JamieGoode: The Privilege of Tasting BDX en Primeur

An interesting article, as linked by WineTerroirist, by JamieGoode:
http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/privileged-access

on how the privilege of tasting BDX en Primeur may subtly shade how the wines are
being scored by the opinion leaders.

It’s a question I’ve sometimes wondered about. When I have lunch with SteveEdmunds & he shows me
his new HoG, I always wonder if the wine is actually crap and I just like it because I’m in the company
of Steve & his Marketing Director, PamAnderson. Somebody tell me…is EdStJ HoG really crap???
But then I realize that I’m off the hook…I’m not an “opinion leader” and the HoG is actually frightfully
good stuff!!
Tom

Hmm. I wonder if getting flown around on private jets by Bordeaux chateau owners might water down the criticism as well.

Now, Levi…we don’t wanta go there!!!
Tom

Why not? Seems entirely relevant to the discussion.

This is a piece Jamie Goode wrote in 2009, basically arguing that if the results don’t seem compromised to the reader, then there was no compromise (note the picture at the top of the piece):
http://www.wineanorak.com/blog/2009/04/conflicts-of-interest-and-all-that.html

rumor has it, and I have no confirmation, that a gratis case of Chambertin and another of Beze were loaded into Clive Coates’ car after each annual Rousseau tasting. Couldn’t have hurt the reviews.

I can get rather skeptical as well and am not surprised at the this new level of control and influence by a growing number of Chateaux.
Bringing tasters to posh surroundings and out of a competitive tasting venue, where it is hard to differential your brand and face comparison and repeat tastings of other wines, is legal competition.
What’s next: fees for en Primeur tastings(ha, for now), screening influencers, writers and critics by readership and buyers by previous order size?
Implied/subtle threats of expanding blacklists would boost average ratings; can the Chateaux possibly end up having en Primeur tasters, whose jobs are dependent on being there, over a barrel…

Levi,

It isn’t that. It is just that in Bordeaux, every year is a vintage of the century. Just like Napa. newhere

I heard he used to pull up to tastings pop the trunk of his Jag and expect it to be loaded while he was inside tasting the range.

All fair points, but a bit rich coming from him, who famously won’t post negative notes. I’d also be surprised if he paid for much himself, no matter the region.

may > subtly > shade how the wines are being scored by the opinion leaders.

Not in any obvious way of course. But maybe a half a point here and there that causes the proles to stampede to the market to get the wine.

To me, tasting en primeur sounds like a horrible rat race. And I’m terrible at figuring out baby wines. Good thing my livelihood didn’t depend on it.

The good news about potential bias, influence, and conflicts of interest during en primeur tastings is that they can be made irrelevant. Since there is no longer any significant financial advantage to buying most wines en primeur, there is no financial disadvantage to waiting until the wines are bottled and more sane reviews of finished wines are available. Or even taste them yourself at a UGC event if you have the skills.

There’s no need to evaluate the wines, just use previous vintages as a guide to how the wine will develop. Job done. pileon

En Primeur tasting (at least in my experience) is not all the glamor that is implied in Jamie’s piece- at least for the big, spring EP week to show the new vintage to the large flock of journalists and trade that come in for that first week in April. The UGC will house journalists at members’ chateaux for the events, so at least hotel costs are covered. Though, their is the extended dinner with the estate owners each evening with young wines- usually lesser vintages to show how well they evolve just as well as the famous years- which is pleasant, but also work after one has slogged through a hundred or so young Bordeaux wines all day long and really just want a beer, a simple dinner and early to bed. One moves around from region to region, so it is usually a different estate to stay at each evening, which maximizes the chance to get to know more owners a bit more personally, but also means, one never gets a chance to unpack or recharge the batteries. As most of the chateaux are vacant most of the year (most owners or top managers choose to live in the city of Bordeaux, rather than on the properties, despite their striking beauty), so there are often glitches with bathrooms, wi-fi etc, and though the surroundings are indeed beautiful and sumptuous, one still has the feeling of camping. And there is always tomorrow’s next hundred young samples hanging over your head at dinnertime, so it is a bit of a marathon to grind out, rather than a spoiled look into the rarefied air of chateaux owners’ lives. One has to imagine that there is an inner circle of great old vintages and more expenses covered for the most famous critics, but that is not the reality for the vast majority of journalists attending En Primeur each year.

Interesting, John,

Thanks for the insight; I think it would indeed be a lot of work.

This is exactly the point. With the supply available after release, why bother reading the en premier? It used to be that this was a lot more like going to the racetrack and betting on horses before the race. Sometimes the odds would be 2, 3 or 4 to one and you could feel good about “winning” a race and make a bit of money. I wonder how many punters there would be at the races if the odds were 1:1, or even 0.8 or 0.9 to 1 (I am looking at you 2012-13-14)

So en premier has simply become a means of generating excitement for the next release, and a good bit of PR for the current releases. No one ever remembers what critic was jazzed up about which wine if the wine in question turns out to be a bottled disappointment 2 years later. I am fine with them taking junkets at the expense of the wineries, and lovely dinners. After all this is about publicity, not really quality assessment. Anyone who is honest knows that is the game.

You can be in our inner circle, JG.

It’s funny how the suspicion arises that bdx producers are “paying” for good reviews by showing hospitality, but there are posts here almost every day from folks talking about how they are “all in” on X Napa cab or syrah, noting the producer is “great people” and what a “blast” the poster had visiting the vineyards. I always look with a skeptical eye on notes posted after a visit to a producer, regardless of locale. Our appreciation of wine and food is colored so much by the surrounding circumstances.

I would echo JG’s description of tasting EP having done it for a number of years with the GJE. Staying at often time drafty stark chateau and slogging through hundreds of wines a day is hard work. Yes, we had catered lunch and dinner each day at various venues. But every chateau would use the exact same caterers so you got to eat the exact same overly rich food and finding yourself begging for a salad and a beer.

Thank you for your efforts for a more realistic view of the event, John.
I appreciate learning of Chateaux opening their doors and cellars to visiting participants, supporting the needs of the event, even if they provide less than perfect accommodations, as a counter balance to others offering a staged glimpse of marketing glitz.
However, my lingering skepticism was reinforced by your inner circle potential at this major showcase event with so much at stake.

Much of Jamie’s article is nonsense. I’m on my way home and packing! But I’ll address a few points.

99.9% of the chateau make their wine available at numerous tastings from the UGC, negociant, consultant and appellation tastings. Can you name any other wine region with that much open participation?

Can you go to Napa and taste Screaming Eagle and Harlan next to their peers?

While a few more estates have dialed back back where they present, but the number of estates insisting you visit is still quite small, maybe 20, give or take.

Tasting at the property allows you to ask questions, discuss the vintage and what they did that year. It’s relatively quiet. Samples are at the right temperature. There is a place to sit for people using laptops and you get the wines served at the right temperature.

I think it’s to their advantage to have their wines offered to more people, instead of requesting you visit the property, but from their point of view, how many people do they really need tasting it ?

The First Growths receive about 3,000 people each already! Some of the seconds receive 2,000 people.

What’s next: fees for en Primeur tastings(ha, for now), screening influencers, writers and critics by readership and buyers by previous order size?

Where do get these ideas ?

Implied/subtle threats of expanding blacklists would boost average ratings;

I have never heard of such a thing. Can you be specific?
From personal experience there are wines I’ve never been a fan of. I’m always received well and s few have asked me to try a vertical to help me understand their wine. Sorry, but that’s just not true.

If anyone has questions on how this works, I’m happy to try to help. I think I’m at least moderately qualified to assist.