Wine investor says 'snap up 3 bottles now' as they could be worth thousands

Wine enthusiasts the world over begin to tremble at the mere mention of Mouton '45, Cheval Blanc '47, Petrus '61, Latour '82 and Haut Brion '89. These represent the holy grail of Bordelais winemaking — vintages that are as rare as hens' teeth and command breathtaking price tags.

Wines of such distinction are frequently referred to as 'pension wines', as their quality and value continue to appreciate over time. The price growth can be so substantial that, in the years ahead, they can be sold at a considerable profit to potentially bolster retirement income, much in the same way as investing in the stock market.

With pension wines, a heady combination of terroir, expertise, climatic conditions and fortune align in such a way that wines of extraordinary quality are produced — and the overwhelming majority, over the years, have always come from the world's most celebrated wine-growing region: Bordeaux.

David Jackson, a professional wine investor and founder of fine wine marketplace Squelch, has identified the three wines he believes will become the 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild of the 21st century — a wine currently retailing for as much as £15,000 a bottle, equating to £3,000 a glass and £500 a sip.

Unsurprisingly, all three of these future 'legends' were produced by globally recognised Bordeaux vineyards, yet their price, while steep, remains within reach of moderately regular investors, as it will be years — in some cases decades — before they ought to be uncorked.

"To become a legend, a wine must have three attributes," said David. "Extraordinary quality, desirability and scarcity. The first two are inherent. The latter comes with time.

"Bordeaux production is, on the whole, relatively generous. So a lot of corks needs to be pulled before supply falls to the necessary trickle for legendary status, the point at which demand - and price - become obscene."

David explained that not every wine needs to be a 'First Growth' (Premier Cru), specifically those from the five most esteemed 'Left Bank' wine estates located on the western bank of the river Garonne: Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild and Haut-Brion.

He said: "Yes, the list of legendary wines does tend to be monopolised by the five First Growths, as well as the likes of Petrus and Le Pin on the Right Bank of the Garonne in Pomerol. But there are many notable David and Goliath moments.

"Pichon Lalande 1982, for example, was a Second Growth, but one that was broadly considered to have got the better of behemoths, Mouton and Lafite, in this vintage.

"Or consider '61 Palmer, '89 Montrose and '90 Lynch Bages. All three of these wines punched well above their weight and are now trading at significant price premiums to their more 'normal' siblings, and sometimes the First Growths themselves."

Below are the three wines that David believes will become the Bordelais legends of tomorrow, which enthusiasts and investors ought to be acquiring now, before their values surge beyond reach.

Pontet Canet's ascent through the Bordeaux ranks under the stewardship of the Tesseron family has been nothing short of meteoric. The Cru Classé classifications have remained largely unchanged since 1855, so while this vineyard technically retains its Cinquièmes Cru (5th growth) status, in spirit it is a 'Super-Second Growth'. During the 80s, the estate had declined so dramatically it was the plonk served on an SNCF train.

Now it stands as one of the most reliable and sought-after Bordeaux offerings available. This exceptional 2010 has received 100 points from renowned wine critic Robert Parker and at least half a dozen other leading critics. It's a stunner, with legendary status written all over it. And at £1,600 for a case of 12, it represents the outstanding bargain in this selection.

Released in a strikingly beautiful one-off bottle to commemorate the passing of winemaker Paul Pontallier, a Bordeaux legend in his own right, this is objectively amongst the finest wines ever crafted by Margaux. And given the revered status of the estate, that is quite a statement. There is precedent for special edition bottles driving desirability.

Mouton Rothschild 2000, which attracted relatively modest critical acclaim for the vintage, remains one of the most sought-after Moutons of all in its striking black and gold presentation. This is reflected in its pricing: the '00 will set you back roughly three times that of other comparable Mouton vintages. This Margaux '15, possessing both elegance and depth, is almost certainly destined to become a future legend, though it will cost you the best part of £8,000 for a case of 12.

It's fair to say that many of us are experiencing vintage fatigue. Contemporary winemaking methods in Bordeaux mean we're no longer simply presented with "on" or "off" vintages. Nowadays we're offered only "great" or "even better". Yet 2016 earned its reputation more than most. Every Bordeaux wine sampled from 2016, from Cru Bourgeois to First Growth, has been extraordinarily impressive.

While it may appear somewhat predictable to include Lafite on the list, it would equally feel negligent to omit Bordeaux's foremost flagship wine. It represents sound value at present, too. Prices peaked at over £8,500 per case in 2022, but three particularly challenging years for the wine market have reduced that to the relative bargain of under £6,000. A pension wine without question.