Liv-ex Bordeaux: These Are The Wines That Have Truly Gained In Value In 2026

Liv-ex Bordeaux shows a cautious turnaround. The previous three years were weak. This is proven by data from the most important fine wine marketplace.

The Liv-ex 1000 Index is the broadest barometer for the fine wine market. In 2025, it fell by 4.5 percent. For 2026, the statistics now show a different picture. The market remains fragile. But individual wines have measurably gained in value.

For collectors, this is an important distinction. "The market is recovering" is too broad a headline. It only becomes interesting when looking at the names. Which wines are specifically gaining? This article classifies the current Liv-ex Bordeaux figures. It shows which Bordeaux wines truly gained value in 2026.

The starting point: A weak year 2025

For proper classification, it's worth looking back. The Liv-ex 1000 Index lost about 4.5 percent in 2025. The cost per case fell by an average of 12.3 percent. The traded value volume decreased by 5.8 percent compared to 2024.

The traded quantity, however, increased by 7.2 percent. This is a typical pattern for a buyer's market. More was traded, but at lower prices.

European buyers expanded their position in 2025, with a 48.2 percent increase in value compared to the previous year. US buyers remained more cautious, reaching only about 80 percent of the Q1 2024 level.

Liv-ex CEO James Miles assessed the situation in February 2026 as follows: price drops of 30 percent and more, coupled with significantly reduced key interest rates worldwide. Both together could support the market. His colleague Tom Burchfield remained more cautious. 2026 would not be a "smooth ride." The market would rather "bump along the bottom." Miles expected a recovery in the usual fine wine cycle, which lasts six to eight years.

Liv-ex Bordeaux Analysis August 2026: The method behind it

On August 5, 2026, The Drinks Business published an evaluation. Basis: Trading data from Liv-ex Bordeaux . The central question: Which wines escaped the weak development?

The methodology is deliberately strict. It aims to separate genuine trends from short-term noise. Data from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026 was analyzed – a full year. Only wines with at least two quarters of trading activity and a minimum trading value of £5,000 were considered.

Only wines with a clear pattern were considered winners: three to four consecutive quarters with increasing, volume-weighted average prices. This is not about individual outliers but about a demonstrable, sustained upward movement.

These Bordeaux wines gained value in 2026

One name stands out: Château Mouton Rothschild. Five vintages met the winner criteria: 2015, 2005, 2010, 2018, and 2008. Anyone looking to buy Mouton Rothschild now will find a particularly sought-after name.

The 2015 vintage showed the strongest value development over the entire period. This is remarkable. 2015 is considered a particularly successful, already established vintage. Apparently, demand remains high.

Château Lafite Rothschild is also represented with its 2015 vintage. The analysis describes "consistent upward momentum" and a "tight trading range." This indicates a stable, less volatile market. For fine wine investors, this is a good sign. A small spread between buying and selling prices signifies healthy liquidity.

Both names are First Growths. Both belong to the upper price segment. This matches a known pattern in the fine wine market. In uncertain phases, demand concentrates on the most established names. Those who wish to buy Bordeaux Grand Cru today will find the most liquidity in these names. Lesser-known producers struggle more.

Champagne and other regions in comparison

It is worth looking beyond Bordeaux. In Champagne, two wines showed similar dynamics: the non-vintage Pol Roger Brut Réserve and the non-vintage Jacques Selosse Initial.

The Liv-ex Champagne 50 Index found support on its long-term uptrend line. This is a technical signal. It suggests that the bottom for Champagne prices may have been reached.

Outside Europe, Opus One 2013 from California stands out. The wine traded above its official market price. It again approached the levels of its 2022 peak.

This shows that the recovery is not limited to Bordeaux. It appears as a broader, yet selective pattern across several fine wine regions.

What Liv-ex bosses say about the development

A cautious turnaround was already evident by the end of 2025. The Liv-ex 1000 Index rose by 0.4 percent in November 2025, marking the third consecutive month of gains. The Liv-ex 50, which tracks Bordeaux First Growths, rose by 1.5 percent in the same month. Over three months, it was up 2.9 percent.

The traded bid volume reached £31 million, the highest since April 2023. Tom Burchfield commented at the time: "After three years of steady decline, optimism is returning - albeit fragile." His assessment: The market offers buyers an opportunity to secure key wines at the lowest prices since 2020.

This caution is also reflected in the current Liv-ex assessment for 2026. The broader market already stabilized in the third quarter of 2025. A price floor may have formed there. The identified winning wines are therefore not a sign of a completed boom. They rather indicate a nascent, selective recovery among liquid names.

What the data means for collectors

Three observations can be derived from the Liv-ex Bordeaux data.

Firstly: The recovery in 2026 is selective, not a broad upturn. Anyone speculating on general price increases across the entire Bordeaux range is currently mistaken. The winners are individual, specific vintages of established producers.

Secondly: Liquid First Growths are leading the recovery. This confirms a rule of thumb for fine wine investment. In uncertain phases, the best-known names tend to offer the most stable value development. They are least affected by liquidity bottlenecks.

Thirdly: The market participants themselves warn against excessive optimism. From Liv-ex CEO James Miles to analyst Tom Burchfield. A "bumpy" course along the bottom better describes the situation than a completed trend reversal.

You can find more on other current Bordeaux topics in our article on the Château ownership changes 2026.

Conclusion

Liv-ex does not paint a uniform picture for 2026. After a weak 2025, individual, established wines show a clear upward trend. First and foremost, Mouton Rothschild in several vintages. And Lafite Rothschild 2015.

According to Liv-ex Bordeaux, the broader market remains fragile. For collectors, this means: a closer look is worthwhile. Blanket conclusions from the overall market to individual wines are currently not applicable.

Our articles also offer a deeper insight into Bordeaux as an investment. Wine Investment Tips: How exclusive Bordeaux wine convinces as an investment and Wine as an investment.

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Sources

• On the up: Which fine wines have been gaining value this year? – The Drinks Business (05.08.2026)
• Liv-ex: fine wine market only 'at the start' of recovery – The Drinks Business (February 2026)
• Liv-ex: Bordeaux signals signs of recovery for fine wine – Harpers (15.12.2025, data for November 2025)
• The Fine Wine Market in Q1 2026 – Liv-ex

Note: Information without guarantee. No investment recommendation. Photos are AI-generated symbolic images, not real shots.