What Happened In Fine Wine This Week: Burgundy took the lead in fine wine this week, and US buying grows
Burgundy has taken the lead, moving ahead of Bordeaux to become the largest contributor by value, accounting for 29.3% of the market
Burgundy has taken the lead, moving ahead of Bordeaux to become the largest contributor by value, accounting for 29.3% of the market. What’s driving that shift is not just demand for established names, but the growing liquidity in the latest available vintages. The 2023s alone make up around 40% of Burgundy’s traded value – a signal that buyers are actively deploying capital earlier in the wine’s lifecycle than in previous cycles.
For merchants, this is a notable change. Burgundy is not just trading strongly at the top end; it is becoming a more dynamic, two-speed market where both emerging and established wines are finding buyers.
Bordeaux remains resilient, but increasingly selective
Bordeaux still holds a significant share of the market, with 26.4% of traded value. But the nature of demand is evolving.
Rather than broad-based trading, activity is concentrating around mature, highly regarded vintages. First Growths from 2010 and 2005 are leading the way, with names such as Château Latour and Château Haut-Brion underpinning liquidity.
One example highlights this shift clearly: Château Latour 2016 was the most traded wine by value, yet it changed hands below its original release price.
Champagne and Italy: quiet gains, but strategic importance
Elsewhere, Champagne is seeing a meaningful uptick, rising to 16.7% of traded value, well above its recent averages. Leading houses such as Dom Pérignon and Krug continue to dominate activity.
In Italy, the picture is more mixed. Tuscany remains a key contributor, even as its share fluctuates, with producers like Poggio di Sotto continuing to draw attention. Piedmont also delivered a strong week, with top names such as Gaja and Bruno Giacosa attracting consistent demand.
Taken together, these regions highlight an important dynamic: buyers are maintaining diversified portfolios, but are highly targeted in where they deploy capital.
A more global market led by US demand
Perhaps the most striking development is geographic. US buyers accounted for 35% of traded value – the only group to increase their share week-on-week.
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