Bordeaux 2015: trickle of releases continues

The Bordeaux en primeur campaign continues at a crawl with recent releases doing little to stir much excitement.

Lafon Rochet

Things slowed down a little this week thanks to the Pentecost bank holiday in France but there have been a few releases so far this week that appear to have got either trade or buyers interested.

There have been some positive comments on some releases where prices are below £300 a case. Prieuré-Lichine was praised for “getting it” with a release at €27.5 per bottle or £295 a case – well below the 2005, 2009 and 2010 vintages.

Farr Vintners has also championed Quinault l’Enclos, Fonbel (£130 a case from the Ausone stable), Moulin Saint Georges and Clos de l’Oratoire at prices it considers “correct”.

Of perhaps somewhat more well-known names, Lafon Rochet’s opening price of €28.10 a bottle, ex-négociant (or around £300 a case) might not be too unreasonable if the marginally better-scored 2014 wasn’t available for 36% less at £220. The 2010, likewise, with a similar score is 10% cheaper at £270 a dozen.

Also “harder to recommend” – said Farr – is Monbousquet. Not only did the merchant not rate it as well as Quinault or Moulin but at £360 a case it’s 50% more expensive. It came out at €33.6 p/b ex-négoce, 22% above its 2014.

Yesterday (17 May), Sociando Mallet emerged at a level that was generally panned. At €22.2 p/b it is 23.3% more expensive than the 2014 release and at £240 a case is 37% more expensive than the current price of £175 the ’14 is currently being offered at.

What’s worse, is that with an 85-87-point spread from Neal Martin it actually has a worse rating than Martin gave the 2014. In fact the 2015 is more expensive and worse scored than the 2012, 2011, 2008 and 2006 wines, while being the same price or only marginally cheaper than the 2009 and 2010 vintages.