Bordeaux 2011 – Cos, Pagodes, Goulee and Gazin – and a word about prices

by Charles Lea

Today sees the release of Château Cos d’Estournel and Pagodes, it’s second wine, Goulée, the Médoc made by the Cos team, as well as the Pomerol, Château Gazin. Jean-Guillaume Prats has made a substantial effort on the price of Cos, which is down from €190 last year to €108 – to UK merchants.

At today’s exchange rate of 1.22 (a 20 month high, so not actually what most people will be budgeting at), this gives a cost to us in Bordeaux of £1062.20.

We are offering Cos at £1200 per dozen. It is also available at £600 per six bottles. L&S offers primeurs in bond, the price includes delivery to the UK and onward delivery to our customers in our selling price, unless IB delivery is required in which case we levy a fee of £15+VAT (current rate) for the under bond transfer to the customer’s bonded account, a fee which covers all that customer’s purchases of this vintage of Bordeaux en primeur.

If you see wines being offered cheaper and are tempted to buy, do at least ask yourselves whether there may be hidden charges that will come along later (like per case delivery charges) and also the likelihood that you will have your wine delivered in two years’ time, and reflect that if you pay a little more now to buy from a reputable merchant with a good track record and a good underlying business, you may avoid the pitfalls of the customers of these businesses.

Above all, buy your primeurs from L&S!