Journalists - critics

Monday 28 was a low-key day meeting with a journalist from Decanter to have a serious conversation about Garage, 4 hours. Croix de Labrie 2003 and 1999 plus Valandraud 1995 helped to understand this vast subject which was already covered in last month’s Revue du Vin de France.

Almost all the ratings have been published. While still optimistic on the quality of the 2006 vintage, I hope that the futures campaign will finally begin. Other than that, I regret the lack of commitment from many of my friends journalists who, once again, support well known brands instead of promoting more difficult discoveries or sure values which are harder to sell such as Fronsac: Haut Carles is one of the best wines produced in Bordeaux this year, and still the notes, are only good. La Dominique, which is one of the great successes of Saint Emilion this year was “forgotten” by Parker, few tasters saw the new positioning of Clos Badon, Fleur Cardinal was forgotten by some, etc… As for the prices, it is another story, the high Euro is not helping.
112 wines have now been released.
1) How many offers have been successful for more than 70%?
2) On 38 deals finalized, how many succeed for more than 70%?
3) Why do brokers and maybe wholesalers want to buy 2006 at the price of the lowest wines in the open market? Even if the quality of the 2006 vintage is superior to 2004, 2002, even 2003.

It is hard to believe that the quality and success of a vintage have for the moment no interest to the clients of our clients (there is unfortunately a bit of truth in this).

I regularly read French internet sites on wine (I don’t understand English well) and would like to quote Luc Lavaux: “I like fine wines when they are not thin. I like powerful wines when they are balanced, I find pleasure depending on the circumstance and avoid to fall into the traps of treating some as elegant, others as vulgar, letting people believe that I have the monopoly of good taste.” Bravo, simple to understand.

Still Yves Zermatten ads “Why would a sexy woman would necessarily be vulgar? Does subtlety exclude sensuality?” Phew, at least there is still Croix de Labrie to help.

The futures campaign has started and opinions are all going the same way.. (guess which!)