 en primeur wines, taking our total to more than 1,000 this year. The full list of scores and notes is posted below, including the new tastings from Figeac, Haut-Brion, Lafite, Mouton, Margaux and many other top wineries.
All these 2019 barrel samples were shipped directly from Bordeaux by air freight and we haven’t found many samples in questionable condition. The shipping has been fairly simple with most samples arriving in Hong Kong from Bordeaux within two to three days. The zero tax and duty on wines make it easy.
With a few prices for top wines already released, it looks like the futures market for 2019 will offer some superlative deals. In this news report that we published recently, Pontet-Canet was first to announce its prices, at 30 percent lower than last year. Palmer followed with about the same decrease. Wine merchants in Bordeaux reported that their email inboxes were filling with orders on Pontet Canet and one London wine merchant was already offering six bottles of the 2019 for £367 compared to £648 for the 2018. Palmer also sold well.
Many other big Bordeaux producers are expected to follow suit, dropping prices significantly. This represents excellent value for anyone looking to buy futures although it also suggests that prices have been too high in the past. People are buying.
“It might seem surreal to think about selling 2019 Bordeaux now as futures,” wrote James in his first report. “But the wines I have tasted so far from 2019 seem good to excellent and comparable in quality to 2018, 2016 and 2015 – all excellent vintages.
“And if you love wine you should find it reassuring to remember that wine has always been made, sold and drunk even during terrible moments in history, from wars to pandemics. So, the market will indeed decide if now is the time to buy 2019 en primeur.”
Many of the dozens of winemakers and owners James spoke to (you can see some of these conversations below in our Zoom video highlights) also agreed that the en primeur campaign should go ahead, and with lower prices.
“If we want to have success with en primeur (in 2019) then the price must be down,” said Hubert de Boüard, whose family owns one of the top growths of the Right Bank, Chateau Angelus, and who is also a leading consulting enologist in Bordeaux.
“I think everyone just wants to get on with things, prices should be reasonable, overall quality is good,” added Shaun Bishop of JJ Buckley, an American wine merchant in Oakland, California, by email.
We will continue to add our notes to this report as we taste new wines. Enjoy.
