Liv-ex, in the USA and Asia the labels of Brunello di Montalcino among the most traded since the beginning of the year

Since the beginning of 2022, the US has been confirmed as the second market, after the UK, for investments in fine wine on the Liv-ex, both in terms of number of transactions and overall values traded, with over 3,500 labels handled by US buyers from 53 wine regions different, with Bordeaux (28%) and Burgundy (19.3%) who are the most represented. In third place are the wines of Piedmont (10.6%), followed by those of California (9.8%), Tuscany (9%), Rhône (8.8%) and Champagne (8.6%) %).

It is obviously no coincidence that the top 4 most traded labels - in value - are Californian: Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc 2018. At position no. 10 instead there is another great passion of US wine lovers, Brunello di Montalcino, with the 2017 by Poggio di Sotto, a brand owned by Collemassari, who in 2011 took over it from Piero Palmucci, one of the protagonists of the qualitative revolution of Brunello in the nineties. At the other positions we find Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2004 (position n.5), Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin-Clos de Beze 2016 (n.6), Chateau Pontet-Canet 2009 (n.7), Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf-du -Pape 2009 (n.8) and the Chilean Sena 2017 (n.9).

In terms of volumes traded, however, the labels that have registered the greatest interest from US investors are those of the Rhone (on which the interest of the great US critics has been focusing for some time, starting with Robert Parker), with the Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2018 in first place and the 2019 vintage in position no. 3, while the Chilean Sena 2017 - a real best buy (812 pounds per case) - arrives at no. 2. At the foot of the podium, in fourth position, the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015 by Altesino, with the Brunello di Montalcino 2017 by Poggio di Sotto at position n. 9. Returning to the Rhône, to position no. 5 we find the Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin 2020, at no. 6 E. Guigal Cote Rotie 2018, at no. 7 Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2020 and at no. 8 E. Guigal Condrieu 2020, while at position no. 10 there is the only Bordeaux label, that of Chateau de Pape Clement Blan 2018.

The situation in Asia is decidedly different, where investments, since the beginning of 2022, have been concentrated roughly on 2,000 labels, mostly from the two most prestigious wine regions in France, with Burgundy (39.2%) exceeding, for the first time, at the end of a long “run-up”, Bordeaux (37%) and Champagne (7.2%). For the other territories: 4.7% of the fine wine market in 2022 on the Liv-ex is attributable to California wines, 2.7% to those of the Rhône, 2.5% to those of Tuscany and 2.3% to those of Piedmont. The Asian market, in general, continues to be dominated by reds (72.3%), but there are some signs of diversification.

At the top of the most traded labels in terms of lively values is Château Angélus 2014, followed on the podium by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2007 and the assortment of different labels of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2011, for a total of 6 wines from Burgundy and 4 from Bordeaux. In terms of volumes, Brunello di Montalcino is still the surprise, with the 2015 vintage of Il Poggione in third place among the most traded labels by Asian wine lovers, behind the Californian Daou Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and Château Angélus 2014.