Classification of Italy’s Grand Cru wines - The evolution in the world of international auctions

WARNING: IN ORDER TO ATTEND THIS TASTING, BEFORE BOOKING / BUYING THE TICKET, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN ENTRY PASS FOR THE EXHIBITION VINITALY 2024 VALID FOR THE DAY IN WHICH THE TASTING TAKES PLACE.

The Classification of Italian Grand Cru wines identifies the 30 most prestigious Italian wine labels through the analysis of more than 50,000 auction results recorded by Gelardini & Romani Wine Auction over 20 years of activity, both in Italy and Hong Kong. The methodology, inspired by the prestigious Bordeaux Grand Cru Classification, is based on the price and percentage of unsold lots and thus reflects the evolution of the market.

The 2024 update highlights the success of wines from native grapes such as Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and, for the first time, Nerello Mascalese, alongside the renowned Supertuscans. The classification reflects market trends, showing a significant increase in the value of Italian wine, particularly for elegant, indigenous, and traditionally produced labels.

The analysis of the global context of collectible wines highlights the importance of the “uniqueness” of a wine. This uniqueness is given by its history, organoleptic characteristics, and representativeness of a given historical moment, and brings to light the change in the center of gravity of the “fine wines” market from New York to Hong Kong as well as the crucial role this has played in the dynamics of collecting and label appreciation.

This data analysis offers suggestions for approaching wine collecting in an informed way, emphasizing the importance of factors such as critical reviews, originality, and production consistency in defining a wine’s collectability. In addition, aspects related to demand, the organoleptic life of bottles, and the dynamics of value growth over time are highlighted. Finally, a distinction is made between trade and investment in the wine world.