Parker scores could halt Bordeaux en primeur campaign

Written by Richard Siddle

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Robert Parker's high scores for the Bordeaux 2008 vintage could bring a premature end to the en primeur campaign, warns UK fine wine specialists Berry Bros.

Parkers scores, which are released today, April 30, in Wine Advocate are at odds with what the market can stand, says Berry Bros. Simon Staples, Berry Bros' sales and marketing director, said he was perplexed by some of the scores Parker has given: "I am really worried. The campaign is going well and now it could be stopped dead in its tracks if the chateaux price their wine as the result of an enormous Parker score and not to the market. The market dictates the wine prices, not Parker."

He added: "We won't be able to offer the wines hand-on-heart to customers and the negociants will still buy them thinking we will sell them."

Berrys conceded it was not sceptical about Bordeaux 2008 vintage but returned from the tastings earlier this month surprised and delighted with some of the wines. "This is not a year to speculate and no-one else believes this vintage is outstanding," says Staples. "Parker went crazy about 2003, on his own, and he missed 2005 when everyone loved it and now he is screaming about 2008, when we just think it was better than we had hoped for."

What do you think? Here are the respective scores given by Berry Bros. & Rudd, Jancis Robinson MW and Robert Parker:

2008 Ch. Haut-Bailly
BBR Score: 17/20
Jancis Score: 17/20
Parker Score: 95-97/100

2008 Ch. Palmer
BBR Score: 18.5/20.
Jancis Score: 18/20.
Parker Score: 95 -97 /100.

2008 Ch. Lafite-Rothschild
BBR Score: 17/20
Jancis Score: 17.5+/20
Parker Score: 98-100/100

2008 Ch. Pontet-Canet
BBR Score: 16/20
Jancis Score: 17+/20
Parker Score: 96-98/100

For more on Berrys Bordeaux reaction go to http://bbrblog.com

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it said:

\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ">	So Parker is at odds with most normal thinking people. Plus ca change. Remember 1989 - the hottest vintage of the 20th century? Parker raved about it initially and the prices shot up. We mere mortals knew that a super hot vintage means poor acidity and therefore lack of staying power, but... He changed his mind 2 years later, but by then the damage was done.
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