by Sophie Kevany

In a breakaway move, Bordeaux’s 2007 sweet white wines from the Sauternes and Barsac regions have all released prices on average 10% to 15% higher than the 2006’s, while to date, most reds are coming out only marginally lower, despite calls for significant cuts.
“These wines going to be super, not quite as good as the 2001 vintage, but pretty good all the same,” said Bordeaux negociant Bill Blatch of the 2007 sweet whites.

“They are a bit like the 88’s, with lots of sweetness, but you don’t feel it. These are vibrant, clean wines,” he said.

“The interesting thing is that the 2006 prices seem to be irrelevant. They are all pretty much, apart from Rieussec which was out of line, 5% higher than their 2005 prices,” he said, referring to the 30% increase by Château Rieussec which pushed its price up to €40 from the chateau to the Bordeaux trade.

Following Parker’s review of the 2007 vintage, which was positive in its text but less so in actual marks out of 100 – with many in the 80’s, and one chateau getting a 70-73 - red wine prices are also starting to come out.

In his review Parker said he saw no reason to buy the 2007 reds as primeurs – the Bordeaux wine futures system whereby wine is sold directly from the barrel two years before it appears on the market in bottles - unless chateaux cut prices significantly.

Three of the better known chateaux that have released prices to date are Sociando-Mallet, which came out at €19.50 euro ex-chateau, down by 0.50 cents on last year, Chateau Beychevelle which came out at €21 ex-chateau, 5% down on 2006 and
Chateau Quinault, which was down 11.11% on 2006 at €16.