WINE AND SPIRITS
1774 YELLOW TREASURE IN ARBOIS
2012 SOLD 46 KCHF INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
It is a mystery of chemistry: some exceptional wines never become obsolete. I have already discussed in this groupthe Château Cheval Blanc of 1947 and the 1961 Hermitage La Chapelle.
For some antique vintages, winemakers knew to put aside prestigious bottles, opened with such parsimony thatsome of them still remain. We have already discussed the Madeira 1795. I introduce now a vin jaune (yellow wine) from French Jura.
Arbois has a very old tradition of winemaking, and the 1774 vintage was exceptional. A few units bottled by the winemaker were preserved by his descendants until now, in a vaulted cellar which, for safety, has not beenidentified.
In 1994, a bottle of this beautiful amber colored liquid was opened and shared by 24 wine professionals. They declared that this wine was excellent. What follows is especially nice.
For about fifteen years, Jura winemakers organize an annual agricultural festival, named La Percée du Vin Jaune,each year in another village, with a program including an auction of old wines. In February 2011, the event took place at Arbois: excellent opportunity for the owner to sell one of his bottles of 1774.
The story was a national scoop when the result was announced by the press: € 57K hammer price. In announcing that he bought it for drinking with wine-loving friends and not to speculate, the buyer, a Swiss collector, became a local hero.
Another bottle from the same lot is estimated CHF 40K, for sale by Christie's in Geneva on May 15.
It is no coincidence that I began this discussion with chemistry: the best biochemist of the nineteenth century, Louis Pasteur, had spent the best hours of his youth in Arbois, and his work on alcoholic fermentation is fundamental.
POST SALE COMMENT
While not surrounded by the ambiance of a local festival, this beautiful bottle still got a good price, CHF 46K including premium.
It is a mystery of chemistry: some exceptional wines never become obsolete. I have already discussed in this groupthe Château Cheval Blanc of 1947 and the 1961 Hermitage La Chapelle.
For some antique vintages, winemakers knew to put aside prestigious bottles, opened with such parsimony thatsome of them still remain. We have already discussed the Madeira 1795. I introduce now a vin jaune (yellow wine) from French Jura.
Arbois has a very old tradition of winemaking, and the 1774 vintage was exceptional. A few units bottled by the winemaker were preserved by his descendants until now, in a vaulted cellar which, for safety, has not beenidentified.
In 1994, a bottle of this beautiful amber colored liquid was opened and shared by 24 wine professionals. They declared that this wine was excellent. What follows is especially nice.
For about fifteen years, Jura winemakers organize an annual agricultural festival, named La Percée du Vin Jaune,each year in another village, with a program including an auction of old wines. In February 2011, the event took place at Arbois: excellent opportunity for the owner to sell one of his bottles of 1774.
The story was a national scoop when the result was announced by the press: € 57K hammer price. In announcing that he bought it for drinking with wine-loving friends and not to speculate, the buyer, a Swiss collector, became a local hero.
Another bottle from the same lot is estimated CHF 40K, for sale by Christie's in Geneva on May 15.
It is no coincidence that I began this discussion with chemistry: the best biochemist of the nineteenth century, Louis Pasteur, had spent the best hours of his youth in Arbois, and his work on alcoholic fermentation is fundamental.
POST SALE COMMENT
While not surrounded by the ambiance of a local festival, this beautiful bottle still got a good price, CHF 46K including premium.
1795 VERY OLD MADEIRA WINES
2010 SOLD 7.7 K$ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
The climate of the island of Madeira is conducive to the production of wine. Even better, its isolated geographical position in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is the origin of some unique winemaking techniques which give it, since the eighteenth century, an exceptional lifetime of preservation.
Wine is a product sensitive to the environment. It had been noticed that the constant movement of boats and the heat of the store-room had a beneficial effect on the quality of this wine, and local producers designed the process that made it possible to achieve similar results in their cellars.
The Madeira wine trade with England became intense. It was also the favorite wine of Americans at the time of the Revolution, because they did not produce good wines on their grounds.
Year 1795 is legendary for Madeira. If all those which refer to this date actually come from the harvest of that year, production was fabulous ...
A source is sufficiently documented to be considered authentic: the Terrantez 1795 Barbeito. Terrantez is the name of the grape, Barbeito is the local wine merchant who bought half of a British stock in the second half of the twentieth century.
Barbeito put in wood barrels this wine that had been supplied to him in demijohns and his company reconditioned it in bottles until recent years according to the needs of the market.
On March 2, 2006, Christie's sold $ 65K including premium a lot of 12 bottles Terrantez 1795 Barbeito. A set of two bottles of the same description is being sold in Chicago on September 24 by Hart Davis Hart. It is estimated $ 4.5 K.
POST SALE COMMENT
This lot has been sold $ 7.7 K including premium, in the vicinity of the higher estimate. Reduced to the price per bottle, it does not, however, reach the reference price which I mentioned in my article. But it confirms that the Terrantez 1795 Barbeito is one of the most prestigious wines in the market.
The climate of the island of Madeira is conducive to the production of wine. Even better, its isolated geographical position in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is the origin of some unique winemaking techniques which give it, since the eighteenth century, an exceptional lifetime of preservation.
Wine is a product sensitive to the environment. It had been noticed that the constant movement of boats and the heat of the store-room had a beneficial effect on the quality of this wine, and local producers designed the process that made it possible to achieve similar results in their cellars.
The Madeira wine trade with England became intense. It was also the favorite wine of Americans at the time of the Revolution, because they did not produce good wines on their grounds.
Year 1795 is legendary for Madeira. If all those which refer to this date actually come from the harvest of that year, production was fabulous ...
