Angélique sat down with Patrick Schmitt for the Drinks Business podcast to talk all about auction market trends, which were analysed during the creation of iDealwine’s annual Barometer. Together, they discuss regions to look out for, emerging trends and the changes in the fine wine market since iDealwine’s creation 25 years ago.
Burgundy shines but so do other regions
It comes with little surprise that Burgundy came out as the highest-valued region last year, fetching nearly half of the total auction value on iDealwine. However, it still hasn’t knocked Bordeaux off its top spot as the region with the most volume at auction. One out of every three bottles sold in iDealwine auctions comes from Bordeaux, and its volumes appearing in the catalogues increased by 7,000 bottles in 2024. What’s more, 56% of all Bordeaux bottles that went under the hammer were over 20 years old.
And elsewhere, Languedoc-Roussillon, Jura, Savoie and smaller secondary market regions, such as Beaujolais, also enjoyed success at auction. Wines produced outside of France equally had a stellar year with more than 15,000 bottles (when scaled to 750ml) going under the hammer in 2024.
The Loire Valley is beloved by wine enthusiasts, especially the Auvergne area. 23% of the bottles from this region which went under the hammer in 2024 fall into the Vin de France category. These winemakers follow their vision, even if it means leaving the appellation, and wine lovers follow them off the beaten path.
Pinot Noir takes over the wine world
Pinot Noir shines wherever it grows around the world, that’s a fact and it’s now evident in auction results. Burgundy producers some of the highest-priced wine from this grape variety, especially when it comes to the grand crus from the Côte de Nuits, but so many other regions dazzled at auction last year.
Some of the names that stood out were Hervé Bizeul and Jean-Yves Bizot’s Roussillon Pinot Noir 100 Phrases pour Éventail, Alsace’s Albert Mann, and Champagne’s Romain Henin, who created a still Pinot Noir from the Coteaux Champenois appellation. Also making a splash was Muscadet’s Jérôme Bretaudeau whose wine Statera usually sells for around €140 but a bottle soared to €200 at one iDealwine auction in 2024.
Increased volume for white wine at auction
White wine (dry, sweet and sparkling) accounted for 28.7% of all bottles sold in iDealwine auctions in 2024. Five years ago, this figure was 23.7%. Unsurprising, Burgundy’s Chardonnay led the way but other regions in France also saw their share of white wine at auction increase too. White wine from the Loire, the Rhone, Savoie and Jura left a lasting impression in 2024.
Listen to the podcast to hear the rest of the trends and Angélique’s insights into the auction market – which countries are currently buying wine, the demand for organic and natural wines, the stars of 2024 and the future…
