Whilst the battle between Burgundy and Bordeaux is ongoing, outsiders are appearing. Here is an analysis of the top auction results from the first six months of 2020.

Almost 43,000 lots – that’s 82,389 bottles – were sold at auction on our platform during the first six months of 2020. In terms of value sold, Burgundy has taken a slight lead over Bordeaux (35% Burgundy vs 34% Bordeaux), despite Burgundy’s volume sold being far lower (26% of the bottles sold compared to 36% for Bordeaux). So, the heated battle between these two longstanding rivals rages on, even if some serious outsiders have recorded impressive, even record, prices in the first half of this year.

At the top, both for the most coveted bottles and the most expensive lots, is the seemingly untouchable Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The cuvée to beat is the eponymous grand cru, a 2009 that went for €16,578, and then an assorted case of 12 bottles from the same vintage, sold for €46,910. We should specific that, for the sake of showing a more diverse and interesting table, we have only included one wine from any one domain.

Of the top 20 most highest-priced bottles of the semester, 8 places go to cuvées from Burgundy (40%), including five Pinots and three Chardonnays: Roumier, Liger-Belair, Leroy, and Armand Rousseau in red, Leflaive, d’Auvenay and Coche-Dury in white. Each of them went well beyond the threshold of €4,000 the bottle.

However, Bordeaux has not been left behind, filling four places in the ranking. Two of these are famous Pomerol bottles: a magnum of 2000 Petrus which sold for €8,228, and a Château Le Pin from the same vintage, at €3,438. Two collectors’ bottles complete the series, with a magnum of 1949 Latour and a 1921 Château d’Yquem.

From Champagne, two cuvées stand out, each selling for over €5,000: the first vintage from Dom Pérignon (1959) in its rosé version – €5,526 – and a 1979 magnum of the Collection cuvée from Krug.

Two other regions deserve a mention: perhaps unsurprising that the Rhône valley is represented by Domaine Chave’s Cathelin cuvée, a bottle from the Languedoc also makes an appearance: another first vintage, this time from Domaine de la Grange des Pères (€5,035). The desire for collectors’ wines is clearly far from petering out…

Finally, we have to point out the increasing share of success held by spirits in our ranking of most expensive bottles. There are three in this half-year report, including two whiskies and a cognac. A little reminder that in 2019, two of the three most expensive bottles of the year were spirits. A clear indication of a success story in motion.

Our ranking of the highest-priced lots brings Bordeaux back into the fold, taking up nine places compared to Burgundy’s seven. The important point to bear in mind here is that Bordeaux bottles are far more likely to be sold in cases of 12, whereas Burgundy’s grands crus are sold more often in single units (especially magnums).

All of these results attest to a continued interest in buying wine at auction, before, during, and at the end of the lockdown period. In fact, 80% of the lots put up for sale in the first six months of the year found buyers. Anyone wishing to sell their wine with us is guaranteed a global audience of enthusiasts as well as a competitively fast sale of their cellar. Our place as Europe’s top wine auctioneer is affirmed, and we can’t say how relieved we are to report this news at such a turbulent time.

Find out more about selling your wine with iDealwine

See our most recent auction reports

Request an estimate for your cellar

Top 20 highest-priced bottles sold on iDealwine from January – June 2020

Top 20 highest-priced lots sold on iDealwine from January – June 2020