In response, their more popular neighbour, Lafite have sensibly released their 2011 grand vin at prices that are more than 30% below their great 2010 vintage, in line with less expensive available vintages, current market sentiment in this fragile global economy and the fact that 2011 is merely a good year. It ranks alongside the 2008 and 2001 in quality. Although it is hard act to follow the two great vintages of 2009 and 2010, providing release prices are realistically 30-50% off the 2010 level we will pass on the relative good value to our customers. Like 2001, this is an excellent vintage for the whites including the great sweet crus from Sauternes and Barsac.

So far take advantage of these latest offers, including Chateau Lafite, Cos d’Estournel, Gazin and Suduiraut. Their pricing has been fair despite suffering significantly reduced crops, by as a much as 50% at Cos for example. We have not tasted many 2011s yet we will offer selected chateaux on release, with notes and scores by the most respected critics. Should you have a shopping list of personal favourites in 2011, please ask us for a competitive quote. For all other wines and back vintages, refer to our current list.

Some of the most impressive wines tasted include those made by Anne Gros, A.F. Gros, Louis Jadot, Faiveley, Pousse d'Or, Coche Dury, Chateau de la Tour, Hudelot-Noellat, Vogue, J.F. Mugnier, Perdrix, Claude Dugat and Carillon.  At Comte de Vogue, Francois Millet presented some cask samples of his 2011s. Although these barrique samples were far too young to taste we did appreciate a glimpse of another classic vintage in the making. Meanwhile, his current 2010 releases were awesome.

The 2011 Bordeaux campaign begins in a fortnight.  We have heard that there are a few stand outs in the preliminary tastings but look forward to assessing the new vintage ourselves.  Meanwhile,  the recently re-appraised monumental 2009 and 2010s continue to steal the spotlight. We have many show stoppers listed here and several '09s in stock.

Old vintages pre-1970 have taken a knock from Laurent Ponsot who recently commented in the LA Times that the vast majority of old French wines are fake. This is quite  a sweeping statement after a known forger in the US was arrested  by the FBI for forging old Clos Saint Denis, Ponsot that never existed pre-1982.  Caveat emptor ! Buyers needs to be especially cautious when purchasing old vintages. Many French wines were not châteaux or Domaine bottled until the '70s, making them open to abuse. A good merchant bottling bought from a famous auction house is no guarantee but known provenance is paramount. Although we sell fewer very old vintages these days we take precautions to buy from the safest sources with guaranteed provenance and list any non estate bottlings accordingly at far lower prices than those bottled at the château or domaine.

The duty on light wine has just increased by 55 pence per 6 bottles and 77 pence for sparkling, just as we were expecting in the recent budget. Wine is always targeted but we have consciously maintained a fair,  competitive pricing  policy, especially in this challenging global economic climate. Every day we strive to keep  the site and list up to date with plenty of special offers and new acquisitions. 

As the 2009 Bordeaux crus roll into the bond some of their values have tumbled this last year, alongside the initially overpriced 2010s. Now that some prices are down by as much as 40% in the last eighteen months, we feel that this is 'the time' to buy, especially first growths and super seconds. With Lafite 2010 down from £13500 to £8900, Mouton 09 from £8800 to £7200, and Pavillon Rouge 09 down from £1950 to £1250, to name just a few examples. The Liv-ex fine wine index is showing some signs that prices are stabilizing with a few rises.

As the US economy emerges from a long hibernation with small growth and rising employment, confidence should spread and world markets will respond. Watch this space as prices will quickly bounce back where quality is concerned. Certainly we at L'Assemblage are not doing the recession this year but positively riding on these opportunities and picking up good deals to pass on at fair prices.

If you have any surplus wines to sell from your cellar, whether they are in bonded storage or not, please ask us for a quote. We will pay at least auction hammer prices for good condition stock or sell on at an agreed broking basis.

Champagne sales are expected to rise in this Olympic year, which is another reason the Champenois are raising their prices banking on the demand. Grape costs have risen, which they claim is the main reason for the price hike . We have good stocks of back vintages as well as a fine selection of English sparkling wines from local award winning producer, Nyetimber. This is in our opinion the closest alternative to vintage Champagne.

Whether you are looking for famous prestige brands or good honest quaffers, we have some for all, starting with our own branded Occitan Merlot and Syrah from the Languedoc region. These are full winter warming, plummy reds at recession buster prices. A perfect time to launch such good value house wines.  Enjoy!