The Market

offer of the day – thibault liger-belair’s 2020s

By billn on January 19, 2022 #the market

Thibault Liger-Belair 2021Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair
2020 EP/Pre-Arrivals

Prices from my Swiss merchant. When offered, the prices of the 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 & 2015s (from the same source in previous years) are in brackets for comparison. Not offered is indicated by —
And still no Beaujolais!

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 75 cl La Charmotte 75cl 59.00* (55.00, 55.00, 52.00, 55.00, 49.50) (Swiss Francs)
NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES Les Belles Croix 75cl 59.00 (55.00)
NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1er Les Saint-Georges 75cl 148.00 (135.00, 125.00, 119.00, 118.00, 109.00)
NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1er Les Saint-Georges 150cl 318.00 (285.00, 260.00, 248.00, 256.00, – )
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY Aux Beaux Bruns 75cl 84.00 (75.00)
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY Fouchères 75cl 84.00 (75.00)
VOSNE-ROMANEE Aux Réas 75cl 79.00 (75.00, 75.00, 69.50, 76.00, 69.50)

CORTON CLOS DU ROI 75cl 174.00 (159.00, 159.00, 159.00, 159.00, — )
CLOS DE VOUGEOT 75cl 174.00 (165.00, 165.00, 159.00, 169.50, 158.00)
CHARMES-CHAMBERTIN 75cl 205.00 (175.00, 175.00, 169.00, — , — )
RICHEBOURG 75cl 550.00 (445.00, 425.00, 398.00, — , 395.00)
CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE 75cl 245.00 (—, 189.00, 189.00, 198.00, — )

*As always, these wines are without the 7.7% Swiss purchase tax but include the cost of delivery…
So, rises, but really of a modest level versus a number of producers’ 2020s…

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offer of the day – louis jadot 2020

By billn on December 30, 2021 #the market

DOMAINE LOUIS JADOT 2020

As always, from my local, Swiss merchant. The 2019s, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 offer prices follow in the brackets to compare, and — means not offered…

LES REDS
Beaune Clos des Ursules Monopole 1er Cru 2020 75cl 64.00* (59.00, 64.00, 59.00, 59.00, 55.00) *(Swiss Francs)
Beaune Clos des Ursules Monopole 1er Cru 2020 150cl 133.00 (123.00, 133.00, 123.00)

Corton Grèves Grand Cru 2020 75cl 89.00 (85.00, 85.00, 79.50, 79.50, 79.00)
Corton Grèves Grand Cru 2020 150cl 183.00 (175.00, 175.00, 164.00)
Corton Pougets Grand Cru 2020 75cl 89.00 (85.00, 85.00, 79.50, 79.50, 79.00)
Corton Pougets Grand Cru 2020 150cl 183.00 (175.00, 175.00, 164.00)

Chambolle-Musigny Fuées 1er Cru 2020 75cl — (89.00, 89.00, 85.00)
Chambolle-Musigny Baudes 1er Cru 2020 75cl — (89.00, 89.00, 85.00)

Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru 2020 75cl 175.00 (149.00, 155.00, 149.00, 145.00, 138.00)

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2020 75cl 149.00 (—, 149.00, 139.00, 138.00, 128.00)
Echézeaux Grand Cru 2020 75cl — (—, 209.00, 159.00)

Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020 75cl 229.00 (209.00, 209.00, —, 188.00, 169.00)
Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 2020 75cl 295.00 (288.00, 288.00, —, 269.00, 259.00)
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2020 75cl 369.00 (328.00, 328.00, —)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2020 75cl 369.00 (349.00, 349.00, 339.00)
Musigny Grand Cru 2020 75cl 895.00 (798.00, 798.00, 795.00)

LES BLANCS
Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru 2020 75cl 96.00 (85.00, 89.00, 89.00, 89.00, 88.00)
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2020 75cl 184.00 (165.00, 158.00, 148.00, 139.50, 119.00)
Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2020 75cl 359.00 (318.00, 298.00, 285.00)
Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Grand Cru 2020 75cl 448.00 (389.00, 376.00, 348.00)
Montrachet Grand Cru 2020 75cl 649.00 (559.00, 549.00, —, 499.00, 428.00)

*Prices delivered, but without the 7.7% Swiss purchase tax…
Increases a little higher for the whites – but these are the aspirational bottles. Versus the similar reds, the increases are comparable – so they are not obviously trying to soften the blow for the 2021 prices – it’s just business!

