Bordeaux En Primeur 2017 (1/5): Campaign Review
Through several articles, Cavissima revisits the campaigns first fruits 2017 and reveals his analysis of it.
If one word had to sum up this P campaignrhymers 2017It would involve heterogeneity.
The "en primeur" system, a unique sales model, is a simple concept. It involves acquiring a wine that is still aging, which will not physically appear in a bottle for another 18 to 24 months. This system provides producers with a significant cash injection, while buyers benefit from a more advantageous price. This practice accounts for less than 5% of the volume of the 6,000 châteaux in the Bordeaux region, but it includes the most prestigious names.
It was, in fact, through a late and highly anticipated release of the First Growth Classified Wines The Bordeaux Primeurs 2017 campaign came to an end at the end of June.
And if the Premiers were so eagerly awaited, it was not only because of their notoriety, but also because of a slight apprehension about that year.
Indeed, this 2017 vintage was marked by significant weather hazards with serious consequences for some châteaux. In addition to a very hot June and a summer that was only mild and rainless, 2017 was also marked by two terrible frosts in April. From these vagaries of the weather emerged white wines with pronounced freshness and red wines with fruity notes.
It is primarily the production volume that has been impacted. The extreme example would be the Château Climens (Barsac - Sauternes) which ultimately produced nothing this year after losing everything due to frost.
But be warned, this sad fate is not the case for all! Although the quality of the majority of these 2017 vintages does not indeed equal their memorable predecessors of 2015 or 2016, some Châteaux have nonetheless managed to produce some...excellent wines !
THE price positioning The situation was as heterogeneous as the quality of the wines in certain appellations. Indeed, while some Châteaux maintained the prices they charged in 2016, others let them fall by almost 40% compared to the previous year.
Note that this price evolution is not necessarily correlated with the quantitative/qualitative situation of the associated wine.
With a focus on the Premiers Grand Crus, rising stars and the most remarkable pricing strategies, you will find in several successive articles our analytical notes on this 2017 campaign.
The next installment will focus on the 2018 Primeurs (early produce) season:
2/5 - The performance of the Premier Grands Crus
3/5 - Top 5 biggest price drops
4/5 - Relevant pricing strategies
5/5 - Rising stars