Lafite worst performer of 2012 so far

Of all the first growths Lafite has proven to be the worst performer in the first half of 2012.

Château Lafite

Liv-ex’s analysis based on the last 10 vintages of each estate showed that Lafite has fallen 12% since the start of the year and not even a relatively successful 2011 release has steadied the decline.

The best performer remains Latour, which accounted for 53% of all 2010 Bordeaux sales on the index this May.

Further buoyed by sales of 2009, it was the only first growth to have registered an increase on the year to date.

The decline in the first growths is part of a wider slump in the market at the moment, part of which will be the beginnings of the quieter summer period.

The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 has been slipping since May, when it went down by 4% to 278.28.

Again, it was a softening of the Bordeaux market that hit the index hardest, with 2006 Lafite falling 14%.

The index was in fact kept up by better performances from Champagne, Burgundy and Pétrus flying the flag for the Right Bank.

Particular favourites were Krug 1996 up 7%, Pétrus 2001 up 5%, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche up 4% and Cristal 1999 also up 4%.

Further evidence of a broadening market perhaps?

first growth performance in the first six months of 2012.
Source: Liv-ex