Looks like RP likes 2008

Jon Burdick · Post by **Jon Burdick** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:15 pm

The extent of the high reviews for 2008 surprised me, from all the weather reports. Good job Izak and others who tasted and reported --- your reviews were not far off Parkers.

I wasn't going to purchase futures, but....I can see a few relative values, maybe Pichon Lalande at $59....

With the high Pontet-Canet review (RP96-98) and their string of outstanding wines, I'm thinking Jim How's prediction of never seeing a sub $50 PC after 2004 will hold up even in this recessionary economy.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:50 pm

Hmmm, what's all this buzz about 2008!?

greatbxfreak · Post by **greatbxfreak** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:26 am

Jon,

Thanks.

JimHow,

Relatively cheap wines. With economy recovering, I see next vintages more expensive. Glad to have bought few bottles of each FG!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:32 am

Very interesting indeed Izak, congratulations!
It'll be interesting to see what the ramifications of all of this will be.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:39 am

Lots of positive remarks in the latest WA. Clearly a better vintage than '01-'04, '06, or '07 in RP's view. Exceptionally dense ripe (but not over- or under-ripe) fruit, incredibly sweet, velvety tannins, fresh, crisp acids, and alcohols @ 13-14.5%. 25 wines with minimum 95-point scores, more than 100 more with minimum 90-point scores. But will anyone be buying?

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:02 am

If I were younger and had a Bordeaux deficiency, I'd be seriously thinking about buying a lot of '08 Bordeaux. The question then becomes: buy now or wait? If buying futures, how confident are you that the company you buy from will be around to deliver in 2-3 years? If you wait, and in 2 years the economy has picked up, you could be paying a lot more. Of course, it remains to be seen if the substantial en primeur price reductions compared to '05-'06-'07 hold in light of these high scores from RP. You've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya punk?

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:37 am

The 2008 Duhart Milon looks very tempting.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:02 pm

Sounds like the 2008 is on a similar plane, quality-wise, as '00 and '05. Maybe not quite at that level, but close. And it seems to offer more acidity, less over-ripe qualities, and mellow tannins, which should distinguish it from those other two years and perhaps appeal to those with more traditional tastes. Of course, this coming from someone who hasn't tasted a single '08 - just reading the reports.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:04 pm

Haut Bailly sounds good to me...

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:10 pm

Another buying strategy would be to wait a year or two for the retail chain to start choking on '06 and '07, and buy '06s when the prices come down even further to clear the way for the '08s. Unless prices go back up...

Do I feel lucky?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:22 pm

I know Alex has warned us not to pre-judge, and I haven't really been following any discussions on 2008 other than Izak's great report, but correct me if I'm wrong, did this not come completely out of the blue? I wasn't aware of any "buzz" over these wines like with 2000 and 2005.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:18 pm

Just took a quick look through my issue #182 that came in the mail this morning. Sounds like my kind of vintage!

Jon Burdick · Post by **Jon Burdick** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:10 pm

I haven't read a lot of the other critics reviews, but I did read WS; JS likened the vintage to approaching the 2006 level, good but not outstanding, there were very few reviews (3) that at the top end of the range exceeded 95, and as I recall there was some concern about the high acidity. RP had a reference in his report that alluded to "so many other journalists totally obsessed with breaking the Bordelais." I wonder what that's all about......

Bill Blatch's report is illuminating, as lays out the vintage weather wise close to 2007 with just a few twists, but he says the wines are very, very different, with '07s light (color, density, tannins) and '08s dark and rich. http://www.farrvintners.com/downloads/B ... Blatch.pdf

A number of producers haven't come out with prices. But with the prices that have come out, which are higher than 2004 but in many cases 30-40% discounts from '05(early prices)-'07, I'd say prudent buyers generally should not buy 2006s or 2007s (or more 2005s) unless they are heavily discounted.

The supply chain financial security is an issue with pre-arrivals....at least here a purchaser is an unsecured creditor with only the backing over their credit card company, but then likely the retailer is an unsecured creditor of the importer or distributor, who's an unsecured creditor of the negociant....

