Pushing Chateau X

I was off to a wine tasting of a rather well known Bordeaux wine, one I used to drink as a somewhat impoverished young man but can no longer afford, though my circumstances are monetarily rather happier than before.

The reason is that the price of this wine has risen loonily because of the effects of one Robert Parker and, now the Chinese. The latter also follow Mr. Parker but, out of a combination of being Chinese and self preservation of their mouths from the big and oaky that the man pushes, pop ice cubes even into this one high Parker rated wine that does not need them.

Demand from the New World and the New New World runs up prices is the reason given by the trade anyway; for the nonce it also happily maintains the Chimerica illusion.

But could there be a bankerly element to this? An attempt to sell something for much more than it is worth to those who know no better?

Perhaps. The event was cancelled because of the ash cloud but not before the reps of said chateau tried to get themselves on a private plane to India. Usually that kind of dough is splashed out by drug dealers. But then status is the new drug for our nouveau riches. Long may they be hooked on Chateau X for that means they will not spend the effort to find better value wines.

Burgundy Zindabad!