Bordeaux and Burgundy prices rise at the expense of market share in April

Bordeaux and Burgundy prices rise at the expense of market share in April

April was a short but packed month for the wine trade, with Easter holidays, trade fairs like Vinitaly and En Primeur tastings in Bordeaux.

Fine wine prices continued their ascent to record levels, but the pace of growth slowed. The Liv-ex 100 index rose 0.7% in April, the same increase as in March. The Liv-ex 1000 went up 1.3% but, unlike in recent months, more regional sub-indices declined than rose. The Burgundy 150 and the Bordeaux Legends 40 were the best performers, up 3.5% and 1.6% respectively.

Although Bordeaux and Burgundy prices rose the most, the two regions lost trade share compared to March. Bordeaux took 33.2% of the market by value, while Burgundy fell to 22.6%. Meanwhile, Piedmont (6.5%) and the USA (8.4%) enjoyed the most significant increases in their monthly share.

Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 not only led US trade but went on to become the most active wine by value in April. It boasts 100-points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW who was writing for The Wine Advocate at the time. Also from the 2019 vintage but from Bordeaux, Chateau d’Armailhac led monthly trade by volume.

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

  • Top performing wines from Champagne and Bordeaux
  • The secondary market for magnum bottles
  • Neal Martin examines ‘new chapter’ at Haut-Bailly
  • First impressions of Bordeaux 2021
  • Industry news