Chinese market demand bringing insane prices to French wines

I had the opportunity last weekend to attend a wine tasting, and afterward I toyed with the idea of doing as my hosts had, buying new vintages by the case and cellaring them myself. Unfortunately, I prefer French wines from the Bordeaux region, and I discovered that the new Chinese prosperity has driven the price of many of the best wines through the roof.

Wine afficianados are already salivating over the 2009 Bordeaux vintage, although the wines are still in barrels, busily converting grapes to gold. Critics postulate that this could turn out to be one of the greatest years for French wine, thanks to a wet spring and a warm, dry, sunny summer. According to the Wine Spectator, the wines are "so fantastic they [vintners] are enjoying them straight from the vat."