London's Burgundy overkill in January

For years now the London Wine Trade Diary sees one of its busiest weeks in the second week of January, just when the rest of the sensible world climbs aboard the wagon in an effort to detox after the holidays. The reason? A desire on the part of UK merchants to make as much money as possible from an en primeur offer of 16-month-old burgundy.

It's not necessarily that 16 months is an ideal age at which to show young burgundy to your customers. Indeed, Anthony Hanson MW of Haynes Hanson & Clark, author of one of the most comprehensive...