Chateaux prices still down despite high Parker scores

As more chateaux release their prices, pricing strategies seem immune to Robert Parker’s high scores.

Chateau Clinet (94-97 points) has come out at an ex-chateau price of €28, unchanged from last year.

Since receiving high scores, Chateau Cos d’Estournel (94-96+) has come out unchanged from last year at ex-chateau of €55.

Pontet Canet (96-98+) at €43 ex-chateau, Chateau Clinet (94-97) at €28 and Marlartic Lagraviere (91-93) at €17 are also all unchanged from last year.

The biggest price raise of the campaign came from Ducru Beaucaillou which went up 20% to €62.50 (96-98). Larcis Ducasse went up 19% (95-97) to €30, and

In Saint Emilion, Chateau Franc Mayne is up 10% to €20 (it got 89-91 points, the highest score for several years for the estate).

And there are still chateaux that are continuing to make significant reductions, despite high scores.

Chateau Cantenac Brown in Margaux (which Parker described as the best he had ever tasted from the estate) dropped over 43% to €18 ex-chateau, while Chateau Yquem (95-97) last week announced a 59% price drop to €160.

Mathieu Chadronnier at CVBG-Dourthe-Kressman said, ‘The scores are higher than we expected and they have certainly stimulated demand.

Some wines that released early in the campaign have seen a surge in demand, but only in terms of quantity sold, not price rises except in very rare cases.’

Laurent Ehrmann at Barrière Frères agreed. ‘Although his scores are welcome, they have served more to give additional confidence to people who seem incapable of making their own independent decisions.’

Dutch wine merchant David Bolomey, who compiles pricing statistics at Bordeaux Overview, told decanter.com, ‘There are clearly châteaux who think they should grab the opportunity to keep their prices high. Of course Parker should be able to say what he wants to say about a vintage, but it is too bad that the return to normal prices has been so short-lived.’

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux