This week's most traded wines by value and volume originated from Bordeaux, Tuscany, Burgundy, Piedmont, and Rioja. Bordeaux led the pack, while the USA recorded the most significant uptick in its trade share.
Bordeaux remained dominant with 39.6% of total trade by value, slightly down from 41.1% the previous week. The region's performance was bolstered by trades of Petrus (notably the 2015, 2018, and 2019 vintages), along with activity around Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Lafite Rothschild. Two Bordeaux wines also ranked among the most traded by volume.
Burgundy followed, supported by trades of high-value wines from Domaines de la Romanée-Conti and Arnoux-Lachaux. Notably, a Burgundian wine also appeared on the list of most-traded wines by volume.
The USA saw a substantial increase in trade, accounting for 9.8% of total trade this week. Screaming Eagle was particularly active, with various vintages of both its Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc changing hands. Joseph Phelps' Insignia 2019 was the most-traded wine by value from the region.
Tuscany's trade share remained relatively stable week-on-week, while Rhône, Piedmont, and the "Others" category experienced a slight uptick. In contrast, Champagne saw its trade share decrease from 11.1% to 6.8%.
The most-traded wines by value were predominantly from Bordeaux, with Château Mouton Rothschild 2018 ranking third, trading at 10.3% below its international release price of GBP 5,112 (EUR 5,967) per 12×75 case.
However, the newly released Sassicaia 2021 topped the value charts. Released in the UK on February 8 at GBP 2,500 (EUR 2,918) per case, it received a perfect 100 points from Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner.
The list of most-traded wines by volume was more diverse, featuring wines from Bordeaux, Piedmont, Burgundy, and Spain. The 2021 Bordeaux vintage has recently garnered attention, with critics like Neal Martin releasing their in-bottle scores.
Château Lynch-Bages 2021 was the third-most traded wine by volume, with its last trade price of GBP 870 (EUR 1,015) per case, down 17.9% from its release price. It was initially scored 94-96 points in barrel by Neal Martin (Vinous) and rescored 94 points in bottle.
Spain was represented by Torre Muga 2019 from Rioja, which received 95+ points from The Wine Advocate's Luis Guttierez.
La Place’s March release campaign is now underway, with Poggio Antico's Brunello di Montalcino 2019 released internationally at GBP 498 (EUR 581) per 12×75. Upcoming releases include Ornellaia 2021, Promontory 2019, Château d’Yquem 2021, and Ao Yun 2020.
Source: Liv-ex