Assuming that the 2024 EP campaign is a total wipeout, which seems likely / already certain, I’m wondering what the pricing for '25 is likely to be if the quality of the vintage is anywhere between '22 and '23. If the chateaux keep the pricing somewhere between '23 and '24 levels that could be interesting…
At the high end, I don’t think it’s a wipeout. I’ve sold more Lafite this year than last year (actually by a decent amount). The middle and low end, as I worried upthread, is pretty terrible. Unless you’re buying in big quantities (dozens of cases across the campaign), the discount vs release price just isn’t compelling enough to give chateaux an interest-free loan.
OTOH, if you’re buying a 3 pack each of first growth/equivalents, you’re probably saving at least $1000. Assuming you’re financially stable - which you 100% should be if you’re buying those wines - why not take the discount?
define “saving” 
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I am really surprised by this.
The savings over 2023 were not that great, and the notes from our esteemed critics suggest that the 2024 Lafite was not a patch on the ‘23. I suppose some people must buy Lafite, but surely the people who do, have a basic understanding of the quality of the wines.
I have had offers from merchants who offer me a 5% discount from the opening price.
Lafite was priced at 27% less than 2023. That’s a substantial discount from 2023.
You are welcome to debate it being worth it, or not. But try not to let facts get in the way of your argument. 
They’re buying the price, not the vintage. In their mind they are getting a deal for Lafite.
If we were talking a 19’ type quality vintage many of us would’ve bought at the price.
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I’m certain most people would purchase $100 bills for $50. If it was 19 in quality, you wouldn’t see discounts .
It’s not a bad wine, or bad vintage. It’s simply not exciting or, with very few exceptions, worth buying EP. And this is from someone who actually tasted all the wines 
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If the question is “can you find better Bordeaux of roughly the same age for less than $375 a bottle?” I think the answer is an easy yes. You can find many … for significantly less. But I think if we’re honest … if every single buyer asked that exact same question, Lafite wouldn’t sell much wine any year. That’s a much larger pricing discussion that has really nothing to do with EP 2024. The exponential increase in price at the very high end of wine is something we pretty much accept as a fact of life as collectors.
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Quite, People are buying the Lafite brand seeing it as “basically the sae every year, but with vintage variations”. In reality, it looks like Lafite has relatively underperformed this year, even inside the context of the vintage.
But for people who see the label and think eh Lafite is $600 a bottle, this year its a bargain, they dont care about that understanding.
Also, I dont think the analogy of $100 bills for $50 is fair. This Lafite wont sell out en primeur, and I’d be willing to bet in 3 years time its cheaper than it is today. Its more like… someone has good marketing, has only ever produced 100$ bills, and this year produced a 40$ bill and everyone hopes a 40$ bill becomes a 100$ thus are willing to pay 50$ for it.
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My first EP purchase this year, some Mouton. Seems an OK price but still I do not feel exactly excited. So just a small case of 3 bottles.
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On tasting I liked the '24 Mouton just a little more than th '24 Lafite, so I guess if you are in the market for a Pauillac first growth then that is the one I would go for. And the price is at least set at a sensible level.
Just looking within Pauillac though, I liked the '24s from Pichon-Comtesse, Lynch-Bages and Latour (the latter not really relevant to en primeur, I know) more.
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Indeed, @Chris_Kissack your TN on WInedoctor (to which I have been a subscriber since 2013) for the Mouton was one of the reasons I decided to buy - just a little, as though you were positive about it, your score was restrained.
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It’s a vintage for restrained scoring. That decent wines were made in such a challenging season is a huge achievement. But there’s nothing exciting about the wines of this lighter and early-drinking vintage as a whole. I doubt there will be any breath-taking scores dished out when we return to these wines after bottling or in in ten years time. I wanted to ensure my scores now reflected that belief.
And thanks for your support; you’re clearly in the running for most loyal subscriber! 
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I’m sure it’ll be back at '23 levels lol -gotta make back the missed margin this year! (or insert whatever specious argument thats been used in the past)
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as many of you know, I’m a man known to play around with data from time to time.
Based on current releases, and historic release prices, etc, and scores:
2024 is as bad compared to 2021 as 2021 was to 2023. It is by quite a significant margin the worst QPR vintage since I started tracking in 2019.
This probably changes a little bit as more red wines get released, but… there we go.
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Yes. But many scores do not reflect the restraint. You and WK may be the exception more or less. Others do not follow. For obvious reasons. No high score – no mentioning because the retailer do the marketing to the consumer. If you are not mentioned as a critic (with a high score), you are not relevant.
The 100 point score is now a 10 point score because any wine below 90 is of little to no interest anyway. And therefore the critic also.
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seeing which erchants have included Wine Advocate scores on things like Lafite/Mouton releases have been a really interesting acid test this en primeur for who I’d want to continue to build a relationship.
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that’s the way it should be though.
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He was talking about the hypothetical where '24 was as good of a vintage as '19. Who wouldn’t buy it for half the price of what the '19 is currently selling for.
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