Château Latour 2009 has been acclaimed as one of the best wines in a top Bordeaux vintage, and the first growth estate released fresh stocks from its cellars on Tuesday (17 September).
Around 12,000 bottles of Latour 2009 were part of the latest release and were priced at €910 per bottle ex-(Bordeaux) négociant, said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade.
It said this was nearly 6% higher than the parcel of Latour 2009 released in 2020, and around 18% above the wine’s original en primeur release price of €770 per bottle ex-négociant in 2010.
New ‘ex-château’ cases are sometimes released at a higher price to current stocks on the market, to reflect a premium for pristine provenance.
Matthew O’Connell, CEO of the LiveTrade online trading platform at international merchant Bordeaux Index, commented on the latest Latour 2009 release stating that its price is set at £5,400 per six-bottle case [in bond], which is higher than the market price of £4,750 for the same quantity. This represents a nearly 15% premium for the new, ex-château release.
Offer prices differed among merchants. Farr Vintners priced the new ex-château Latour 2009 at £2,625 for three-bottle cases in bond, while Lay & Wheeler offered single bottles at £925 in bond, or £5,550 per six-bottle case in bond.
Liv-ex listed the market price for pre-existing Latour 2009 stocks at £9,480 per 12-bottle case in bond. It questioned whether the new release price provides value to the consumers, and pointed out that another top-scoring Latour vintage – 2005 – is currently priced at £7,150 (12x75cl in bond).
Consultancy group Wine Lister mentioned that it anticipates the new Latour 2009 stock will sell well, due to high ratings, limited release volumes, and pristine storage conditions.
The wine, rated 99 points by Decanter, is still in its early stages and is anticipated to remain vibrant for many more decades.
During the Bordeaux négociants’ September 2024 release campaign, new stocks of Latour 2009 were introduced, showcasing exquisite wines from around the world.
This year’s launches were introduced against the backdrop of generally subdued trading conditions in the fine wine market.
The Liv-ex 100 index, which monitors the prices of some of the world’s most sought-after wines, dropped 9.5% in the twelve months leading up to August 31. Despite this, certain older vintages have recently demonstrated some signs of price stabilization, as detailed in a Market Watch report by Decanter magazine.