Releases continue but buyers flagging

Yesterday saw a rash of releases including Léoville-Barton, Grand Puy Lacoste, Lynch-Bages and Pichon-Longueville (Baron). Although trading was generally positive, there were signs that limits were being reached.

Smith Haut Lafitte caused the biggest stir of the day, releasing at €77 a bottle, a 48% increase on 2009 prices.

At €57 Grand Puy Lacoste was 20% up on ’09, Barton up 15% at €72, while Climens and Canon La Gaffelière stayed resolutely the same, registering no change on ’09 at all.

Liv-ex reported that due to their good scores and wider popularity, it was Barton and Grand Puy Lacoste that saw the most trading yesterday. Barton was trading at £790 a case but it was noted that “asking prices appeared to push the very limits of what the market was prepared to pay,” according to the Liv-ex blog.

Lynch-Bages was out at £648 for a six-pack, Pichon-Longueville (Baron) at £750 also for six and Montrose for €132 ex-négociant – representing respective rises of 39%, 47% and 22%.

By the evening, Lynch-Bages and Montrose were trading at about the same level as their 2009s – £1,250 and £1,500 a case.

Clos du Marquis at £420, Brane-Cantenac at £630 and Alter Ego de Palmer for £498 followed soon after.

Rupert Millar, 16.06.2011