VANCOUVER, Wash., Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Growth Technologies, Inc, publisher of the gold standard for rare wine values The Wine Market Journal and the comprehensive spirit values guide Spirits Market Journal, today announced a striking divergence in the rare wine and rare spirits markets over the last year. While both remain highly collectible alternate investments that frequently share the same dedicated base of hobbyists, U.S. auction results reveal that the two markets are now heading in opposite directions.
“Wine collecting has been a popular hobby for centuries, largely because the finest wines improve in flavor with age and careful cellaring. Collectors likewise prize rare spirits made with traditional distillation methods over more modern, automated ones. As a result, spirits collecting, once largely confined to cognac and whisky, has expanded to Armagnac, rare bourbon, Chartreuse, and even rum, tequila and mezcal,” said Peter Gibson, editor of The Wine Market Journal and Spirits Market Journal. “Historically, both markets move in tandem. During the pandemic boom from late 2019 to spring 2022, rare wine values in the U.S. rose 47%, while rare spirits skyrocketed 93% during that same period.”
Following that historic growth, both categories experienced a post-pandemic correction in spring 2022 as collectors returned to travel and dining out. That dip ended by late 2024, leading to renewed appreciation in early 2025 as restaurants restocked cellars, investors sought shelter from stock market volatility, and new tariffs boosted the value of existing U.S. inventory.
However, an unusual divide emerged at the start of 2026. While rare wine values accelerated, gaining about 6% year-to-date as tracked by The Wine Market Journal, rare spirits plummeted nearly 20% according to Spirits Market Journal. “Some market segments have moved more than others, but both trends are broad-based,” Gibson noted.
“This may be a signal that demand to consume and collect spirits is shifting toward wine,” said David Parker, owner and President of First Growth Technologies as well as Benchmark Wine Group (BWG) in Napa, CA the largest rare wine retailer in the country, and Benchmark Wine & Spirits (BWS) in Washington DC, a major reseller of both rare wine and rare spirits. “We’ve seen rare wine sales at both companies jump up, with BWG having by far the strongest four quarters of sales in its 24 year history, up about 14% from the previous year. Spirits sales at BWS have been less robust.”
This seems to track demand for these categories overall. Despite stories of challenges in the wine industry and lower consumption volumes, dollars spent on wine in the United States increased about 2.5% in 2025 over 2024, roughly in line with previous market expansion and are projected to grow about 7% in 2026. As a portion of expenditures on alcohol, wine’s market share increased by about 2% during that year, while spirits declined about 3% in market share.
“This indicates that U.S. consumers are drinking better not more, and many high end brands are seeing strong demand,” said Parker, who is also President and Board Chair of The National Association of Wine Retailers (NAWR). “We anticipate that this trend will also continue.”
“Millennials are now driving the collectible alcohol market as both the largest generation and the one with the highest consumption rate of over 80%. Their habits in particular may be shifting away from spirits toward wine as they discover the latter and mature in their drinking preferences,” said Parker. “We expect that members of Gen Z will follow this trend in coming years.”
Though current trends favor fine wine, both categories retain a passionate following of collectors who recognize rare wine and spirits as deeply rewarding alternative assets.
Press contacts:
Jamie Mayer
Finn Partners
benchmarkwine@finnpartners.com
