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Fine wine returns to former peak
PREMIUM
CONTENT

The Liv-ex October Market Report has been published exclusively for members on our Silver tier package or higher. The following is an extract. 

Liv-ex members on our Silver tier package or higher can access the full report here.

To upgrade your package click here or speak to your Account Manager.

Fine wine returns to former peak

2021 is shaping up to be a strong year for the fine wine market, which is looking buoyant. The key phrases are ‘price performance’ and ‘diverse opportunities’.

The industry benchmark, the Liv-ex 100, returned to a high not seen for a decade, while the broadest measure, the Liv-ex 1000, continued to climb to record levels. The Liv-ex 100 index rose 3.85% in September to close at 364.44, within a whisker of the summit attained in June 2011 (364.69). The Liv-ex 1000 is also at its highest level ever (395.37). Within its regional sub-indices, the Burgundy 150 was the best performer in September (and year-to-date), having now surpassed the record level set in November 2018.

The month was also dominated by news of brand new La Place releases, trade moves for major critics like Jane Anson and the sale of JancisRobinson.com, along with industry awards. The main event, the autumnal La Place de Bordeaux campaign, welcomed several Bordeaux estates and a growing collection of other European producers, as well as the usual New World wines. The most ‘successful’ release, as measured by secondary market activity, was Joseph Phelps’s 2018 ‘Insignia’ which topped trade by value in September.

The Napa Valley estate helped push the US’s September market share to 10.1% of the total, up from 6% in August. Italy, which also welcomed fresh releases, took 15.8% of total trade by value, just below its August share (16%). Bordeaux’s share dipped to 36.9%, while Burgundy increased to 22%. Champagne took 7.6% of the market by value, the Rhône 4.2%.

So far this year, the number of wines trading on Liv-ex this year is just 3% less than it was for the whole of 2020 (as measured by the number of LWIN11s trading). But, as recently explored, some regions like Burgundy and Italy have been subject to sustained broadening and have already surpassed their 2020 records.

The full report contains additional Liv-ex research and analysis: 

  • Major Market Movers – Champagne
  • Critical Corner – Neal Martin reviews La Mission Haut-Brion
  • Chart of the Month – A spotlight on Italy
  • Final Thought – Bordeaux 2017

Liv-ex members on our Silver tier package or higher can access the full report here.

To upgrade your package click here or speak to your Account Manager.