The French auction house 'iDealwine' has published its annual Auction Barometer. According to the company, the 180-page report examines developments in the international wine auction market in 2024 and provides an outlook for 2025.
The quantity of wines auctioned apparently increased in 2024. 'iDealwine' subsidiary 'International Wine Auction' reportedly auctioned a total of 261,465 bottles of wine in 2024 (calculated as 750ml format), 17.7% more than the previous year. Revenue amounted to €39.1m (+15%), while the average price per bottle decreased slightly accordingly to €149/bottle. Within France, Burgundy led at €250.20/bottle (+/– 0%), whereas neighboring Beaujolais was rather towards the bottom of the price ranking at €44.20/bottle (+16%). Wine from Spain sold for an average of €79.30/bottle (–10%), wine from Italy for €93/bottle (–7%), and wine from the USA for €200.10/bottle (–7%). For the Rest of the World, 'iDealwine' reports an average bottle price of €83.90 (+14%).
DRC stays ahead
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) holds various price records. In 2024, it was the overall "most expensive estate" with 639 bottles auctioned (+65%) at an average price of €4,142/bottle (+6%). The total hammer price thus amounted to almost €2.65m. The most expensive auction lot also went to DRC: An assortment of 12 bottles from the 1999 vintage for €62,375. The most expensive single bottle auctioned was a 2020 DRC for €20,375.
Since 2020, Burgundy has led the regional revenue ranking and, at 'iDealwine' in 2024, accounted for 45.2% of auction revenues and 27% of auction volume. Bordeaux remained the leader in terms of volume, with a volume share of 32.8%. Prices for different regions varied, from a significant decrease for Champagne (–16%) to a clear increase for Roussillon (+24%). Generally, according to 'iDealwine', lesser-known regions are gaining importance. However, despite this diversification, over half of the total value still comes from the 50 most sought-after estates, the auction house notes. The share of red wine has decreased over the last five years from 77% to 70.5%. The share of certified organic and biodynamic wines remained stable at 28.4% by volume and 35.6% by value, while natural wines increased slightly to a 7.6% value share and a 7.2% volume share.
