White Wine Trading Surges on Liv-ex

Liv-ex data shows that trade value for white wine on the secondary market has risen 650% since 2010, a sign that buyers in fine wine are shifting away from a long-standing focus on red wines and toward bottles that are often meant to be opened sooner. The London-based exchange for fine wine, market data and insight said sparkling wine trade value climbed even faster over the same period, up 1,100%, while red wine trade value fell 15.0% in 2025 compared with 2010.

The figures point to a broader change in buying behavior across the fine wine market, according to Sophia Gilmour, a market analyst at Liv-ex. She said white wines are generally ready to drink earlier than reds and that the move toward whites may reflect not only changing tastes but also a change in how collectors and merchants approach storage and aging. In the past, many buyers were willing to hold wines for a decade or more after release. Now, she said, a growing share of buyers appears to be purchasing with the intention of drinking sooner.

Liv-ex said Burgundy has become the leading white wine region on its platform, helped by stronger trading volumes at lower price points and continued stability among the most expensive wines. The report said Bordeaux white wine traded on Liv-ex has declined by 17.6% since 2011, allowing Burgundy to move ahead as the dominant white category by value. That shift reflects both changing buyer preferences and the growing role of market data in fine wine purchasing decisions.

The exchange said white wines have held up better than reds during recent market uncertainty. Champagne has followed a different path, but Liv-ex said the underlying demand pattern is similar because Champagne is often bought to be consumed rather than stored. That has supported trading even as merchants have become less willing or less able to take on inventory in a softer market.

Liv-ex said the trend is part of a structural change rather than a short-term swing. Red wine has historically led the secondary market, but the latest data suggests buyers are spreading capital across more categories and regions. White Burgundy has benefited from that shift, while high-end white Bordeaux wines have gained attention but remain costly and less widely recognized than similarly priced Burgundies.

The report comes as the fine wine market continues to adjust to slower trading conditions after the sharp price moves seen during the pandemic-era boom. Liv-ex said sparkling wines surged during that period before correcting sharply, while white wines showed a steadier rise in demand. The company said access to timely market data has become more important as buyers become more selective about where they place money in a weaker market.