Some alcohol and Ph levels for reference.
| PH | Alc % |
Right bank | | |
Pavie Macquin | 3.4 | 14.7 |
Larcis Ducasse | 3.5 | 14.6 |
Cruzelles | | 14.6 |
Laroque | 3.55 | 14.55 |
Guillot Clauzel | | 14.5 |
Clos Fourtet | 3.53 | 14.5 |
Clinet | 3.75 | 14.5 |
Beau-Séjour Bécot | 3.55 | 14.5 |
Trottevieille | 3.7 | 14.5 |
Clos St Martin | | 14.5 |
Berliquet | 3.55 | 14.5 |
Croix de Labrie | 3.44 | 14.5 |
Nenin | 3.69 | 14.3 |
Porte Chic | 3.5 | 14 |
| | |
Left bank | | |
Rauzan Segla | 3.7 | 14.5 |
Lafon Rochet | 3.77 | 14.5 |
Tronquoy | 3.8 | 14.5 |
Brane Cantenac | 3.61 | 14.3 |
Branaire Ducru | 3.65 | 14.3 |
GPL | 3.57 | 14.2 |
Batailley | 3.7 | 14.2 |
Phélan-Ségur | 3.8 | 14.2 |
Leoville Barton | 3.76 | 14.1 |
Larrivet HB | 3.71 | 14 |
St Pierre | | 13.9 |
HBLiberal | 3.54 | 13.9 |
Cantenac Brown | 3.64 | 13.8 |
Gloria | | 13.8 |
Gruaud | 3.8 | 13.6 |
Giscours | 3.75 | 13.6 |
Domaine de Chevalier | 3.6 | 13.5 |
Lagrange | 3.63 | 13.5 |
Meyney | 3.75 | 13.5 |
Durfort Vivens | 3.75 | 13.5 |
Cantemerle | 3.6 | 13.5 |
De Fieuzal | | 13.2 |
So are these precise alcohol levels of the samples supplied (which might or might not be representative of the final blend, possibly influenced by the predilections of the critic/audience for whom they might or might not have been concocted), predicted alcohol levels of the final wine as bottled a year or two hence, or arbitrary figures that hover nervously halfway between a boozy HMRC reality and what the eventual customer was rather hoping to hear?
As someone no longer involved in buying or selling Bordeaux
en primeur, casual observers and Alex Rychlewski might raise an eyebrow at my resolute cynicism. But it strikes me that investing (and, let's not beat around the bush, purchasing
en primeur IS an investment) in wine before bottling is like commissioning work from a famous artist. You may know and love every piece of work that artist has ever made, they may have shown you the canvas and the paints and the model and a hundred preliminary sketches, they and a hundred dealers may have promised you everything you want to hear – but you won't know if you actually like the commissioned piece (or even what it actually looks like) until it's firmly nailed up over your mantlepiece. And guess what – if the completed work doesn't measure up to their claims or your expectations, the hardworking maestro and Arts Council England (or anywhere else) aren't
remotely interested...
Similarly imagine Sotheby's or Christie's holding a blind auction of unfinished paintings, with no representation of lots offered other than adulatory puff from Sister Wendy, Philomena Cunk and (obligingly enough) the artists on show – paddles and telephone bidding at the ready, everyone...
When buying
en primeur represented a probable saving (but also a possible risk) against vintages already in circulation, it made sense. Nowadays it just strikes me as a golden opportunity to pay way over the odds in the unlikely hope of beating even longer odds – and, as we all know, nine times out of ten it's the bookie who leaves the races with full pockets...