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Bordeaux 2021: En primeur releases gather speed

13 June 2022 By Arabella Mileham

The Bordeaux 2021 floodgates have been well and truly opened after last week’s flurry of activity, with Mouton Rothschild, Larcis Ducasse headlining this morning’s releases.

Château Mouton Rothschild (Bordeaux, France)

First out of the gate this morning was Saint-Émilion’s Larcis Ducasse, which released the 2021 at €55.20 per bottle ex-négociant, unchanged from 2020’s opening price. Based along the Côte de Pavie the imposing southern exposure was “blessed by just a little more sun and it shows”, said Colin Hay, who described it as “one of the few genuine vins de garde of the vintage”, that was likely to improve “one is only really sensing the structure at this very early stage”, he noted, awarding it 93-95 points. William Kelley noted that the winemaking team had been highly selective, choosing grapes almost entirely from the slopes, rather than the plateau, while Antonio Galloni (Vinous) noted that the 2021 was “more power than finesse”, awarding it 91-93 points.

Mouton Rothschild 2021, from Pauillac, in has been released at €420 per bottle ex-négociant, down 2.8% on the 2020’s opening price (€432) this morning. The 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc blend gave a wine that is “not what you’re expecting”, according to Colin Hay, who described it as “super-svelte but massively bright on the attack”. William Kelley of The Wine Advocate awarded it 95-96, calling it “a terrific wine in the making”. The wine is being offered on the international trade for £5,100 per case of 12, however Liv-ex notes that with a 16% premium compared to other vintages, the 2012, 2014 and 2017 vintages look like they offer better value.

The estate’s second label, Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild 2021 has also been released at €168 per bottle ex-négociant, unchanged from 2020’s opening price.

This morning also saw the release of Graves estate Smith Haut Lafitte 2021 at €91.20 per bottle ex-négociant, down 5% on the 2020’s opening price (€96). It is being offered by the international trade for £1,090 per case of 12, however, the critics scores slightly varied, with Neal Martin of Vinous, giving it 92-94 points, Colin Hay 93-95, describing it as a “truly great wine” albeit one that “tapers just a little earlier than you’d hope”. Antonio Galloni awarded it 95-96 points, commenting on it being “rich and explosive in the glass”, with intensity that was partly due to low yields, rendering just 20-22 hectolitres per hectare, while Jane Anson also gave it 95 points. However, Liv-ex still noted that recent vintages such as the 2019 and 2018 offer better value.

Meanwhile the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2021 has been released at €105.60 per bottle ex-négociant, up 10% on the 2020’s opening price (€96).

The releases follow Friday morning’s opening prices for Pichon-Longueville Baron 2021 (€110.40 per bottle ex-négociant), Lafon Rochet (€25.50 per bottle ex-négociant) down 1.9% on 2020’s opening price of €26, Giscours (€40.80 per bottle ex-négociant) and Lascombes (€49.20 per bottle ex-négociant), both of which were unchanged from 2020’s opening price.

Meanwhile eight estates released on Thursday 9 June, including Brane-Cantenac, Léoville Poyferré, Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Chasse-Spleen, Beychevelle, Phélan-Ségur and Issan.

For more on last week’s releases, see here.

See here for db’s en primeur vintage report , with appellation-by-appellation reviews on Margaux, St Julien, Pessac-Leognan & Graves red and blanc, St Estephe & Haut-Medoc, Pauillac, Pomerol, St Emilion and Sauternes.