Wine ChroniclesWine sales expected to make further gains in 2017: Live-Ex
Posted on March 11, 2017
Industry report via Live-Ex
11 March 2017
Merchants are predicting further gains for the industry benchmark Liv-ex 100 index, which gained 25% in 2016.
Liv-ex members are expecting the fine wine market to rise further in 2017, according to the results of a survey conducted in February.
On average, respondents expect the industry benchmark Liv-ex 100 index to increase by 7.8% this year to close on 320.6. This would represent a second year of strong gains for the market. Read More
Petrus for over $30k a bottle
Posted on February 25, 2017
Prestige fine wine market is alive and kicking, especially driven by American and Asian buyers
25 February 2017
A Wednesday fine wine sale in London featuring a private collection totalled £1,716,922 (over $2.1m), exceeding the £1.5 million top estimate.
Lots found buyers across 21 countries, led by the UK, Hong Kong and Russia.
An Imperial (6 litre) of Petrus 1989 achieved £28,200, the highest price of the sale. There was keen competition for both mature and young Bordeaux and sought-after Burgundy producers such as Armand Rousseau and Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. Read More
Unsung? Perhaps, but well done!
Posted on February 19, 2017
The Salon des Vignerons Indépendants
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com
Some great values from the Jura, the Côtes du Rhône, the Loire Valley, Saint Joseph and Champagne among others …
19 February 2017
As I prepare my trip to cover Bordeaux en primeur in late March, I took time to taste through wines from lesser-known French regions with partner in wine crime Kevin Gagnon, who was a fellow student for the WSET diploma in Rust, Austria. Kevin is a professional opera singer and wine expert – and a great guy. So it was fun to discover less famous appellations that yield much pleasure – and sometimes superb quality/price ratios.
The occasion was the Salon des Vignerons Indépendants, a massive grouping of often lesser known producers throughout France. It is a traveling consumer trade show, that traverses French cities, and thus wise to get their early, as the crowds get quite thick. And best to keep your coat in the car, and even wear a T-shirt as it gets hot. Read More
Hockney graces Mouton
Posted on February 9, 2017
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com
9 February 2017
What is it about Mouton Rothschild that makes it so appealing?
The wine in the bottle can be amazing.
Sure, it is far too expensive for most of us mere mortals. At least it has become so – like the other first growths. I still recall a time when one could have bought Mouton for about $150 en primeur. And that was too pricey for some older buyers at the time.
These days, a very good vintage fetches between $300 and $500 and a great vintage $600 and up. Too much for a single bottle of wine, I say. But if you have the money, I guess you have a different perspective.
And let’s hand it to the estate for its creative use of artists to change the label year in, year out.
Wine as art? Certainly chez Mouton. Read More
Too varietal? Try it in the sky.
Posted on February 8, 2017
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com
8 February 2017
Yesterday, I landed in Frankfurt after flying on business with Lufthansa from Washington Dulles Airport, and the welcome lounge was terrific: well worth the price of paying business.
Lufthansa offers competitive business pricing – sometimes nearly half the price of, say, Air France. And when you cross the Atlantic from a late afternoon in the U.S. to arrive at an early morning in Europe, the welcome lounge’s spacious, independent shower rooms are just the ticket. Not to mention plenty of breakfast and brunch items (as it is open until noon), a quiet area with reclining seats, and work stations with no less than three types of outlets (UK, US and European).
As usual, I enjoyed excellent service on board the 747-800 from Dulles International to Frankfurt. The stewards and stewardesses were kind and courteous. And when I mentioned that I write about wine and that I know Lufthansa wine buying consultant Markus Del Monego, they proposed two selections from the first-class wine list.
I once flew first class several years ago – a fluke upgrade, see video below – and recall seeing the Château Belgrave 2004 on the list. Today, the same wine is proposed, but it is the 2008 vintage. Personally, I would think that for an expensive first class ticket, the Bordeaux could be higher up on the totem poll. Not Latour, mind you, but why not Lynch Bages or Montrose? I digress. Read More
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