The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Index – the industry benchmark – closed April at 308.55, down 0.16% on the previous month. The index has failed to rise in any month so far this year. The top movers in April were mixed. Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 2015 took the top spot with a monthly increase of 18.8%, from £425 to £505 per 12×75. Lynch Bages 2009 followed – the wine’s Mid Price rose 6.1% in April. Sassicaia 2015 (ML 97) also moved up 4.6% in value. The biggest faller in April was Opus One 2014, which dipped 8.2%. It was not the only Californian label to have fallen in value last month – Screami ..read more

People have long had a fascination with the unknown, a kind of curiosity that drives them to speculate on what might lie ahead. In the wine world, a look into the future is not only possible; in Bordeaux, the future arrives early. En Primeur, or ‘wine futures’, is a longstanding tradition. Originating in France, the system has been in place for over 60 years, intertwining wine romanticism and market rationale. After the Second World War, France’s wine business was badly shaken; its producers underfinanced and recovering from several years of conflicts. In Bordeaux, the most influential wine ..read more

Bordeaux grower and winemaker, Gavin Quinney has just released his Bordeaux 2018 report, following a number of vintage updates published prior to the start of the campaign. In Quinney’s July harvest report, he refered to the vintage as “a game of two halves” – a phrase that has since been adopted by merchants and critics alike. According to Quinney, “2018 is an excellent vintage for red Bordeaux, with powerful, rich and opulent wines across most appellations”. However, he notes that “it was far from plain sailing […] and there’s a fine line in 2018 between getting the balance just right in suc ..read more

Batailley 2018 has been released at £408 per 12×75, up 3.8% on the 2017 release of £393 per case. Lisa Perotti-Brown MW (Wine Advocate) awarded the wine a barrel range of 92-94 points. In her tasting note she said it was “full-bodied with a good core of juicy fruit” adding that “it has approachable, ripe tannins and a lively lift to the finish”. James Suckling also enjoyed the wine. He scored it 94-95 points and said it was “very structured and dense with lots of fruit and tannin”. Other commentators include Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor) who awarded it 93-95 points and said it was a “hugely ..read more

Haut Bages Liberal 2018 has been released at €29.70 per bottle ex-negociant, up 7.6% on the 2017 release (€27.6). It is being offered by the international trade at £366 per 12×75, up 8.9% on the 2017 release of £336 per case. Critical reception for this year’s Haut Bages Liberal has been mixed. James Suckling, the only critic in our ‘Benchmark Critic’ series to score the wine, awarded it 96-97 points. In his tasting note he said it was “a fantastic wine with lovely depth of ripe fruit and transparency and beauty”. Julia Harding MW (JancisRobinson.com), on the other hand, said the wine had “th ..read more

Sociando Mallet 2018 was released this morning at €24 per bottle ex-negociant, up 11.1% on the 2017’s opening price of €21.6. The wine has come with a recommended retail price of £300 per 12×75. This represents a 12.4% increase on last year’s merchant offer price of £267 per 12×75, and 5% decrease on the 2016’s merchant release (£315). Critical reception of today’s release has been somewhat mixed. James Suckling scored the wine 94-95 points and called it “really fantastic”. Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW gave it the lower 85-87 range and described it as “full-bodied, firm, hard and chewy with a herba ..read more

Suduiraut 2018 has been released at €40 per bottle ex-negociant, down 12.2% on the 2017’s opening price of €45.60. It is being offered by the international trade for £480 per 12×75, down 15% on the 2017’s release (£565). James Suckling is the only critic used in our ‘Benchmark Critic’ series to have scored the wine so far. He awarded the wine 97-98 points and described it as being a “big wine for the vintage” with “lots of concentration” and “plenty of botrytis”. James Molesworth (Wine Spectator), on the other hand, scored the 2018 a lower 91-94 points, adding that its “ample marzipan detail ..read more

Branaire Ducru 2018 has been released at €38.40 per bottle ex-negociant, up 14.3% on the 2017’s opening price of €33.6. It is being offered by the international trade for £462 per 12×75, up 12.4% on the 2017 release of £411 per case. The wine was rated Liv-ex members’ top value wine of 2018 in our annual En Primeur survey. Critical reception for this year’s Branaire Ducru has also been positive. Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (Wine Advocate) scored the wine a barrel range of 92-94 points and described it as “firm and rugged in the mouth with brawny, muscular fruit and a sturdy frame of grainy tannins ..read more

Langoa Barton 2018 has been released at €36.00 per bottle ex-negociant, up 16% on the 2017’s opening price of €31.00. The wine is being offered by the international trade at £438 per 12×75, up 12.3% in sterling terms on the 2017 release (£390 per case). Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (The Wine Advocate) scored today’s release a barrel range of 92-94 points and described it as “full-bodied, rich and sporting a lot of vibrant, juicy fruit in the mouth”.  She noted, however, that “2018 Langoa Barton is slightly shy at this nascent stage”. James Suckling has also reviewed the wine, awarding 93-94 points ..read more

勃艮第交易份额创近期新高 Liv-ex 2018 年份期酒调查结果 波尔多2018年份酒评家评分 本周波尔多2018年份发布 参加入我们的Wine Matcher网络研讨会 本周交易价值和数量均保持稳定。 虽然跟踪一级酒庄的Liv-ex 50指数上周收盘持平；但波尔多的交易价值份额却由52.6％升至58.4％。 勃艮第本周创近期新高，该酒区的交易价值份额升至29.7％；这与1月份时勃艮第2017 年份期酒活动期间的份额水平相近。 虽然上周香槟（2.9％）和美国（1.7％）酒区的份额也略有上升，但意大利、罗纳和“其它”酒区的份额却有下跌。 本周最活跃的葡萄酒全来自勃艮第和波尔多。罗曼康帝2009年套装DRC Assortment的交易总值最高，最后成交价为40,280英镑（每箱12×75） 。 玛歌Margaux 2005年（RP 98+）排名第二，最后成交价为5,945英镑（每箱12×75），比发行价涨了32％；但仍低于2008年时的高峰成交价（8,900英镑）33％。 碧尚女爵Pichon Lalande 2016年也十分活跃，成交价为1,435英镑（每箱12×75），比2017年时的开盘价（1,420英镑）微涨1％。 此酒取得Neal Martin 97分，被称为“该酒庄的基准”。 波尔多2018年份 拉菲 – 最佳的年份葡萄酒 Liv-ex 2018 ..read more