The 2025 en primeur campaign appears to have got off to a somewhat haphazard start with a spattering of big name releases but little rhythm thanks to a succession of bank holiday weekends and now a week-long lull.
Nonetheless, some key wines have appeared so far, including Lafleur (newly rebadged as Vin de France), Château Cheval Blanc, Château Pontet-Canet and Château Cos d’Estournel.
More recent releases have included Château Lafite Rothschild and its stable, Château Angélus and Château Palmer, as well as châteaux Branaire-Ducru, Lynch-Bages, Lascombes and Léoville-Barton among others.
First of the firsts
The most notable release of all so far has been first growth, Lafite Rothschild. The wine was rated 97-points by Decanter’s Georgie Hindle, who said it was: ‘A bit more lively, energetic and upfront than Lafite can sometimes be.’
With consistently high scores from other major critics too, there was hope that Lafite – as has been the case in the past – could help keep the campaign on course and set an example with its pricing.
Yields were very small in 2025 (27hl/ha) and quantities are very limited. Berry Bros & Rudd is offering the wine in packs of three for £1,047 (£4,164 per 12x75).
The 2025 is around 16% more expensive than the 2024, but for a much higher quality wine and one that is still much cheaper than many older vintages of Lafite – especially other highly-rated vintages.
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Second wine Carruades de Lafite was also released at £432 per three bottles.
A smile on the face of angels
(Image credit: https://www.angelus.com/)
Right Bank grand cru Angélus hit the market on 21 May. Another wine with 97-points from Hindle who wrote: ‘The energy and balance is flawless. Really an elegant, elongated wine with such nuance of flavour. I love this and think they've done a super job – juicy, this brings a smile to your face.’
The wine is being offered for £606 per three bottles or £1,200 per six at BBR. Fine wine marketplace Liv-ex noted that the 2025 was one of the more expensive vintages available and some recent older vintages with equal or higher scores are currently available for less.
And finally, Palmer, which was released on 22 May and is being offered by BBR and other merchants for £1,158 per six bottles (or £585 per three).
Likewise scored 97-points by Hindle – who called it, ‘sturdy, stately, complex’ and ‘compelling’ – it was again noted by Liv-ex as being one at the more expensive end of comparable recent vintages.
Slow and steady
Reaction to many wines has been broadly positive so far. Big hitters such as Cheval Blanc and Lafite have sold well, several merchants said.
Corney & Barrow noted that its exclusives from the Moueix and Mitjaville stables had also found a ready audience.
Speaking to Decanter, one merchant said pricing was ‘sensible’ but also ‘not necessarily at a level where the wine becomes a must buy’.
Nonetheless, they added, buyers recognised ‘this is truly a vintage of excellent quality and a future great’.
This was leading to ‘reasonable’ levels of interest and, ‘significantly more large format bottling requests than normal given this is a vintage where buyers will want to own and drink’.