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Well, it was too quiet today – 2021 part 2

By billn on December 16, 2021 #the market#vines for sale

Savigny Vergelesses looking towards Corton
Savigny Vergelesses today, looking towards Corton

I got quite a mailbag when I made my first post of (semi) unsubstantiated rumours and the peddling of idle chit-chat, so thought I’d update you on some of those, and add a few more, to finish this difficult viticultural year. Most of these deals are already done:

  • Domaine Lamarche / Comte Liger-Belair: From my last post, my highest category of ‘unconfirmed rumour’ has now, in part been confirmed: The ‘not La Grand Rue’ vines of Domaine Lamarche are with Louis-Michel Liger-Belair from the start of 2022. As for the purported €800 million transaction – well, all has gone quiet on that one – for now 🙂
  • Domaine Bernard Moreau / Domaine Benoit Moreau: I previously mentioned this split and whilst it is not ‘officially, official’ it seems that it is, official! I recently tasted with Benoit in his new cuverie. He got started with some 2020s that were contract purchases from friends – I tasted those – but his 2021s are in elevage and these are his first parcels from the family domaine with more to come. With a friend from Burgundy, he’s also invested in some parcels of Beaujolais which they are working biodynamically – a mix of Morgon and Chiroubles.
  • Domaine des Varoilles: Subscribers will already have seen my recent report on this domaine, newly named Domaine du Couvent. For those not in that loop, following the retirement of the Swiss part of the Varoilles ownership, it’s the Chéron family of Nuits St.Georges who has full control of the domaine which has been rolled into their own personal holdings – but one thing is missing, as you may have noted from the name-change. The Chérons decided that a 6-hectare monopole – even one that is a Gevrey 1er cru – would be too much for them to commercialise, so they have placed it with another domaine en-fermage. And which domaine I hear you ask(?) Domaine Prieuré-Roch – making that their third monopole, along with their Nuits Clos des Corvées and their Vosne Clos Goillotte.
  • Domaine des Chézeaux: Here’s a transaction that’s still under negotiation, so I won’t give you all the names just now; but given the death of the owner of all the des Chézeaux estate, the wider Mercier family have now decided to sell their holdings. They actually made no wine themselves but with 70% ownership of Griotte-Chambertin, plus Clos St.Denis, Chambertin, Chambolle-Charmes, Gevrey’s Lavaux and Cazetiers 1er crus plus plenty of villages Gevrey-Chambertin you can easily imagine a sale price in excess of 30 million – and I could be massively underplaying the final number! It seems that the proprietor of a well-known Côte de Nuits domaine (let’s call them A-b-C) has got an investor or two who will pay the asking price – which sounds like curtains for the existing metayeurs – let’s see. Interestingly, I actually got the name of the purchasing domaine when in conversation with someone in the London wine trade who began with ‘Did you hear that…?‘ – it seems that there are ‘leaks’ everywhere…
  • Lastly for today, Domaine Clos des Lambrays: have an additional 1.6 hectares of vines this year in the form of Vosne Romanée 1er Cru les Beaux Monts (0.45 ha), Nuits 1er Cru La Richemone (0.89 ha), Nuits 1er Cru Les Murgers (0.18 ha) and Nuits 1er Cru Les Cras (0.08 ha), bringing the domaine to 13.26 hectares of vines. The mention of La Richmone started the cogs whirring in my brain and after a little checking, it seems that these vines were previously leased to Domaine Perrot-Minot. So that will have been a sad loss for the other Morey domaine, though the produce of these vines will have only moved to a (new) cuverie about 50 metres from that of Perrot-Minot! Of course, Domaine des Lambrays (LVMH!) is not yet done; they are also owners of 0.52 ha parcel of Ruchottes-Chambertin which is currently rented to another producer. This officially comes back to the Lambrays domaine in 2031. I can only conjecture who is exploiting such a large parcel of Ruchottes – the vineyard is not much more than 3 hectares in total. Perhaps Fred Esmonin?

Anyway, enjoy…

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offer of the day – bruno clavelier’s 2019s

By billn on November 30, 2021 #the market

So many new offers in time for Christmas! This one hot off the presses…

Bruno Clavelier 2019:
With previous year’s prices for the 2018s, 2017s & 2016s (from the same merchant) in brackets. — indicates ‘not offered’:

Bourgogne Passetoutgrains 2019 75cl 23.50* (22.50, 22.50, —) (Swiss francs)

Vosne-Romanée La Combe Brûlée 2019 75cl 95.00 (90.00, 80.00, 84.00)
Vosne-Romanée Les Hautes Maizières 2019 75cl 95.00 (90.00, 80.00, 84.00)

Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru 2019 75cl 140.00 (135.00, 120.00, 123.00)
Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er Cru 2019 75cl 155.00 (150.00, 130.00, 137.00)
Vosne-Romanée Aux Brûlées 1er Cru 2019 75cl 155.00 (150.00, 130.00, 137.00)
Chambolle-Musigny Combe d’Orveaux 1er Cru 2019 75cl 170.00 (160.00, 140.00, 147.00)

Corton Le Rognet V.V. Grand Cru 2019 75cl 165.00 (155.00, 135.00, 144.00)

These prices are not delivered but do include the Swiss 7.7% purchase tax.

