White Burgundy Collection

Over the last decade, the demand for the wines of Burgundy has exploded. Across the globe, collectors are battling for the limited supply of top wines produced each vintage. This demand led to 31% growth in the Liv-Ex Burgundy 150 in 2021 and an additional 6.8% of growth year-to-date in 2022. As interest in Burgundy has grown, prices for the top cuvees have skyrocketed. This is especially true for the red wines, which have experienced a 4,900% growth in annual value traded since 2010, with strong spikes in recent years. White Burgundy has also seen tremendous growth, with a 2,000% increase in annual trade by value over the same time period. However, this growth has been consistent at about 20% each year, with increases coming steadily over time rather than through recent jumps. The numbers suggest that the groundswell of interest in white Burgundy is on a sustainable trajectory which limits our fears that recent growth could be temporary. Adding to this consistent growth and continued collector interest in white Burgundy is the reality of a limited supply of recent vintages due to natural causes. Burgundy is particularly vulnerable to vintage variation and inclement weather during the growing season. Whether it be frost at the beginning or end of the growing season or the constant threat of hail, harvest quality and quantity is always susceptible to intervention from Mother Nature. 2016 saw what was considered to be the worst frost since 1981, which led to reduced production across the region, especially in the top white wine Grand Cru, Montrachet, which saw up to 90% loss in certain blocks. This low-production year was soon followed by a difficult 2019, which led to lower than usual production, and the dismal 2021 vintage where early season frost again reared its head. While the entire Burgundy region saw lower production, down 37.5% overall for the year, the damage wasn’t evenly distributed, with some appellations emerging unscathed, while some vineyards (especially white wine vineyards) lost upwards of 75% of their crop. Challenging vintages have a larger impact on white Burgundy supply than it does the reds, as white Burgundy typically comes of drinking age earlier than the reds and is therefore consumed sooner. This shortage of wines makes the limited supply of wines that were produced even more sought after in the near term. An example of a rare wine that was the product of a frost-depleted vintage is the Exceptionnelle Vendanges des Sept Domaines Montrachet Grand Cru that is featured in this collection. This wine is the product of seven domaines, including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), Domaine des Comtes Lafon, and Domaine Leflaive, combining their harvests because none of them had enough fruit to even make a barrel of wine on their own. This collaboration produced only 683 bottles and was a one-time partnership that is likely never to be replicated. These bottles are among the most expensive and difficult to acquire Burgundy wines on the planet.