Bordeaux 2005: Biggest movers

Expectation surrounding the 2005s is building and pushing up prices for top estates – Liv-ex has the biggest movers so far.

Since Robert Parker rated the 2005 Mouton 99+/100 last December and following his admission that he under-scored the vintage in 2008, prices for the undoubtedly great vintage have been creeping upwards.

Back in January we covered the top risers among the 2005s over the previous six months.

Back then second wines such as Pavillon Rouge and Bahans de Haut-Brion and classed growths such as Beychevelle were on the list.

Now though, with the scores imminent, Liv-ex has noted they have largely been superseded by estates and wines with heftier price tags as buyers jockey for ownership of wines that – just maybe – can expect a significant upgrade.

Palmer is the most recent wine of the vintage to be feeling the “ripple effect” that Mouton score helped create, up 25% in price from November 2014 to May 2015.

This list charts the mid-price movement of cases from November last year to May of this year. Prices are “mid-price” ie the middle price between the highest live bid and lowest live offer on the Liv-ex market place.

10. Calon Ségur

Barrel score: 94.5
Bottle score: 92

A new addition to the list, the Saint Estèphe estate has risen 16.2% between Nov-May from £542 to £630 a case.

9. Léoville Poyferré

Barrel score: 93
Bottle score: 93

Another wine not on the list back in January. The Saint Julien property is up 19.9% from £620 to £744.

8. La Mission Haut-Brion

Barrel score: 96
Bottle score: 98

Yet another new addition, La Mission is now driving towards a case price of £3,500 (current mid-price £3,420) following a 20.4% jump from £2,840 in the months since last November.

Liv-ex has more on La Mission’s rise on its blog here.

7. Angélus

Barrel score: 97
Bottle score: 98

Once again, another new entrant on then list. Angélus has gone up 20.6% from a November mid-price of £2,280 to £2,750 per case.

6. Cos d’Estournel

Barrel score: 96
Bottle score: 98

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record – but also showing how much interest this strangely overlooked vintage is now attracting – another new wine for the list.

Cos is up 21% so far from £1,167 in November to a mid price of £1,412 in May.

5. Mouton Rothschild

Barrel score: 95
Bottle score: 99+

Finally a wine that was on the list back in January although then it was in first place.

Between July and December last year its mid-price jumped 24.7% from £3,350 to £4,180 p/cs.

It has still managed a strong rate of appreciation managing 23.7% between November and May when its mid-price was £4,400.

4. Grand Puy Lacoste

Barrel score: 93
Bottle score: 95

A new entrant that has shot up since the end of last year – 23.8% juts pipping Mouton. Its mid-price rose from £612 to £758 in the period.

3. Vieux Château Certan

Barrel score: 93
Bottle score: 95

A wine that was in sixth place on the January list now up to third. From July to December last year its mid-price rose 10.1% but from November to May it has leaped 25% to a mid-price of £1,475 p/cs.

2. Palmer

Barrel score: 95
Bottle score: 97

The biggest new riser, Palmer’s mid-price has gone up 25% to £2,125.

1. Lafleur

Barrel score: 96
Bottle score: 95

A new number 1! The Pomerol estate was fifth on the list in January having managed a rise of 10.9%.

Between November and May however its mid-price has shot up 33.9% and it now has an average mid-price of £9,300 a case.

The question now is: who are going to be the real winners once the scores do come out?