Simon Staples of London’s Berry Bros & Rudd e-mailed that “there’s little to suggest that there is going to be a boom in the market to make the 2015s fly.” He’s going to be looking for wines he thinks will be bargains. Me, too.
On the other hand, the U.S. dollar is strong. Will that encourage Americans, who have lately fallen out of love with Bordeaux, to buy? Chris Adams, chief executive officer of New York merchant Sherry-Lehmann, reported interest from customers but said that “the price/quality ratio rules.” Sure, Americans will buy, but only if the quality is high and the price is perceived to be low. Clyde Beffa, owner of K & L Wine Merchants in the Bay Area, has also seen interest in 2015s. “It could be big,” he e-mailed, “if prices are correct.”
Last week, at the Bordeaux cellars of negociant Millesima, about 50 Bordeaux winemakers were present for a massive tasting of the 2014s. Company founder Patrick Bernard cautioned that they’d better be very careful about pricing the 2015s. “If not,” he said, “Bordeaux is dead.”
I hope not. The 2015s I’ve tasted so far seem worth buying.