04 Mouton on the rise

Liv-ex has reported that Mouton Rothschild’s 2004 vintage has risen 37% in value in the last six months.

Despite touching a high of nearly £4,000 a case in 2011, the Bordeaux slump of last year saw it slip back down to £2,300. Now it stands closer to £3,150.

As Liv-ex noted on its blog, “Mouton 2004 – a first growth with several years in bottle, good critic scores, and available for under £200 per bottle – presented a key opportunity for value.”

It is not the only older Mouton to have caught buyers’ attention of late. In November last year, the 1996 saw a period of strong trade, for very similar reasons to the 2004.

It also echoes Liv-ex’s recent announcement that Lafite’s stock was on the rise again, boosted by interest in the “off” vintages of 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008.

Certainly after difficult conditions for Bordeaux last year and a broadening of the market to include Italy, California and Burgundy in particular, it would appear that there is a growing confidence and interest in Bordeaux again.

A positive en primeur campaign this year could boost that yet further.