pricing in Bordeaux

[hotwine]

Pricing always comes down to supply and demand. First, keep in mind that a Bordeaux spends about four years in the making, after the grapes have been picked. After the crush, the wine will be stored for a time in vats, then in barrels, and finally bottled, but will not be released for some time after bottling. So some questions that enter into a determination of price at the chateau include:

- What was the price upon release last year?

- How was last year's release rated first in barrel tastings and later on release by knowledgeable people in the trade?

- How has the post-release market developed for the wine? Is it much in demand, with escalating prices, or has its price remained
flat?

- What were the growing conditions during the earlier release? What was the yield per hectacre?

- How does this year's harvest compare with earlier years, in terms of growing conditions, crop yield, and market expectations?

- How is the futures market reflecting expectations for the wine?

- What personnel changes have occurred at the winery that could impact expectations for the wine?

All of those questions are complex in themselves, and it's the sum of all of them that finally gets reflected in the price. And I'm on the outside looking into the wine trade; others can respond more knowledgeably than I.


[This message has been edited by hotwine (edited 01-29-2001).]