Berry Bros. & Rudd October Auction: Pomerol and First Growths Performance Analysis

Market Pulse

Berry Bros. & Rudd sale realized £718,296. Analysis covers 98 of 108 offered lots. Whole-sale sell-through was 90.7%. The analyzed lots account for £718,296 of realized value. Average equivalent bottle price across analyzed lots was £849.62. Whole-sale realized value per offered lot was £6,650.89 including unsold lots in the denominator. The median sale total across 4 prior auctions from this provider in GBP was £823,818. 4 analyzed lots exceeded their observed comparable-price highs in the preceding 360-day history window.

Estimate Performance

Of 98 analyzed lots with hammer prices and both estimates, 13 (13.3%) finished above estimates, 72 (73.5%) within, and 13 (13.3%) below. All percentages use this same sample. Hammer prices exclude buyer premium.

Record and Breakout Lots

The Pomerol section delivered standout results, particularly for Le Pin. Three new price records were established during the session. This suggests a market that remains selective, rewarding top-tier provenance and rarity while showing price sensitivity for more common vintages.

Soft Spots and Bargains

Despite the strength in Pomerol, certain Bordeaux and Burgundy lots faced headwinds. Vintages like the 2006 Château Ausone and 2011 Chablis, Forêt, 1er Cru from Domaine François Raveneau sold below their recent ranges. The 2006 Ausone, in particular, saw multiple lots trade at roughly 38% to 39% below their median values from the last five comparable transactions. These results highlight a specific softening for mid-2000s Right Bank wines in the current bidding environment.

Spotlight: Pomerol and Burgundy Growth

2000 Le Pin, Pomerol, Bordeaux This lot achieved a record-breaking bottle price of £3,640. Looking at the price history over the last 365 days across major auction houses, the equivalent bottle price has shown upward momentum. In late 2024, prices were observed near £2,527, and while they fluctuated through mid-2025, the current result sits above the previous recent maximum of £3,451. This represents an increase of approximately 34.8% against the median of the last five sales.

1982 Château Lafleur, Pomerol, Bordeaux The 1982 Lafleur remains a high-value anchor for the Right Bank. At this sale, it fetched a bottle price of £4,500. While this is a significant figure, it sits within the observed range of £1,722 to £8,236 seen over the past year. The data suggests that while demand for this vintage is consistent, prices vary significantly based on pack size and presentation, with the current result being 155% above the median of the most recent five trades.

2014 Puligny-Montrachet, Les Pucelles, 1er Cru, Domaine Leflaive, Burgundy White Burgundy continues to demonstrate resilience. The 2014 Les Pucelles realized a price of £620 per bottle, a new record for this specific wine and vintage at auction. This surpasses the previous recent high of £616. A look at the 12-month trend shows prices largely holding between £425 and £623, indicating that the 2014 vintage is currently testing its upper pricing ceiling.

2013 Ornellaia, Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy The Italian sector showed stability, with the 2013 Ornellaia selling for £210 per bottle. Over the last 365 days, this wine has traded in a wide range from £31 to £224. The current result is nearly 74% above the median of the last five sales, suggesting a strong interest in well-aged Super Tuscans within the UK market.

2011 Warre's, Port, Portugal An unexpected record was set in the fortified category for the 2011 Warre's Port, which reached £74 per bottle. This is a notable 93.5% deviation from the median of the last five transactions, which stood at £38.24. Although the sample size for this specific wine is limited to five trades in the last year, the result marks a significant step up from the previous recent maximum of £64.

Outlook

The Berry Bros. & Rudd sale indicates that while the overall volume of lots has decreased, the value per lot remains high. The high sell-through rate for the 'Pomerol Trinity' confirms that top-tier Bordeaux estates still command strong interest. However, the equal distribution of lots selling above and below estimates suggests that collectors are strictly adhering to valuation benchmarks for most categories.