Against the current backdrop of Bordeaux price falls, Domaine Romanee Conti is carving its own path. The Liv-ex DRC Index, which tracks the price movement of recent vintages of the brand's leading crus, edged up 0.2 per cent in November to a new high of 361.36, bringing its year to-date performance to 33.1 per cent.
Wines from both the higher and lower ends of the price spectrum have benefited from broadening market interest this year, but it is the estate's flagship wine – Romanee Conti – that is leading the charge. Recent vintages have gained around 37 per cent since January, with the 2006, 2002 and 2000 all increasing in value by upwards of 40 per cent.
The chart below shows the divergent fortunes of the Liv-ex DRC Index and the Liv-ex Fine Wine 50, which has fallen 12.3 per cent this year.
Burgeoning demand for top Burgundy was evident in Hong Kong auction rooms last weekend, where vintages of Romanee Conti were among more than 800 lots on offer at a two-day Acker sale. Although prices achieved for some vintages were unremarkable, a vertical of Romanee Conti spanning vintages 1952 to 2007 sold to a Chinese bidder for a record-breaking £519,020.
