Reportedly, big in volume and quality. (As usual. 
)
Elin has an excellent palate. I have tasted with her a good deal, one of the few I trust.
Sitting in the UK, it almost doesn’t matter. Early impressions/hype seems to indicate similar quality level to 2015, which were already priced relatively aggressively (with a few exceptions). Assuming the Bordelais generally price at 2015 levels or 2015 + 5-10%, cannot see how there’s a bid from the UK with 15% depreciation in sterling leading to an effective 20-25% price increase. Figure the US has to be the big buyer, given the general preference in Asia for purchasing in bottle, but even then not sure demand is huge if pricing is materially above 15s EP.
I dipped some toes into 2015 but will wait on 2016. No need to rush in on this one I think.
I think as usual I will buy 375s, a couple magnums; and maybe even a 3L en primeur, but nothing more until they are released in bottle.
Interesting that the article made reference to mountains of cases of prior vintages in the negoc’s warehouses. Much more interested in those wines at giveaway prices than I am in the 16s
This.
I never cease to be amazed by how it easy to pick up past releases at substantial discount. I recently picked up some 2010 Ducru B at $165, Pichon Lalande for less, and my local ABC was just clearancing 2010 Leoville Las Cases for $165. I passed on that one, but did some serious debating.
I assume these will be more expensive than the 15’s, which were more expensive than the 14’s. Because of my age, price increases and this line from the article - “The wines were all luscious to taste, with expansive floral aromas, plenty of plump fruit, freshness, and even more succulence and vibrancy than the 2015s”, I’ll likely stick with 12’s, 14’s and 15’s and older vintages except for maybe a few inexpensive producers.
Robert, if the LLC is still there, it’s a steal at 165… absolutely remarkable what they did with it.
I love how they describe wines were ‘sold out’ without disclosing what percentages of the production were actually released for sale, and not just held back by the Chateaux for their own accounts.
Your local ABC>My local ABC
Seems to be first major release, but usually I get a ton of e mails with the same wine but apart from this Swiss company nobody else seems to be offering it:
Château Cos d’Estournel 2016, Saint Estèphe, 141 Euros per bottle JS 97-98 JL 96-98
Never mind, just got a couple from the UK. 700 pounds for a six pack.
Livex is not very clear. Seems like the release price is the same, but in the UK market, there is a 10.1% increase.
“Cos d’Estournel has surprised many this morning by being the first major release of this year’s campaign. The 2016 vintage is priced at €120 per bottle ex-negociant, the same release price as the 2015 vintage. It is being offered for £1,400 per 12×75, an increase of 10.1% on the 2015.”
Exchange rate reason for increase in UK
Ah thanks.
Got six different emails for Cos yesterday. I didn’t look too hard but the price range per 750 was 145-160USD…
Looks like prices are about the same as 2015?
D’Armailhac out today with a not insignificant increase over 2015 (~10%), which was already more expensive than 2014. Not a good sign for the wines in this price bracket. May need to start looking for more 2014s…
From the insignificant amount of wines released so far, it is impossible to conclude what will happen one way or the other. The frost that struck Bordeaux last week decimated several vineyards, mostly in the Right Bank, but in Pessac Leognan and parts of the Medoc as well for 2017. That will have an effect on pricing.
FWIW, 2016 d’Armailhac is much better wine than they produced in 2014 & 2015, so you should expect to pay more money. That is not the same for all producers, but in their case it is.