Italian Wines Drive Fine Wine Market Recovery as Liv-Ex Indices Show Early 2026 Gains

The fine wine market has shown early signs of recovery in 2026, following a modestly positive close to 2025. According to data from Liv-Ex, the London-based platform that tracks the global secondary market for collectible wines, all major indices have registered slight growth since the start of the year. This comes after a period marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical instability, which has affected not only wine but many luxury sectors.

The Liv-Ex 100, the platform’s benchmark index, is up 0.6% since January. Italian wines have played a significant role in this growth, with four labels among the top ten performers in the first two months of the year. Notable Italian entries include Barolo 2019 from Bartolo Mascarello, Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche Riserva 2016 from Bruno Giacosa, Barbaresco 2019 from Gaja, and several vintages of Masseto, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Solaia, and Tignanello from Tuscany. The best-performing wine so far is Promontory Napa Valley 2018, which rose by 15.2%. Close behind is Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche Riserva 2016 by Bruno Giacosa at +14.3%, Soldera Case Basse’s 100% Sangiovese Igt Toscana 2020 at +12%, Masseto 2022 at +7.8%, and Solaia 2021 at +6.3%.

The broader Liv-Ex 1000 index has also increased by 0.4% since January. Within this index, Champagne stands out with a gain of 1.4%. Other regional indices have seen smaller increases: Bordeaux 500 is up by 0.5%, Bordeaux Legends 40 by 0.5%, and Burgundy 150 by 0.2%. The only negative result comes from Rhone 100, which slipped by 0.2%.

Italy’s performance is particularly strong in the Italy 100 index, which has risen by 0.7% since the beginning of the year—second only to Champagne among regional indices. The Italy 100 now includes a range of vintages from Bartolo Mascarello’s Barolo (2012–2021), several Bruno Giacosa Barolos (including Falletto Le Rocche del Falletto Riserva from various years), Gaja’s Barbaresco (2013–2022), Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Monfortino Riserva (2002–2019), and all recent vintages of Supertuscans such as Sassicaia, Solaia, Tignanello, Ornellaia, and Masseto. Soldera Case Basse’s Sangiovese Igt Toscana (2011–2020) is also included. The standout performer in this group is Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2005, which has jumped by 21% in just two months.

Despite these positive signals, experts caution against over-optimism. The overall wine market continues to face challenges such as widespread economic difficulties, growing health consciousness among consumers, and ongoing geopolitical tensions that can shift rapidly.

Tom Burchfield, head of Market Intelligence at Liv-Ex, noted that by late January it was clear that “the outlook at the start of 2026 is decidedly more positive.” He observed strengthening demand in Europe and improved sentiment in Asia. While buyers in the United Kingdom and United States remain cautious, Burchfield said that “overall the market appears to be entering a recovery phase.” However, he also warned that macroeconomic and geopolitical factors could still cause sudden changes.

These developments are mainly limited to a small segment of highly sought-after collectible wines and do not reflect broader trends across all wine categories. Still, for collectors and investors focused on fine wines, these early gains offer some hope after a challenging period for the industry worldwide.