American merchants and consumers are deserting blue-chip Bordeaux 2005 because of high prices and a perceived 'greed factor' and turning to lesser growths, reports Howard G. Goldberg of Decanter.com.

Todd Hess, Wine Director at Sam's in Chicago, one of America's biggest retailers, said many regular customers of First Growths were shocked at the opening prices, refused to buy them and expected to sit out the vintage. With customers moving to lesser growths, the emporium sold out its allocations of Pontet-Canet at US$869 a case and Malescot St. Exupéry at US$716, Hess said. "The First Growths and wannabe First Growths from the Right Bank - those in the US$7,500 to US$8,500 bracket - are crashing," said Len Rothenberg, owner of Federal Wine & Spirits, in Boston 's financial district.

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