A source is sufficiently documented to be considered authentic: the Terrantez 1795 Barbeito. Terrantez is the name of the grape, Barbeito is the local wine merchant who bought half of a British stock in the second half of the twentieth century.
Barbeito put in wood barrels this wine that had been supplied to him in demijohns and his company reconditioned it in bottles until recent years according to the needs of the market.
On March 2, 2006, Christie's sold $ 65K including premium a lot of 12 bottles Terrantez 1795 Barbeito. A set of two bottles of the same description is being sold in Chicago on September 24 by Hart Davis Hart. It is estimated $ 4.5 K.
POST SALE COMMENT
This lot has been sold $ 7.7 K including premium, in the vicinity of the higher estimate. Reduced to the price per bottle, it does not, however, reach the reference price which I mentioned in my article. But it confirms that the Terrantez 1795 Barbeito is one of the most prestigious wines in the market.
CHAMPAGNE WINE IN THE ALAND ISLANDS
2012 SOLD 15 K€ WITH NO APPLICABLE BUYER'S PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
The Government of Åland, depending of Finland, wisely continues their promotional program based on their treasure: 145 bottles of champagne found in 2010 in a wreck in the depth of the Baltic Sea, approximately 55% of them being qualified for drink. The brands were identified through the corks.
The first auction was conducted by Acker, Merrall & Condit on June 3, 2011 after confirmation of the exceptional quality of these wines. For nearly two centuries, the thermal conditions were optimal for the conservation of champagne. Two bottles were presented. Veuve Clicquot was sold € 30K and Juglar € 24K. This sale did not includea buyer premium.
The next sale, on June 8, is entrusted to Artcurial. Ten bottles will be sold: one Heidsieck, four Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and five Juglar. They are uniformly presented with an estimate range of € 10K to 15K. The Heidsieck brand is extremely rare in the treasure: four bottles in total.
The catalog indicates that the bottles for sale have been tested successfully in 2010. They were evaluated: the best Clicquot is lot number 10 (93/100 points) and the best Juglar is lot number 14 (90/100 points).
All these bottles are almost in mint condition: the Heidsieck and Clicquot corks popped during the test. The aromais extremely powerful with no oxidation.
The date of the sinking is not known. Clicquot corks include a change in design made in 1841 during the lifetime of the "Grande Dame de la Champagne". The vinification of Clicquot could be from 1839 which was a great vintage.The bottling by Juglar should predate 1829, when their vineyards were absorbed by Jacquesson. Anyway the Åland bottles are the only available examples of pre-phylloxera champagne wines.
POST SALE COMMENT
The best Veuve Clicquot, sold € 15K, is not the lot which had the highest evaluation. The Heidsieck,of great rarity, was sold € 11.5 K.
I invite you to play a video of the tasting shared on YouTube by AP:
The Government of Åland, depending of Finland, wisely continues their promotional program based on their treasure: 145 bottles of champagne found in 2010 in a wreck in the depth of the Baltic Sea, approximately 55% of them being qualified for drink. The brands were identified through the corks.
The first auction was conducted by Acker, Merrall & Condit on June 3, 2011 after confirmation of the exceptional quality of these wines. For nearly two centuries, the thermal conditions were optimal for the conservation of champagne. Two bottles were presented. Veuve Clicquot was sold € 30K and Juglar € 24K. This sale did not includea buyer premium.
The next sale, on June 8, is entrusted to Artcurial. Ten bottles will be sold: one Heidsieck, four Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and five Juglar. They are uniformly presented with an estimate range of € 10K to 15K. The Heidsieck brand is extremely rare in the treasure: four bottles in total.
The catalog indicates that the bottles for sale have been tested successfully in 2010. They were evaluated: the best Clicquot is lot number 10 (93/100 points) and the best Juglar is lot number 14 (90/100 points).
All these bottles are almost in mint condition: the Heidsieck and Clicquot corks popped during the test. The aromais extremely powerful with no oxidation.
The date of the sinking is not known. Clicquot corks include a change in design made in 1841 during the lifetime of the "Grande Dame de la Champagne". The vinification of Clicquot could be from 1839 which was a great vintage.The bottling by Juglar should predate 1829, when their vineyards were absorbed by Jacquesson. Anyway the Åland bottles are the only available examples of pre-phylloxera champagne wines.
POST SALE COMMENT
The best Veuve Clicquot, sold € 15K, is not the lot which had the highest evaluation. The Heidsieck,of great rarity, was sold € 11.5 K.
I invite you to play a video of the tasting shared on YouTube by AP:
COOL CHAMPAGNE !
2011 SOLD 30 K€ WITH NO APPLICABLE BUYER'S PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
The archipelago of Aland (Åland more accurately) is not renowned for its wine. This myriad of islands is located inthe middle of the Baltic Sea, near the Swedish coast, and belongs politically to Finland.
However, since July 2010, there is much discussion about champagne. 150 bottles were found in an old wrecknearly 50 meters deep.
At that time the news had been well published. The surprise came later when someone dared to uncork two orthree bottles. Not only this sweet champagne was still drinkable, but the winemaking process was extended duringstorage under water, giving it a fruity taste particularly nuanced. The ambient temperature was steady at 4 ° C, and the cargo was protected from light.
The date of the sinking has not been identified, so it was necessary to inspect the hand blown glass bottles and the corks for estimating a date range: between 1811 and 1831. The brands were also found: a majority from Juglar andVeuve Clicquot, and also some Heidsieck.
Two bottles were chosen to be offered on the market. The event takes place in Åland on June 3. The auction isassigned to one of the best specialists in this market, the U.S. company Acker, Merrall & Condit.
The sale proceeds will be in favor of works devoted to local marine archeology and to the protection of the underwater environment. A nice photo is published on the Reuters news shared by Artdaily.
We can not reasonably announce an estimate: there is no history of similar lots.
