AFTER WEEKS OF TASTING AND FORECASTS, THE EN PRIMEUR BORDEAUX 2014 VINTAGE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AND THE FIRST PREMIER GRANDS CRUS CLASSÉS ON THE MARKET ARE CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD, 282 EUROS PER BOTTLE, SAME AS 2013

After weeks of sampling, analysis and speculation, the campaign En Primeur Bordeaux 2014 vintage has finally been launched with the first of the Premier Grands Crus Classés 1855 breaking the ice: Château Mouton Rothschild is on the market at 282 euros per bottle (excluding taxes), virtually the same price level as 2013 (280 euros per bottle), though this year it is higher quality. Château Mouton Rothschild once again is the one paving the way while waiting for the other Grands Crus Classés to follow suit. Alfred Tesseron, of Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac Grand Cru Classé, however, told "Vitisphere", "We do not define our pricing policy based on the choices of others, but according to our own market".

Thanks also to the weaker euro, the British wine merchants, who demanded a cut in prices, have welcomed the release of Mouton on the market. They are of course aware that it is an important year and it will go on the British market at the same prices as 2013. “Mouton”, explained Max Lalondrelle, fine wine buying director at Berry Bros & Rudd to "Decanter" “is a good choice, the price is even a little lower than 2013, while the quality, no getting around it, is significantly higher”. Comparing it with the 2007 vintage, the cheapest on the market, 2014 costs even 500 pounds less per case.

Wine merchants from all over the world had been eagerly awaiting the beginning of a highly anticipated campaign. After three years of challenges, vintage 2014, praised by almost everyone, seems to be the right one to overcome the nervousness of recent weeks, including those who want lower prices and those who are adamant about "quality-price". Optimism comes from those who live by quotations and revaluations. “In relation to similar vintages, such as 2006, which 2014 has many points of contact with”, commented "Liv-ex", “the price is very competitive, even less than 30%, at least for now”.

Petit Mouton, the second wine of Château Mouton Rothschild, however, came out at a higher price than the last three years: 78 euros per bottle ex-negociant. However, it is still lower than prices of the current vintages on the market, making Petit Mouton the cheapest on the market, as explained by "Wine Searcher".

The "release" of Château Mouton Rothschild gave a bit of enthusiasm to a campaign that started out slow, and lives through waves of optimism. For instance, the release of Saint-Julien, Quatrième Cru Classé, at 43.20 euros per bottle, will surely whet the appetites of many traders. Domaines Barons de Rothschild also made a positive choice by releasing his Duhart-Milon (other Quatrième Cru Classé) at 42 euros per bottle, a lower price than each of the last ten years on the market.