Fine wine market dips in July

The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 dipped 1.2% in July, wiping out the gains made in June, but the index remains positive so far this year.

The fine wine market saw a noticeable but controlled descent in July.

Despite the drift, the index is still 3.2% above where it was in July 2014 (when the market had hit its nadir), while the Fine Wine 50 also slumped 1.3%.

There were no Bordeaux labels among the month’s top risers.

Despite a recent examination of the performance of Burgundy which suggests the top flight is hitting its ceiling, Armand Rousseau’s 2012 Chambertin bucked the trend with a 12.7% rise to £11,000 a case.

Opus One’s 2010 and 2009 Sassicaia were both up as were the 2004 vintages of two Champagnes, Dom Pérignon and Comtes de Champagne.

Bordeaux did make an appearance in the month’s under achievers though, specifically two 2005s.

Haut-Brion and Pavie were both awarded 100-points in Robert Parker’s recent rescore and as Liv-ex noted, “Their prices skyrocketed just as the month closed, but have struggled to hold since.”

Haut-Brion sagged 4.2% to close the month at £5,025 p/cs, while Pavie went down 8.2% to £2,800.

Apparently other Left Bank Bordeaux such as Margaux, lafite and Mouton Rothschild who were forecasted higher scores but failed to receive them also saw small declines.

In contrast to Rousseau, confirming the Burgundy examination was Domaine de la Romanée’s 2010 La Tâche which fell 8.4% to £17,783 p/cs.

Penfolds 2008 Grange was also down 5.5% while the month’s biggest decline was suffered by Léoville Las Cases’ 2000 vintage, which fell 13.4% to £1,695.