2011 Bordeaux will “bomb”

Robert Parker has forecast a complete lack of demand for 2011 Bordeaux en primeur unless prices drop “dramatically”.

Writing on erobertparker.com about the vintage, he notes, “If prices do not drop dramatically for the 2011 Bordeaux, I do not think there will be any fine ‘futures’ wine market in the civilized world that will buy these wines for delivery in 2014.”

Continuing, he describes the vintage as “surprisingly successful” and compares 2011 in quality to the “underrated 2001 and 2008”, but schools producers to “price low and sell as quickly as possible”.

He also suggests the wines should be released at “reasonable price points” – something he recalls the market hasn’t enjoyed “since the 2008s”.

Indeed, he sums up, that without a significant decrease in release prices for the vintage, “2011s are largely going to bomb as ‘wine futures’”.

Parker’s views echo those of UK wine merchants speaking to the drinks business before the 2011 campaign begun in April.

Indeed, Corney & Barrow MD Adam Brett-Smith told db back in December, “Unless they [the Bordelais] do something of unbelievable drama there is going to be no interest at all.”

You can read a full analysis of Parker’s scores here, but he notes that in general, “Pomerol stands out as the most consistent appellation” while the “least consistent” was Graves/Pessac Leognan.