Bordeaux 2017: Anyone for seconds?

The en primeur week has begun at a gallop once again with the release of the highly-rated second growths Léoville Barton and Montrose.

The Saint Julien second growth was the first out this morning (11 June) at €52.8 per bottle ex-négociant, a reduction of 17% on its 2016 price and is being offered in London for £654 a dozen in bond.

The 2017 Léoville Barton received solid scores across the board, with a 93-95 point spread from Neal Martin, who said it was “nudging the 2016 in terms of quality”, while his fellow critic at Vinous, Antonio Galloni, called it one of the Left Bank’s “few truly exceptional wines”.

It helps that its current release makes it cheaper than the 2016 and at a slight discount to the 2015 but the similarly scored 2014 at under £600 a case makes it look “overstretched” suggested Liv-ex.

The reaction so far appears broadly positive although whether it proves quite as popular as Pichon Comtesse, Calon Ségur and others is open to debate perhaps.

Hot on Léoville Barton’s heels came fellow second growth from up in Saint Estèphe, Montrose.

Another property on a bit of a hot streak, Montrose is being offered at €96 p/b ex-négoce, which is a 5.9% decrease on last year.

Martin scored it 94-96, while Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW said it was one of the “greatest Montrose’s I have tasted” and gave it 96-99.

The wine lies just above Liv-ex’s ‘fair value’ line for Montrose although its members almost managed to predict the price, having actually thought it would be around €99 p/b.

The superb 2014 is currently available at £1,000 a case, which might prove tempting for those able to get hold of some but Montrose has a strong following and an excellent track record so demand will be there.

Yet another Saint Julien second growth, Léoville Poyferré, decided not to be left out today either and released a little later at €54 p/b ex-négociant, down 18% on 2016.

Meanwhile, Liv-ex recently announced it understood that all of the first growths were due for release this week.