The Cellar of An Esteemed British Collector | Bordeaux, Rhone and Port Through the Ages

The Cellar of An Esteemed British Collector | Bordeaux, Rhone and Port Through the Ages

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 453. Fonseca 1985 (12 BT).

Lots 1-512: A stunning collection of the wine world’s most classic names, assembled by a dedicated and passionate collector over more than 5 decades, and stored in a single purpose-built, state of the art temperature-controlled private cellar in the south of England.

Fonseca 1985 (12 BT)

Auction Closed

March 8, 04:32 PM GMT

Estimate

700 - 900 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Fonseca 1985

Glass too dark to see levels, labels scuffed, soiled and worn, vintage embossed metal capsules

In 2021, this is overwhelmingly good, from the smoky/plummy/spicy, luscious liquorice on the nose to the great glycerol on the palate. The miraculous element is that there is freshness too, allied to the sheer opulence, depth, richness and... exoticism. And, for the record, as a sceptic with regard to 'legs' in a wine, this has it in spades, the combination of 20.5 alcohol and that lip-licking glycerol. This is divine Vintage Port. 

Serena Sutcliffe, MW


12 bts (cn)


Provenance:

CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND TASTES OF AN ESTEEMED BRITISH WINE LOVER, THIS BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION COMES TO MARKET FROM A SINGLE, PURPOSE-BUILT AND TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED PRIVATE CELLAR IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND. THE CLASSIC TASTES OF THIS PASSIONATE COLLECTOR ARE WELL-EVIDENCED HERE, PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE IMPRESSIVE DEPTH OF CRU CLASSÉ BORDEAUX ON OFFER FROM THE 1940s TO 1990s, WITH EXTENSIVE REPRESENTATION ACROSS FIRST GROWTHS TO FIFTH GROWTHS IN ALL THE HISTORIC VINTAGES, AND AN AMAZING SELECTION OF YQUEM THAT INCLUDES THE GREAT 1967 AND 1975 IN TREMENDOUS QUANTITIES. BEYOND BORDEAUX WE FIND WONDERFUL OFFERINGS FROM THE RHONE, INCLUDING ICONIC VINTAGES OF CHAVE’S HERMITAGE AND A PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF JABOULET’S HERMITAGE LA CHAPELLE, BEFORE CLOSING OUT THE SALE WITH AN INCREDIBLE ASSORTMENT OF VINTAGE PORTS FROM THE GREAT VINTAGES OF THE 1960s, 70s AND 80s.


LYING IN GREENFORD, MIDDLESEX Offered Duty Paid


Please note the purchase price does not include applicable shipping, taxes or import charges which may be charged in addition to the purchase price.


Standard price shipping is available for deliveries to mainland England. Deliveries will be charged at £11.50 + VAT per case, subject to a minimum delivery charge of £34.50 + VAT. Price on application quotes are available for all other UK addresses. Pricing for international shipping available from Sotheby's Wine and Spirits Department on request, please contact: Zofia.Dalkowska@sothebys.com.


Sotheby’s cannot arrange or take responsibility for shipments to non-UK buyers, but will be pleased to introduce them to a forwarding agent. Where it is necessary to have a licence to import wines or spirits, procural of the licence shall be the sole responsibility of the buyer. Buyers from outside the UK should note that local sales taxes or use tax may become payable upon import of items following purchase. Buyers should obtain their own advice in this regards. Any duties and taxes payable on import to the country of destination are not included. The cost of any such permit or license required for export or import of the purchased lot is not included. UK purchasers wishing to export directly out of the UK will have to pay VAT on the Buyer’s Premium irrespective of the destination. If you are shipping to another EU member state, 20% VAT has been added to the Buyer’s Premium. Those amounts of VAT may be refunded provided Sotheby’s receive the appropriate export documents within 3 months of the sale.