2010 Bordeaux en primeur: Cos d'Estournel, Clerc Milon, L'Evangile

The new cellar at Chateau Cos d`Estournel

27/06/11

The Bordelais are back at their desks this morning and prices have been released for all the top chateaux. Cos d'Estournel is €328,707,600, Clerc Milon €72,162,000, L'Evangile €55,757,400. Yes, those clever dudes at London's Liv-ex Fine Wine Exchange have been calculating market valuations for the benefit of those who don't just want a case of Le Pin, but to make Jacques an offer for the whole shooting match (OIEO €89m, since you ask). They carried out the exercise as the top Bordeaux chateaux achieve unprecedented prices for their products (the Liv-ex Fine Wine Investables Index, which tracks more than 200 of the top red wines from across the region, has risen by more than 170% in the last five years alone). With a combined market value of more than €15 billion, Liv-ex concludes that the top properties are powerful luxury brands. Lafite is almost certainly the most valuable wine brand in the world and, with a valuation of nearly €4 billion, only a multinational company would be able to buy it outright. All of which puts into perspective an ill-judged piece of journalism in a recent FT article which was the source of much internet chatter last week.

Still, the pause for reflection doesn't seem to have done us any harm with this morning's first release. We much preferred 2010 Cos d'Estournel to its controversial predecessor, and yet the release price is down by 5%. If you're a Cos fan, buy it.

'For anyone who found the 2009 Cos rather over-blown, this is reassuringly familiar, more like the 2005 in style. The investments at the chateau's cellars seem to be paying off. This has lovely mint and tangerine notes on the nose, backed up by black fruits, hints of chocolate and Asian spices and rich, concentrated tannins. The greatest young Cos I've ever tasted. 20+ years. 98 points.' - Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com

'A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot cropped at 36hl/ha, delivering 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.5 (it was 3.68 for 2009), this has a very refined, focused bouquet with pure blackberry, blueberry, Dorset plum scented nose with wonderful tension and mineralité. I really like the precision on this 2010, far more than the exotic 2009. The palate is full-bodied with quite assertive dry tannins on the entry rendering this a slightly more masculine Cos d'Estournel that is quintessential Saint Estephe but nods southwards towards Pauillac. Touches of graphite and cedar interlace the pure blackberry and briary fruit with great tension towards the finish. Very fine sense of symmetry here with great length in the mouth. Back to the Cos d'Estournel I love. Drink 2018-. 96-98 points.' - Neal Martin, erobertparker.com/winejournal

From Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, by contrast, a big price hike for her - admittedly impressive - Clerc Milon:

'The powerful 2010 is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and the balance mostly Merlot except for dollops of Petit Verdot and Carmenere that achieved 14.5% natural alcohol – a record at Clerc Milon. An intense purple color is followed by notes of incense, creme de cassis and flowers and a broad, rich wine with superb purity, concentration and depth. This layered, expansive effort could turn out to be one of the finest this estate has ever made. Give it 3-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. 91-93 points.' - Robert Parker, erobertparker.com

Last week's only release was the Domaines Barons de Rothschild's increasingly fashionable L'Evangile. /AR

Halves & magnums £10 extra per 9 litre case; other formats on request

View all 2010 Bordeaux en primeur