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The secondary market for Austrian wine is growing

  • Since the beginning of the year, trade by value for Austrian wine has surpassed its total for the entirety of 2018.
  • Mittelburgenland leads sub-regional trade in the past year.
  • Weingut Moric Lutzmannsburg Blaufrankisch Alte Reben 2017 has been the most traded wine.

Earlier this year, the Austrian government revised some of the country’s wine laws, which affected its sparkling wine (Sekt) and the Kremstal region. It also saw Wagram promoted to a Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC), meaning Austria now has 17 protected designations of origin.

Coincidentally, Anton Bauer’s Pinot Noir 2015 from Wagram was the first Austrian to enter the secondary market back in 2018.

Short secondary market history

Since then, Austria’s trade value has risen thirteenfold. Austria remains a minor player but global demand is steadily growing. The US used to be the main buyer of Austrian wine, but the UK overtook it last year.

Although 2021 broke the country’s previous records in terms of value traded, 2020 saw the highest number of Austrian wines traded on Liv-ex when 31 LWIN11s changed hands.

Leading regions and wines

Austria’s short history on the secondary market shows that white wines tend to dominate trade and demand. However, unlike in neighboring Germany, red wines are much more prominent. Over the past four years, white wine has taken 61% of trade by value, with the remaining 39% red. However, over the past year, red wine has led activity, accounting for 58.4% of Austrian trade.

Mittelburgenland is Austria’s leading sub-region, accounting for 52.7% of the value traded in the past year, followed by Wachau at 40.5%.

Weingut Moric’s Lutzmannsburg Blaufränkisch Alte Reben 2017, which has a current Market Price of £615 per 12×75, has been the top-traded wine by both value and volume. Other names like Franz Xaver Pichler, Nikolaihof and Kollwentz have also seen activity on Liv-ex.

The ongoing broadening of the market is shedding light on new regions, and Austria is increasingly recognised as a source of high-quality reds and whites.

Liv-ex analysis is drawn from the world’s most comprehensive database of fine wine prices. The data reflects the real time activity of Liv-ex’s 560+ merchant members from across the globe. Together they represent the largest pool of liquidity in the world – currently £100m of bids and offers across 16,000 wines. Independent data, direct from the market.

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