New Sotheby’s Wine Market Report: Romanée Conti retains N°1 position, Drouhin sales increasing by 545%

sotheby's

Sothebys have compiled their 2014 sales data for both auction and retail, which makes interesting reading, and have listed their top 10 best-selling luxury wine estates for the year, as well as a breakdown of top sellers by region and buyers worldwide. In 2014, Burgundy performed extremely well as Domaine de la Romanée Conti retained its top position and Joseph Drouhin sales increased by 545% over last year (Drouhin family are members of the Primum Familiae Vini).

Three major facts
– ​By far, Bordeaux is the most represented (62%) when it comes to wine sales worldwide by region. Then come Burgundy (26%), Rhone (3%), Champagne (2%), Italy (2%), California (2%) and others.
​- Asian buyers were less dominant in 2014 but still purchased 55% of the wines sold worldwide (down from 62% in 2013 and 70% in 2010).
​- Sotheby’s continue to see the North American market strengthen with purchasing increasing to 24% worldwide and a significant 82% of their retail sales.

The Top 10 Luxury Wine Estates worldwide in 2014
​1) Domaine de la Romanée Conti ($ 8.9M)
​2) Pétrus ($ 6.0M)
​3) Lafite Rothschild ($ 4.7M)
​4) Latour ($ 4.2M)
​5) Mouton Rothschild ($ 4.0M)
​6) Cheval Blanc ($ 3.7M)(+85% over last year)
​7) Château Margaux ($ 3.6M)(+57% over last year)
​8) Haut Brion ($ 2.7M)
​9) Henri Jayer ($ 1.9M)
​10) Joseph Drouhin ($ 1.0M)(+545% over last year)

​The ranking, region by region
​CHAMPAGNE: 1) Krug 2) Dom Perignon 3) Roederer 4) Salon 5) R&L Legras 6) Taittinger 7) Veuve Cliquot 8) Bollinger 9) Selosse 10) Billecart Salmon
BURGUNDY: 1) DRC 2) Jayer 3) Drouhin 4) Rousseau 5) Roumier 6) Coche Dury 7) Domaine Leflaive 8) Comte G. de Vogüe 9) Dujac 10) Leroy
​ITALY: 1) Giacosa 2) Gaja 3) Ornellaia 4) G.Conterno 5) Sassicaia 6) L.Sandrone 7) Massetto 8) A.Conterno 9) P.Scavino 10) G.Quintarelli

No breakdown for Rhone Valley wine estates in 2014 but Sotheby’s will certainly add it next year as an increasing number of wine auctions worldwide will focus on this specific region.

Download the report to find out who sold the most wine by value at Sotheby’s in 2014 and for other statistics about the wine market.

(*Since 2003, VitaBella Luxury Wine has been advising more than 200 prestigious wine estates for their international communication strategy incl. Chapoutier, Hugel, Dr Loosen, Famille Perrin, Cos d’Estournel, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Miraval…Write to info@vitabella.fr)