I have in my hands Benjamin Lewin M.W.'s What Price Bordeaux?, which Amazon indicates won’t be published until August 24, but book-shopping at the Strand has its privileges. It is actually only partially about pricing and is the most comprehensive diagnosis of the current state of the Bordeaux scene since Stephen Brook’s Bordeaux: People, Power and Politics, covering such issues as the increasing dominance of brand over land, the rise of modern international-style Bordeaux, and of course the role of ego, market manipulation, points, and the like in the recent price escalations. Plenty of background here for the history buffs as well. Like Brook, Lewin attacks the topic from a moderately anti-spoof worldview but concedes that spoofing is a venerable tradition in Bordeaux and that the '82s offer some hope to those wondering how the extra-ripe wines of today will age. The level of detail is phenomenal. A lot of writers talk about the differences in taste between modern and old-style Bordeaux but almost none of them actually detail how the sausage is made - this book does. There are full-color charts, graphs, maps, and the occasional photo or label on almost every page - both vintage maps and satellite photos with vineyard border overlays, on thick semi-glossy white paper. Both a wonderful read and a wonderful package.
Thanks Keith. Although I generally don’t buy wine books but this sounds right up my alley. Will keep an eye out for it.
Cool. Sounds like a great antidote to the endless threads puffing up of Bordeaux pricing we’ve seen ad nauseum. I will put this on my list.
No dust jacket promo quote from Jeff Leve, I take it.