Food & Drink: The case for buying claret in a bottle: Bordeaux is hyping its 1993 wines, but Anthony Rose counsels caution

After a disastrously short crop in 1991 and a huge but mediocre one in 1992, the Bordeaux market and its British wine trade acolytes are keen to drum up business for the newly released 1993 vintage. So much so that, with no en primeur campaign to speak of for the previous two vintages, much of the cajolery and blandishments of current en primeur should be carefully examined.

Word is that this is a good rather than a 'great' year because, as so often with Bordeaux's marginal climate, the heavens opened on the eve of harvest in September, diluting what promised to be a superb vintage. At least by that stage the grapes were relatively ripe, and cool weather prevented rot from spreading.

'Because the earlier maturing merlot suffered less from the rain than the cabernet,' says Peter Sichel in his annual Bordeaux report, 'the quality is more regular in St Emilion and Pomerol than in the Medoc.' At this stage, 1993 looks superior to 1991 and 1992 and, if the reports to date are right, is riper and better than the early-drinking 1987 vintage.

Given which, the question for claret-lovers is whether forking out at this stage will save money in the long run. This, after all, is the reason for paying for the wines en primeur - in other words, buying before the wines are bottled and delivered, with duty, shipping costs and VAT payable on delivery in 1995-96.

Apart from Chateau-Leoville Barton, always honestly priced, Adnams is not offering 1993 en primeur. 'The only point in buying en primeur,' says Alastair Marshall, Adnams' general manager, 'is to secure a good wine at a favourable price. But I can't see that happening in this instance. We'll be able to buy the wine when it's shipped at much the same price.'

Some traditional merchants are offering the 1993s, although not with quite the panache that fuelled the heady days of the late Eighties. Typical of the more level-headed approach is Lay & Wheeler's John Thorogood. Describing the 1993 vintage as 'useful', he says that 'some sections of Bordeaux's trade are over-hyping the vintage: 1993 is not another 1989 or 1990; it produced some good wines and a handful of very good ones'.

Prices are for the most part reasonable, and in one or two instances almost tempting. Yardstick first growths, which are usually overpriced, are obtainable at under pounds 300 a case, while better-bet top classified chateaux such as Pichon-Lalande, Cos d'Estournel, Montrose and Leoville-Barton range between pounds 104 and pounds 152 a case ex-cellars.

Most tempting at this early stage are Chateau Leoville-Barton at pounds 104 a case (David J Watt), Chateau Lagrange at pounds 106.32 a case (Lay & Wheeler), and Chateau Potensac, a quality cru bourgeois, at pounds 45 a case (at Goedhuis). Chateau le Pin, at pounds 695 a case, looks resistible.

Given recent insolvency alarms, buyers considering an early gamble on the vintage should ask what safeguards are available. Early offers come from: Goedhuis & Co, 6 Rudolf Place, Miles Street, London SW8 (071-793 7900); David J Watt Fine Wines, South Hill Farm, Appleby Hill, Austrey, near Atherstone, Warwickshire (0827 830430); John Armit Wines, 5 Royalty Studios, London W11 (071-727 6846); Lay & Wheeler, 6 Culver Street West, Colchester (0206 764446); Bibendum, 113 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 (071-722 5577); Corney & Barrow, 12 Helmet Row, London EC1 (071-251 4051); Laytons, 20 Midland Road, London NW1 (071-388 5081); and Bute Wines, Rothesay, Isle of Bute (0700 502 730). But I don't advise you to rush.

WINES OF THE WEEK

Promotional pace this month is set by Sainsbury's, which is reducing its soft, innocuously medium-bodied Sicilian White from pounds 2.69 to pounds 1.99, although I would pay the extra for the livelier Italianate character of Asda's Sicilian Bianco (pounds 2.69) and the fresh sauvignon bite of the 1993 Domaine Lannemaison, Cotes de Gascogne (pounds 2.99) from Oddbins.

A notch up in price, Asda's 1993 Soave Classico 'Corte Olive' Lenotti (pounds 3.49) is a characterful soave (an apparent contradiction in terms) with an unusual, beer-like note. Majestic Wine Warehouse has found a gloriously honeyed example of chenin blanc in its 1990 Vouvray Sec, Chateau de Montfort (pounds 3.99). Sainsbury's has unearthed one of the year's more interesting whites with Australia's 1993 Richmond Grove Cowra Verdelho (pounds 5.95, selected stores), packed with exuberant tropical fruit.

Back at Majestic, crafty deal-maker Tony Mason has discovered the 1990 Domaine Vergobbi, Coteaux de Tricastin (pounds 3.99), a marvellously spicy southern Rhone Valley red with a robust, rustic edge. Fans of the syrah grape should enjoy the classically aromatic, smoky bouquet of the 1992 Chateau Paul Blanc, Costieres de Nimes (pounds 4.99) at Oddbins.

Australian flying winemaker Kim Mylne managed to fit in a visit to South Africa and has produced the 1993 Cape View Merlot (pounds 4.29 from Victoria Wine). This is a scented, delightfully fresh thirst-quencher, reminiscent of a young Italian barbera. Tesco has cut pounds 2 off a decent red burgundy: 1992 Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits (now pounds 4.99) is a light, slightly rustic red from the Cave des Hautes Cotes, which delivers some of the perfume and strawberry fruitiness of the pinot noir.

And so to fizz. This year's California's Scharffenberger Brut (pounds 8.99 from Asda) is even better than last year's. The new blend of 70 per cent chardonnay and 30 per cent pinot noir makes it toasty and full of zest and fruit. At Tesco, the creamy, all-chardonnay champagne Louis Massing Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (pounds 9.99) has a finesse rare at this price level.