2020 Bordeaux

If those scores are consistent with other critics if anything that will place some serious downward pressure. 96 on margaux and haut brion? Ouch!

2020 may be the first vintage that I will not purchase…not because it isn’t good, but because I am 59 and I am “woke” to my wine mortality reality. It helps that I have a lot of Bordeaux to drink over the next 10-15 years already, but at some point you just have to say “enough”. Who knows, maybe when I’m 70 I’ll purchase some 2020 if it is available, but no more futures…that is for sure.

A quick look at his other scores shows that 2020 will be better than 2017 but not on a level of the other vintages. But of course it’s very early and just one critic. Let’s wait and see…
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well, its a good first start for my wallet :wink: I wasnt looking forward to having to keep the first growths I bought last year, but if they’re not a great vintage, then I can save all that money so huzzah!

Should have more scores coming very very soon.

just got an email from Laithwaites about all the spare 2019 stock they have. I’d say theres very little of the prime buying - e.g. Mouton, Palmer, Pontet, etc, but for example they’ve got 19 cases of Canon near enough at the original price. A bit of a surprise to me. That could apply some interesting downward pressure.

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Any early reads or updates?

Too soon. Ask me in a month. However, if you follow me on Instagram I try adding something on a daily basis.

Well how was the lafite yoy
U had today compared to 2018 or 2019?

Don’t think prices falling.
19 was an exception. Like 08 was.
20 prices will increase for sure.

with no basis what soever, i expect 20 to be in line with 18. Outside of things like Lafleur aand the first growths, I think there’s very little movement on the secondary market. Canon, Pontet, Chevalier, Berliquet (all of which I bought) are available at the same price now as they were EP. I think Rauzan Segla did move a bit and possibly Larcis Ducasse too

Have any of these wines been delivered yet…? I think it’s very possible that second tranche and later pricing for 2018 is similar to the initial first tranche price…but I would expect retail pricing to go up quite a bit especially if these are scored at the top band of their EP scores once reviewed from bottle. K&L is showing more Domaine de Chevalier pre-arrivals of several vintages back in stock (including 2009/2010/2016/2018). The pricing of the 2018 at $90 looks like a modest increase from the first tranche pricing. (15%+)

I would think that between 2016/18/19/20 the Bordelaise will have a lot of wine to sell, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see an increase on 2019 pricing, but below or in-line with 2018 in order to keep interest in 2020.

Agree but the Bordelais cannot expect to sell many if there is plenty of 2019 available at first tranche prices.

Ah but that is where the wonderful marketing team come in…I believe I already read one of the first growths mention that have never had a trilogy like 18,19 and 20…and 20 could be the best… I bought a fair amount in 19…and I am still buying where I see deals pop up. I doubt they will release 20 at a similar price, if they do and the quality is there (eyes on you Jeff!) then I might buy in…but I have a wonderful way of getting excited every year, but agree it is all about prices…if similar to 2018 forget it…close to 2019 then I am a buyer…

Depending on merchant, most of these have been delivered now. Certainly everything I mentioned above that I owned was at least initially delivered a few months ago. Not all merchants have had deliveries yet - e.g. I have Pontet Canet with two merchants, one has theirs, the other hasnt.

I still have a bunch of '16 outstanding

uh, you really shouldnt. An expert might chime in here but in my experience all en primeur wines should be delivered 2.5-3 years after the vintage date, e.g. I expect my 2019s to all be physical by summer next year. The only reason off hand that makes me think this could be legit is if 2016 was going physical during the tariffs - but the tarrifs were brought in Oct 19 (on a quick google) which is at least a few months after I’d expect EP purchases to be going physical. EP17 would have been physical from Dec19-Summer20, EP18 Dec20-Summer21, EP19 Dec21-Summer22 (based on experiennce rather than anything ‘firm’)

Given your location, can you DM me the name of your merchant? I have… history… with a famous LA merchant that would scare the living daylights out of you, specifically around that time.

You should have received these already unless you bought the '16 on pre-arrival recently.

I wish I received my '18s. I havent received any. Did you get your Lafite Rothschild yet?

I dont get an allocation of Lafite & didnt buy any in 2018. I bought the ‘cheap’ tier wines I mentioned above, things like Pontet Canet, Canon, etc. I do live in the UK, though, so turnaround times should be faster than for you guys in the States.

Some of my 2018 is still outstanding, though. As I said, it ranges from merchant to merchant (rather than producer to producer). I think I had 4 maybe 5 sets of orders with different merchants, about half of them are now delivered.


(To clarify - of course producer matters as well, if the wine isnt ready yet no one has it. But for example with my 2018 pontet canet, I took delivery of one case through merchant A around Christmas. A second case, through merchant B, is still en primeur and I guess will be for a month or so at least, more)