Decanter World Wine AwardsTesco to sell 2009 blue-chip Bordeaux
- Friday 23 November 2012
Margaux 09: at a supermarket near you
The UK-based supermarket - one of the three biggest retailers in the world - has over 40,000 bottles of wines including Chateau Lafite, Mouton-Rothschild, Margaux, Haut-Brion, Cheval Blanc, Palmer, Pavie and Yquem.
The list encompasses the top wines from one of the most lauded vintages of the decade. As well as the high-end wines there are also third, fourth and fifth growths – properties such as Beychevelle, Talbot and Pontet Canet, and sought-after St Emilions and Pomerols such as Angelus and La Conseillante.
There is also a wide selection of Cru Bourgeois including Chateau Meyney, Ormes de Pez, and Chasse Spleen.
All the wines were bought en primeur in 2010 by Tesco buyer James Griswood.
The wines go on sale on Monday, exclusively online on the retailer’s Wine by the Case website. They will be available per case of six, or as mixed cases.
Prices vary from £90-£150 per case of six at the bottom end, to £5,500 for six bottles of Lafite, and £4,650 for the Haut Brion, including VAT and duty.
Wine merchants quote around £8,000 per 12-bottle case for Chateau Lafite to £6,500 for Haut Brion and £5000 for Yquem, all before VAT and duty. With duty and tax added, a 12-bottle case of Lafite at these prices would work out at just under £10,000.
Dan Jago, category director for beers, wines and spirits said, ‘The opportunity to buy renowned wines from an acclaimed vintage should not be limited to the few, as has traditionally been the way – everyone should be able to have access to them.’
Tesco says there will be no restriction on amounts customers can buy of most of the wines, and prices include tax, delivery and VAT.
The move follows US retail giant Costco's announcement earlier this month that it would be selling 131 fine wines online in the UK, including Cristal, Krug and Dom Pérignon Champagne, and classed growth 2009 Bordeaux.
Have your say!
Nathan
November 26 17:20
I was expecting something exciting here. Have you seen the prices? They are a rip off! Best buying in bond OWC from a reputable merchant.
David Wright
November 23 11:43
This won't be the first time Tesco has sold expensive fine wines; when I was in Prague a few years ago, as well as very reasonably priced local products, the rather upmarket city centre Tesco had a Fine Wine section which included Ch Petrus at about £1000 a bottle!
Though the best my local UK Tesco stretched to was Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, in the days when it wasn't so expensive as it is now.
Lee
November 23 11:10
The Supermarkets increase their stranglehold on the UK wine market - not sure this is good news. And is this really opening up these top wines to a new market that might not have known about or wanted to buy previously?
Mario Dunn
November 23 10:11
It's absurd to say "everyone should have access to them" when first growths are £8k a case. The reality is, these wines, as good as they may be, are significantly overpriced compared to "lesser" wines. This is because of history, marketing and the negotiant/en primeur process which discriminates against everyone but the wealthy. We are certainly not "all in this together".