Chateau Margaux release confirmed up on 2009, Cos down, l'Evangile flat

Chateau Margaux 2010 has been released 9% up on 2009, it has been confirmed.

Despite early reports that some merchants had bought Chateau Margaux 2010 at a lower price than 2009, we can now confirm that Margaux is now being offered by negociants at €600, a 9% rise on the 2009 ex-negociant price of €550.

Margaux¡¯s second wine, Pavillon Rouge, is almost double the price of the 2009 vintage: €108 ex-negociant, compared with €60 for the 2009.

Mouton-owned Pauillac fifth growth Chateau Clerc Milon is €48 ex-negociant, an increase of 33% on 2009's €36.

Cos d'Estournel ¨C the renowned St Estephe second growth whose 2010 is described by Steven Spurrier as more ¡®controlled and classic¡¯ than the ¡®baroque¡¯ 2009 - is €198 from negociants.

This represents a drop of 5.7% on the 2009 price of €210.

The releases follow that of Lafite-owned Chateau l¡¯Evangile in Pomerol late last week, a surprise at €180 ex-negociant¨C the same price as its 2009 wine.

¡®The reaction from our clients is good, even if they are surprised at the timing,¡¯ Mathieu Chardronnier of negociant CVGB told Decanter.com. Most reported that it was selling well.