Skip to main content

Bordeaux wine prices in France vs Norway

Vinforum has an article in their latest magazine where they complain about the increase in Bordeaux prices from 2005 and onwards. Some of the best Bordeaux nearly doubled their prices for the 2005 vintage and have not been very much reduced in the lesser vintages 2006 and 2007. This observation on increased prices I totally share and it has forced me to buy more of the second label wines from the top Grand Cru Classe for 2005 and onwards or invest more in the 2003 and 2004 vintages for the top chateaux.

There is still a lot of very good 2003 and 2004 to be found with wine merchants and supermarkets with prices ranging from 15€ to 30€ here in France! So if you don't like the revised (higher) prices I urge you to buy these vintages now before they also increase in price!

Part of the problem for Norwegian buyers though are that the price level in Norway seems to be too high for god Bordeaux. Normal tax duty to be paid for one bottle is around 5 € per bottle. I have checked some prices differences between Norway and France and they are as follows for some of these great wines;

Beychevelle 2003 75€ vs 40€
Sociando Mallet 2004 55€ vs 25€
Malescot St.Exupery 2003 80€ vs 40€
Lagrange 2003 70€ vs 30€
Cantenac Brown 2003 55€ vs 35€

As you can see the difference between Norway and France as a sale point varies between 20 to 40 € per bottle (not taking into account the 5€ tax on the french prices)!

What I would like to know is how the difference can be this big while it for for ex Cote du Rhone by Guigal its only a few €! It costs 16€ in Norway and 6€ in France, which with 5€ tax added to the french price comes down to 5€ difference!

Someone is having a party! but its certainly NOT the Norwegian Bordeaux lovers which are forced to buy their Bordeaux wine at the Vinmonopolet.
Seems like I need a bigger cave here in France because there are some true bargains out there for around 20 euro.....

You can also check the french prices under the "foire" label for among other the 2005 vintage.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leoville Lascases 1988

Last week was a special week for me as I received my last pay check from my previous employer. An event that required some sort of celebration with some good friends. Of the many bottles opened during that evening was a Leoville Lascases 1988. This Bordeaux wine from St. Julien is second Grand cru classee but it has the quality of a first growth. This chateau was also the wine that made me change from beer to wine as I had the pleasure of tasting a Leoville Lascases 1945 back in 88.  The 1945  just knocked me off my guard and I remember thinking what a fantastic wine it was and what an experience to drink this wine from the year when world war 2 ended. I was in shock and I then just decided to enter into the world of wine. I have always had a soft spot for this chateau ever since. And to my pleasure  it has been performing well at much more reasonable prices than the much more expensive first growths in the 1855 classification. Nowadays a bottle of this wine costs around ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wine # 2 Blindtasting Ganddal

Deep dark purple colour. Dark berries, cherries and mint chocolate. Full bodied with soft tannins. Reminds me of an Amarone.. A very nice wine indeed. Panel is way out as it is from the Rhone valley. Gigondas 2009 by Guigal Score 17.60  Ca 20€ or 220 NOK
Post a Comment
Read more

Ogier Chateauneuf du Pape 2010

This is a quite reasonable Chateauneuf du Pape (ca 200 NOK or 15€). The colour is medium ruby color which was a bit surprising. Nose of ripe black cherries and liquerice with a medium + body and finish with firm tannins. The wine can be drunk now but has definitely the potential for ageing (5-10 years). Chateauneuf du Pape 2010, Ogier Bring out the steak!
Post a Comment
Read more