A Breakout Addition

As I was getting ready to send out the email for the 2014 Domaine de Chevalier I mentioned in this morning's post, I noticed this paragraph in a review of the vintage by Vinous head critic Antonio Galloni:

Most importantly, 2014 is a very consumer friendly year. The market for Bordeaux tends to divide between those vintages that are considered ‘great’ and are therefore subject to massive price speculation, and those that are ‘average’, which are seen as much less desirable by many marker constituents. This market dynamic creates a significant opportunity for savvy consumers to pick up any number of gorgeous wines at fair prices. Two thousand fourteen is an ideal vintage for consumers who buy wines to actually drink them (because prices should mostly be favorable) and members of the wine trade who have a commitment to serving those consumers. The 2015s, and most likely also the 2016s, will be surrounded by much more market hype. Some of that enthusiasm will be warranted, some not, but what is almost certain is that both vintages will be more expensive in bottle than the 2014s.

Note the sentence: "for customers who actually drink them"?

That's exactly what I was talking about in the State of the Union post on Friday. With Bordeaux it's already common knowledge that many people are buying for reasons other than consumption.

-David Driscoll