However, despite not needing any more wine, I'll end up buying a few estates en primeur that I've enjoyed but have none in the cellar because they've been so expensive, such as Pichon Lalande, and hold off on others as it is not a must-have vintage, and with the slow economy the futures buying should not be overly strong.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:11 pm

Alex is right that it's wrong to pre-judge, but that's what happens most years. People just can't restrain themselves when the hype machine gets warmed up. I think the reasons there was much less buzz about the '08s were:

1) The weather looked crummy or average to the casual, or even careful observer. But in reality, temps and rainfall and sunshine combined with very long hang time to result in a much better end product than one would have thought from the general impression of the weather, with frequent misty or drizzly days and no major heat wave.

2) The world economy combined with the pushback to pricing on '06s and '07s kept the Bordelais from even trying to rev up the hype machine. (Yes, the Chateaux had already sold them and the rest of the supply chain is holding the bag. But the Chateaux are not completely deaf to the realities of the marketplace, at least not in these extraordinary circumstances)

So the preliminary word, before a singe grape was picked or a fermentation completed, was the '08 was nothing remarkable. But once some actual wines started getting made, the producers and anyone else who tasted them (e.g. Izak) were very impressed. Item #2 above probably kept the hype machine from going into overdrive, even in the face of a lot of excellent/outstanding wines. Now we will see what the hype machine does with RP's report.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:15 pm

Just got an e--mai from Calvert-Woodley - one of the major retailers in DC - that they are not doing a futures campaign for the '08s because of the current economic situation, but will take orders for specific wines and seek them out. I suspect many retailers will take this approach.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:30 pm

Hmmm.... Suckling isn't high on this vintage, but Parker is and calls it akin to the 1996 and 1986 but with more concentration. What other vintages does this scenario remind me of? Still, it seems a bit odd that this came out of no where. What are the other great vintages ever had this weather pattern to support the '08? I know 1997 had a record hang time and that was no great shakes. What did Tanzer, Quarin, Robinson, Coates, etc. say about 2008?

Even with Parker's ratings and the lower prices I'm not buying these as futures, unless the economy really strengthens AND Parker likes them as much again next year. And they're not that cheap: the Duhart Milon futures are $37 and I bought the 2003 Duhart as futures for $27.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:33 pm

I was reading issue 182 in superior court this afternoon while waiting for arraignments of my clients. I showed it to a couple of my beer-drinking lawyer friends who were reading with skepticism and laughing at such descriptors as "lead-pencil" and "saddle leather" and "roadside tar". They just did not grasp the concept of Robert Parker. I've invited them to my house for a dinner sometime in the next month, I'm going to have to see if we can create a wine epiphany or two....

Houndsong · Post by **Houndsong** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:51 pm

Couldn't have come at a better time for the Bordelais. Not only did Parker discover the Rhone, but he made Bordeaux and continues to save its ass time and again. They must erect a statute of him in the city. Maybe in Paris even. In modern French history I say he's perhaps bigger than de Gaulle.

Chasse-Spleen · Post by **Chasse-Spleen** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:45 pm

It's good news but at the same time, you have to take it with a grain of salt. RP is so given to superlatives these days, I find it hard to take his advice on face value. When he mentions 14.5% alcohol without saying something of the fact that this is a totally different wine than traditional Bordeaux, you have to wonder what his standards are or what other extraneous factors come into his mind when he tastes/judges wine. If the wines are solid but there's no sense of terroir, is that going to be satisfying to you? Does thick, syrupy wine with lots of scorched earth notes and high alcohol translate to 91 points for you? I don't want to go on a rant but it really does seem that buying futures won't be necessary.

BTW, RP didn't discover the Rhone. One of my best friend's father did, in the '60s. He turned my Dad onto CNdP for $2 a bottle (or so the legend goes) and it became and still is his favorite wine. And speaking of people who can't string a verb and a noun together, Neal Martin really needs somebody to proofread his copy - and an Englishman, no less!

-Chasse

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:13 pm

Macarthur's came out with futures prices - firsts at $259 or $269, with Haut Brion higher. Haut Brion Blanc at $399! Angelus at $99. Not looking like great bargains to me...

I agree with waiting for the next round of reports in a year. A LOT can change, not just scores, but the character of the wine, from the early barrel samples right after they finish malolactic. Not that I'm buying then anyway...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:32 pm

I agree david, although you gotta admit The Man has created something of a stir, in a way that only he can.