POST SALE COMMENT
The Juglar bottle was sold € 24K and the Veuve Clicquot € 30K.
The sale did not include buyer's fees.
The archipelago of Aland (Åland more accurately) is not renowned for its wine. This myriad of islands is located inthe middle of the Baltic Sea, near the Swedish coast, and belongs politically to Finland.
However, since July 2010, there is much discussion about champagne. 150 bottles were found in an old wrecknearly 50 meters deep.
At that time the news had been well published. The surprise came later when someone dared to uncork two orthree bottles. Not only this sweet champagne was still drinkable, but the winemaking process was extended duringstorage under water, giving it a fruity taste particularly nuanced. The ambient temperature was steady at 4 ° C, and the cargo was protected from light.
The date of the sinking has not been identified, so it was necessary to inspect the hand blown glass bottles and the corks for estimating a date range: between 1811 and 1831. The brands were also found: a majority from Juglar andVeuve Clicquot, and also some Heidsieck.
Two bottles were chosen to be offered on the market. The event takes place in Åland on June 3. The auction isassigned to one of the best specialists in this market, the U.S. company Acker, Merrall & Condit.
The sale proceeds will be in favor of works devoted to local marine archeology and to the protection of the underwater environment. A nice photo is published on the Reuters news shared by Artdaily.
We can not reasonably announce an estimate: there is no history of similar lots.
POST SALE COMMENT
The Juglar bottle was sold € 24K and the Veuve Clicquot € 30K.
The sale did not include buyer's fees.
1945-2007 THE GRANDE COLLECTION OF BORDEAUX FIRST GROWTHS
2011 UNSOLD
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
We remember the sale, on May 29, 2010 by Christie's, of a fabulous Château d'Yquem vertical consisting of 128bottles and 40 magnums covering 180 years of production. The result, HK $ 8M including premium, rewarded boththe originality of the collection and its condition.
On May 17 in Geneva, Christie's customers can have confidence in the quality of the Grande Collection which will be sold in one lot, estimated CHF 600K: it comes from the same owner as the Yquem.
The red wines of Bordeaux are classified in grands crus, only five of them receiving the label of premier cru classé (first growth) : the châteaux Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild and Haut Brion.
This time, the idea was to find a perfect bottle of each of these great wines for all vintages from 1945 to 2007.
The calculation seems easy: it must be 315 bottles. Yes it is!
But nothing is simple in arithmetic. Château Haut Brion has not been released in 1946 nor Château Margaux in 1965. This lack is compensated by the legendary Château Mouton-Rothschild labels: the two versions of the years 1978 and 1993 have been included in the collection.
We remember the sale, on May 29, 2010 by Christie's, of a fabulous Château d'Yquem vertical consisting of 128bottles and 40 magnums covering 180 years of production. The result, HK $ 8M including premium, rewarded boththe originality of the collection and its condition.
On May 17 in Geneva, Christie's customers can have confidence in the quality of the Grande Collection which will be sold in one lot, estimated CHF 600K: it comes from the same owner as the Yquem.
The red wines of Bordeaux are classified in grands crus, only five of them receiving the label of premier cru classé (first growth) : the châteaux Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild and Haut Brion.
This time, the idea was to find a perfect bottle of each of these great wines for all vintages from 1945 to 2007.
The calculation seems easy: it must be 315 bottles. Yes it is!
But nothing is simple in arithmetic. Château Haut Brion has not been released in 1946 nor Château Margaux in 1965. This lack is compensated by the legendary Château Mouton-Rothschild labels: the two versions of the years 1978 and 1993 have been included in the collection.
1947 The Best Wine from Saint-Emilion
2012 SOLD 1.22 MHK$ including premium
The hills of Saint-Emilion, 35 km north-east of Bordeaux, produce red wines that are rightly considered among the best in the world. The two Châteaux classified in the highest category are Cheval Blanc and Ausone.
When the weather is perfect, the Château Cheval Blanc is a masterpiece. A regularly warm summer generates a red wine altogether concentrated, sweet and spicy, as no other example can be found elsewhere, and which keeps steady over time.
1921 was one of those fabulous years, equaled only afterwards by 1947. The arrival at auction of 1947 Château Cheval Blanc is an event for the top connoisseurs.
On July 18, 2007, Sotheby's London sold two 1947 wood cases containing twelve bottles each, in two separate lots, each one for £ 71K including premium. The press release indicated that the buyer was a private Asian customer.
Since that date, the wine market has shifted to Asia. One of the two cases quoted above is for sale the day after tomorrow, on September 8, by Zachys in Hong Kong. It is estimated HK $ 1M.
Meanwhile, this 1947 vintage also became famous at auction. On November 16, 2010 in Geneva, Christie's offered four large size bottles, which is a an additional rarity for this Château.
The biggest bottle contained 6 liters, a format commonly named mathusalem or, specifically in Bordeaux, impériale. It was sold 300K CHF including premium. It is the equivalent of 8 bottles in usual size.
POST SALE COMMENT
The result, HK$ 1.22M including premium, is in line with the estimate.
When the weather is perfect, the Château Cheval Blanc is a masterpiece. A regularly warm summer generates a red wine altogether concentrated, sweet and spicy, as no other example can be found elsewhere, and which keeps steady over time.
1921 was one of those fabulous years, equaled only afterwards by 1947. The arrival at auction of 1947 Château Cheval Blanc is an event for the top connoisseurs.
On July 18, 2007, Sotheby's London sold two 1947 wood cases containing twelve bottles each, in two separate lots, each one for £ 71K including premium. The press release indicated that the buyer was a private Asian customer.
Since that date, the wine market has shifted to Asia. One of the two cases quoted above is for sale the day after tomorrow, on September 8, by Zachys in Hong Kong. It is estimated HK $ 1M.
