During the first week of last April, wine experts from all over the world flocked to Bordeaux to taste “les primeurs 2011”.

The whole “primeurs” operation is unique to the region and it’s all about selling the wine while it’s still in course of preparation, at a much lower price than you would expect to pay later for important Bordeaux wines. As a buyer, you buy tax free now, bottles which won’t be delivered to you for another two years, so effectively saving VAT.

Of course it’s not an easy exercise because we’re in the realms of speculation. Sometimes the difference is greater, but over the last few years this seems to be changing.

Whilst the professionals have just tasted the 2011 vintage, let’s look back to year 2009 wine scheduled for delivery this year. Robert Parker, wine-tasting guru, said during the “primeurs” in April 2010: “2009 could well be the best vintage I’ve tasted in 32 years in Bordeaux!”. Matching the act to the word, he awarded a remarkable 100/100 marks to more than 20 chateaux.

A few months ago, Robert Parker tried the vintage again and still awarded full marks to no less than 19 chateaux. And that’s a record!

Happy to be selected were were producers Clinet, Clos Fourtet, Cos d’Estournel, Ducru Beaucaillou, L’Evangile, Haut Brion, Latour, Leoville Poyferre, Montrose, Pavie, Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge, Pape Clément white…

Whilst no one would question Robert Parker‘s influence on the wine trade, his word isn’t gospel. We need to look at what the other experts say too before making up our minds.

If we accept that 2009 is an exceptional year for Bordeaux wines, what about 2011? Of course the quality of a vintage reflects immediately on its marketing strategy and price… and that’s what will have been decided upon at this April’s “primeurs“!

At Wine Tour Booking we’ll soon be letting you know our impressions soon of the 2011 vintage and how it’s going to affect the Bordeaux market over the next few years.

Not all the chateaux sell “en primeurs” or in advance, of course, but our advice is to take any occasion you can to visit direct and taste for yourself the wonderful Bordeaux wines!