beef bourguignon with no bordeaux! outrageous!

Don't be such a Romney!

After years in which lovers of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne have had to put up with the cost of their favorite tipple rising inexorably, French wine négociants anticipate that the 2012 vintage will see prices either stabilize or rise by only modest amounts.

Difficult weather conditions earlier in the year will reduce the quantities available from some top producers, which would normally point to consumers being asked to pay more. But the impact of reduced supply is being offset by the uncertain global economic backdrop. There has been little advance buying by speculators gambling on prices rising strongly between this year's late harvest and the first 2012 bottles coming to market.

"The first indications of the actual prices people are willing to pay will not be available until mid-November, but the atmosphere is not euphoric," said Nicolas Ozanam, one of directors of UMVin, a trade body which represents the producers of 70 percent of France's wine output.

"The current climate certainly won't encourage anyone to put their prices up without first knowing what the demand is like."

The négociants say that this year's harvest was excellent, even though it produced very small quantities of grapes. However, the economic climate requires a restrained response...

/... http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2012/09/2012-france-wine-harvest-prices

a neighbor has a small vineyard in southern illinois. the drought slammed them, and the berries are tiny. but usually that sort of thing means that the flavor is concentrated, making for very good wines.