I hear what you're saying, Chris, and I agree that I question some of his over-enthusiasm sometimes-- I mean, I'm sure hang time is important, but this is the first I've ever heard him make such a fuss about it-- but without any question I find myself agreeing with the Parker palate more than anyone else.

I love everything about the United Kingdom, and i actually think that my palate is more partial to that "British claret style," but boy, if I'm choosing between RMP or the likes of Jancis, Decanter, Coates, et al, I'm going with the good old U.S. of A.! (I mean, The Sucker is really an Italian, anyway, after all....).

Jon Burdick · Post by **Jon Burdick** » Fri May 01, 2009 12:03 am

Actually most of the European reviewers are very strong on the vintage.....maybe not as charismatically strong as RP, but JR, Quarin, and others (see www.bordoverview.com for ratings) give quite a few wines strong reviews.

Here's the free (cheap?) comments from JR: http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a200904144.html
"Thrilled" "Attractive" "Striking" are some of the words used.

Just don't expect them to sell well en primeur.........

greatbxfreak · Post by **greatbxfreak** » Fri May 01, 2009 9:27 am

All you should know about 2008:

1. Many wine writers have already doomed the vintage in early September.

2. Very few even dare to come to Bordaux during the harvest. I've been to Bordeaux harvest in 1985, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, so I really know what I'm talking about! Have more trust in me.

3. The secrets of 2008 are:

a) Marvellous weather in September with cool nights helping to preserve aromas and long harvest to give grapes (skins) optimal time to ripen.

b) Vegetation cyclus for vines was finished by early October, so rain didn't do any damage (roots had switched off the lights!).

4. I've already in October said that 2008 would be very fine.

5. Maybe obert Parker is a bit overenthusiastic - I rated Lafite lower than he did and imho 2005 Lafite is better, but 2008 was priced so low that I couldn't resist.

rjsussex · Post by **rjsussex** » Fri May 01, 2009 12:49 pm

The view from the UK is that the (UK) trade privately think RP has lost the plot. Simon Staples of Berry Bros has just used those exact words. This is from Liv-ex's UK fine wine market blog:

'So, what are we to make of the [RP] scores? Anecdotally, it would seem most members of the [UK] trade are incredulous. Simon Staples, fine wine director at Berry Bros & Rudd, is arguably speaking for many with a post he made this morning on Twitter:

"He went crazy about 2003 (all on his own). He missed 2005 (everyone else loved it). He's now potty about 08 (a few very nice wines). Plot? Lost?”'

Liv-ex's annual post en-primeur survey of about 230 international fine wine buyers/sellers gives the 08 vintage 91 out of 100, the same as 06. Those surveyed thought the vintage was closest to 01, 04 and 06, with 01 just ahead as most cited comparison.

With the very weak £ the prices are way ahead of 06s for the kind of wines I'm interested in (not the firsts).

Again according to Liv-ex, the most noteable effect of the RP prices being released is that Lafite 08 moved instantaneously from £2000 in bond to a high of £3500 in bond.

Count me out.

Richard

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri May 01, 2009 1:27 pm

Thank you Richard, in a previous thread where I complained about the 2003 vintage, you're the one who who said that we "were sold a pup". I still have my subscription to the Advocate, but that's because of Galloni and Schildknecht (and to a lesser extent, Neal Martin). As far as I'm concerned, Parker and Jay Miller, have no credibility left. BTW, Suckling lost his credibility with the 1995 and 1996 vintages.

I am through buying pups, my only guide for Bordeaux buying right now is BWE.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri May 01, 2009 1:54 pm

I have repeatedly said that the 2003 vintage could be Parker's Waterloo. But in the guy's defense... it's too soon to tell, on the Left Bank at any rate. Not that I am overly optimistic for the 2003 vintage (with a few exceptions), but I have been reading reports that many seemingly hopeless wines from '03 are really starting to come together in the bottle. A classic example of this is the Lascombes 2003-- many tasters I respect detested this wine early on, and now are shocked at how it has firmed up and integrated (I haven't tasted it).

