Mouton Rothschild became the second first growth to release its 2022 vintage en primeur this morning (20 June), emerging at €516 per bottle ex-négociant in Bordeaux, up nearly 23% on the 2021 vintage release last year, said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade.
Mouton Rothschild 2022 was offered at £6,216 per case (12x75cl in bond) in the UK.
Liv-ex data showed this was broadly level with the current price of the 2018 vintage, and slightly below the lauded 2016 vintage.
Decanter’s Georgie Hindle rated Mouton 2022 at 98 points. ‘One of my favourite 2022s,’ she wrote after tasting the wine en primeur. It has the concentration of the hot vintage, she said, but added, ‘this just screams elegance and finesse, and above all drinkability’.
While Mouton Rothschild’s year-on-year release price increase was more modest than some other major properties, it again underlined how Bordeaux’s 2022 vintage is being pitched en primeur as among recent greats on the market.
Analyst group Wine Lister said Mouton 2009 and 2010 were also available at a similar price to the 2022 vintage.
‘With the 2020 and 2019 offering discounts on the current release (c.14% and c.10% respectively), some buyers may consider looking for price-quality ratio in those offers,’ it said. ‘Nonetheless, with volumes down 30% and Mouton’s mythical brand, this [release] will presumably sell out regardless.’
Thomas Parker MW, buyer at Farr Vintners, said the merchant was still working out allocations for Mouton but that it was likely to sell out to pre-orders, given the reduction in volume released.
He said of the campaign in general, ‘I think [it’s] fair to say that the wines in demand have reduced release volumes, and anybody looking to buy these wines has had to pre-order to have a chance of securing an allocation at opening prices.’
Each estate has its own market context, but some châteaux have gone bigger than others on price.
Château Léoville Las Cases 2022 was released yesterday (19 June) at €230 per bottle ex-négociant, up 36% on the 2021-vintage release price, according to Liv-ex.
Farr Vintners said a ‘tiny’ first tranche was offered to buyers who bought Las Cases 2021 last year, with a second tranche then released more widely and available for £3,100 (12x75cl in bond).
‘This makes it the most expensive vintage of Las Cases in the market today after 2000, but this wine has amazing reviews,’ the merchant said.
St-Julien-based Las Cases is already considered a ‘super second’ growth, and Decanter’s Hindle said Las Cases 2022 is a potential 100-point wine. She gave it 98 points at en primeur, pending a possible upgrade once bottled. ‘One of the wines of the vintage with striking power but delivered so perfectly with everything in balance,’ she said.
In St-Emilion, Château Pavie 2022 (96 points, Decanter) was also released en primeur this week, at €300 per bottle ex-négociant, up 28.5% on the 2021 vintage opening price, said Liv-ex. It was offered in the UK at £3,756 (12x75cl in bond).
‘The 2022 comes onto the market above all vintages back to 2005,’ said Wine Lister.
