After regaining strong momentum in 2026, auctions on iDealwine accelerated further in September. Insights from Raphaël de Fonscolombe, iDealwine’s Head of Sales, to understand why interest is running so high, something that may come as a surprise given the current global economic and geopolitical climate.
How is the auction market looking on iDealwine right now? And what has it been like since the start of the year?
Raphaël: “We have seen excellent results at auction since the start of the year, with growth of 13.6% by value and 6% by volume. Growth is being driven both by a stronger sale rate and by higher prices. Leading collectors, encouraged by a buoyant market, are putting their rarest and most expensive bottles up for sale, and average selling prices are rising. All our indicators are good with a strong increase in lots going for more than their estimate, average prices and conversion rates. The proportion of unsold stock has, in turn, fallen sharply.
Our figures have been fairly stable so far this year, although we observed a marked uptick in September; we’re seeing far less seasonality and are now recording very strong sales every month of the year. This is largely explained by the global nature of our customer base, which allows us to balance performance between regions: a slightly quieter spell in Europe can be offset by strong demand in Asia (for example around the Mid-Autumn Festival in September) or in the USA. Worldwide demand for fine wines is consistently strong, and the international share of our sales continues to grow, now making up 70% of sales by value, compared to just 50% in 2020. The French market appears to have reached maturity, with growth stabilising, while other markets are still seeing strong growth.
Requests for valuations remain strong, and sourcing, while still largely French, continues to grow in neighbouring countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Spain), opening up promising prospects for growth and diversification in our range, with more fine Italian and Spanish wines in particular.”
So, are there any regional nuances when it comes to buying at auctions?
Raphaël: “All our markets are growing in value, with only France showing a decline in volume. The average price is also rising strongly, except in Europe (excluding France), where it remains stable.”
- France: +12% in value
- Europe: +17%
- Asia: +30%
- USA: +26%
What are the key trends shaping the wine auction market at the moment?
Raphaël: “As ever, Burgundy remains in the lead, as do the mainstays of fine-wine auctions; fine mature Bordeaux and icons from the Rhône Valley and Champagne continue to draw strong interest. But this trend spans all regions, including the ‘small’ ones, clustering around a small number of highly sought-after wines in each of the other regions. The wines beloved by wine enthusiasts have become far more diverse in recent years (more regions and estates, a broader range of wine styles, and a growing share of organic, biodynamic and natural wines). Rarity remains the cornerstone, especially with mature vintages, though not exclusively. For example, some recently established natural wine estates have seen their wines, considered young given the short lifespan of the estate, already become highly sought-after at auction. The diversity of our clientele, from serious collectors drawn to classic names in mature vintages to ‘wine geeks’ seeking the ‘it’ natural wine estates of the moment, explains the wide range of wines we offer.
We’re not seeing sweeping changes in auction trends, but rather a strengthening of patterns that have been visible over the past few years:
- A broader range of regions is in demand: the share of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône wines –still the overwhelming majority of wines sold – continues to decline in favour of smaller regions located in France and other countries.
- Rarity is still at the heart of what makes great wines so desirable: micro-estates, those that have stopped production for one reason or another, mature or very mature vintages, rare wines (unique collaborations, etc.).
- The share of organic, biodynamic and natural wines continues to grow.
- The share of red wine, which still accounts for the vast majority, is also declining.
- The average price has started rising again this year.
It is also worth noting that sales of ‘Collectors’ Catalogues’, a prestigious collection from a single consignor, presented in a dedicated sales catalogue at auction and promoted to best effect, and ‘Private Collections’, a dedicated sale for a single consignor with a superb collection, achieve excellent results. There are an unusually large number of these sales at the moment.”
Could you share a few of the standout results from 2026?
Raphaël: “The following superb results rank among the great classics:
- A bottle of 2015 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti went under the hammer for €20,380 (18/06/2026)
- A magnum of 1985 Chambertin from Armand Rousseau was auctioned for €20,254 (10/06/2026)
- A magnum of 1985 Clos de la Roche from Dujac sold for €20,254 (10/06/2026)
- A magnum of 1945 Château Mouton Rothschild went under the hammer for €32,960 (12/03/2026)
- A bottle of 1990 Hermitage Cuvée Cathelin by Jean-Louis Chave was bought for €10,316 (09/07/2026)
And alongside these great classics, we should also note the success of niche wines, which are often natural:
What could explain this ‘anomaly’ in a wine market in sharp decline, especially when French wine consumption is flat?
Raphaël: “To begin with, while the wine market in France isn’t in the best shape at the moment, the decline in consumption is mainly affecting entry-level wines, whereas auctions focus on the very top end, a niche segment of the wine market where rarity limits this drop in demand. What’s more, the secondary market, auctions, is performing well across the board, and wine is no exception here.
The strength of auctions is that this market adapts far more quickly to price movements, constantly working to match supply and demand in real time around an equilibrium price considered fair by both buyer and seller at any given moment. Things are, of course, very different on the primary market, where estates set the price for their new vintage and have no scope to adjust it over the course of the year to reflect shifts in demand. The auction market’s great flexibility enables prices to adjust quickly until the products regain liquidity. We went through a period of price adjustment between 2023 and 2025 and now, in 2026, prices are rising again for some fine wines.
Finally, it bears repeating that the international reach of iDealwine’s sales helps it absorb short-term shocks confined to specific regions. Above all, even in times of crisis or economic instability, wine is widely seen as a safe haven, little affected by the economic climate.“
Is the overall market for fine wine auctions performing strongly, or is it mainly being driven by particular segments or specific estates?
Raphaël: “Demand is rising across almost all our segments, though not evenly; for example, recent vintages are not seeing the same increases. Burgundy continues to command a central position in auctions. For its part, the organic, biodynamic and natural wine segment remains among the most dynamic.“
How can we plan ahead for the end of the year and the final quarter as well as more long term (2027)?
Raphaël: “September saw the momentum that has been building since the start of the year gather further pace, a familiar pattern for us as we head towards the end of the year. It should continue to build to a crescendo right through to the festive season; we’re now entering the busiest stretch of the year for auctions. We’re very optimistic about maintaining this momentum. We’re also organising a major prestige auction which will run from late November through to mid-December, and the catalogue is almost complete. We also organise ex-domaine or ex-cellar auctions of rare wines, large formats and mature vintages (wines sold directly by the estate at auction), as will soon be the case with Domaine Belargus.
Our ongoing international expansion, notably the strengthening of our presence in the United States (with our New York office) and last week’s launch of our Spanish-language website to grow our customer base in Spain and Latin America, should bear fruit in coming months.
All these factors give us great confidence in continued strong growth of iDealwine auctions worldwide throughout 2026 and 2027!“