At the end of the day, it comes down to tasting the wines. I bought enough pups from the 2003 vintage that I'll be able to satisfy the issue for myself in another 5 years or so.

rjsussex · Post by **rjsussex** » Fri May 01, 2009 2:44 pm

Thanks Jacques!

Nice timing: have just this minute been earnestly invited to buy Carruades 08 en primeur for £645 in bond.

Now, let's just get together my loose change for that - any one seen my trousers?

Richard

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Fri May 01, 2009 4:19 pm

For my part, I'll buy a few 2008, as Simone is born in December 2008. But not more than other vintages, even if it is extraordinary, great, good, medium or poor.

For Parker, I'm sorry but I always trust my own taste before his. When he rates something high, I'm always concerned why? Super-concentrated? Super-ripe? Super-fine? Super nice Chateau owner? And I'm sick about the fact that when a wine is good for Parker, it is good for an instantaneous +50% in it price...So i don't follow his advices. To each BWE convention and offlines, I secretely spot members that have the same taste as mine, and try to follow their recommendations, after they have tasted the wine. more success that way.

I lost a lot of trust in Parker, when I bought some of his favorites from 2003, like the Chateaux Péby Faugères (Parker rating of 93) and Fombrauges (Parker rating 90-92), and find them extremely overripe (burn), overoaked and concentrated, but nothing in common with real claret Bordeaux.

So, i hope Parker will stop saying that 2008 might be really good to great, if I want to stash away a few good wines from that vintage for Simone...

Nic

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri May 01, 2009 10:02 pm

rjsussex wrote:This is from Liv-ex's UK fine wine market blog:

'So, what are we to make of the [RP] scores? Anecdotally, it would seem most members of the [UK] trade are incredulous. Simon Staples, fine wine director at Berry Bros & Rudd, is arguably speaking for many with a post he made this morning on Twitter:

"He went crazy about 2003 (all on his own). He missed 2005 (everyone else loved it). He's now potty about 08 (a few very nice wines). Plot? Lost?”'

This is a pretty blatant mischaracterization of what Parker actually said about 2003 and 2005. He did not go crazy over 2003 - just some of the wines - and time will tell if he's right. And he "missed" 2005? Are these the same people who were blasting him for calling it the best vintage in his lifetime contributing to the meteoric price escalations? If the above are accurate quotes, the UK fine wine market blog has a real credibility problem.

nicklasss wrote:For Parker, I'm sorry but I always trust my own taste before his.

Me too, and that works fine for wines that are available on retailers' shelves. But in recent years you didn't get a chance to put your own palate into play before buying Bordeaux if you wanted to get in on the good prices during en primeur season. And Parker has been pretty reliable in the past. Is he still? Time will tell. And at least with the '08s, it looks like we stand a good chance to buy and taste once the wines are realeased without having to commit to futures purchases. Unless Asia sucks them all up...

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri May 01, 2009 10:14 pm

And at least with the '08s, it looks like we stand a good chance to buy and taste once the wines are realeased without having to commit to futures purchases

This is my hope... and by release, the critics will have tasted and reported on these wines two more times. But even though I'm young enough to continue laying down more Bordeaux, my cellar is plenty full with claret after the recent string of vintages-of-the-century (2000 and 2005, plus a lot of 2003 and 2002).

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri May 01, 2009 10:19 pm

I'm wondering why 2008 would not be popular in the market.
From what I'm seeing, Parker (and others, apparently) think it's a vintage that approaches the greatness of 2000 and 2005.
Because of the economy, though, prices may be more realistic (e.g., a return of FGs under $200, wines like mid-ninety-point Pichon Lalande at $59, etc., etc.).
I haven't been following lately, how is the U.S. dollar relative to when 2005 and 2006 futures came out? Somewhat better, I'm assuming.
The economy is still down, but there seem to be some signs of stabilization.
Isn't all of this a recipe for healthy sales for the 2008 vintage?

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri May 01, 2009 10:39 pm

Two reasons for the lack of enthusiasm among consumers:

1) Pent up consumer annoyance at Bordeaux for the ridiculously high prices in '06 and '07. OK, en primeur prices were historically really high for '05. It hurt but it was a vintage of the century and we were all either getting rich or felt like we were getting rich as the equity and housing markets roared higher and higher. But you pull that crap with '06 and '07? I'm done with you unless prices come down to '04 levels.

