Robert Parker riled by slow Bordeaux 2009 price release
The slow release of Bordeaux 2009 vintage wine prices by the region's chateaux last week has been branded as "stupid and arrogant" by a renowned wine critic.
In a midweek tweet on his Twitter blog, Robert Parker evoked Aesop to accuse the Bordelais of "killing the golden goose".
He also gave early warnings about the high first-growth tranche prices that began to filter through towards the end week from the likes of chateaux Lafite-Rothschild, Margaux and Haut-Brion, bottles of which were snapped up by negociants for between €450 (£368) and €500 (£409).
Parker wrote: "Expect sticker shock ... dumb and dumber."
When more prices had been announced on Friday, Parker termed the high Bordeaux costs "consumer carnage", adding that he was astonished by reports from industry sources that the wines were still selling well.
In some cases, first tranche Bordeaux 2009s were priced at three times last year's price, which many analysts indicated had made some wines that had seemed overpriced initially appear more attractive as the week went on.