Six month’s into 2021, an auction overview

Following a successful 2020 for iDealwine despite the global pandemic, momentum has continued to build in 2021, as wine lovers use the long winter months and various national lockdowns to source and bid on wine. Since January 1^st, 2021, 23 auctions have taken place on iDealwine, including five private collections (auctions entirely dedicated to a single outstanding cellar), resulting in the auctioning of 96,613 bottles, that is 50,702 lots, with an estimated turnover of € 12,4m (including buyers’ fees). Not included in these numbers are a charity auction benefitting winegrowers badly affected by the recent frost, via Vendanges Solidaires, as well as three spirits auctions that took place on the FineSpirits.Auction, our partner platform.

Going through the list of the 50 most expensive wines sold on iDealwine during the first half of the year, you will find that the majority of bidders are located in Europe. 27 of the top 50 winning bids were won by French people. 23 went to lucky bidders in Ireland, the UK, Austria, Denmark, Monaco, Switzerland, Italy and further afield in the USA, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

iDealwine truly has gone global!

Rhône and Bordeaux remain on the podium, just.

It is not until the 29th highest bid that we come across a bottle that is not from Burgundy. From Japan, the honour goes to a very rare Karuizawa 33 Years Number One Drinks Ex-Sherry Single Cask Butt N°136, bottled in 2014. With fine spirits making their mark on the auction landscape, their succes has inspired iDealwine to open a dedicated auction platform in November 2020, called Fine Spirits Auction, in partnership with La Maison du Whisky.

The Rhône Valley appears in 31st place, with Jean-Louis Chave’s Hermitage Cathelin 2000. A bottle with a very limited production, that is no longer available. Of course, this only increases its desirability…

Finally, Bordeaux wine fans can rest assured that this iconic region is well represented, but only from 44th position, with a prestige case of 2006 vintages from the châteaux Petrus, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion, Cheval White and Mouton Rothschild. Despite the declining share of Bordeaux bottles, auction prices remain high, proven by the fact that two 2000 Petrus wines were acquired for €4,421 each.

Rare white performing well

Among the more unusual bids in this ranking is a single double-magnum (La Tâche 1983 from the domaine de la Romanée Conti), and many rare Burgundy whites where older vintages are performing and drinking well. Chardonnay, queen of Burgundy is represented on this list in some of the world’s most famous terroirs, Montrachet, Meursault, Chevalier-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne, produced by great names such as Leflaive, d’Auvenay, Romanée-Conti and Coche-Dury.

See the listing for yourself and tell us, do you recognise any bids as your own?

iDealwine’s Highest Bids at Auction in the first half of 2021

See all wines currently up for auction on iDealwine

*Auctions are operated by IWA (International Wine Auction), a subsidiary of iDealwine and regulated by the Conseil des Ventes Volontaires, France’s regulatory body for auctions.