The prices from my usual merchant in Switzerland:

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville (in brackets the prices of the 2018s then the 2016s – I never saw 2017s…)
Volnay 1er Cru 2019 75cl 79.00 (75.00, —)* (Swiss Francs)
Volnay Fremiet 1er Cru 2019 75cl 105.00 (105.00, 105.00)
Volnay Champans 1er Cru 2019 75cl 129.00 (129.00, 129.00)
Volnay Clos des Ducs 1er Cru 2019 75cl 215.00 (198.00, —)

The 2019s available for delivery only at the end of this year. The price you see is ‘delivered’ but ex 7.7% Swiss purchase tax. What can I say – always aspirational rather than entry-level wines here – and you will have to pay for that. I’m never surprised when the pricing of a top cuvée increases – the others, despite higher pricing, show a remarkable consistency for the region in the last years.

There’s been a long, slow ‘progression‘ in the pricing of Clos des Lambrays. It’s fair to say that the 1990-2010 wines were always thought of well but as a cheaper entry to the world of grand crus, with pricing that befitted their more elegant, more modest, intensity versus other grand crus. It’s unlikely that new generations of drinkers will think of Lambrays in those terms – at least not in terms of pricing – with last week’s newly released pricing of their 2019s!

I lead with the pricing announced in the UK rather than my local Swiss supplier as that latter merchant usually has the pricing only in April – see the link above. Subscribers who have read my reports of Lambrays and Tart will know that I rate the wines highly but that they remain different ‘beasts.’ I’m left wondering, however, if their respective billionaire owners see only the need for equivalence. Both are investing heavily in their charges – seemingly the work at Lambrays with their massive crane and road closure to construct an entirely new cuverie is the more expensive ‘investment.’

Maybe that goes some of the way to explaining a UK price of £1,080 a case, in bond, for the 2019 vintage – per case of three bottles! So add 20% purchase tax to calculate the actual bottle price. It would be unfair of me not to point out a yield of only 15 hl/ha in the Clos in 2019 – half the normal amount – partly attributable to their first year of conversion to organic viticulture*. Still, I’ll leave that to sink in if you were a previous buyer of Lambrays…

It seems that in one swoop the owners of Lambrays want price equivalence (well, nearly) with Clos de Tart, a wine that has been more than double the price of Lambrays for several years now. I have to assume that they have a different (new!) buyer demographic in mind.

Almost the value play of the Clos des Lambrays cellar in 2019 is their Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clos des Caillerets – a mere £798 per 6 in bond – and a different colour, but hey!
*Thierry Bruin was more concerned with producing enough wine than, for instance, organic viticulture. In this respect, Lambrays is a late-comer but Jacques Devauges has a great track record in this area…

The announcement from this afternoon:

18 March 2021 – The Hospices Civils de Beaune has confirmed the appointment of Sotheby’s as the new host of its celebrated and historic annual barrel auction – the 161st Edition will be held at the Halles de Beaune on November 21st, the third Sunday in November, as per tradition.

François Poher, Head of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, said: “After a tender procedure launched in mid-December, we have chosen Sotheby’s proposal. For the next five years, we will work together to deepen knowledge of our domaine, its wines and our sale for the benefit of all of Burgundy. We will also work to preserve the centuries-old character and heritage of our hospital institution and further strengthen its capacity to invest in the service of the people of our region.”

Mario Tavella, President of Sotheby’s France and Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, said: “Sotheby’s is proud to work alongside the Hospices de Beaune as organiser of its charity auction and also to promote the cultural initiatives that punctuate the year of this honourable institution. This year will mark the launch of Sotheby’s wine sales in France and we are honoured by the trust placed in us by the Hospices de Beaune and look forward to beginning our work with their team this week.”

Now that’s proper news!

I did hear that Christies were quite pissed that the November auction had been covid-cancelled – they were ready to go ahead 100% online – as many auctions have been done in the last 12 months. Whether this is the result of that disagreement or simply that it was time for a change is unimportant, it’s the way forward right now. I’ll be interested to see what changes…

In my inbox – I offer the comparison with the previous prices (in brackets) of the 20018s, 2017s, 2016s, and 2015…
— signifies ‘not offered’

Domaine de l’Arlot

Nuits-Saint-Georges Mont des Oiseaux 1er Cru 2019 75cl — (69.50, 59.00, —, 59.00)* Swiss Francs
Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru ‘Hors Ligne’ 2019 75cl — (—, 79.00, —, —)
Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de l’Arlot 1er Cru 2019 75cl 89.50 (88.00, 85.00 85.00, 79.00)
Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos Forêts St-Georges 1er Cru 2019 75cl 89.50 (88.00, 85.00 85.00, 79.00)
Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos Forêts St-Georges 1er Cru 2019 150cl 184.00, (181.00, 175.00, 175.00, —)
Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru 2019 75cl 135.00 (129.00, 119.00, 119.00, 109.00)
Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru 2019 150cl — (263.00, —, —, —)
Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru 2019 75cl 498.00 (—, —, 486.00, 445.00)

A more compact offering of the domaine’s wines this year.
*Note that an additional 7.7% sales tax is also due, but the delivery cost is included…

From my usual Swiss merchant. In brackets, where offered, are the previous prices of the 2016s:

Domaine Bruno Clair
Marsannay Blanc 2018 75cl 28.00* (Swiss Francs)
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2018 75cl 145.00

Marsannay 2017 75cl 32.00
Marsannay Les Grasses Têtes 2018 75cl 39.00
Marsannay Les Longeroies 2018 75cl 40.00
Aloxe-Corton 2018 75cl 46.00