Meanwhile, this 1947 vintage also became famous at auction. On November 16, 2010 in Geneva, Christie's offered four large size bottles, which is a an additional rarity for this Château.
The biggest bottle contained 6 liters, a format commonly named mathusalem or, specifically in Bordeaux, impériale. It was sold 300K CHF including premium. It is the equivalent of 8 bottles in usual size.
POST SALE COMMENT
The result, HK$ 1.22M including premium, is in line with the estimate.
1951 RECOMMENDATION FOR A GOOD WHISKY
2009 SOLD 27.6 K£ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
A good whisky is a blend of malts selected and distilled in a specialized facility. The Dalmore, a distillery founded in 1839 in the Highlands of Scotland, is famous for its whisky of high prestige.
The art of the distiller is of knowing the qualifications of all vintages of his stock, for managing the most subtle doses. Thus in 1943, twelve bottles were produced from a blend of five top vintages from 1868 to 1939. A customer bought one in 2005 for his use, to the delight of the distillery which caught this opportunity to confirm that their product was designed to be drunk! The press echoed the price of this nectar: £ 32K.
At Edinburgh on November 18, Bonhams is selling the Dalmore Oculus. Distilled in 1951, it is built from the same five vintages of the previous example, with traces of various fruit liquors.
This unique preparation is named Oculus because it is expected that the eye of the buyer shines with delight. Estimated £ 15 K, the prodigious liquid is presented in a decanter made in Baccarat crystal adorned with the coat of arms of the Clan Mackenzie, the royal twelve pointer stag head. Here is the image shared by UK Auction Info.
POST SALE COMMENT
Low estimate exceeded for this prestigiously filled decanter: 23 K£ before fees, 27.6 K£ including premium. Compared with the reference price as I indicated, this success was predictable.
A good whisky is a blend of malts selected and distilled in a specialized facility. The Dalmore, a distillery founded in 1839 in the Highlands of Scotland, is famous for its whisky of high prestige.
The art of the distiller is of knowing the qualifications of all vintages of his stock, for managing the most subtle doses. Thus in 1943, twelve bottles were produced from a blend of five top vintages from 1868 to 1939. A customer bought one in 2005 for his use, to the delight of the distillery which caught this opportunity to confirm that their product was designed to be drunk! The press echoed the price of this nectar: £ 32K.
At Edinburgh on November 18, Bonhams is selling the Dalmore Oculus. Distilled in 1951, it is built from the same five vintages of the previous example, with traces of various fruit liquors.
This unique preparation is named Oculus because it is expected that the eye of the buyer shines with delight. Estimated £ 15 K, the prodigious liquid is presented in a decanter made in Baccarat crystal adorned with the coat of arms of the Clan Mackenzie, the royal twelve pointer stag head. Here is the image shared by UK Auction Info.
POST SALE COMMENT
Low estimate exceeded for this prestigiously filled decanter: 23 K£ before fees, 27.6 K£ including premium. Compared with the reference price as I indicated, this success was predictable.
1960-1995 SOMEONE DRANK THE BEST WINE OF SPAIN
2009 SOLD 103 K$ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
Sotheby's, very active in the sales of wines, is proud to present significant collections coming directly from the wineries. After the success in June of the sale of Château Cheval Blanc, there are now several hundred bottles ofVega Sicilia Unico to be auctioned in New York on November 14.
This wine produced on the plateaus of northern Spain, near Valladolid, is renowned for its quality. Terroir wine produced in old style winemaking, it may be kept during a very long time: the best vintages can wait more than ten years before being introduced on trade. 1970 has been sold 25 years after the vintage.
The current family that owns the estate had continued the tradition of keeping the serial number # 1 magnum of each vintage. One lot at Sotheby's is a vertical collection of these magnums # 1 from 1960 to 1995. The year 1968 is missing because David Alvarez enjoyed drinking it to celebrate his 80th birthday. Thus constituted, the lot is estimated 12 K$.
No need to be an expert to guess that 1968 is a great year! It will be interesting to follow the results on this vintage, including 6 magnums and 6 bottles in this auction.
POST SALE COMMENT
Excellent results well above estimates for this remarkable vertical: 103 K$ including premium.
Post sale observation: This series was not nearly complete, contrary to what I understood from reading the press release. It consisted of 23 magnums of different years ranged between 1960 and 1995. All had the serial number 1, except that of the prestigious 1968 vintage, which had been used and was replaced by the number 011,482.
The production of Vega Sicilia Unico was 45,300 bottles and 2000 magnums. I found this information on the lot 47 of the same catalog: these six magnums have been sold 66 K$ including premium on an estimate of 16 K$.
Sotheby's, very active in the sales of wines, is proud to present significant collections coming directly from the wineries. After the success in June of the sale of Château Cheval Blanc, there are now several hundred bottles ofVega Sicilia Unico to be auctioned in New York on November 14.
This wine produced on the plateaus of northern Spain, near Valladolid, is renowned for its quality. Terroir wine produced in old style winemaking, it may be kept during a very long time: the best vintages can wait more than ten years before being introduced on trade. 1970 has been sold 25 years after the vintage.
The current family that owns the estate had continued the tradition of keeping the serial number # 1 magnum of each vintage. One lot at Sotheby's is a vertical collection of these magnums # 1 from 1960 to 1995. The year 1968 is missing because David Alvarez enjoyed drinking it to celebrate his 80th birthday. Thus constituted, the lot is estimated 12 K$.
No need to be an expert to guess that 1968 is a great year! It will be interesting to follow the results on this vintage, including 6 magnums and 6 bottles in this auction.
POST SALE COMMENT
Excellent results well above estimates for this remarkable vertical: 103 K$ including premium.
