- The Liv-ex 100 index rose 23.0% in 2021, outperforming gold and mainstream equities.
- The index has been trending upwards since May 2020.
- The biggest movers in December came from Burgundy.
*made with the Liv-ex Charting tool.
2021 was the strongest year for the industry benchmark
The Liv-ex 100 index rose 2.6% in December to close the year at 392.52. The index went up 23.0% in 2021 during the fine wine market’s strongest trading period ever.
The industry benchmark has been trending upwards since May 2020, with the fine wine market continuously breaking records – including an all-time high exposure and growing number of wines trading.
As examined in our annual report, broadening of trade and increased market liquidity have contributed to price stability.
Moreover, the fine wine benchmark index outperformed many of the stock markets in 2021, such as the Dow Jones Industrial (18.7%) and Nasdaq (21.4%).
Liv-ex 100 vs alternative indices over one year
*made with the Liv-ex Charting tool.
Burgundy leads the top price performers
The best price performers in December came from Burgundy as demand for the region’s top wines continues to outstrip supply.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clavoillon 2015 was the biggest mover last month, up 33.3%. The wine has a current Market Price of £2,000 per case.
Another more expensive Burgundian from the same vintage, Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Beaux Monts, took the second spot, rising 21.3% last month.
And while Burgundy dominated the price performers, providing the biggest push to the industry benchmark, a Champagne came in third – Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2006, up 17.9%.
The wine even traded an all-time high this December, with a pack of 3×150 selling for £1,418. It has a current Market Price of £1,850 per 12×75.
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2006 trades on Liv-ex
Changes to the Liv-ex 100 index
The Liv-ex 100 index will feature new wines from the end of January, as part of an annual revision that ensures that the index accurately reflects the market. Older and low liquidity wines are pushed out to make room for more active wines.
To qualify, wines must have critical acclaim, be physically available on the market (wines trading En Primeur are excluded) and attract regular demand. Find out what is changing and why here.
About Liv-ex indices
The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Index is the industry leading benchmark. It represents the price movement of 100 of the most sought-after fine wines on the secondary market from France, Italy, USA, Australia and Spain.
The index is calculated using the Liv-ex Mid Price, which refers to the mid-point between the highest live bid and lowest live offer on the market. The prices are validated against additional data including transaction prices and are the most robust measure for pricing wines available in the market.
The reason for this is because other sources of fine wine price information and indices base their calculations on list prices. These are advertised prices, often collected from sellers who may be advertising wine that they don’t even have in stock. There is no firm commitment to buy or sell at an advertised price. The real value of the wine may be higher or lower than listed.
Liv-ex can uniquely provide prices from real transactions among the wine trade. These are historic trade prices, as well as firm commitments to buy or sell on the market at a given price. All transactions are standardised by condition and tax status, allowing you to make like-for-like comparisons. Our members value this because it is real, proven price information.
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