Sassicaia, 2018 and 2019 vintages, is one of Liv-ex investors’ most sought-after wines

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Pétrus were the most sought-after wines among the 600 Liv-ex traders in the first 6 months of 2022, especially the most recent vintages, i.e., those from 2010 onwards. However, when the rankings are segmented by regions — United States, United Kingdom, Asia, and Europe - the results are noticeably different, as the last two vintages of Sassicaia, 2018 and 2019, are among the most sought-after in Europe and the UK.
Let’s start with the USA. The situation there is as straightforward as one can imagine. The top ten most searched wines are all from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru, though from different vintages - 1999 is at the top, quoted 58,000 Sterling pounds per case. American investors have shown a definite change in interest, as only 6 months ago they were aiming for diversification, when Barbaresco, Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy wines were among the most sought-after.
Demand has slowed down on a few certainties, also in Asia, which in 2021 had referred mainly to the Premiers Crus of Bordeaux. In this case, Chateau Mouton Rothschild holds 9 of the top 10 positions. The most sought-after wine was Pierre Girardin Les Epenottes Beaune Premier Cru 2020, which is not actually traded on Liv-ex, but in China is enjoying the Burgundy company’s substantial marketing efforts.
There are various contact points between European and British investors’ research, starting with Sassicaia. In Europe, the 2019 vintage is the 6th most sought-after wine, and the 2018 vintage is the eighth. In Great Britain, the 2019 vintage, one of the best expressions of Bolgheri wines by Tenuta San Guido of the Incisa della Rocchetta family, is in 2nd place among the most sought-after wines, and the 2018 vintage is fourth. The first three positions in Europe are held by Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 and 2014, and Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2019. In Great Britain, Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 (52,671 Sterling pounds per case), is in front of Sassicaia and Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 is behind. Sassicaia and Champagne unite Europe and the UK, while the main difference lies in Burgundy wines’ centrality among investors from London and the surrounding area.