What’s happening in the market?
Trade since last Friday has been dominated by Burgundy, which took 42.0% market share. Wines from Emmanuel Rouget were in focus, in particularly the 2008, 2007 and 2003 vintages for Rouget’s Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, Cros Parantoux.
Other wines from the region changing hands included Domaine Armand Rousseau, Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand Cru 1999 and Domaine du Comte Liger Belair, La Romanee Grand Cru 2009.
Burgundy’s rise came at the expense of Champagne, whose trade share dropped to 5.7% compared to 14.6% the previous weekend. Tuscany also sacrificed trade share, taking 5.8% since Friday, down from 7.8% last weekend.
Salon, Le Mesnil Grand Cru 2013 and Poggio di Sotto, Brunello di Montalcino 2019 were the top trade wines by value from their respective regions.
Today’s deep dive: Bollinger La Grande Année 2015 released
Today marks the international release of Bollinger La Grande Année 2015, which is being offered at £1,098 per 12×75, a 4.6% increase on the 2014’s release price (£1,050 per case).
At this price, the new release comes above several other vintages available on the market.
Bollinger was the fifth most traded Champagne brand by value in 2023; its 2008 Bollinger R.D. was the most-traded wine by value and La Grande Année 2014 topped the table by volume.
Critics’ scores
Antonio Galloni (Vinous) awarded the wine 96 points saying that it ‘is an intriguing wine in that it clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side.’ He notes that ‘stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it.
Esssi Avellan MW said of the wine that ‘the nose oozes lush red berry fruit, golden raisins and tropical fruit exuberance’ and scored the wine 94-96 points when she tasted it in March 2024.
Fair Value analysis
Today’s release is coming to the market above the 2014, 2012 and 2007 vintages.
At this price, buyers looking for value may want to consider the 2014 vintage, the highest-scoring of the last ten with 98 points from Antonio Galloni, who called it ‘bright, focused and full of the energy this late-ripening vintage conferred to the best wines’. The 2014 currently has a Market Price of £867 per 12×75, a 21.0% discount on today’s release.
There are currently 161 LIVE opportunities for Bollinger, La Grande Annee on Liv-ex. Log in to the exchange to view them and trade.
In case you missed it
Here’s what we’ve been reading:
- Liv-ex – Is now the right time to buy Champagne? A Technical Analysis
- The Economist – Europe’s economy is under attack from all sides
- Decanter – Thieves hit Chablis winery, stealing more than 1,000 bottles
