Liv-ex trades English wine for first time

It’s official: English sparkling has joined the ranks of fine wines such a Petrus and Dom Pérignon as Sussex fizz Nyetimber trades on Liv-ex – the first English wine to do so.

Liv-ex , which is the the global marketplace for professional buyers and sellers of fine wine, traded yesterday (Monday 1 August) a six-bottle case of Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvée, probably England’s most famous sparking wine brand.

The fizz, which hailed from the the 2010 vintage, traded for £120 in bond, which represents a wholesale price of £20 a bottle, without tax.

Nyetimber was first made famous when it won the IWSC trophy for best sparkling wine in the world, which was awarded to its 1993 vintage, the brand’s second harvest ever.

The appearance of the first English sparkling on the Liv-ex trading platform means that England has joined the list of countries and regions categorised by Liv-ex as “Rest of the world” – a group that’s seen increased market share in recent years as the fine wine market broadens.

In 2016, in descending order of value, the “Rest of World” comprised wines from:

• The US
• Australia
• Spain
• Port
• South of France
• Alsace
• Germany
• Chile
• Loire
• Cognac
• Argentina
• Lebanon
• South Africa
• England and…
• New Zealand (with a case of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2007).

According to Liv-ex, Bordeaux dominates the fine wine exchange: so far in 2016, trade for the region has accounted for 74.6% of total activity by value.

Bordeaux First Growths Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Haut Brion have been the most traded labels so far this year.

Last week the drinks business reported on another development that strengthens English sparkling’s upmarket image: English winemaker Chapel Down has been invited to join the British luxury exchange group, Walpole (although Nyetimber is already a member).

These two English wine brands join other drinks industry names at Walpole such as Laurent-Perrier, Sumaridge Wine Estates, Chivas Brothers, Glenmorangie, Diageo Reserve Brands Group and William Grant & Sons.