2009 ENDED WITH A POSITIVE SIGN (+ 0.9 % OVER 2008) AFTER A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR THE LIV-EX INDEX THAT MONITORS PRICE TRENDS OF THE 100 MOST IMPORTANT AND SOUGHT AFTER BOTTLES OF WINE IN THE WORLD. FRANCE DOMINATES. FOR ITALY, THE TOP IS ORNELLAIA

After a difficult year, 2009 ended with a positive sign (+0.9%) Liv-Ex, the index that represents the 100 most prestigious and sophisticated bottles of wines in the world (www.liv-ex.com), placing this type of product among the most solid investments among those whose returns are not related to traditional asset classes. This special index has earned an excellent credit. As a matter of fact, Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine and one of the world’s most famous wine writers, praises the usefulness of this tool by which “many wine collectors can then check the value of their cellar. The Liv-Ex is a great access to financial information on the wine market, and enables non-professionals to access various types of information.”
The lion’s share in this index are the reds of Bordeaux (91.33%), followed at a significant distance by Burgundy (3.49%), Champagne (3.32%), the white wines of Bordeaux (1.04%), the Italian wines (0.63%) and the Rhone wines (0.19%). The labels that confirm their value, even with the fluctuation of different vintages, are mainly the Premier Cru Bordeaux: Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Cheval Blanc, Haut Brion, Margaux, Latour, Petrus; followed by Chateaux Cos d’Estournel, Leoville Las Cases, Palmer, Pavie, Ausone, Pichon Lalande, Pichon Baron, Leoville Barton, Leoville Las Cases, Leoville Poyferre, Montrose, Lynch Bages, Ducru Beaucaillou, Troplong Mondot, Yquem.
Burgundy wines remain solid investment products of the prestigious Domaine Romanée Conti: Romanée Conti, La Tache, Richebourg, Saint Vivant, Echezeaux, but also the rare white Montrachet. Also solid are Gevrey-Chambertin Rousseau and Eric from the historical label of Domaine Leroy. The most valuable Champagne labels are those of Dom Perignon vintage, Louis Roederer Cristal and the Krug labels. The Italian wines that stand out are the Ornellaia Winery labels, especially the Masseto.