Post sale observation: This series was not nearly complete, contrary to what I understood from reading the press release. It consisted of 23 magnums of different years ranged between 1960 and 1995. All had the serial number 1, except that of the prestigious 1968 vintage, which had been used and was replaced by the number 011,482.
The production of Vega Sicilia Unico was 45,300 bottles and 2000 magnums. I found this information on the lot 47 of the same catalog: these six magnums have been sold 66 K$ including premium on an estimate of 16 K$.
1961 PERFECT HARVEST IN THE COTES DU RHONE
2011 SOLD 103 K$ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
The success of a vintage depends on the skill of the operator, and also on the weather. Lovers of great French wines flock to the famous five First Growths of Bordeaux, without neglecting outstanding achievements from other sources.
I discussed in this group the exceptional quality of another Bordeaux, the Château Cheval Blanc 1947, which seemsto accept an unlimited cellar life.
In 1961, south of Lyon, a similar success hit the Hermitage La Chapelle domaine operated by Paul Jaboulet Aîné company. It has been said that this Côtes du Rhône wine equals the quality of the fabulous Château Latour of the same year. The summer was great until the harvest which was carried out from 13 to 23 September.
Half a century later, two lots consisting of six bottles each of Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 are presented a few days apart and several thousand miles away. Both come direct from Jaboulet cellars.
Estimated $ 60K, the first lot is auctioned by Sotheby's in New York on November 11.
The lot of Christie's is estimated CHF 60K, for sale in Geneva on November 15.
The Chinese market seems to mark a slowdown in its acquisitions of great Bordeaux in favor of the discovery of other French wines including Bourgognes. These Côtes du Rhône come just in time.
POST SALE COMMENTS
1
I expected results above the lower estimate. Here is the first one: $ 103K including premium for the six bottles at Sotheby's.
2
The second lot was sold by Christie's CHF 90K including premium. This is consistent with the previous result.
The success of a vintage depends on the skill of the operator, and also on the weather. Lovers of great French wines flock to the famous five First Growths of Bordeaux, without neglecting outstanding achievements from other sources.
I discussed in this group the exceptional quality of another Bordeaux, the Château Cheval Blanc 1947, which seemsto accept an unlimited cellar life.
In 1961, south of Lyon, a similar success hit the Hermitage La Chapelle domaine operated by Paul Jaboulet Aîné company. It has been said that this Côtes du Rhône wine equals the quality of the fabulous Château Latour of the same year. The summer was great until the harvest which was carried out from 13 to 23 September.
Half a century later, two lots consisting of six bottles each of Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 are presented a few days apart and several thousand miles away. Both come direct from Jaboulet cellars.
Estimated $ 60K, the first lot is auctioned by Sotheby's in New York on November 11.
The lot of Christie's is estimated CHF 60K, for sale in Geneva on November 15.
The Chinese market seems to mark a slowdown in its acquisitions of great Bordeaux in favor of the discovery of other French wines including Bourgognes. These Côtes du Rhône come just in time.
POST SALE COMMENTS
1
I expected results above the lower estimate. Here is the first one: $ 103K including premium for the six bottles at Sotheby's.
2
The second lot was sold by Christie's CHF 90K including premium. This is consistent with the previous result.
1971 NICE AGE FOR THE ROMANEE-CONTI
2009 SOLD 35.8 K$ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
1971 is classified as one of the thirty best years of the twentieth century for the red wines of Burgundy, but is not in the top ten (the latter include 1990, which was the subject of an article in this group).
However it is easy to understand why the 1971 Romanée-Conti creates such an interest in current auctions: renowned as the best wine from Burgundy, this brand is recommended to keep between twenty and forty years. A wine of forty years on which the quality of preservation can be demonstrated is a top of oenology, but for a short time.
I once followed a case of six magnums of 1971 Romanée-Conti which sold $ 169 K inclusive by Sotheby's on 10 April 2008.
A new auction house, Spectrum Wine, belonging to the Spectrum group, will make its inaugural sale in Irvine, California on November 21. It announced for this sale a collection of six 1971 Romanée-Conti magnums in their original wood case. The color and level are advertised as superb. The capsule of one of the magnums was incised by the expert to reveal the original branded cork. The history of conservation is considered as pristine.
POST SALE COMMENT
The Romanée-Conti 1971 was divided into four lots, where the highest bids were 35.8 K$ for a Methuselah and 20.3 K$ for a magnum.
Note the interesting bid of 110 K$ for a lot of twelve bottles of Romanée-Conti 1962.
These prices include fees.
1971 is classified as one of the thirty best years of the twentieth century for the red wines of Burgundy, but is not in the top ten (the latter include 1990, which was the subject of an article in this group).
However it is easy to understand why the 1971 Romanée-Conti creates such an interest in current auctions: renowned as the best wine from Burgundy, this brand is recommended to keep between twenty and forty years. A wine of forty years on which the quality of preservation can be demonstrated is a top of oenology, but for a short time.
I once followed a case of six magnums of 1971 Romanée-Conti which sold $ 169 K inclusive by Sotheby's on 10 April 2008.
A new auction house, Spectrum Wine, belonging to the Spectrum group, will make its inaugural sale in Irvine, California on November 21. It announced for this sale a collection of six 1971 Romanée-Conti magnums in their original wood case. The color and level are advertised as superb. The capsule of one of the magnums was incised by the expert to reveal the original branded cork. The history of conservation is considered as pristine.
POST SALE COMMENT
The Romanée-Conti 1971 was divided into four lots, where the highest bids were 35.8 K$ for a Methuselah and 20.3 K$ for a magnum.
Note the interesting bid of 110 K$ for a lot of twelve bottles of Romanée-Conti 1962.
These prices include fees.
