Bidding opens today on Sotheby’s Wine’s latest online auction, Vine I A Gourmet’s Classic Collection. This stunning single owner collection features all the First Growths, spanning five decades and across multiple formats, with the bonus of Domaine de la Romanée Conti from the 1980s and 1990s in bottles, magnums and jeroboams. Comprising 362 lots with a combined pre-sale low estimate in the region of £1.2 million, the sale will close for bidding at 10am BST on 25 August.
The line-up of Bordeaux is exceptionally strong in First Growths given the consignor followed every vintage through the decades, in complete cases and in all the formats. The array of Mouton Rothschild stands out from the outset, but the other Firsts jostle for pole position, Palmer and Cos d'Estournel are well to the fore and Petrus beckons from the Right Bank. Traversing France to Burgundy, the Domaines are led by Domaine de la Romanée in all its glory, not least the large formats, so rare at the Domaine and in the region as a whole. With wines of this calibre and position in the hierarchy often hard to acquire, the collection stands as a classic example of vinous desirability.
“It is always a great pleasure to present for sale a private wine collection that will bring much happiness to wine lovers around the world. In superb condition, these wines were purchased on first release and have never been moved. The range of vintages across Bordeaux and Burgundy, and the quantity of super-sized bottles, are a dream combination for collectors with classical tastes.”
Burgundy – Highlights
Romanée Conti 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 3 bottles, est. £45,000-60,000 (325)
Romanée Conti 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 1 magnum, est. £30,000-40,000 per lot (326-328)
Romanée Conti 1992 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 3 magnums, est. £55,000-75,000 (329)
Romanée Conti 1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 1 magnum, est. £20,000-28,000 per lot (330-331)
Richebourg 1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 3 jeroboams, est. £19,000-26,000 (339)
La Tâche 1982 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 7 bottles, est. £15,000-20,000 (333)
Montrachet 1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 4 bottles, est. £15,000-20,000 (351)
Echézeaux 1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 3 jeroboams, est. £13,000-17,000 (345)
Grands Echézeaux 1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 3 magnums, est. £2,800 - £3,800 (341)
Musigny 1997 Domaine Georges Roumier, 10 bottles, est. £40,000-60,000 (349)
Montrachet 1997 Domaine Leflaive, 5 bottles, est. £24,000-32,000 (352)
Five Decades of Opulence from Mouton Rothschild: 1947-1999 – Highlights
Mouton Rothschild 1947, 1 bottle, est. £1,500-2,000 (1)
Mouton Rothschild 1950, 1 bottle, est. £850-1,100 (2)
Mouton Rothschild 1952, 1 bottle, est. £380-500 (3)
Mouton Rothschild 1971, 12 bottles, est. £2,400-3,000 (4)
Mouton Rothschild 1975, 6 magnums, est. £2,800-3,800 (6)
Mouton Rothschild 1976, 12 bottles, £2,000-2,600 (7)
Mouton Rothschild 1977, 8 bottles, est. £1,100-1,400 (8)
Mouton Rothschild 1978, 6 bottles, est. £1,100-1,400 (9)
Mouton Rothschild 1979, 12 bottles, est. £2,200-2,800 (10)
Mouton Rothschild 1980, 12 bottles, est. £2,200-2,800 (11)
Mouton Rothschild 1981, 10 bottles, est. £2,000-2,600 (12)
Mouton Rothschild 1982, 12 bottles, est. £10,000-13,000 (13)
Mouton Rothschild 1983, 12 bottles, est. £3,000-4,000 (14)
Mouton Rothschild 1985, 12 bottles, est. £2,800-3,500 (16)
Mouton Rothschild 1986, 12 bottles, est. £6,500-8,500 (17)
Mouton Rothschild 1987, 12 bottles, est. £2,800-3,800 (18)
Mouton Rothschild 1988, 12 bottles, est. £3,000-4,000 (19)
Mouton Rothschild 1989, 3 magnums, est. £1,700-2,200 (21)
Mouton Rothschild 1990, 12 bottles, est. £3,200-4,000 (23)
Mouton Rothschild 1992, 6 magnums, est. £3,000-3,800 (26)
Mouton Rothschild 1993, 12 bottles, est. £3,200-4,000 per lot (27-31)
Mouton Rothschild 1994, 12 bottles, est. £3,200-4,000 per lot (44-46)
Mouton Rothschild 1995, 12 bottles, est. £3,800-4,800 per lot (58-61)
Mouton Rothschild 1996, 2 magnums, est. £1,300-1,600 (67)
Mouton Rothschild 1997, 1 imperial, est. £2,200-2,800 per lot (97-99)
Mouton Rothschild 1998, 1 imperial, est. £2,600-3,500 per lot (111-116)
Mouton Rothschild 1999, 1 double magnum, est. £1,100-1,500 per lot (122-127)
The First Growths – Further Highlights
Margaux 1989, 12 bottles, est. £3,800-4,800 (168)
Latour 1996, 12 bottles, est. £5,000-6,500 (164)
Haut Brion 1995, 12 bottles, est. £3,200-4,000 (193)
Lafite 2000, 12 bottles, £10,000-13,000 (154)
Lafite 2000, 6 magnums, est. £10,000-13,000 (155)
Lafite 2000, 3 double magnums, est. £10,000-13,000 (156)
Petrus – Highlights
Petrus 1996, 1 imperial, est. £14,000-18,000 (294)
Petrus 2000, 6 bottles, est. £18,000-24,000 (297)
CONTACT INFO
London | Matthew Floris | Matthew.Floris@Sothebys.com| +44 (0)20 7293 6000
About Sotheby’s Wine
Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide sales in 2019 significantly exceeded $100 million for the second consecutive year, led by a 20% increase in auction sales to a total of $118 million – the highest-ever annual total in Sotheby’s history.
Sotheby’s Wine, with a store located within the auction house’s worldwide headquarters on New York’s Upper East Side, offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by Sotheby’s’ experienced specialists, the ever-evolving selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with prices beginning at just $13.95. With bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages, each wine is chosen for its expression of its region and value for money. Each bottle selected by Sotheby’s specialist team must pass the brand’s signature “three-glass” tasting guideline, meaning that the tasters must like it enough to want to drink three glasses, or the standard amount enjoyed when sharing a bottle.
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