Wine auction prices skyrocket in 2021

ore than 190,000 bottles (+8.5%/2020) worth 27 million euros (+17.5%) were auctioned on the iDealwine website in 2021. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the auction market was buoyant for iDealwine, with a marked price surge at the end of the year, particularly for a few sought-after names such as Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Leroy, Château Rayas and Domaine Overnoy. The average bottle price, €139, showed an increase of 9%, with a price spectrum ranging from €1 to €28,244 (equivalent 75cl bottle).

Bordeaux still corners sales volumes (40.5%) ahead of Burgundy (22%), but loses its first place in value to Burgundy, which accounts for 38.3% of bidding values versus 33.9% for Bordeaux. In the remaining 27.8%, the Rhone ranks third, dropping by volume but growing by value (+12%), followed by the Loire (+13.2% by value and +16% by volume). There is a strong increase for Languedoc, spearheaded by La Grange des Pères, and the emergence of Auvergne. Organic, biodynamic and natural wines continue to be popular, with records in Jura and the Loire.

In addition to its auctions, iDealwine is also an online wine merchant that will be marketing its first Bordeaux en primeur in a few weeks’ time. The offer will complete the opening on 4 March of a secure storage cellar coupled with a “delivery or resale at the click of a button” management service. iDealwine and WineBid, based in California, are battling for the global auction top spot.