2) Worldwide economy. Will the retailer offering futures still be around in 2-3 years to deliver the wines? I lost enough in the market crash, I don't need to get burned by a retailer bankruptcy. Besides, I now gotta squirrel away the bucks for food/housing/healthcare/retirement. Bordeaux is low on the priority list.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri May 01, 2009 11:07 pm

Here's a retailer's perspective (Jon Rimmerman of Garagiste). He makes some interesting points, but I think he's being alarmist about antifungal treatments used early in the harvest. I'd be surprised if any medically meaningful amount ended up in the wine itself:

Jon Rimmerman wrote:A number of you have emailed this morning asking for my opinion on the 2008 Parker Bordeaux reviews – my opinion stays the same as it was in my editorial of a few weeks ago. I predicted the scores would be high and that they would cause a rush to purchase (which has already happened since last night – only Parker has the ability to move an entire market by himself, everyone else is just pretending ) - with that said, I still caution you to exercise restraint.

The first thing you need to do is cross-reference the wines you simply can’t live without (there’s a reason Suckling gave 2008 Montrose 88-91pts, a rating that will stay with the wine, no matter what the Parker review is. While I‘m not going to say this is 1982 all over again, where Parker made his name with a revolutionary outlook, it is similar to 1996 where there was varied opinion). If my match is correct, 2008 is the highest rated vintage of Parker’s career – think about that for a minute (I could be wrong but I did quick calculations). Even with the highest overall scores Parker has ever bestowed on Bordeaux, only 24-36 wines will see great movement en-premier. Where does that leave the other 500+ Chateau down the line? Out of luck. As is usually the case, the entire world will be chasing the same group of wines, and they are sure to elevate in price (especially the 2008 Pomerols). My point is that, if you can exercise restraint, the glut of other unsold 2008 wine (from very respectable Chateau like Malescot, D’Issan or even something like Lynch Bages) will most likely force the market down. That coupled with the very high level of inventory on 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 wine will almost certainly cause a market correction to ensue and continue through 2010. If 2009 is a marginal vintage, the pressure on the Bordelaise to keep prices low, very low may be so strong that it could cause a near-permanent shift in the market. If 2009 is a great year, better than 2008, it will leave remaining stocks of unsold 2008’s without a home as the fervor circa April 29th, 2009 will be long forgotten by April 30th 2010 and I believe the prices will be similar to the 2008s – even if it’s a great vintage. The point is, there will be plenty of wine to enjoy, from a number of vintages. While I do have a soft spot for many of the 2008s (due to their cool-toned style) it does not take away from the fact that more chemicals and treatments were used in this vintage than in history. I still urge you to fax your favorite chateau and ask then what was used in the vineyard and in the cellar before you part with your hard-earned money. You have a right to know what you are putting into your body before you purchase any food product.

I’ve also heard reports that Parker has once again “saved the day” for the Bordelaise but I could not disagree more. He’s saved the day for 2-3 dozen properties but the remaining 500+ estates will see little if any help (consumers are also more likely to cross reference the second and third tier down from the top, those deemed to have “marginal” Parker barrel scores, which will diminish their appeal even further as most of the world's critics have not been as kind to the vintage – if Parker gave the wine 90-93 or 89-91, chances are a competing critic scored it even lower. For some reason a Parker 95-97 for a wine forces the consumer to overlook an 88-91 from another – in reverse, the wine would die a quick death (if Suckling gave the wine 95-97 but Parker came out with 88-91 the en-premier sales would be 0 – that is how powerful Parker is with Bordeaux).

Another factor to keep in mind is the economy – if you are going to trust a merchant with your funds for 2-3 years, you better make sure they have a long history and have deep pockets. While history in no way a guarantee of delivery (or that they will be in business in three years), do your homework and only trust the most tried and true – even if you pay a few dollars more. Amortized over a 5-10 year period while you age the wines, the few extra dollars will mean nothing – that is actually a pretty good rule to live by with all of your wine purchases (we do not have any 2008s for sale but K & L, Wine Club or even Zachy’s would appear to be very safe sources).

If you do purchase 2008 en-premier, have fun with it and do not get caught up in the negativity. Wine is to enjoy and only you can make the purchasing decisions for yourself.