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offer of the day – drouhin-laroze 2019

By billn on November 28, 2021 #the market

DOMAINE DROUHIN-LAROZE 2019 – En Primeur
In brackets are the prices of the 2018s, 2017s and 2016s, from the same offers in previous years, from the same merchant. — means not offered…

Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs 2019 75cl 59.00* (55.00, 49.50, 49.50) Swiss Francs
Chambolle-Musigny 2019 75cl 68.00 (—)
Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut-St-Jacques 1er Cru 2019 75cl — (69.50, 69.00, 65.00)

GRAND CRUS
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 75 cl 139.00 (135.00, 125.00, 119.00)
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2019 75cl — (139.00, 129.00, 125.00)
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2019 75cl 179.00 (168.00, 149.00, 145.00)
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2019 150cl 363.00 (—)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019 75cl 205.00 (188.00, 165.00, 158.00)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019 150cl 415.00 (—)
Musigny Grand Cru 2019 75cl 650.00 (—)

In their latest offer, some of the 2018 grand crus have even been discounted; the Chappelle, Bonnes-Mares and the Bèze now 119.00, 144.00 and 159.00 respectively! This remains a domaine with reasonable pricing – in today’s overheating market – yet with more variable wines than many other domaines. For instance, I would always pay the premium and take the same wine (when available) from Bruno Clair or even Louis Jadot…

*There is 7.7% Tax to add in Switzerland, but then these are delivered prices

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offer of the day – Domaine Leflaive 2020…

By billn on November 25, 2021 #the market

As always, from the same supplier each year. Priced in Swiss Francs (chf)
Image (right) courtesy Domaine Leflaive:

DOMAINE LEFLAIVE 2020 – Puligny-Montrachet
In brackets are the prices for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 & 2015 – though most of the 2018 prices are missing (—), sorry …

THE ENTRY WINES
Bourgogne 75cl 69.00 (55.00, 49.00, 45.00, 42.00, 38.00)*
Puligny-Montrachet 75cl 119.00 (99.00, —, 89.00, 82.00, 69.00)

PREMIER CRUS
Puligny-Montrachet Les Clavoillons 75cl 185.00 (148.00, 139.00, 128.00, 118.00, 89.00)
Meursault Sous Le Dos d’Âne 75cl 185.00 (148.00, —, 128.00, 118.00, 99.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 75cl — (—, —, 198.00, 185.00, 145.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 75cl — (—, —, 198.00, 185.00, 185.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 75cl 385.00 (299.00, —, 259.00, 245.00, 195.00)

GRANDS CRUS
Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet 75cl — (595.00, —, 498.00, 459.00, 325.00)
Bâtard-Montrachet 75cl 890.00 (648.00, —, 565.00, 498.00, 348.00)
Chevalier-Montrachet 75cl 1,190.00 (840.00, —, 695.00, 685.00, 445.00)

*As always the Swiss purchase tax (7.7%) is not included but otherwise, these are delivered prices.

Feel free to take a, collective, sharp intake of breath!

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The 161st Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction…

By billn on November 22, 2021 #events#the market

Hospices - Sotheby'sThe 161st Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction took place on Sunday evening, November 21st 2021. This was the first of a series (a 10-year contract?) to be led by Sotheby’s.

When you consider the relatively small number of barrels available due to the frosts of 2021, the proceeds of the sale were quite exceptional – €11,678,000 for those 351.5 barrels – about 60% of the volume that was available in the previous sale – and not of the same quality either!

The bare facts are that prices increased by 100% for the whites and 60% for the reds when compared to the previous year. The special lot – the “Pièce des Présidents” – a barrel of Corton-Renardes Grand Cru reached an impressive new record price of €800,000 – thats nearly €2,700 per bottle without the costs of elevage. Looked at another way, that’s ‘only’ what you now pay for the grand crus from Domaine Leroy!

