Fine wine exchange Liv-ex has recalculated the 1855 Classification with its price-based ranking of the Bordeaux classed growths, an exercise it last did in 2011.
Carruades: now a second growth?
Under the new listing Chateau Latour and Chateau Lafite take the top two spots, a reversal from the 2011 listing, with an average case price of £7,060 and £6.760 respectively.
Chateau Margaux (£4,777), Mouton Rothschild (£4,465) and Haut Brion (£4.370) retain their third, fourth and fifth places.
La Mission Haut Brion holds its 2011 position of first growth, while Leoville Poyferre and Smith-Haut-Lafitte have climbed from third growth status to second growth.
Duhart Milon and Beychevelle have dropped from second to third growth.
Chateau Palmer (average price £1,787) remains at the top of the second growth table while Pontet Canet jumps from its 1855 rank of fifth growth to second growth, with an average case price of £987.
Just as the classification was calculated in 1855, Liv-ex bases its rankings wholly on price. Wines have to be from the left bank, and must be produced in quantities of more than 2000 cases.
Qualifying wines are assessed on average wholesale case prices for the vintages 2007-2011, and, as in 1855, split according to price band, with first growths requiring a price of £2,600 a case and above, second growths £700-£2,599, third growths £450-£699 and so on.
Liv-ex has also put the second wines, none of which existed in 1855, through the same system.
Thirteen would be included in the new classification. For the first time Petit Lion de las Cases, introduced by Leoville Las Cases in 2007, features – as a fourth growth.
Carruades de Lafite has dropped from first growth to a second, and Petit Mouton and Pavillon Rouge have switched places: in 2011 Pavillon had a higher average price.
Reserve de la Comtesse,the second wine of Pichon Comtesse, has fallen to the bottom of the table – in 2011 it was the 9th most expensive of the second wines, now it is the 13th.
When it comes to right bank wines, there are few surprises. Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Lafleur, Le Pin and Petrus are all first growths, while Angelus, Clos Fourtet, Conseillante, Eglise Clinet, Evangile, Figeac, Fleur Petrus, Pavie, Troplong Mondot and Vieux Chateau Certan are seconds.
Chateau Pavie is at the most expensive end of the spectrum with an average price of £2,002.
The Liv-ex 2013 Bordeaux Classification
Written by Adam Lechmere
