How come 2009 Bordeaux vintage hasn't hit shelves yet?

[JimHow]

Where is the vintage? Some of the wines are in stock in NH, but most aren't. Places like Zachy's, Sherry Lehman, PJs, etc., in NYC are still waiting, as are the San Francisco stores. Usually they are out by last winter/spring, or early fall at the latest. What's the delay?

[Jeff Leve]

It depends on the wines and the stores. Zachys has already delivered their futures. FWIW, very little 2009 was sold to America, and even less wine in 2010 is coming to America. Consumers will not see a lot of quantity like previous vintages. It's a new era.

[Bacchus]

That's a very good question, Jim. It's not on the shelves up here either!

[robertgoulet]

We have some

[Houndsong]

It's OK Jim, I have a spare case of 09 Pavie Mac (BITCH!) I can let you have at a good price.

This is what you get for disdaining the futures game in years past. I took my allocations and I'm now a preferred customer.

[JimHow]

Dare I be so beautiful!

[Houndsong]

Not when you speak truth to power so often and loudly.

[DavidG]

Almost all of my futures have arrived. Still waiting on a couple of things from PJs that are supposed to come in within a few weeks.

Jeff's comment probably explains why you aren't seeing much on the shelves: there wasn't a lot of Bdx sold to the US other than futures, so amounts and variety showing up at retail may be less than in earlier years. Of course, that wont prevent retailers from getting their hands on things if demand develops, but that typically means grey market and arrivals later than "usual."

[Tom In DC]

With the effective "demise" of Chateau & Estates (bought by Diageo who then exited the Bordeaux market altogether), I don't think anyone is importing Bordeaux much beyond their pre-sold volume.

[Jeff Leve]

Jeff's comment probably explains why you aren't seeing much on the shelves: there wasn't a lot of Bdx sold to the US other than futures,

More importantly, not much was sold to America as futures. A good guess is, American bought at most about 30% of the same amount of wine purchased in 2005. The volume for 2010 was even less. The end result is, you will not see as much wine hit the stores, and there will not be as many sales, because stores did not purchase much more wine than they had orders for.

[Blanquito]

Almost all of my 2009 futures have arrived... even many of those ordered from Premier Cru! Funny to say, that feels kinda weird, did the Mayans foresee that as part of the imminent apocalypse?

[DavidG]

Yeah it sure seems odd to have the '09s in while I'm still waiting for '05 L'Eglise Clinet.

[Jeff Leve]

Yeah it sure seems odd to have the '09s in while I'm still waiting for '05 L'Eglise Clinet.

David... I am not up on current values, but if you can work something out and get the 2009 L'Eglise Clinet in exchange for the 2005, (I imagine 05 is more expensive) IMO, having tasted both vintages multiple times, 09 is the better wine. http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bor ... se-clinet/