The Champagne market is fizzing. Whilst the broadest measure of the market, the Liv-ex Fine Wine 1000 rose 0.09% in August following four months of gains, the Champagne 50 is currently the best performing regional sub-index. Liv-ex’s Champagne measure has grown 4.47% over the past year since August 2019, is up 3.35% in 2020 YTD including a 1.17% uplift in August 2020. Sparkling wines, like Italian, have benefited from exemption to Trump’s tariff increase in Autumn 2019 and this is a contributing factor to the sparkling appeal for investors and collectors.
In terms of individual performance, Liv-ex’s recent ranking of the top 10 performing wines for the 1H 2020 included two Champagne vintages; Pol Roger Winston Churchill 2002 and Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2009, reaching 13% and 8% growth respectively. Late August 2020, Champagne took the lead for the most traded wine by value on Liv-ex, with Louis Roederer Cristal 2012 proving to be one of the market’s favourites following its release earlier this year, just behind Dom Perignon 2008 as the best-selling Champagne by both value and volume. The release of Dom Perignon’s 2010 vintage in July (at the same opening price of the 2008 vintage previously) has kept the brand on message this summer. Their strategic decision to now only release vintage Champagne as ‘an expression of every harvest’, rather than the previous standard of only in the best years, will be an interesting evolution to monitor.
Champagne wines are an important component now of a rounded fine wine portfolio and we strongly advise our clients to include ‘investment -grade’ Champagne in their portfolios. Those exceptional wines with excellent brand profile, quality and an active secondary market supporting strong price performance, especially as the wines become rarer are important considerations for fine wine investors.
VIN-X RECOMMENDATION – LIMITED EDITION CHAMPAGNE PARCEL
Dom Perignon Rose, Limited Edition By Jeff Koons, 2003
Dom Pérignon’s cuvée Rosé 2003 is an exquisite Champagne, and this latest limited edition release is in partnership with US artist Jeff Koons. The world renowned artist’s interpretation of the Ballon Venus and his signature feature on the label and specially designed packaging. Dom Perignon previously commissioned David Lynch to design the label and specialist packaging of the 2003 Brut and 2000 vintage rosé.
Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave at Dom Perignon describes the 2003 vintage as “one of the most memorable ever” shaped by a harsh winter and the hottest summer in 53 years, 75% of the Chardonnay harvest was lost and harvest was the earliest since 1882 for the great Champagne house. Geoffroy refers to it as “the vintage of superlatives and extremes” … “we saw the greatness of the vintage but had to find a way to express it.”
1997 Salon le Mesnil, Special Release Disgorgement 2018
Salon 1997 released in the very rare ‘2018 edition’ is a “must-have’ for the serious fine wine collector. The Cuvée “S” Oenothèque 1997 (Edition 20 Years) by Salon Le Mesnil 1997 was a wonderful idea of its president Didier Depond. This is the first time that the Maison Salon has released a late ‘dégorgement’ with only a very limited 2,000 bottles available to the whole market. Salon is one of the most prestigious houses in Champagne. Instead of making a range of styles that includes a prestige cuvée like most Champagne houses, Salon makes a single prestige cuvée, entirely from Chardonnay grapes from the village Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. This is an extremely rare opportunity to own a very special vintage from one of the top performing Champagne brands for investors.
With limited supply, now is the time to contact the Vin-X team for further investment information about these wonderful Champagnes.
With the UK’s economic recession calling to question all financial investments, it’s important to look to alternative markets to help protect your assets through diversification. To understand more about investing in Champagne, contact a member of our investment team today on +44 (0) 203 384 2262 or click here download our wine investment guide.