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Vinum Fine Wines Market Report March 2025
Download Vinum Market Report March 2025
February performance:
Another month has passed, and the leading wine indices have retreated a little further. I imagine it pains the reader as much as the author to read these words again. The only index to post any gains was the ‘Investables’, hauled up by some mature vintages of Bordeaux.
Wine market indices (non-region specific):
Areas of positivity
Happily, there are some areas of positivity! One sector that has seen a rise in prices recently has been the auction markets, reported on separately here.
There has again been a rise in monthly traded volumes also. At Vinum, we have traded good quantities of DRC and Rousseau in Burgundy and plenty of mature, high-end Bordeaux but perhaps the biggest takeaway of the month has been the firm demand for large format items of big-ticket wines – there are clearly some big celebrations being planned! Monfortino ’10, La Mission ’89 and Masseto in various vintages all selling well in double magnum formats.
Looking at what we’ve sold, and the wines that have contributed to the Liv-ex Fine Wine Investables index’s positive February performance, the obvious conclusion is the wealthy drinker is alive and well and enjoying these lower prices. Lucky them!
February feature: the upcoming release of Latour 2016
We have recently reported on the upcoming release of wines from Chateau Latour on March 17th, please see here for details and tasting notes. Included will be the titanic 2016 Grand Vin, a multiple 100 pointer and up there with the legendary ’61, ’82 and 2010. All ‘wine eyes’ will be watching; this is the most significant release from the Chateau since Latour withdrew from the en primeur system over a decade ago. Given the indications of interest we have received, the release will be a success.
Ex-Chateau pricing is expected to be €530-550. At this level the 2016 will look favourable compared to the 2009/10 and will work for a wine of this stature and with perfect provenance. Anything more and there’s a risk the Titanic may sink. The timing of Latour’s release is important to the market, it is craving some excitement, at all levels.
Post Script to the 2016 Latour release
As expected Chateau Lafite 2016 was released at €540 ex-Bordeaux (ex-negociant, not Chateau, my apologies) meaning we offered at £3,100 per 6 bottles. Also as expected, we sold out very quickly indeed and it felt like the good old days again, which we reported on here.
We also received a lot of demand for larger formats for this release and were disappointed not to be able to meet requirements. Large formats generally are very much en vogue and are well worth squirrelling away!
Releases in general
During the current malaise, release prices from producers have been causing a lot of concern/despair amongst wine market participants. Producers have cited shortages of wine from follow on vintages (Burgundy ’24 for example), which has merit as an argument, but devaluing the brand and upsetting customers who have bought at higher prices are risible excuses. Brands are more likely to devalue themselves with this sort of attitude.
Regional Indices:
