As most had predicted, the end of this year’s Vinexpo Hong Kong has seen a burst of renewed En Primeur activity. Most new releases have been relatively unsurprising in pricing terms, but a couple stand out from the crowd.
First up, Pichon Lalande, released at €90 per bottle and down 25% on the 2016 price. The wine has received high praise from many critics, with Neal Martin bestowing 93-95 points and Lisa Perrotti-Brown giving it 94-96+. Liv-ex’s global members anticipated the release coming in at €102 per bottle, so this is one buyers will undoubtedly be excited about.
Calon Segur has been released at €60 per bottle. At just a 3.8% decrease on last year’s price, this offering represents one of the more modest price drops seen so far this campaign. However, Liv-ex’s fair value analysis suggests the 2017 offers better value to collectors than any other recent vintage. Neal Martin awarded in 92-94 points, calling it a “classy and sophisticated Calon Segur in the making”.
Chateau Rauzan-Segla 2017 also comes with a healthy discount to the price implied by Lix-ex’s fair value methodology. Released at €52.80 per bottle and down 12% on last year’s price, the latest offering has been called a “classy, understated Margaux that hits all the right notes” by Antonio Galloni, who awarded it 90-93 points.
Finally, Giscours 2017 has been released at €41.40 per bottle, down 7% on 2016’s release price. The wine has found favour with critics (94-96 points from Roger Voss at Wine Enthusiast) and while it doesn’t necessarily represent the best value buy from the chateau (the 2014 is higher scored and is available at a 23% discount to the 2017), a significant volume reduction of 55% may make it attractive to collectors. As Liv-ex notes, Giscours is considered a rising star by many, so this year’s release on drastically reduced volume may find willing buyers.
