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Talking Trade – First Growths in focus

By November 30, 2018Fine Wine Market, Talking trade
  • First Growth focus
  • Mouton Rothschild 2005 leads trade by value
  • DRC in a broadening Burgundy
  • Wine Advocate Bordeaux 2016 in-bottle report coming

Trade dipped by both value and volume on last week. Still, this week was particularly strong for the First Growths, which reached a recent high of 30.5% by value.

Bordeaux’s share of trade was pushed to a healthier 60.2%, up from a recent low (43.7%). However, this is still lower than last year’s average (68.1%).

Champagne and the Rhone also edged up, accounting for 9% and 2.3% of trade respectively. While Italy fell on last week, its weekly share remains strong for the year at 13.6%.

First Growths dominated the most active wines by value this week. Mouton Rothschild 2005, which features a label designed by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penope, was in the top spot. Its price has risen and fallen considerably since release, at the chart below shows.

Haut Brion 2010, a Neal Martin and Robert Parker 100-point wine, was also among the most active. The “ethereal” wine (RP) last traded at £6,360 per 12×75. This represents a 16.3% discount on its release price (£7,596) in sterling terms. Not all Bordeaux 2010 wines have done as well.

Last week’s star, Sassicaia 2015, was the only non-Bordeaux wine in the top five. The Italian legend continued to trade heavily by both value and volume throughout the week. It was recently named Wine Spectator’s wine of the year.

DRC in a broadening Burgundy

On Wednesday, we noted that Burgundy is set to see record levels of trade this year. However, it has risen without a significant boost from DRC, which has historically accounted for the majority of the region’s trade. You can find out more here.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Bordeaux 2016 in-bottle report

Later today, The Wine Advocate will be publishing an in-bottle report on Bordeaux 2016. This is the first time Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW has officially scored the vintage for the publication. Neal Martin had previously tasted the wines En Primeur. We will follow up with a blog post and update you on the market reaction as soon as the report is released.


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