Press Release

Sotheby’s Inaugural Wine Sale in France Opens for Bidding: A Private Collection of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

By Sotheby's
OPEN FOR BIDDING FROM 19 OCTOBER / LIVE AUCTION ON 2 NOVEMBER

PARIS, 19 October 2021 – Online bidding opens today on Sotheby’s very first wine sale in France – an outstanding collection of exceptional wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the prestigious and most sought-after Domaine in Burgundy. Featuring rare and coveted cases in a variety of bottle formats, including assortments and a large offering of extremely rare Methuselahs, Only DRC I From Bottles to Methuselahs I The Inaugural Wine Sale in France will culminate in a live auction presided over by a Sotheby’s auctioneer and broadcast on www.sothebys.com on 2 November 2021.

Acquired on release directly at the Domaine, all the wines in this collection – in vintages spanning 1998 through 2011, including the outstanding 2010 – are lying in Sotheby’s wine storage in Beaune. The 25 lots range in estimate from €7,000 upwards to €180,000, and together carry a combined pre-sale estimate of €685,000 to €906,000.

“This exceptional offering of a private collection of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is the first sale to be created by our new team in Continental Europe. We have a long-standing tradition of bringing to market many of the world’s most prestigious wine collections from private European collectors, and this one is no exception.”
Mario Tavella, President of Sotheby’s France and Chairman Sotheby’s Europe
“We are delighted to expand our presence in Continental Europe with the launch of a regular series of sales in France, with the wines and spirits being located in either Beaune or Bordeaux. This move into a fourth major international hub with France joining London, New-York and Hong-Kong will allow us to provide our clients with the greatest access to the global market, and an opportunity to acquire the rarest bottles. This collection ranks alongside the many prestigious wine collections from private European collectors that we have brought to the market over the years.”
Amayès Aouli, Head of Auction Sales for Continental Europe, Sotheby’s Wine

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SALE – VIEW FULL LOT LISTING HERE

Romanée-Conti 2000, 1 Methuselah, est. €140,000-180,000 (lot 25)

“The Millennium vintage exploded on to the horizon with this beautifully balanced wine, so ripe and with such fresh acidity - those wonderful old vines immensely contributed here. Opulent, complex, refined and intricate, with a huge dollop of 2000 charm.” Serena Sutcliffe, MW., Honorary Chairman, Sotheby’s Wine.

Romanée Conti 2010, 3 bottles, est. €40,000-55,000 (lot 16)

“An amazing nose of very pure blackberries - absolutely stunning. Such finesse of texture on the palate, displaying the fact that the vineyard has been totally biodynamic for three years. Fabulous, multi-dimensional length. So complex. For me, this is one of the great Romanée-Contis.” Serena Sutcliffe, MW.

Assortment Case 1998 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 12 bottles, est. €40,000-55,000 (lot 18)

Assortment Case 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 12 bottles, est. €45,000-60,000 (lot 17)

For more details of the launch of Sotheby’s wines and spirits sales in France this autumn, click here.

CONTACTS:

Sotheby’s Press Office
London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Matthew Floris | Matthew.Floris@Sothebys.com
Paris | +33 1 53 05 53 66 | Sophie Dufresne | Sophie.Dufresne@Sothebys.com
New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Alexandra Fizer | Alexandra.Fizer@Sothebys.com
Hong Kong | +852 2822 8140 | Nancy Wong | Nancy.Wong@Sothebys.com

About Sotheby’s Wine
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits totaled an outstanding $92 million in 2020, with over 15,000 lots sold across 41 sales – a nearly 50% increase in the number of auctions held in 2019. Over $60 million of wine and spirits were sold to online bidders in 2020 versus $28 million in 2019, with 85% of all lots offered finding online buyers. Demonstrating continued strength in Asia, Sotheby’s led the market in the region for the third consecutive year, with over 70% of the total bid amount in all Wine and Spirits sales attributed to collectors in Asia.

Sotheby’s Wine’s has had the privilege of auctioning numerous record-breaking wines and spirits in recent years, with 2020 alone witnessing new world auction records for any bottle of Japanese whisky, any bottle of whisky produced by the Dalmore Distillery, as well as any bottle of Cognac. Sotheby’s Wine currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most expensive bottle of spirits ever sold at auction.

In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.

* Estimates do not include buyer's premium or overhead premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer's premium and overhead premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.

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