Jancis Robinson MW has released her Bordeaux 2018 scores from the annual Southwold tasting, stating that ‘the range of scores was one of the widest ever for one of these tastings’.
She said that the whites were less successful than reds with some exceptions, and rated the 2018 sweet whites below the 2019s. As for the reds, she found ‘some truly thrilling wines here, wines that will be worth waiting for’.
Robinson noted that the 2018s were released at higher prices than the ‘Covid-discounted 2019s’. As a result, some of her top-scoring wines are still available at or below their release price.
One example is Robinson’s highest-rated wine from Saint-Julien. The ‘glorious’ Château Léoville Poyferré 2018, which received 19-points, has a Market Price of £810 per 12×75, 0.7% below its release. The wine traded earlier this month at £860 per 12×75, with current LIVE bids at £410 per six pack.
Another 19-point wine from Saint-Émilion, Château Pavie 2018, last traded at £2,590 per 12×75, 8.3% below its Market Price. Robinson described it as ‘intense, bloody and complex.’ Current LIVE offers for the wine start at £1,341 per six pack.
Robinson selected Cheval Blanc 2018 as one of her favourite wines of the vintage, calling it ‘quite a monument of a wine’. It has subsequently enjoyed fresh demand, though still trading well-below release at £5,268 per 12×75.
Year-to-date, the 2018 vintage leads Bordeaux trade by both value and volume.
There are currently 300+ LIVE Bordeaux 2018 opportunities – many of which for Robinson’s favourite wines.
*all offers correct at time of writing
Liv-ex analysis is drawn from the world’s most comprehensive database of fine wine prices. The data reflects the real time activity of Liv-ex’s 560+ merchant members from across the globe. Together they represent the largest pool of liquidity in the world – currently £100m of bids and offers across 16,000 wines. Independent data, direct from the market.
