As the dust settles on Bordeaux 2017, merchants are taking stock of what many have called a lacklustre campaign, characterised by overpriced wines and a lack of customer interest.
According to the drinks business, fine wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd report that sales will be around £13-£14 million – half of what was achieved last year.
Meanwhile, Farrs Vintners’ managing director Stephen Browett said that apart from the 2013, it’s been the worst En Primeur campaign by volume since 1992. He added that pricing was also a challenge. “It’s such a wasted opportunity because the quality [of the 2017] is quite good, but it should have been sold around the 2014 price level.”
While Liv-ex director Justin Gibbs notes that “there were a lot more disasters than there were successes”, several wines have done well nonetheless. Beychevelle, Canon and Calon-Segur have all been well-received by the industry, while standouts among the First Growths include Mouton Rothschild, Margaux and Lafite.
