- Two weeks into the Bordeaux En Primeur campaign about a third of the most popular estates have released their 2022 vintage.
- The releases so far have commanded 5% to 25% price premium on last year.
- Some of the most successful releases included Beychevelle and Cheval Blanc.
The Bordeaux 2022 En Primeur campaign is now in full swing. The past two weeks have seen about twenty of the most important Bordeaux estates release their latest vintage, including Château Beychevelle, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Suduiraut and Château Lafleur.
The majority of the wines have been released at 5% to 25% premium on last year, with price rises often highlighting the relative value and better investment opportunities that back vintages offer.
The best new releases have represented an attractive point of entry into the brand, a combination of adequate pricing and good quality as measured by critic scores. Below we highlight four of them.
Château Beychevelle – ‘fabulous’
Château Beychevelle 2022 was released En Primeur at €67.50 per bottle ex-négociant, representing a 17.2% increase on the 2021. The wine was offered at £836 per 12×75, up 18.4% on the 2021’s opening price (£706 per 12×75).
However, in the context of back vintages, the 2022 became one of the most attractive offerings in the market today. The wine boasts 95-97 points from Neal Martin (Vinous), who said it was ‘one of the most seductive Beychevelles I have tasted from barrel’ and ‘one not to be overlooked’. Antonio Galloni scored it 94-96 points and called it ‘fabulous’.
Beychevelle has been a brand on the move, seeing consistent price growth both in the shorter and longer-term. In the past year, prices are up 6% on average; they have increased 24% over the last three, and 68% in the past decade.
Château Cheval Blanc – ‘wine of the vintage?’
Château Cheval Blanc 2022 has been another of this year’s campaign successes. The wine is Neal Martin’s highest-scoring vintage ever and the latest well-priced release from the château, which seems to have created a sustainable En Primeur strategy.
When we spoke to Cheval Blanc’s technical director, Pierre-Olivier Clouet, he stated:
“The release price depends on many things. The quality of the vintage, the economic context in the world, and the price of new vintages available on the market. At the end, the definition of the price En Primeur is not something so difficult to do. This is something mathematical. En Primeur should be forever the lowest price you can find in your bottle. If you purchase later, it’s going to be more difficult to find and it’s going to be more expensive.”
Cheval Blanc 2022 was released at €470 per bottle ex-négociant, up 20.5% on the 2021, and offered internationally for £5,760 per 12×75, up 21.5% increase on last year.
Numerous critics awarded the wine a potential 100-points, including Neal Martin (98-100), Antonio Galloni (98-100), Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (98-100), Colin Hay (98-100), James Suckling (99-100), and Jean-Marc Quarin (100).
Other older vintages that represented good value for money included the 2021, 2020 and 2016. Prices on average have risen 20% in the last half decade.
Carruades de Lafite – ‘a real showstopper’
Carruades de Lafite, the second wine of Château Lafite Rothschild, is another anticipated release that enjoys high demand year after year. The 2022 was released at €180 per bottle ex-négociant, up 12.5% on the 2021. The wine was offered for £2,256 per 12×75, up 13.9% on the 2021 release, which has since risen in value.
Despite the price increases, the 2022 is the least expensive Carruades on the market today. This has not gone unnoticed and the wine has already traded at a premium of 21.2% on the secondary market.
Martin awarded it 90-92 points, and Kelley gave it 91-93. It also received 92-94 points from Galloni, who called it ‘a real showstopper’.
From an investment perspective, Carruades de Lafite prices have risen 22% over the last five years, and 63% in the last decade.
Château Lafleur – ‘intellectual and delicious’
In recent years, Château Lafleur has been offering considerable value in the high-rolling world of Pomerol. The latest release was no exception.
Lafleur 2022 was released at €610 per bottle ex-négociant, up 8.9% on the 2021. It was offered at £7,440 per 12×75, a 14.3% increase on the 2021 release, which has since experienced a significant price growth.
The 2022 received 97-99 points from Neal Martin, who said it was ‘an intellectual and delicious Lafleur – a lethal combination’. Galloni gave it 95-98 and noted that it was ‘shaping up to be majestic’.
The wine also received 98-100 points from Colin Hay and Jane Anson, and 100-points from Falstaff and Jean-Marc Quarin.
Lafleur prices have risen 38% in the last five years, and 83% in the last ten, making it an attractive investment wine.
You can now explore the historic performance of these wines on Wine Track. Our tool provides a clear overview of a fine wine’s track record, including critic scores, average price and investment returns.
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