The newly bottled 2022 wines are hitting the market as trade in Bordeaux wine surges – should you buy? We look at quality and price.
The world’s most influential critics are rating 2022 as “one of the modern-day greats” and that the very best can achieve perfection! With these accolades some of the 2022 wines are definite targets for investors.
Neal Martin comments that this vintage “serves as a timely reminder that when Bordeaux fires on all cylinders it is untouchable”.
He has published an excellent synopsis of the vintage and his in-bottle scores, following tastings in October and December 2024 and January 2025, of the 2022s in his article “A Place Beyond Praise: Bordeaux 2022”.
Neal Martin’s Top-scored Bordeaux 2022s
2022 Bordeaux | Score NM | Drinking window | Appellation |
Vieux Chateau Certan | 100 | 2032 - 2075 | Pomerol |
Petrus | 100 | 2032 - 2075 | Pomerol |
Margaux | 100 | 2030 - 2065 | Margaux |
Latour | 99+ | 2032 - 2075 | Pauillac |
Eglise Clinet | 99 | 2032 - 2075 | Pomerol |
Leoville-Las-Cases | 99 | 2032 - 2075 | St Julien |
Source: Vinous.com, February 2025
Fellow lauded wine critic with a global reputation, Antonio Galloni, has stated that “The very best 2022s are truly spectacular. But there is some variability” and this is where the value of the expert critics is important for investors.
Antonio Galloni’s Top Bordeaux 2022s
2022 Bordeaux Grand Vin | Score AG | Market Price* | % Change from release 2023 price | Drinking window |
Vieux Chateau Certan | 100 | £2,748 | -16.7% | 2032-2072 |
La Mission Haut Brion | 100 | £2,329 | -26.8% | 2032-2062 |
Montrose | 100 | £1,493 | -14.5% | 2032-2062 |
Les Carmes Haut Brion | 100 | £1,309 | -0.8% | 2030-2072 |
Beausejour Becot | 100 | £700 | -1.1% | 2030-2062 |
La Gaffeliere | 99 | £565 | -17.4% | 2032-2052 |
Margaux | 99 | £5,231 | -15.5% | 2032-2072 |
Lafleur | 99 | £12,000 | 61.3% | 2032-2072 |
Clos Fourtet | 99 | £927 | -17.8% | 2032-2062 |
Canon | 99 | £1,195 | -17% | 2032-2072 |
Cheval Blanc | 99 | £4,858 | -15.7% | 2032-2072 |
Source: Liv-ex.com and Vinous.com. * Liv-ex Market Price at 29.01.25
Bordeaux 2022 is a particularly price-sensitive vintage at bottle release in early 2025. The vintage's en primeur allocations were first launched onto the market in May 2023. Prices then were influenced by the preceding 2021 vintage release in a charging bull-run in May 2022. Whilst prices had softened in May 2023, the market correction at this point was six-months underway and no-one had expected this would extend into Q1 2025, nor impact values to the extent it has. Add to this the seeming general reluctance by the chateaux to align release prices to market conditions. The result was that the 2022 first release prices were unsustainably high.
The challenge for those pricing Bordeaux 2022 in-bottle is undermining the quality of the vintage in terms of value with current levels needing to engage buyers as we approach the market bottom.
Some of the most sought-after Bordeaux wines are available now at prices well below their first release, en primeur prices. In terms of fine wine cycles investors can have their pick of ‘buying at the market low”.
When we look at the trade prices on Liv-ex of Bordeaux 2022 at the end of January 2025, we can see that all of Galloni's100-point wines, were trading at a discount to their en primeur first release prices. Of the 99 points-rated wines only Chateau Lafleur shows price growth from barrel to bottle and a very impressive 61.3% it is, especially given the market trend.
Our view on investing in Bordeaux 2022
With the current market conditions, pricing is the most influential decision point for investors in Bordeaux 2022. Both Neal Martin and Antonio Galloni observe that price is the most significant factor when it comes to demand for the 2022s. There is no doubt that the quality is there.
Technical analysis of the Liv-ex Bordeaux 500 benchmark, which represents the price movement of 500 of the region's leading wines over the last ten physical vintages (bottled), currently 2012 to 2021 and soon to move to 2013 to 2022, shows a ‘bearish trend’. Howevery, individual wines are bucking this trend, notably these will have had a more realistic approach when setting release prices. Chateau Lafleur 2022 is an outstanding example having seen its price grow 61.3% over the last two years. This is an extraordinary improvement on trend.
Older wines, notably those tracked by the Liv-ex Bordeaux Legends 40, are achieving greater price stability as they are rarer and not handicapped by the higher release prices of recent vintages.
Investors need to carefully appraise current prices and consider where those very highly scored wines (especially those rated 100 points by top critics) that have already seen a marked correction on release price might sit within their wine portfolio. Any building a vertical including the outstanding vintage trilogy 2018, 2019 and 2020 should certainly consider those 2022 wines that fit. Price is key and there are significant opportunities to achieve the right level for future growth now.
For the current market trends and key information for investors, see our latest Report. Get further guidance from our expert team on 0203 384 2262.