Remember you heard it here first! As originally suggested by Paul Pontailler last November on my visit to Chateau Margaux this week www.decanter.com reported that Chateau Margaux has confirmed the release a third wine in 2009, and most likely also in 2010. Its introduction is due partly to the quality of the wine made here in 2009 but also because of the increasingly strict selection for Pavillon Rouge the estate’s second wine. There is no name yet although Pontailler is reportedly keen on something short and to the point. No news either on the price.

Liv-Ex, the fine wine index have made some interesting calculations on the basis of the ratio of pricing of the wines in the Latour stable [see their blog at www.live-ex.com ]. Chateau Latour has made a third wine Pauillac de Latour since the 1970s. On the basis of the Live-Ex figures, assuming Chateau Margaux price accordingly, we may be looking at something in the region of £500 a case, say £40 a bottle. That seems a bit more like it, though I’m sure the wine will be given a good run for its money from a great many of the revitalised Margaux classed growths and cru bourgeois in 2009. Nevertheless there is a gap in the market here for something reasonably ‘affordable’ from the great Bordeaux first growths. Not only have their grand vin prices barrelled away into the five figures, even the second wines cost a small fortune.  Carruades de Lafite 2009 is around £4000 a case now, Les Forts de Latour, actually a separate wine in its own right from Latour rather than a classical ‘second’ wine is around £2500. Chateau Margaux’s own Pavillon Rouge is at the £2000 mark for the same vintage.  The quality of these wines is much higher than it was in the past of course but I think we can safely say that even these second labels are now in the ‘wine trophy’ department. At this rate it won’t be long before fourth and fifth wines start to emerge.