What fine wines are merchants looking at?

First growth claret remains the most searched for group of wines by merchants in the UK, France, Hong Kong, China and Belgium Liv-ex has said.

Having already looked at the 50 most viewed for wines on the exchange earlier this month, Liv-ex has now broken down by country the most sought after fine wine labels so far this year.

Although Lafite Rothschild remains the most viewed blue chip wine overall, Haut-Brion’s 2012 is the wine merchants worldwide have been looking at and for the most between January and July 2016.

Also much in demand across the globe apparently have been 2006 and 2000 Mouton Rothschild, 2009 and 2010 Pontet Canet, 2010, 2013, 2009 and 2012 Lafite and 2009 Pape Clement.

Here’s how markets broke down individually:

UK: The UK had one of the broadest spreads with seven different labels including one non-Bordeaux name among them.

UK merchants have seemingly spent the first half of the year on the prowl for 2006 Mouton most of all, as well as 2012 Haut-Brion and the “perfect” ’09 and ’10 Pontet Canets.

2009s from Pape Clement, Lafite and Pavie have also been popular, as has the 2002 vintage from Krug, which was “snapped up” by buyers when released this February.

France: French merchants (and their clients) can’t get enough of Lafite it seems. The most looked for wine was the 2013 vintage from the Pauillac first growth, with the 2010, 2012 and 2014 also much in demand.

Three vintages of Mouton, including the 2013 again, were also on the radar.

The 2009 from Pape Clement and 2012 from Haut-Brion were also in the mix but the most searched for Pontet Canet was the 2011.

Hong Kong: Carruades de Lafite made up half of the most searched-for wines by Hong Kong merchants in a list that was also marked by its preference for slightly older vintages.

Six of the 10 wines listed were pre-2010 and included: 2008 Carruades, 2004 Latour, 2003 Mouton and 2005 Lafite. All of the wines on the list were first growths or their second wines.

Elsewhere: Around the rest of the world some interesting results cropped up. The taste for Lafite in China clearly hasn’t dissipated as much as is sometimes claimed. Merchants there, as in France, have been spending most of their time looking for the 2013 vintage of the first growth.

In Belgium 2006 Haut-Brion has been flavour of the month(s), while in Switzerland it’s been Cristal 2007, followed by Sassicaia 2010.

In the US the most searched for wine this year has been Altesino’s Brunello Montalcino 2010.