What is Liv-Ex?
The global marketplace for fine and rare wine. Founded in London in 2000, Liv-Ex is the professional marketplace where over 620 companies in 45 countries trade, price, and verify the world's finest wines. It is the engine that powers B2B Fine Wines.
Liv-Ex (London International Vintners Exchange) is the global electronic marketplace where professional traders—merchants, brokers, distributors—buy and sell Fine & Rare Wine. It is not an e-commerce site, nor is it an auction: it is a regulated trading platform with an order book, real-time bid/offer prices, and centralized settlement.
Think about how a stock exchange works: those who want to sell place an offer, those who want to buy place a bid, and when the two prices meet, the transaction is closed. Liv-Ex does exactly that, but with cases of Pétrus, Sassicaia, and Dom Pérignon instead of shares.
The fundamental difference compared to the traditional wine market is transparency. In a market without Liv-Ex, each operator works with their own contacts, prices, and information. With Liv-Ex, everyone sees the same data, the same prices, and the same availability. Information asymmetry disappears.
- Price transparency — Before Liv-Ex, there was no verifiable market price for fine wine. Every transaction was private and opaque.
- Liquidity — Liv-Ex brings together global supply and demand in one place, making it easier to buy and sell.
- Standardization — Uniform contract terms (SIB, OWC), codified formats, centralized settlement.
- Authentication — Each bottle is physically inspected at Liv-Ex's warehouses prior to delivery.
- Data & Benchmarks — The Liv-Ex indices (Liv-Ex 100, 1000, Fine Wine 50) are the global benchmark for the fine wine investment market.
Search
The operator searches for a wine by name, LWIN, vintage, or region. They see bids, offers, and historical prices.
Order Book
Places a purchase order (bid) or accepts an existing offer (offer). The price is determined by the market.
Match
When bid and offer prices match, the transaction is executed. Liv-Ex acts as the central counterparty (clearing).
Inspection
The goods are physically inspected at the Liv-Ex warehouse in London. Authenticity, condition, packaging.
Delivery
Financial settlement and shipping. Logistics are managed end-to-end with cold chain and all-risk insurance.
LWIN (Liv-Ex Wine Identification Number) is the universal coding system created by Liv-Ex to uniquely identify every wine in the world. Think of it as the ISIN for stocks or the ISBN for books—LWIN does the same thing for wine.
The system is hierarchical: starting with LWIN7 (the base product, e.g., "Sassicaia"), the vintage is added to obtainLWIN11, the bottle size forLWIN16, and the number of bottles per case forLWIN18.
This means that Sassicaia 2019 in 750ml bottles in cases of 12 and Sassicaia 2019 in Magnums in cases of 6 have different LWIN codes — because they are different products with different market prices.
On our platform, every search and every price is linked to the LWIN code. This ensures that when you search for a wine, what you see is exactly what you buy — zero ambiguity.
Data: Liv-Ex Indices · Values are based on the Liv-Ex Mid Price — independent data based on actual transactions.
Arrival at the Liv-Ex warehouse
The seller's goods arrive at certified warehouses in London. Each batch is registered with a tracking number and documentation of origin.
Physical inspection
Specialized technicians verify: condition of the case (original OWC), wine level, condition of capsules and seals, labels, and anti-counterfeiting UV microprinting.
Condition Report
A detailed report on the status of each crate is issued. The SIB (Standard In-Bond) and SC (Special Condition) contractual conditions are verified and certified.
Temperature-controlled storage
The wine remains in the warehouse in optimal conditions (13-15°C, 70-75% humidity) until shipment. The cold chain is never interrupted.
Insured shipping
Temperature-controlled transport to destination. All-risk insurance at market value. Complete customs and tax documentation.
Foundation in London
James Miles and Justin Gibbs founded Liv-Ex with the aim of bringing transparency to the fine wine market. The first electronic trading platform for professional operators.
Launch of the Liv-Ex Fine Wine 50
The first market index for Fine Wine. For the first time, the value of fine wine becomes measurable and comparable over time.
Introduction of the LWIN system
Liv-Ex creates a universal coding system that will become the global standard for wine identification. Today, the LWIN database covers over 80,000 references.
Launch of Fine Wine 1000
The index expands to 1,000 wines with regional sub-indices. For the first time, Italian wines have a dedicated benchmark.
Cumulative trading volume exceeds £1 billion
Liv-Ex consolidates its position as an indispensable market infrastructure for the sector.
Expansion beyond Bordeaux
Burgundy, Champagne, Italy, California, and Australia are gaining ground in trade. The market is undergoing structural diversification.
Accelerated digitization
The pandemic accelerates adoption of the platform. New merchants from Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Open APIs for technology partners.
B2B Fine Wines becomes Liv-Ex Partner in Italy
The first Italian platform to offer direct access to the Liv-Ex market for agents, distributors, and Ho.Re.Ca. operators. The bridge between London and the Italian market.
B2B Fine Wines: your gateway to Liv-Ex
Liv-Ex is reserved for qualified operators with stringent access requirements. B2B Fine Wines is your bridge: an Italian platform, in Italian, that gives you full access to the Liv-Ex catalog, data, and logistics—with a monthly subscription and zero complexity.
