Two anticipated releases from Latour were announced this morning.
Latour 2012
Latour 2012 was released at €350 per bottle ex-negociant, down 22.2% on the 2011 ex-negociant re-release price of €450.
The wine is being offered in the UK between £4,100-£4,200 per 12×75, representing 24% discount on last year’s Latour 2011 library release. This price tag puts it amongst the most affordable Latour vintages available on the market – alongside the 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
It is reported that 6,000 cases have been released.
According to Neal Martin (Vinous, 96), Latour 2012 “has always been a candidate for wine of the vintage”. For Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (WA, 96+), “This is a more restrained, relatively elegant vintage of Latour that may not have that “iron fist in a velvet glove” power of the greatest vintages but nonetheless struts its superior terroir and behind-the-scenes savoir faire with impressive panache”.
According to Liv-ex’s ‘Fair Value’ methodology, which measures the relationship between critic scores and Market Price, at £4,100-£4,200 per case the 2012 represents an interesting opportunity for buyers – falling below the regression line.
Back in March, when the wine was initially planned for release, we noted that the 2012 could be released with a price tag closer to £5,000 and still represent fair value.
Les Forts de Latour 2014
The Second Wine of Latour, Les Forts de Latour 2014, was also released today at €140 ex-négociant, down 3.4% on the 2013 release. The wine is being offered in the UK between £1,650-£1,680 per 12×75, up 2% on the 2013 opening price, which has since fallen in value.
The 2014 Les Forts de Latour was awarded 93 points by both Neal Martin (Vinous) and Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (WA). Martin, who tasted it blind at the annual Southwold tasting, said that “the 2014 Les Forts de Latour has a smudged, quite opulent bouquet with lavish red fruit, leather and undergrowth scents, more forward than I would expect from a wine this youthful”. For Perrotti-Brown, its “earthy/savory palate has loads of lively black fruit with a refreshing line and firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering ferrous note”.
At this price point, the 2014 represents ‘Fair Value’. The more affordable 2011 and 2013 also look attractive, as the charts above shows.
Alternatively, buyers might wish to consider the 2009, available at a 5% premium but benefiting from ten years in bottle and 95 points from Robert Parker.
EP 2019 continued
Next week, the UGCB will officially present the vintage to Bordeaux wine merchants, with the full launch of the campaign expected the following week. As usual, we will be reporting on the campaign as it unfolds.
Visit our Bordeaux 2019 page to find out more, and take a look at our extended report, Bordeaux 2019: the value of time, which analyses the challenges and opportunities for the region in light of the En Primeur postponement and the broader market headwinds.