Jon Burdick · Post by **Jon Burdick** » Sat May 02, 2009 12:37 am

Binny's is having a sale on French wines....huge discounts on some wines. Many '05s. Consumers will have lots of choices....a buyer's market, if you will.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat May 02, 2009 12:43 am

Yeah saw that, looks like some pretty big discounts!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat May 02, 2009 12:44 pm

So I was just looking at the Premier Cru email on 2008 futures. Frankly, I'm a little excited. RMP95-97 Margaux at $200, Pichon Lalande at $59, etc. I know the wines will come out in New Hampshire at or below those prices. At $200, I'll buy a bottle, maybe two, of Margaux to add to my cellar. The way things had been going in the past few years, I was giving up hope of ever buying another first growth in my lifetime.

billfgrady · Post by **billfgrady** » Sat May 02, 2009 5:27 pm

Jim, I'm also enticed by the prices. In fact, I just pulled the trigger on a case of Leoville Barton at $45.00 per btl. I haven't purchased it at that price since 2003 (and if I recall, it may have been $50 per btl. then). Year in and year out, this one is an automatic buy for me. No need to see any scores...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat May 02, 2009 5:30 pm

That's a nice price, Bill, especially when the 2000 and 2005 Leoville Bartons are up in the $150 price range. I'll buy a case at the price as well.

rjsussex · Post by **rjsussex** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:46 pm

David - I too was puzzled by Simon Staples' remark on Parker and the 05s - was Parker a little slower off the mark than others about the vintage? Can't recall.

You guys in the US have a better Euro exchage rate than we poor Limeys.

My rule of thumb about 08s (from UK) is - only consider if cheaper than 06 was en primeur. That rules out more or less everything I can afford! Barton, Calon, GPL and properties above those in price (Lynch etc) are all cheaper than their 06s were but above my limit (c£27 all in for case purchases). Barton in UK, for instance, will be c£36 a bottle all-in.

Anthony Barton himself compares his 08 to his 01. I paid c£25 for that (OK a few years ago).

The 08s I might have considered, Clerc, Duhart, Talbot (apparently a real suucess),Dom de Chev etc are all more and sometimes much more than their 06s. The one exception is Langoa (not marked very highly by everyone) which is quite a lot cheaper than its 06 but even so the 08 will be c£26 all-in... That's about what I paid for Barton 04.

And as for left-bank 08 quality compared to 06? I asked that question bluntly to 2 very respected merchants: two blunt replies: left-bank 08s NOT AS GOOD AS 06.

But of course I want to hear that!

Interesting to see the post-Parker-marks reactions of UK merchants: a few have written openly of scratching-heads, raised eyebrows, 'seems a bit optimistic', 'we stand by our original assesssment' etc but most, unsurprisingly, jump on his comments, print them next to the wine and (quietly) adjust the 'market' price.

Best

Richard

Jon Burdick · Post by **Jon Burdick** » Wed May 06, 2009 1:01 am

Richard:

Parker made comments on 2005 including "this is the greatest vintage produced during my 30-year career" so I don't think he was overall out of step with other critics, however there were some differences (I'd consider minor); he didn't give any first growths perfect scores, he initially issued caution about the tannin level in the northern Medocs (later retracted), and....I'm sure there's more.

In 2003 he called it an irregular vintage with some extraordinary wines ("playing high stakes poker").

So while he calls his own shots, perhaps that's what you want in a critic. I think the Staples comments are somewhat aimed at trying to keep prices down so consumers will buy, as he himself mentioned.

I haven't tried to keep pace with all the prices being released, but here the one's I've looked at.....'08s for the most part are much less than '06s (in the US). For example, first releases of

Latour: '06 $600 (93-96); '08 $200 (96-98)...so '08 is 1/3rd the price and higher RP review.
Pichon Lalande '06 $120 (94-96); '08 $59 (94-96)....so '08 is 1/2 the price and equal review.
Duhart Milon '06 $42 (91-93); '08 $34 (93-95).....so '08 is 20% less price for higher RP review.
Vieux Ch. Certan '06 $150 (94-96); '08 $65 (92-94)....so '08 55% less for slightly less quality.