A Monumental Cellar: The London Chapter – Bordeaux Icons

When Sotheby's team first walked into the Monumental Cellar in May of 2022, they were immediately struck by the sheer volume of Petrus in this collection. Two rooms in the cellar were filled solely with Petrus, and stacks of wooden cases formed its far wall. Now, in London, we are thrilled to bring you top vintages such as 2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1998, 1990, 1989 and 1970.

Petrus as the Favourite

Legendary wines from the exceptional 1982 vintage, including Lafite, Latour, Mouton and Cheval Blanc, are a defining element of this collection. This vintage in Bordeaux put the region on the map for wine lovers globally and these are the wines that showcase it best.

Legendary 1982 Bordeaux

1990 was one of the top vintages of the 20th Century for Bordeaux, rivalling years like 1947, 1961 and 1982. The experience and insights gained from the warm vintage of 1982 gave vineyard managers the confidence to leave the grapes on the vine longer. And with more funds and financial support after a succession of good vintages – 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1989, as well as a new international clientele seeking the wines of Bordeaux, winemakers and vineyard managers were also willing to sacrifice fruit and cut yields with the aim of promoting ripeness, concentration and quality. Winemaking practices at the châteaux benefited as well, as their strengthened financial position enabled investment in quality improvements. In this collection, we are thrilled to offer the 1990’s finest examples with Petrus, Lafleur, Cheval Blanc, Latour and Haut Brion all on offer.

1990 Bordeaux Benchmarks

Not only is Petrus well represented, but also the Right Bank. Lafleur, Cheval Blanc and Ausone as a trio offer a masterclass on the optimal blending of Merlot and Cabernet Franc as well as the impact of different soils and topographies on these grapes. The vineyard of Château Lafleur is almost a perfect square in shape with three distinct soils: in the northwest part of the vineyard sand, clay and gravel are found, in the south and eastern part of the vineyard are clay and gravel with the heart of the vineyard made up of gravel and sand. Lafleur has old vines of Cabernet Franc they refer to by its original name ‘Bouchet’ that date back to the 1930s. Similarly, at Ausone, some of the oldest vineyards in St-Émilion are planted with Cabernet Franc vines over a century old. In this part of St-Émilion, the vines grow on what many Bordeaux winemakers regard as the appellation’s finest terroir. The terroir of Cheval Blanc is quite special, because there is no limestone; the vineyard is made up of alluvial soils from the Quaternary Period that were deposited by the Isle River. And the proportion of clay and gravel in the soil is about equal which also makes the vineyard character unique.

Masterful Merlot & Cabernet Franc from the Right Bank

Another standout wine in this collection is Italy’s most noteworthy expression of Merlot – Masseto. This wine is made of vines grown in the special soils of Bolgheri where some say the expression of Merlot is even more profound than the one we experience in a glass of Petrus. The offering reaches a finale with the exquisite and powerful Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1996, only the second vintage ever made of this 100% Pinot Noir Champagne.

Additional Highlights

Deputy Head of Wine EMEA | Senior Specialist 

Frédéric Guyot du Repaire

Head of Wine Auction Sales UK

Claire Collini

Head of Inspection, Americas and EMEA | Specialist, Property

Alexandria Cubbage

Director, |Senior Specialist | Inspections UK & Europe

James Reed

Deputy Head of Wine Auction Sales, UK

Zofia Dalkowska

Meet our Specialists

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Sotheby’s Wine London rings in the holiday season with A Monumental Cellar | The London Chapter – Bordeaux Icons. This single owner wine collection spotlights the best of the best of Bordeaux, a region we love deeply at Sotheby’s. As you may remember, we brought you the first chapter of this collection in New York in September of 2023 with an expansive offering of the icons of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne.