Younger wines gain ground at auction

Wine collectors are showing more interest in younger bottles and organic wines at auction, even as demand for mature vintages remains strong, according to iDealwine’s annual barometer for 2025.

The report, which tracks bidding patterns, sales results and regional trends across the auction market, found that 55% of the wine sold last year was more than 20 years old, down from 69% in 2024. That shift suggests buyers are becoming more willing to pursue recent vintages through auctions, rather than focusing almost entirely on older bottles.

Organic wine also gained ground. It accounted for nearly 30% of the volume sold and 36% of total value, a sign that sustainability is becoming a more visible factor in secondary-market buying. Red wine remained dominant, making up 72% of volumes sold and 71.4% of total value, even though white wine has been slowly increasing its share in recent years.

Burgundy stayed the leading region by value, with 41.3% of sales, and it also posted the highest average price at €212 a bottle. That figure was down 15% from the previous year, but iDealwine said the decline should be seen in context because prices at the top end of the market held up better than the overall average. The most expensive bottle sold in 2025 was a Musigny 2006 from Domaine Leroy, which fetched €25,416. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti remained one of the most sought-after names at auction, with sales equivalent to 514 standard bottles and total proceeds of €1.9 million.

Bordeaux saw one of the sharpest gains in volume, rising 23% to more than 105,000 bottles and accounting for just over a third of all bottles sold. Total hammer prices rose 19% to €12.5 million, although the average price per bottle slipped 3% to €119, which iDealwine linked in part to the growing share of younger wines entering the market.

The Rhône also had a strong year, driven largely by demand for wines from Emmanuel Reynaud, with 4,813 bottles sold. Taken together, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône lost about 10% of their combined share by volume, suggesting that buyers are spreading their spending across a wider range of regions.

That broader interest showed up in places such as Beaujolais, Alsace, the South-West of France and Corsica, which all gained attention during the year. Champagne also performed well, with total value sales up 21% and average prices rising 16%. Grower Champagne remained steady, but established houses still dominated trading and made up 13 of the top 20 names by volume.

Jura continued to attract more buyers too, with volume up 10% and value up 7%, even as its average price edged down 3% to €116.

iDealwine described 2025 as a record year for its platform. Sales rose 9% by value, and 19% of all wine volumes sold through its auctions. In total, it handled 390,924 bottles and generated €33.9 million in hammer sales. Spirit sales also increased, reaching €2.1 million through its joint venture platform with La Maison du Whisky.