There is, indeed, a paucity of wine in the most recent vintages, though not to the level that could justify the prices paid at the weekend, though we can keep telling ourselves – ‘It’s just for charity!‘

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offer of the day – faiveley 2020…

By billn on November 12, 2021 #the market

I may have missed the 2014s but here you can see the ‘progression’ of the prices (in Switzerland) for the 12s, 13s, 15s, 16s, 17s, 18s, 19s and now the 2020s from the same Swiss merchant. The format here for the prices is simple: 2020 (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012) and — if not previously offered – and you can see that the offer is much ‘shorter’ this year…

DOMAINE FAIVELEY 2020 – En Primeur

PREMIERS CRUS
Pommard Rugiens 2020 75cl — (—, 82.00, 75.00, 86.00, —)
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Issarts 2020 75cl — (89.00, —) Swiss Francs*
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 2020 75cl — (—, 85.00, 79.00, 84.00, 78.00, 72.50, 69.80)
Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 2020 75cl 129.00 (115.00, 105.00, 99.00, 115.00, 98.00, 98.00, 98.00)
Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées 2020 75cl 139.00 (139.00, 139.00, 125.00, 135.00, 128.00, 119.00, 119.00)
Chambolle-Musigny la Combe d’Orveau 2020 75cl 139.00 (135.00, 135.00, 119.00, 132.00, 124.00, 119.00, 119.00)
Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 2020 — (319.00, —)

GRAND CRUS
Corton Clos des Cortons 2020 75cl 199.00 (169.00, 169.00, 149.00, 169.00, 149.00, 139.00, 139)
Corton Clos des Cortons 2020 150cl — (343.00, 343.00, 303.00, 343.00, 303.00, 283.00, 283)
Corton Clos des Cortons 2020 300cl — (736.00, 736.00, 656.00, 736.00, 656.00, —, —)
Echezeaux En Orveaux 2020 75cl 239.00 (178.00, 169.00, —, 165.00, 149.00, —, —)
Mazis-Chambertin 2020 75cl 269.00, (209.00, 198.00, 178.00, 198.00, 179.00, 167.00, 169)
Mazis-Chambertin 2020 150cl — (423.00, 401.00, 361.00, 401.00, 363.00, —, —)
Mazis-Chambertin 2020 300cl — (896.00, 852.00,776.00, 852.00, 776.00, —, —)
Grands Echezeaux 2020 75cl — (229.00, 198.00, 188.00, 208.00, 198.00, 198.00, —)
Latricières-Chambertin 2020 75cl 279.00 (198.00, 189.00, 165.00, 189.00, —)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2020 75cl 395.00 (299.00, 285.00, 249.00, 299.00, 278.00, 249.00, 235)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2020 150cl — (603.00, 575.00, 503.00, 603.00, 561.00, 503.00, 475)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2020 300cl — (1,256.00, 1,200.00, 1,056.00, 1,256.00, 1,172.00, —, —)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Les Ouvrées Rodin 2020 75cl 998.00 (895.00, 875.00, 698.00, 745.00, 659.00, 598.00, 598)

Corton Charlemagne 2020 75cl 239.00 (198.00, 189.00, 189.00, 189.00, 169.00, 169.00, 159)

*There is 7.7% Tax to add in Switzerland, but then these are delivered prices
Lots of old friends are missing from the offer this year – but in terms of the actual pricing, feel free to say ‘ouch!‘ – the prices of the grand crus continues their exploration of what is possible…

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Fire! Fire! Fire! (prices…)

By billn on October 23, 2021 #the market#travels in burgundy 2021

Autumn fire in Maranges - the colour of Autumn
Fire in Maranges – the colour of Autumn, yesterday…

It was inevitable, I suppose, but the bare facts are:
2017 – a good volume of wine in both colours
2018 – another good volume – even more-so the whites
2019 – short in whites and less than average for reds too
2020 – okay for whites but short for reds again
2021 – a catastrophe in white and very short (on average) in reds too

I remember the first time I saw prices of €10k for barrels of Corton-Charlemagne and was shocked – well you can think more in the region of at least €40k today.

But the fanning of the fires in the 1er crus of Meursault and Puligny are to be expected – the 2021 yields often 10-25% of a normal year here – currently at least 30% higher bulk prices are being asked and people are still very much testing the elasticity of those prices. I think they will increase by a lot more when you take the example of Bourgogne (red!) Côte d’Or into consideration; last year it was under €1k for the barrel, this year because 2021 will be significantly short (though not as dramatically as in the whites!) the prices quickly hit €1.5k and now people are offering €2.2K – about €7.60 just for the juice without accounting for time, labour, bottles, labels, corks and capsules, wax if you must, distribution costs and local margins and so on. That’s how short the bulk market looks right now and there’s no rule to say it can’t go higher.

Obviously, the people making Bourgogne Côte d’Or with merchanted grapes/wine don’t have a cat in hell’s chance of (more than) doubling the price of their bottles – so some fingers may get burnt – I do remember one vintage where a major seller was losing money on every single bottle of Petit Chablis that they sold. Likewise, it’s unlikely that the (majority of) white 1er crus will be able to sustain 30-50% prices increases at their end customers – but this elasticity has yet to be fully tested. I do think that the price-elasticity of the grand crus will take this in their stride – certainly for the better-known producers.

We will be watching!

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