1988 the life cycle of the romanée-conti
2018 unsold
The life cycle of the wine includes a maturation followed by degradation. A few Bordeaux seem indestructible but all Burgundy wines are perishable in the long run.
The Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, exclusively managed by the Société Civile du Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, regularly comes to the top of its class with many sensational years. Its rarity, about 6,000 bottles per year produced on 1.8 hectares at Vosne-Romanée, increases its price.
The early 2000s decade saw a craze for the exceptional 1985 vintage, which coincidentally was also the year of acceptance of biological methods on the domaine. It is now entering its obsolescence phase.
1990 has the same exceptional appreciation as 1985, and 1988 and 1989 are just shy below. Around 2010 it was observed that 1988 had a slower aging and the prices of the three vintages became equivalent. Do not wait now for drink.
The dominant vintage for the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru at auction is currently 1988. Christie's sold a case with twelve bottles for £ 198K including premium on September 21, 2017 over a lower estimate of £ 130K and another one for £ 264K including premium on March 15, 2018 over a lower estimate of £ 150K.
A similar lot from the same vintage is estimated £ 160K for sale by Bonhams in London on April 5, lot 259.
1999 which can already be used and 2005 still too young are perfect vintages, valued respectively around € 22,000 and 25,000 per bottle for the retail trade in France. Other recent years are excellent. The prices currently recorded at auction for the 1988, 1989 and 1990 vintages will be highly exceeded by their successors in a few years.
The Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, exclusively managed by the Société Civile du Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, regularly comes to the top of its class with many sensational years. Its rarity, about 6,000 bottles per year produced on 1.8 hectares at Vosne-Romanée, increases its price.
The early 2000s decade saw a craze for the exceptional 1985 vintage, which coincidentally was also the year of acceptance of biological methods on the domaine. It is now entering its obsolescence phase.
1990 has the same exceptional appreciation as 1985, and 1988 and 1989 are just shy below. Around 2010 it was observed that 1988 had a slower aging and the prices of the three vintages became equivalent. Do not wait now for drink.
The dominant vintage for the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru at auction is currently 1988. Christie's sold a case with twelve bottles for £ 198K including premium on September 21, 2017 over a lower estimate of £ 130K and another one for £ 264K including premium on March 15, 2018 over a lower estimate of £ 150K.
A similar lot from the same vintage is estimated £ 160K for sale by Bonhams in London on April 5, lot 259.
1999 which can already be used and 2005 still too young are perfect vintages, valued respectively around € 22,000 and 25,000 per bottle for the retail trade in France. Other recent years are excellent. The prices currently recorded at auction for the 1988, 1989 and 1990 vintages will be highly exceeded by their successors in a few years.
1989 Methuselahs of Romanée-Conti
2013 SOLD 875 KHK$ including premium
The wines from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) are necessarily rare, because of the limited area of this little corner of paradise, but the best vintages, dazzling, consistently achieve the highest results in wine auctions.
For long 1990 stirs the enthusiasm of the oenophiles. I already discussed in this column a case of twelve bottles, sold for £ 126K including premium by Bonhams on September 8, 2011. The years around 1990 were longer to mature but some of them are also close to the top.
On September 7 in Hong Kong, Sotheby's sells 129 lots of Romanée-Conti from an American private cellar. Their traceability ensures that the wines were kept professionally in terms of temperature and humidity. Here is the link to the sale.
The surprise of the sale comes from the number of bottles of great capacity, which are generally uncommon for this wine. DRC has also stopped since 2010 all formats larger than the magnum.
Sotheby's is announcing 36 methuselahs, the format for 6 liters now obsolete in DRC, among which they highlight a 1989 Romanée-Conti estimated HK $ 500K, a 1979 Romanée-Conti estimated HK $ 340K, a 1991 Montrachet estimated HK $ 200K, a 1991 La Tâche estimated HK $ 140K and a 1995 Richebourg estimated HK $ 80K.
POST SALE COMMENT
Great prices for these big bottles: 1989 Romanée Conti was sold for HK $ 875K, 1991 Montrachet for HK $ 400K, 1991 La Tâche for HK $ 212K and 1995 Richebourg for HK $ 112K. These results include premium.
The 1979 methuselah had not been confirmed in the catalog.
For long 1990 stirs the enthusiasm of the oenophiles. I already discussed in this column a case of twelve bottles, sold for £ 126K including premium by Bonhams on September 8, 2011. The years around 1990 were longer to mature but some of them are also close to the top.
On September 7 in Hong Kong, Sotheby's sells 129 lots of Romanée-Conti from an American private cellar. Their traceability ensures that the wines were kept professionally in terms of temperature and humidity. Here is the link to the sale.
The surprise of the sale comes from the number of bottles of great capacity, which are generally uncommon for this wine. DRC has also stopped since 2010 all formats larger than the magnum.
Sotheby's is announcing 36 methuselahs, the format for 6 liters now obsolete in DRC, among which they highlight a 1989 Romanée-Conti estimated HK $ 500K, a 1979 Romanée-Conti estimated HK $ 340K, a 1991 Montrachet estimated HK $ 200K, a 1991 La Tâche estimated HK $ 140K and a 1995 Richebourg estimated HK $ 80K.
POST SALE COMMENT
Great prices for these big bottles: 1989 Romanée Conti was sold for HK $ 875K, 1991 Montrachet for HK $ 400K, 1991 La Tâche for HK $ 212K and 1995 Richebourg for HK $ 112K. These results include premium.
The 1979 methuselah had not been confirmed in the catalog.
1990 Romanée-Conti for sale in London
2011 SOLD 126 K£ including premium
The spectacular successes of Bordeaux wines led by Château Lafite Rothschild must not hide that a red wine from Burgundy, Romanée-Conti, has acquired the reputation of the most expensive wine in the world.
