- English wines have been present on the secondary market since 2016.
- Gusbourne has been the most traded English wine brand by both value and volume.
- Sparkling white and rosé dominate but still Pinot Noir has also traded in the past year.
English sparkling wine is enjoying the spotlight ahead of the upcoming celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Many producers including Nyetimber, Bolney Wine Estate and Fox & Fox have launched special edition labels to mark the occasion, while secondary market demand for English wine has risen in recent weeks.
Short history
English wine’s secondary market footprint began six years ago. The first English wine traded on Liv-ex was Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvée, which sold for £120 per 6x75cl case in 2016.
England remains a niche category in the ‘Rest of the World’ trade, having made up just 0.1% of the value traded year-to-trade. And while trade levels of English wine pale in comparison to most regions, the number of wines trading is increasing. Last year, 12 different wines traded, up from just two in 2019.
Secondary market trends
Below are the most active English wines by volume since the first trade on the exchange in 2016.
The most traded wine has been Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2014, which last changed hands this week at £320 per 12×75. It boasts 93-points from The Wine Advocate’s William Kelley, who called it ‘seemless and complete’.
As the table shows, the market for English wine is dominated by sparkling wines, predominantly white followed by rosé. However, English red wine has found a market too. Gusbourne’s Pinot Noir 2018 and 2019 have both traded in the past year.
In terms of leading brands, Gusbourne dominates secondary market activity by both value and volume. Wines from Nyetimber, Wiston Estate, and Balfour Hush Heath Estate have also met with global demand.
Outside of the UK itself, Asia and the US are the biggest buyers of English wine.
Liv-ex analysis is drawn from the world’s most comprehensive database of fine wine prices. The data reflects the real time activity of Liv-ex’s 575+ merchant members from across the globe. Together they represent the largest pool of liquidity in the world – currently £100m of bids and offers across 16,000 wines. Independent data, direct from the market.
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