Well, the sunny weather expected in Paris turned out to be rainy and cold with even a little snow! It made it difficult to get around and visit the sights and monuments I wanted to see, but somehow I still managed to get it all in, including three outstanding bistro’s (Mon Vieil Ami, Gallopin Brasserie and Fish! La Boissonnerie) where I had some of the greatest meals of my life. I only wished I had more time to visit more of the bistros on the list provided to me by a friend who knows much about the great places to eat in Paris. It was a fast and eventful weekend and I think I walked off all the food and beverage I consumed the week prior.

I’m glad I made the trip this year. There’s a lot to say about this vintage and it’s not all about the wines. The wines are indeed pleasant and fruity and will be welcome additions to wine lists when they arrive on our shores in a few years. While there are a few seriously well-made wines I don’t feel this is a vintage to collect or buy en primeur as I think there are better choices to purchase at this current time. I’m in the business to sell wine, not B.S., like some of the people I’ve spoken to on this trip. I would love nothing more than to say 2007 is a great vintage, prices should be fine and we’ll have a bunch of it to sell. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, lovers of Bordeaux wines should focus their attention on the landed 2005′s, one of Bordeaux’s greatest vintages ever.

For now, the city of Bordeaux is bustling, every major chateau seems to have some sort of construction going on and it kind of reminds me of what it was like here in Southern California a few years ago when real estate prices went straight up, and many thought the run would never end. Well it did, and I don’t have to tell you how house prices have fallen like a rock, and the same thing could happen with Bordeaux wine prices if the chateau owners are not careful. You can talk till your blue in the face, but will anybody listen? This vintage smells a lot like 1997 all over again as prices will most likely come out high…and nobody will buy. The Negociants and importers will be holding stocks of wines in this vintage because their “new customers to the east” don’t and won’t buy futures and the kings of speculation, the Brits, will for sure not buy since their “sound as a pound” currency has taken a dump like the dollar.

So what does this all mean? As a retailer, we will participate with caution in this campaign providing the prices have come down, dramatically. For the moment, we can’t emphasize enough that the 2005′s are some of the greatest wines to ever come to our shores from Bordeaux. You should also keep an eye on some of the 2006′s, as it’s a particularly fine vintage for quite a few chateaux. When you consider the time of purchase for the 06′s, the dollar was around 1.30, so most of the wine at First Tranche is actually below cost. Pavie Macquin, Larcis Ducasse, Pontet Canet and Calon Segur are excellent 06′s and priced well below what the 05′s are selling for, sound purchases all.

Finally, I would like to thank Sean Paterson for the good breakfest conversation, Peter Mahan for your Paris expertise, Philippe Larchet, Isabelle Sorin for making my stay in Bordeaux and Paris even more pleasurable, Nancy Labrousse for your hospitality, Bernard and Philippe Magrez for the best room in Bordeaux, Steve Winfield and Marcus Hiles for helping me make this such an informative, rewarding and enjoyable trip. Salute!