Global sales of Bordeaux and other fine wines at auction have soared in the last year, according to new research.

Figures from all the major commercial auction houses indicate that sales of Bordeaux, Burgundy and other rare bottles have generated $408.1 million (£264.6 million) in income during 2010, Wine Spectator reports.

This is nearly double the $233.3 million (£151.2 million) collected in 2009, the data reveals.

In addition, a huge upsurge in Chinese interest in Bordeaux has helped make Hong Kong the world's premier auction market for fine wine.

Jamie Ritchie, chief executive officer of Sotheby's Wine Americas and Asia, told the news provider: "Asian wine buyers … are likely to be driving demand for fine wine over the next 15 years.

"We expect to continue shipping our most important single-owner collections for sale in Asia."

Asian interest in Bordeaux has impacted wine prices so strongly that, according to the Wall Street Journal, just one drop of Chateau Lafite Rothschild is now the same value as a whole bottle of Britain's most popular wine, Blossom Hill.