Angelus begins right bank releases

Angelus has kicked-off the Right Bank releases this morning by announcing its 2014 price with a 9% premium on 2013.

Angelus has released its 2014 at a small premium to last year’s vintage, but buyers may be better off looking back to the 2006 or 2004

With a UK price of £1,700 per case (12 bottles), the 2014 is more expensive than the current market price for last year’s release, but cheaper than almost every physical vintage from the Right Bank producer, which was upgraded to Premier Grand Cru Classé ‘A’ status in 2012.

During a tasting of the wine at the château in early April, Hubert de Boüard, owner of the St-Emilion property, told the drinks business that he had registered an impressive amount of interest for his 2014, but wouldn’t be using such excitement as a reason to put up prices, admitting that Bordeaux needed to send a message of “friendship” to its customers.

As the Liv-ex figures below demonstrate, the 2014 release is marginally more expensive than the 2013, but cheaper than the majority of back vintages, although Liv-ex suggests that buyers might be better off opting for older wines.

Writing on its blog earlier today, the fine wine market analyst noted, “With similar scores, several years in bottle and current market prices of only 8-14% above the 2014 release, the 2004 and 2006 look to offer better value today for buyers.”

It also pointed out that the 2012, which was released in black bottles embossed with gold to celebrate the property’s elevation to grand cru classé A status in that same year, is currently being offered at the highest price of all recent vintages.

The current market prices for the previous ten vintages of Angelus are below:

Prices in GBP per 12×75.
Source: Liv-ex