Fond memories of the early 00s, when the wine department at Fortnums was a bit of a backwater and you could pick up bottles of fully mature Castillo Ygay for £20-odd.
Great piece. I also worry about small producers who have depended on increasing demand, which is suddenly not there. On this side of the pond I am seeing $30 bottles marked down to $25, because they are not selling. At the same time there is a surplus of wine nearly everywhere, so I don't think they have the flexibility to pivot and sell their surplus to bigger producers. Maybe it's just a blip, but I see worrying signs on the horizon.
Good piece. I was thinking at an Italian resto with a nice wine list last night how the things I used to buy when I first went there maybe 10 years ago - eg a standby like Fontodi Chiant Classico - are so much more expensive now (they’ve gone up an awful lot more than my salary!)
Henry as you well know, know your producer. The secrets of the trade. Don't buy the first but the second or third. The Old Farm is as you know is at top of the pyramid is Mon Oncle Beaucastel...
Fond memories of the early 00s, when the wine department at Fortnums was a bit of a backwater and you could pick up bottles of fully mature Castillo Ygay for £20-odd.
I think that's just it, there was a lot of very good wine that was somewhat forgotten about. Happy days!
Great piece. I also worry about small producers who have depended on increasing demand, which is suddenly not there. On this side of the pond I am seeing $30 bottles marked down to $25, because they are not selling. At the same time there is a surplus of wine nearly everywhere, so I don't think they have the flexibility to pivot and sell their surplus to bigger producers. Maybe it's just a blip, but I see worrying signs on the horizon.
I agree huge problems on the horizon for the middle ground producers. I don't think oligarch wines have to worry though.
Good piece. I was thinking at an Italian resto with a nice wine list last night how the things I used to buy when I first went there maybe 10 years ago - eg a standby like Fontodi Chiant Classico - are so much more expensive now (they’ve gone up an awful lot more than my salary!)
If only freelance pay had kept up with wine prices - or even taken off like Burgundy!
Interesting article. Have you written about investing in wine? Pros, cons etc.
Henry as you well know, know your producer. The secrets of the trade. Don't buy the first but the second or third. The Old Farm is as you know is at top of the pyramid is Mon Oncle Beaucastel...