Wine Market Journal Highlights the Changing World of Wine Auctions: Online Auctions Now Rival Live Sales in Quality and Price

VANCOUVER, Wash., Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- First Growth Technologies, Inc., publisher of the industry-leading Wine Market Journal, announced today that online rare-wine auctions have reached price parity with live auctions in the United States across most major categories.

"Until the mid-1990s, virtually all rare and back vintage wine sales were at live auctions," said Wine Market Journal Editor, Peter Gibson. "A collector's only real option was to attend an event in person and bid live, or call in a set of absentee bids. Over the past two decades, we've observed consistent growth in the internet sector, with collectors preferring to affect trades in real-time from the comfort of their home or office. Today, the quality of wines being traded at internet venues has never been higher, and the ease of bidding online has resulted in an unprecedented scope and variety of selections available."

While eBay auctioned wine in the early days, the laws around licensing caused them to drop out of the market. In 1998, Brentwood Wine Company became the first licensed internet-only rare wine auction house running regular auctions. The venue was an immediate hit for both buyers and sellers who could bid and sell from the comfort of their computers anywhere in the world. This introduced an expanded seller and buyer pool and also provided options for smaller lots at lower prices. "While these lower price lots were initially the strength of the internet venues, we've seen the quality of product offered and the prices achieved in internet auctions come to rival those from live auctions," said Gibson.

Recent Wine Market Journal data confirms this convergence in price between internet auction and live auction average prices.

• TOP500 and HIVAL index wines now sell slightly higher online than live—by roughly 0.4%.
• The WMJ150 blue-chip index shows a modest 4% premium at live auctions.
• Only the MATURE index (1980s–1990s vintages) shows a significant gap, with live sales averaging 12% higher.

"This data suggests collectors can buy and sell younger wines online with the same confidence as at live events," Gibson noted. "Older bottles still tend to achieve higher prices live, while buyers may find better value for them online. Sales growth at internet auctions in the United States confirms this. It's increased from about $20M in 2008 to over $120M per year in the last couple of years, while sales at live auctions in this country have remained relatively static, averaging about $200M per year during that period."

Online venues are also setting new performance benchmarks. "Last month, Brentwood Auctions achieved 104 national record prices and introduced 131 wines to the auction market," said owner David Parker. "We highlight these first-time offerings separately—they show both the breadth of wines reaching auction and our commitment to hosting the world's most interesting wine auctions."

Brentwood has grown from one weekly sale in 1998 to three or four today and now includes rare spirits. The house is known for single-bottle lots, rapid seller payouts, and a broad selection that appeals to both collectors and investors.

While some enthusiasts will always prefer the energy of a live auction room, online auctions now offer the convenience, reach, and results that make them the preferred venue for most buyers and sellers of rare wine.

Besides owning First Growth Technologies and Brentwood Auctions, Parker owns and acts as CEO for Benchmark Wine Group in Napa, CA, the top rare and back vintage wine retailer and distributor, Benchmark Wine and Spirits in Washington, DC, a top rare wine and spirits retailer. David is president of The National Association of Wine Retailers.

About First Growth Technologies: After acquiring The Wine Market Journal in 2002 and being spun off of Benchmark Wine Group in 2009 to focus on the data and technology of rare products in the alcoholic beverage space, First Growth Technologies dramatically enhanced The Wine Market Journal to cover virtually all trades of rare wine at live and internet auctions in the world as well as retail trades and scores. In 2022, they launched the Spirits Market Journal to cover values of virtually all rare spirits trade at auction online and live in the world. They also supply the world's best wine appraisal software and data set to Benchmark Wine Group, Benchmark Wine and Spirits, and non-affiliated retailers and oversee the technology behind Brentwood Auctions.

About Brentwood Auctions: Established in 1998 as Brentwood Wine Company, which was the first continuous online-only rare wine auction house in the world, Brentwood Auctions is a top auction brand of rare wine and spirits, with three rare wine auctions per week and frequent rare spirits auctions.

About Benchmark Wine Group: Established in 2002, Benchmark Wine Group is a licensed importer, distributor, and retailer in California, and the leading source of rare and back-vintage wine for wine retailers, restaurants, and collectors in the U.S. and throughout the world.

About Benchmark Wine & Spirits: Established in 2022, Benchmark Wine and Spirits is a licensed wine and spirits retailer in Washington DC, and a leading source of rare and back-vintage wine and spirits for collectors, wine retailers, and restaurants throughout the country.