Beyond the first growths: What primeurs do people at Cult Wines buy?
What do wine investment professionals buy and collect for themselves? In the next few weeks, we will showcase some of the wine enthusiasts who work at Cult Wines and the most prized Bordeaux en primeurs (EP) they have collected over the years.
First of the series are Tom Turner, one of the founding members of Cult Wines and the head of operations, Issac Ho, the veteran investment adviser who has been an anchor for Cult Wines Hong Kong, and Sam Mudie, Direct of South East Asia whose thoroughness and intellectual curiosity have never ceased to inspire. Enjoy!
TOM TURNER
Operations Director | 10+ years with Cult Wines
Most prized Bordeaux primeurs in Tom's portfolio and why:
Mouton 2018
Released at £425/bottle | Currently £495/bottle | +17% since release
“Mouton 2018 was clearly one of the wines of the vintage during our EP tastings and, as a huge fan of the branding and label artwork! It's the jewel of my collection which I very much look forward to consuming in a couple of decades once it's ready..!”
Canon 2015
Released at £60/bottle | Currently £135/bottle | +125% change since release
“This wine was possibly the most impressive wine I've tasted EP in terms of quality vs expectation. Just phenomenal!”
Carraudes 2014
Released at £75/bottle | Currently £235/bottle | +211% since release
“It provided a fantastic return from the release price!”
Among the 300+ 2020 Bordeaux EP wines to be released Tom is most excited about…
Canon 2020 has been on a serious roll the last five vintages so really looking forward to tasting the latest offering
To Tom, wine is...
“Wine is something to enjoy! From the initial tastings, to the anticipation and observation of a wine’s development and culminating in tasting a wine at maturity. Patiently watching price development over time becomes particularly enjoyable also!!”
ISSAC HO
Senior portfolio manager at Cult Wines Hong Kong | five years with the company
Most prized Bordeaux primeurs in Issac's portfolio:
Carruades de Lafite 2017
Released at £145/bottle | Currently £235/bottle | +62% change since release
Beychevelle 2016
Released at £55/bottle | Currently £70/bottle | +27% change since release
Clerc-Milon 2017
Released at £55/bottle | Currently £60/bottle | +9% change since release
Among the 300+ 2020 Bordeaux EP wines to be released Isaac is most excited about…
Lafite 2020
To Issac, wine is…
“A necessity of life.”
SAM MUDIE
Director of South East Asia | Eight years with the company
Most prized Bordeaux primeurs in Sam's portfolio and why:
Pontet Canet 2010
Released at £90/bottle | Currently £120/bottle | +33% change since release
“Exactly a decade ago,
Chateau Pontet Canet 2010 was the first wine I ever bought En Primeur. I had to borrow half the £1,100 it cost from my Dad to pay for it; I think he hope I'd default on the loan and he could claim the whole case instead! That it later received 100 pts from Robert Parker and increased 50% in value within two years, was incidental.”
Lafaurie Peyraguey 2016
Released at £35/bottle | Currently £45/bottle | +27% change since release
“While tasting EP in Bordeaux, we often sample 50 or more (mostly red) wines per day. Sounds fun? Tasting from the barrel is much harder work than it sounds! With your palate tiring by 11am, it can get increasingly difficult to apprise wines. in 2017, at the end of a long day in the beautiful St Emilion, our final stop was the futuristic winemaking facilities of Peby Faugeres. As well as the owners' outstanding reds, we got to finish with their Sauternes estate, Lafaurie-Peyraguey. Unctuous yet clean and fresh. True, golden nectar of the gods! Under the same ownership as crystal company Lalique since 2014, the new bottles are also stunning.”
Batailley 2019
Released at £30/bottle | Currently £30/bottle | Still EP
“My wife and I married in Tuscany in 2019, right at the start of harvest when the vines are full and ready to burst, slap bang in the middle of Chianti, Montalcino (of Brunello fame) and Montepulciano. I'll buy their 19s when they are released in the months and years to come but first, I've stocked up on LOTS of Bordeaux 2019, including an Imperial (600cl - 8 normal bottles' worth) of Chateau Batailley. Its gold label will look even more striking in large format at our 20th wedding anniversary, when this is likely to be in its prime!”
Among the 300+ 2020 Bordeaux EP wines to be released Sam is most excited about…
“At the time of writing, no wines have been tasted - not by me, nor the industry's most famous critics and publications - so there is little to go by other than the winemakers' own reports, which will be.. maybe a little biased? However we know the climatic conditions and I'm particularly excited to taste the wines from Pomerol's plateau and the best terroirs of Pauillac.”
To Sam, wine is...
“Love, lust and life.”
What next?
To find out more about the passionate experts who work in Cult Wines, visit the the team page. Download the full report on the 2020 Bordeaux En Primeur to start building your own fine wine portfolio today.
