Since the champagne and luxury goods company LVMH purchased Yquem in 2004, successive vintages have been released in London at around £4,000 – more than double the price of previous years. As with Cheval Blanc, this new price point is part of an effort to reposition the brand, which is undisputedly the name in Sauternes and was the only wine from the region to be classified as a Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855. Though vintages from 2005 onwards have all scored upwards of 95+, prices still appear to be considerably inflated when compared to high-scoring back vintages that already boast a number of years in bottle.
The table below shows the list prices of vintages 1986 to 2009, alongside their scores from the major critics.
*scored by Neal Martin. All scores from erobertparker.com, winespectator.com and jancisrobinson.com.
As you can see, vintages from 2005 onwards are trading at an average of £3,370 per 12x75cl case, whilst 1995-2004 are available at around £1,970. And though some earlier vintages such as 1998 and 1999 do not represent the same level of quality as more recent years, others offer equally high scores, without the post-2005 prices. The 1996 (RP 95) and 1997 (RP 96), for instance, stand out as particularly good value for money at less than £2,000 per 12 pack. The 1990 (RP 99), which is regarded as one of the greatest Yquems ever made, also seems a clear pick. The wine is offered on the exchange at £2,800 (against a market of £3,250) and has bottle age and a score of 99/100 from Robert Parker.
Should LVMH embark on a marketing campaign in China (think "liquid gold"), pre-2005 prices may well aspire to new heights. Older vintages have already seen considerable price appreciation over the past year, with vintages 1995 to 2004 rising in value by an average of 8% (12x75cl). In contrast, vintages post 2005 are either flat or down on their London release.