Indeed the Romanée-Conti is a wine of exceptional quality, but also it is very rare because its small place in the paradise is only producing an average of 5,500 bottles a year.
The vintages are aging differently. 1990, exceptional, is the lust of amateurs for many years.
The 1988 Romanée-Conti is ranked among the great years but took longer to assess its maturity. We now know that its aging is encouraging and that it is a wine to keep, both concentrated and aromatic. So it is certainly not a coincidence that it arrives simultaneously in London in two different auction houses.
On September 14, Sotheby's sells two cases of twelve bottles of 1988 Romanée-Conti, each of them being estimated £ 58K.
The lot of the same vintage for sale by Bonhams on September 8 is particularly interesting because its twelve serial numbers are in a continuous sequence. It is estimated £ 60K. In the same sale, a lot of twelve Romanée-Conti 1990 is expected at £ 90K.
POST SALE COMMENTS
1
If you thought like me (but I did not tell it) that the 1990 lot was too expensive, you were wrong. Bonhams sold it £ 110K before fees, 126K including premium.
The lot of twelve 1988 bottles, sold £ 65K before fees, 75K including premium, has comfortably confirmed its estimate.
2
The wine prices are regular. The two lots of twelve 1988 bottles auctioned by Sotheby's were sold £ 63K each, including premium.
Indeed the Romanée-Conti is a wine of exceptional quality, but also it is very rare because its small place in the paradise is only producing an average of 5,500 bottles a year.
The vintages are aging differently. 1990, exceptional, is the lust of amateurs for many years.
The 1988 Romanée-Conti is ranked among the great years but took longer to assess its maturity. We now know that its aging is encouraging and that it is a wine to keep, both concentrated and aromatic. So it is certainly not a coincidence that it arrives simultaneously in London in two different auction houses.
On September 14, Sotheby's sells two cases of twelve bottles of 1988 Romanée-Conti, each of them being estimated £ 58K.
The lot of the same vintage for sale by Bonhams on September 8 is particularly interesting because its twelve serial numbers are in a continuous sequence. It is estimated £ 60K. In the same sale, a lot of twelve Romanée-Conti 1990 is expected at £ 90K.
POST SALE COMMENTS
1
If you thought like me (but I did not tell it) that the 1990 lot was too expensive, you were wrong. Bonhams sold it £ 110K before fees, 126K including premium.
The lot of twelve 1988 bottles, sold £ 65K before fees, 75K including premium, has comfortably confirmed its estimate.
2
The wine prices are regular. The two lots of twelve 1988 bottles auctioned by Sotheby's were sold £ 63K each, including premium.
1990 Romanée-Conti is the King of Bourgogne Wines
2008 SOLD 150 K$ including premium
According to Wikipedia, the Romanée-Conti is the most expensive wine in the world. That statement honors its own qualities, but also its rarity, as no more than 6,000 bottles are produced per year. It is a powerful wine, concentrated, subtle, fruity. It may be kept between twenty and forty years.
In Burgundy, 1990 was an excellent year. It was not until 2001, then 2004 and 2005, to find such good vintages.
In selling together four cases of twelve bottles of 1990 Romanée-Conti, on October 28 in New York, Sotheby's knows that it is an exceptional lot representing almost 1% of the production of one of the best wines of the world.
The auction history abounds. In the same press release, Sotheby's said that on 29 October 2007 they sold in the same room a case for 260 K$ including fees. Just one week ago, I reported here that Hart Davis Hart has sold a case in Chicago for 150 K$ before fees.
Considering that such a combination may never meet again on the market, Sotheby's propose an estimate between 700 K$ and 1.2 M$. The same sale includes another case of the same vintage, estimated between 170 and 250 K$, and a case of 2005 estimated between 100 and 175 K$.
In the auction houses, they like to talk about records. Sotheby's would certainly be very pleased if this lot of four cases exceeds the bid they have obtained on 18 November 2006, also in New York: $ 1.05 million including costs for a case of fifty bottles of Château Mouton Rothschild 1982. For ever competition between Burgundy and Bordeaux!
POST SALE COMMENT
Sales of wines leave little surprises from estimates. The isolated case of twelve Romanée-Conti 1990 sold 150 K $ costs included, and the 2005: 120 K $ inclusive.
The lot of four cases has not been sold. Returning to the catalog, I saw that these goods came from a lot of 17 cases of various prestigious French wines collected by a specialist under the name Millennium Superlot for a sale of Sotheby's in New York in 1999. Keep in mind the choice of this expert: five cases of Romanée Conti 1990, five cases of Château Haut-Brion 1989, one case of Château Petrus 1990, four cases of Champagne Krug Clos du Mesnil 1985 and two cases of Montrachet 1992. The buyer of these 204 bottles had paid 288 K $ including premium.
Regarding the sale of current week, it seems clear to me subsequently that Sotheby's would have done better to separate the four cases and to be a little less greedy ...
In Burgundy, 1990 was an excellent year. It was not until 2001, then 2004 and 2005, to find such good vintages.
In selling together four cases of twelve bottles of 1990 Romanée-Conti, on October 28 in New York, Sotheby's knows that it is an exceptional lot representing almost 1% of the production of one of the best wines of the world.
The auction history abounds. In the same press release, Sotheby's said that on 29 October 2007 they sold in the same room a case for 260 K$ including fees. Just one week ago, I reported here that Hart Davis Hart has sold a case in Chicago for 150 K$ before fees.
Considering that such a combination may never meet again on the market, Sotheby's propose an estimate between 700 K$ and 1.2 M$. The same sale includes another case of the same vintage, estimated between 170 and 250 K$, and a case of 2005 estimated between 100 and 175 K$.
