En Primeur Bordeaux Futures

[Rebel Rose]

From Decanter, Parker slams Medoc for 'pride, provincial jealousies and greed'

Robert Parker has slammed the 'aristocrats of the Medoc' on his bulletin board for 'pride, provincial jealousies, and greed' in their pricing policies.

Following conversations with buyers and sellers, the influential critic posted a vitriolic attack on his website.

Parker accused the chateau of 'devising a multitude of ways to manipulate the marketplace by creating the illusion of shortages' in continually holding back from releasing their wines and prices in the 2005 en primeur campaign.

Parker warned that these tactics could backfire with the end of school year around two weeks away, saying that fighting over cases of hyped Bordeaux would seem 'increasingly irrelevant'.

'By dragging this process into mid-June, they may well be killing the golden goose, all because of pride, provincial jealousies, and greed,' he said.

And from the same article:

On the Right Bank meanwhile, Hubert de Bouard of the premier cru classé Château Angélus in St. Emilion agreed that the 'process is taking too long' and agreed with Parker.

'The fact that we are looking at one another is frustrating for consumers,' he said. 'I am convinced that he is right.'