En primeur: 2011 proves a hard sell

This year’s en primeur campaign began with a bang, but after that it was pretty much whimpers all the way in what turned out to be arguably the most desultory on record.

Bud Cruchet, of Fine & Rare Wines, unequivocally described it “as the worst in our 19-year history. Trying to sell the 2011s to customers has been like pushing water up a hill, with a fork.”...