In 2021, some 190,604 bottles were auctioned for a total of €27,422,402, making it a record year for iDealwine. Trends have been confirmed and new names have emerged, and the natural movement has continued its unstoppable rise. Within this eclecticism, the search for safe signatures and good investments goes on, with Burgundian rarities and Bordelais icons still in the spotlight. You’ll find the full table at the end of the article.
An overview
Things are heating up at the top of the table. Whilst Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was the only estate to fetch over 1 million euros in 2020, Emmanuel Reynaud joined the exclusive club last year. The second-place producer crossed the impressive threshold with a total hammer price of €1,215,455. These two iconic domains have taken an even bigger lead on Petrus, which takes the bronze medal with an overall sum of €858,124. However, whilst Reynaud has overtaken Petrus in terms of total value, the latter sold far, far less in volume; 336 bottles of Petrus compared to 3,277 bottles by Reynaud. The star of the show hasn’t stagnated, either, and whilst the DRC is known primarily for its red cuvées, the Montrachet whites crafted there also played heavily in its favour.
Regional variety
When we look at the top 50 best-selling properties of 2021, it’s worth noting how the estates are shared between different regions. For an overview, 19 are from Burgundy, 19 from Bordeaux, 6 from the Rhône, 2 from Champagne, 2 from the Jura, 1 from the Loire, and 1 from the Languedoc.
Burgundy’s brilliant names
Burgundy prices just keep going up. But for how much longer? The big DRC hasn’t yet ceded its position at the top, and there are many other signatures to note from the illustrious region. The first has to be Lalou Bize-Leroy, whose Leroy and Auvenay estates recorded some high-ranking hammer prices; a 2006 Musigny fetched €28,244 whilst the 2013 Aligoté Sous Chatelet went for €2,996, making it the world’s most expensive Aligoté. As you can see, the overwhelming direction for the domains of Burgundy is up. Bizot, Prieuré-Roch, Raveneau, Dauvissat, Truchot, Denis Mortet, René Engel-Eugénie, Clos de Tart, and Comtes Lafon all performed excellently, proving that beyond the wondrous Côte de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune and Chablis areas also hold treasures in their vineyards.
Bordeaux won’t be bettered
Neck and neck with Burgundy, Bordeaux has held onto its elite status. In this Top 50 table are featured Bordeaux domains from the left bank, the right bank, and Sauternes. Bordeaux Bashing? There’s no sign of it here, that’s for sure. The region is stable on the auction market thanks to its many safe investments, holding strong on a base of centuries-old renown and classic style. These wines are happy to stay in your cellar for a long time, and there are generous formats aplenty. You’ll find details on the specific châteaux featured below.
Rhône rising
Boasting of a savoir-faire that dates back to the very beginning of France’s rich winemaking history, it’s no surprise that Rhône names continue to feature in our ranking of best-selling domains. From the 2021 results, Emmanuel Reynaud was the regions stand-out producer, reaching second place on the podium with his Château Rayas and its satellite estates. Big names like Guigal, Beaucastel, and Chapoutier – domains used to making comfortable volumes from each vintage – have seen slight decreases in their position, but the region is redeemed by the performance of its cutting-edge producers. Among them are Jean-Louis Chave with the exceedingly rare Cathelin cuvée, and Jamet, a 17-hectare family-owned estate that’s undoubtedly one of the Côte-Rôtie’s most prized.
Champagne, the renewal
Whilst Champagne is far from being a pioneer when it comes to on-trend questions of ‘green’ viticulture, the damp region being poorly-suited to low-intervention methods, it has some good examples of organic production. This is why, alongside longstanding favourites like Moët & Chandon (#30), we find top results for more recently popular estates like Jacques Selosse, in 23rd place.
Jura, Languedoc, Loire, and others
That the Top 50 isn’t totally saturated with classic regions is testament to the growing curiosity of wine lovers. The presence of Overnoy and Jean-François Ganevat showcases some of the Jura’s brightest talent, and La Grange des Pères’ searing success is a fine example of what the Languedoc can do, though the estate’s owner, Laurent Vaillé, sadly died in 2021. As for the Loire, it’s Clos Rougeard that proudly flies the flag for the region’s increasingly coveted produce, with its 10 hectares of vineyard across Saumur and Saumur-Champigny.
You’ll find the full ranking of top performing estates below.
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