The rising value of Champagne magnums

Trade in large format Champagne has risen over the last two years from a pre-pandemic level of 6.9% of total Champagne trade to 14.9% today.

The majority sold is in the standard 75cl bottle – which currently accounts for 84.3% of Champagne trade.

However, since May 2020 trade in larger formats – magnums in particular – has risen sharply. Over the last year (1st May 2021 – 31st April 2022), magnum sales have accounted for 14.9% of total Champagne trade. In the same period for 2019-2020, magnums accounted for just 6.9% of Champagne’s trade by value.

Volume trade for magnums has also increased 130% in this period, while the average price of a 9-litre case of magnums has risen 77.6% from £2,397 to £4,259.

The table below shows the four brands which have seen the most large format trade (by volume) over the last year, and the premium a 9-litre pack of these larger bottles commands.

Louis Roederer’s Cristal 2008 has been the most traded magnum over the past year. Its magnum and Methuselah formats also have the biggest premium over the 75cl bottle.

Buyers looking for large formats with less of a premium might consider Taittinger’s 2006 Comte de Champagne in Methuselah or magnums of Bollinger’s La Grande Année 2012 where the price difference has not (yet) risen above 10%.

There are currently over 195 LIVE large format Champagne opportunities on your exchange. 

 
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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 560+ 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.   