- The average First Growth case price is £5,300, while second wines come in at £1,941.
- Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is the most affordable second wine.
- Le Petit Mouton has been the best performer over the last decade.
Following our article last week, which examined the performance and value of the Bordeaux First Growths, we take a look at the data behind their second wines.
What are second wines?
Most Bordeaux châteaux produce more than one wine each vintage, and some might make three or four. Each château’s second wine draws on the expertise and knowledge that goes into the Grand Vin. Generally, second wines are made with fruit from younger vines, or vines and parcels that are not quite up to the quality of the Grand Vin in any given year.
However, they are often produced using grapes from the same vineyards as the flagship wines, receiving the same technical treatment in both vineyard and winery. Considerably less expensive than their siblings, second wines represent a particularly attractive and accessible option for investors.
Second wines – at what price?
White the average First Growth case price is £5,300, second wines come in at less than half the price (£1,941).
Interestingly, prices of the first and the second wine are not always rising in unison. For instance, Château Latour is the second most expensive Grand Vin after Château Lafite Rothschild. Les Forts de Latour, however, sits directly in the middle, with Le Petit Mouton and Carruades de Lafite being pricier.
When it comes to value for money, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion has the lowest price per point of £16, similar to its Grand Vin. As examined last week, Château Haut-Brion is the most affordable of the First Growths, while also boasting the highest average Wine Track score. Yet while Le Clarence is also the most affordable of the second wines, its Wine Track score is lower.
But looking purely at scores is not the best indicator of value when it comes to the second wines. Second wines differ from the Grand Vins, as the dominant relationship is between price and age, not price and quality. As time passes, their value rises, following the traditional wine investment dynamic.
Moreover, this group of wines is often bought by collectors and investors as they present access to a brand. Though suitable for aging, these wines are built for earlier consumption, offering an alternative to opening bottles of the Grand Vin as soon as they are delivered.
Performance of the second wines
In the last decade, Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild has been the best-performing second wine, up 111.9%.
The most affordable, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, has delivered the second-best returns of 76.2%. It has been followed by Carruades de Lafite (64.7%) and Pavillon Rouge (63.1%).
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