A matter of weeks after the 2008 Bordeaux en primeur campaign has come to its end, the fine wine trade's attention has switched to the next vintage. And with the weather in Bordeaux having been excellent so far in 2009, the hype is already beginning to build.
Decanter carried a story earlier this week, provocatively titled "Could 2009 be the next 2005?" , which quotes a number of proprietors claiming that the season so far has been the best since the fabled 2005.
Journalist Jane Anson has been following the vintage via series of videos filmed at the First Growths. The Lafite video can be viewed here, and Latour's here. Both are generally positive.
Robert Parker's bulletin board also carries a thread featuring some interesting comments (and some less so) from contributors who have recently travelled to the region.
Furthermore, anecdotally we have heard from our friends and clients in the regions that the vintage so far has been very encouraging, regarding both its size and quality.
Of course, it is September's weather that will decide if the vintage is an excellent one, rather than merely good. But what would a large vintage of high quality wine mean for next year's campaign, and the market as a whole?
En primeur prices, of course, would surely rise. Particularly from those chateaux that came out early and low this year and were somewhat caught out by the scores of Robert Parker and the eventual market appetite – a group that includes all of the the Firsts. A bumper 2009 will surely be the final nail in the coffin for the 2007 vintage, which will appear as an island of the mediocre surrounded by an ocean of quality. And with the 2008 vintage being rated so highly by Parker, where does he go from here?
Expect news stories featuring notable UK merchants pleading for "calm, rational" pricing from the Bordelais to start appearing in a month or two.
