Compared to some Burgundies, Latour is a screaming bargain.
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Yes. Doesn’t make it any more palatable, as it is not competing with top Burgundies. Compared to other Bordeaux of similar quality, it is overpriced. But there are worse offenders.
Yes. Doesn’t make it any more palatable, as it is not competing with top Burgundies. Compared to other Bordeaux of similar quality, it is overpriced. But there are worse offenders.
Is it overpriced, or is Montrose a very good example of an underpriced wine relatively speaking? In recent vintages Montrose seems to have consistently matched the first growths, have any others reached that level so consistently?
I don’t think you can just look within Bordeaux - surely comparables to other regions are valid.
It’s all very subjective - equally is Montrose worth 6-8 times something consistent like a Cantemerle? Is it 6-8 times better?
Montrose is undoubtedly the best example, but …
VCC and Petrus
Cheval Blanc to Petrus, Lafleur etc
Leoville Las Cases and Pichon Lalande to the first growths
La Mission and Haut Brion
All are I would suggest are capable of being the wine of the vintage.
For the Cantermerle example, it is for the most part, a great value, something you often find in Margaux or in this case just outside. I would add Giscours, Issan, La Lagune etc, but they are never part of the best of vintage conversation. In fact, I originally had Ducru in my original super second comparison, but much as I like the wines, I cannot think of a single instance, when it was considered a contender.
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Thanks Mark, I’d rather focussed on left bank, actually bring right bank in probably makes Latour look better value still.
La Mission agreed, but it that is also reflected in the price, which is priced above second growth (1.5 growth if you like). LLC and Pichon Lalande, I’m not quite sure have hit the contender for wine of the vintage that Montrose seems to have hit in the last 5 years.
Agree Cantemerle is never going to be in the conversation but it still comes back to is Montrose 6 times better, the same way is Latour 3 times better than Montrose? I doubt anyone can answer that other than for themselves 
Frankly I just think I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to purchase some of these wines.
With Right Bank wines, you have to plug in rarity.
That accounts for the VCC and Le Pin price differential. I can’t say I have ever liked Le Pin as much as VCC, but that is my palate, and I love the fact that there are two similar terroir’s making vastly different wines. I am also glad for my pocket book sake, that they make more VCC than Le Pin.
And I agree we are very fortunate, unlike those poor buggers who love high end Burgundy 
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The point is that the idea of releasing the wine when ready to drink is BS. What broth accomplished was raising their release price. I never tried to equate Mugnier to Latour.
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Mugnier was dragged kicking and screaming into this thread. I blame those Burgundy buggers; they just can’t let us Bordeaux types enjoy our own conversation, without letting us know how much more exclusive their region’s wines are. . 
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I think any high-end Bordeaux (sans the few Pomerols) could be considered screaming bargains. When you can get to the absolute top echelon in the entire wine world for mid-hundreds or in case of Latour, touch over a thousand, that’s not a bad deal. To reach the top producers of Burgundy, sky is the limit. Heck, price of Montrose doesn’t even get you a village-level wine from the usual suspects. Same with Napa, some sell their leftover second wines for the price of first growth bdx. Even though Latour is probably somewhat overpriced in Bordeaux, in the grand scheme of things it’s a bloody bargain.
I’ve been drinking too much Napa lately, having just finished a bottle of very nice wine that was $150 and thinking “holy cow this was great QPR”. I need a QPR-reset.
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I would contend that the practice must make money. I have visited the cellar of Chateau Beaucastel where they hold back multiple volumes of vintages to be released at future times. Some at 20+ years. I don’t believe the Perrins would be doing so if a good return was not involved.
Mark, have you tried L’if?
They also making a considerably larger amount more wine than Latour.
No. I have a bottle of the 2019 awaiting execution
Pop that dang thing so that you can guide those of us that are palate-aligned! It’s an interesting project
I’ve had L’if a few times, not the 19 vintage yet. It’s quality and price arent correlated, sadly.
RE Latour, had an offer today for 2015 at £2700/6, which is allegedly 15% below ex-chateau release price