In the auction houses, they like to talk about records. Sotheby's would certainly be very pleased if this lot of four cases exceeds the bid they have obtained on 18 November 2006, also in New York: $ 1.05 million including costs for a case of fifty bottles of Château Mouton Rothschild 1982. For ever competition between Burgundy and Bordeaux!
POST SALE COMMENT
Sales of wines leave little surprises from estimates. The isolated case of twelve Romanée-Conti 1990 sold 150 K $ costs included, and the 2005: 120 K $ inclusive.
The lot of four cases has not been sold. Returning to the catalog, I saw that these goods came from a lot of 17 cases of various prestigious French wines collected by a specialist under the name Millennium Superlot for a sale of Sotheby's in New York in 1999. Keep in mind the choice of this expert: five cases of Romanée Conti 1990, five cases of Château Haut-Brion 1989, one case of Château Petrus 1990, four cases of Champagne Krug Clos du Mesnil 1985 and two cases of Montrachet 1992. The buyer of these 204 bottles had paid 288 K $ including premium.
Regarding the sale of current week, it seems clear to me subsequently that Sotheby's would have done better to separate the four cases and to be a little less greedy ...
2000 GAMBLE IN BORDEAUX
2009 SOLD 29.7 K€ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
Selling wine by subscription several years in advance, I think that nobody has thought it, excepted Moueix in Libourne near Bordeaux. Sensing that 2000 would be a year of prestige because of its three zeros, this dealer decided to gather some of the production of four of the top red wines from this prestigious area. The preparation of this project lasted more than five years.
He assembled mixed cases of four wines, which he cleverly named Carré d'As. For a price close to € 2000, the purchaser could get four double magnums, or eight magnums, or sixteen bottles.
Four major areas are represented: Château Latour (Pauillac), Château Margaux (Médoc), Château Haut-Brion (Graves), Pétrus (Pomerol). Luck went with Moueix: 2000 was a great year. For Graves, it was even an exceptional year as it had not been seen since the very prestigious vintages 1959 and 1961 (but 2005 will be of same quality).
Cases in very good condition come into the auction rooms. On December 28, 2007 in Cannes, Besch got 41 K € including premium on a Carré d'As case of four double magnums.
On December 29 this year, the same auctioneer sells a case of similar composition, estimated 22 K €. Although this vintage is still too young to be drunk, it is definitely a good way to end the year.
POST SALE COMMENT
The realized price is exactly at the high estimate: 25 K € excl.
Selling wine by subscription several years in advance, I think that nobody has thought it, excepted Moueix in Libourne near Bordeaux. Sensing that 2000 would be a year of prestige because of its three zeros, this dealer decided to gather some of the production of four of the top red wines from this prestigious area. The preparation of this project lasted more than five years.
He assembled mixed cases of four wines, which he cleverly named Carré d'As. For a price close to € 2000, the purchaser could get four double magnums, or eight magnums, or sixteen bottles.
Four major areas are represented: Château Latour (Pauillac), Château Margaux (Médoc), Château Haut-Brion (Graves), Pétrus (Pomerol). Luck went with Moueix: 2000 was a great year. For Graves, it was even an exceptional year as it had not been seen since the very prestigious vintages 1959 and 1961 (but 2005 will be of same quality).
Cases in very good condition come into the auction rooms. On December 28, 2007 in Cannes, Besch got 41 K € including premium on a Carré d'As case of four double magnums.
On December 29 this year, the same auctioneer sells a case of similar composition, estimated 22 K €. Although this vintage is still too young to be drunk, it is definitely a good way to end the year.
POST SALE COMMENT
The realized price is exactly at the high estimate: 25 K € excl.
2006 MELCHIORS FOR THE FUTURE
2010 SOLD 16 K£ INCLUDING PREMIUM
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
Fifteen melchiors together in a single sale! It happens on February 17 in London at Sotheby's.
A melchior is the equivalent of 24 bottles or 18 liters or 144 well-filled glasses. The auction house was almost apologetic in its press release, not to offer any solomon (20 liters) or Melchizedek (30 liters), but it communicates some instructions worthy of a user manual.
So don't worry, these large volumes allow a very good ageing of the wine. If they are new, buy them for the wedding of your youngest, where they will create the event in twenty years from now. Just before serving the wine, decant it in carafes, but do not omit to display the empty melchior in the middle of the dinner table!
One of these melchiors, estimated £ 3.6 K, is a Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A: a 2006 Château Cheval Blanc. That year was not great, but please do not dream of a 1947 melchior of the same wine entering the market!From the data I have collected since I started this column, such a wonder, if it ever existed, could claim £ 200 K!
POST SALE COMMENT
The Melchior was sold 16 K £ including premium, far above the estimate. Before the sale, the image of that curiosity was shared by Luxuo.
Fifteen melchiors together in a single sale! It happens on February 17 in London at Sotheby's.
A melchior is the equivalent of 24 bottles or 18 liters or 144 well-filled glasses. The auction house was almost apologetic in its press release, not to offer any solomon (20 liters) or Melchizedek (30 liters), but it communicates some instructions worthy of a user manual.
So don't worry, these large volumes allow a very good ageing of the wine. If they are new, buy them for the wedding of your youngest, where they will create the event in twenty years from now. Just before serving the wine, decant it in carafes, but do not omit to display the empty melchior in the middle of the dinner table!
One of these melchiors, estimated £ 3.6 K, is a Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A: a 2006 Château Cheval Blanc. That year was not great, but please do not dream of a 1947 melchior of the same wine entering the market!From the data I have collected since I started this column, such a wonder, if it ever existed, could claim £ 200 K!
POST SALE COMMENT
The Melchior was sold 16 K £ including premium, far above the estimate. Before the sale, the image of that curiosity was shared by Luxuo.