Savigny-les-Beaune Les Jarrons 1er Cru 2017 75cl 48.00
Savigny-les-Beaune Les Jarrons 1er Cru 2018 75cl 48.00
Savigny-les-Beaune La Dominode 1er Cru 2018 75cl 59.00

(Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny 1er Cru 2016 75cl 115.00)
Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny 1er Cru 2017 75cl 105.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny 1er Cru 2018 75cl 119.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru 2017 75cl 139.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru 2018 75cl 145.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru 2017 75cl 189.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru 2018 75cl 215.00

(Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2016 75cl 325.00)
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2017 75cl 298.00
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2018 75cl 335.00

(Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2016 75cl 385.00)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2017 75cl 298.00
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2018 75cl 335.00

As opined about the 2016 – the Bèze price was much too high – I don’t know what the ideas were there. So, far from cheap at the top – great wines as they are – for me, I see a lot of value in a mixed-case of (red) Marsannays and the Dominode!
*As always with this merchant – there’s an additional Swiss purchase tax of 7.7% to add, but then the prices are delivered…

A different Swiss merchant to my usual ‘offers.’ Very much a higher-end range!

OLIVIER BERNSTEIN 2019 – En Primeur

PREMIERS CRUS
Domaine Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 2019 75cl 286.00 Swiss Francs*

GRAND CRUS
Clos de Vougeot 2019 75cl 528.00
Clos de Vougeot 2019 150cl 1,120
Charmes-Chambertin 2019 75cl 528.00
Charmes-Chambertin 2019 150cl 1,120
Clos deal Roche 2019 75cl 654.00
Clos deal Roche 2019 150cl 1,360
Bonnes-Mares 2019 75cl 795.00
Bonnes-Mares 2019 150cl 1,650
Mazis-Chambertin 2019 75cl 795.00
Mazis-Chambertin 2019 150cl 1,650
Chambertin 2019 75cl 1,200
Chambertin 2019 150cl 2,450
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2019 75cl 1,200
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2019 150cl 2,450

Or how about 1 each of the grand crus – a 7-pack mixed case? Yours for just 5,700 Swiss Francs

*Swiss tax included on these prices.
I did say ‘high-end!‘ It’s a long time since I visited OB; I found the wines superlative, but with prices, like chez Leroy, that are generally out of reach for easy to find AOCs. I contrast that to a domaine like DRC where you can, fairly, argue the same about prices – but for wines that are harder to find, or only available from that domaine, hence, my more regular visits there.

I missed the 2014s, but here you can see the ‘progression’ of the prices (in Switzerland) for the 12s, 13s, 15s, 16s, 17s 18s and now the 2019s from the same Swiss merchant. The format here for the prices is simple: 2019 (2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012) and — if not previously offered…

DOMAINE FAIVELEY 2019 – En Primeur

PREMIERS CRUS
Pommard Rugiens 2019 75cl — (82.00, 75.00, 86.00, —)
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Issarts 2019 75cl 89.00 (—) Swiss Francs*
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 2019 75cl — (85.00, 79.00, 84.00, 78.00, 72.50, 69.80)
Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 2019 75cl 115.00 (105.00, 99.00, 115.00, 98.00, 98.00, 98.00)
Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées 2019 75cl 139.00 (139.00, 125.00, 135.00, 128.00, 119.00, 119.00)
Chambolle-Musigny la Combe d’Orveau 2019 75cl 135.00 (135.00, 119.00, 132.00, 124.00, 119.00, 119.00)
Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 2019 319.00 (—)

GRAND CRUS
Corton Clos des Cortons 2019 75cl 169.00 (169.00, 149.00, 169.00, 149.00, 139.00, 139)
Corton Clos des Cortons 2019 150cl 343.00 (343.00, 303.00, 343.00, 303.00, 283.00, 283)
Corton Clos des Cortons 2019 300cl 736.00 (736.00, 656.00, 736.00, 656.00, —, —)
Echezeaux 2019 75cl 178.00 (169.00, —, 165.00, 149.00, —, —)
Mazis-Chambertin 2019 75cl 209.00 (198.00, 178.00, 198.00, 179.00, 167.00, 169)
Mazis-Chambertin 2019 150cl 423.00 (401.00, 361.00, 401.00, 363.00, —, —)
Mazis-Chambertin 2019 300cl 896.00 (852.00,776.00, 852.00, 776.00, —, —)
Grands Echezeaux 2019 75cl 229.00 (198.00, 188.00, 208.00, 198.00, 198.00, —)
Latricières-Chambertin 2019 75cl 198.00 (189.00, 165.00, 189.00, —)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2019 75cl 299.00 (285.00, 249.00, 299.00, 278.00, 249.00, 235)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2019 150cl 603.00 (575.00, 503.00, 603.00, 561.00, 503.00, 475)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2019 300cl 1,256.00 (1,200.00, 1,056.00, 1,256.00, 1,172.00, —, —)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Les Ouvrées Rodin 2019 75cl 895.00 (875.00, 698.00, 745.00, 659.00, 598.00, 598)

Corton Charlemagne 2019 75cl 198.00 (189.00, 189.00, 189.00, 169.00, 169.00, 159)

*There is 7.7% Tax to add in Switzerland, but then these are delivered prices
For a long time, peak pricing chez Faiveley has been the frosted 2016 vintage – we have now returned to, sometimes exceeded, those price levels. Of course, 2019 is a lower volume red vintage with the 2020 following of similar or lower quantities – so don’t expect any respite… I could stop, if I wanted to…