LONDON.- Sotheby’s will present an exclusive online auction of wines from the personal collection of Jörg G. Bucherer (1936–2023), offering a rare glimpse into the private cellar of the man who transformed his family’s watch and jewellery retail business into an international powerhouse. Drawn from his meticulously maintained cellar in Switzerland, the sale comprises 221 lots – more than 2,270 bottles, 71 magnums, and two double magnums – with a combined estimated value exceeding £875,000. Open for bidding from 10 to 24 November, the auction offers collectors an exceptional opportunity to acquire stellar classics from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and beyond.

Bordeaux highlights encompass much sought-after mature vintages of all five of Bordeaux Left Bank’s First Growths, double magnums of Petrus and a case of Lafleur 1990 amongst others. Burgundy leads with nine cases of Clos de Tart spanning vintages 1998-2003, Clos de la Roche 2002 from Domaines Ponsot and Hubert Lignier and no fewer than six 12-bottle cases of Domaine Leroy showcasing five different Grands Crus.

The auction proceeds will benefit the Jörg G. Bucherer Foundation, formally registered in the Swiss Commercial Register earlier this year and set to begin funding activities in 2026. The foundation’s remit is broad – encompassing arts and culture, social welfare, research and science, and quality tourism in Switzerland, reflecting Mr. Bucherer’s enduring commitment to progress, excellence, and philanthropy. The foundation’s commitment to science is underscored by its donation of 100 million Swiss francs ($126 million) – 10 million Swiss francs a year over the next decade – to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), which will establish an earth observation centre in Mr. Bucherer’s home canton of Lucerne. The centre will be led by the astrophysicist Thomas Zurbuchen, who was Head of Science at NASA from 2016 to 2022.

Jörg G. Bucherer came to prominence as a Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist who expertly guided the Bucherer Group, one of the world’s largest luxury watch and jewellery retailers, for 46 years. The third generation of his family to lead the company, he assumed the helm in 1977, overseeing significant expansion across Europe and the United States and cultivating close ties with the world’s most renowned luxury brands. In August 2023, facing the absence of direct heirs, Mr. Bucherer sold the business to Rolex, its long-standing partner since 1924. The acquisition allowed Bucherer to retain its name and operate independently within the Rolex Group, preserving the brand’s legacy and continuity. Mr. Bucherer sadly passed away in November 2023 at the age of 87, leaving a lasting imprint on the luxury retail industry and a legacy of philanthropy.

Beyond his business ventures, Mr. Bucherer was an avid collector of fine wines, curating his private collection with the same meticulous care that marked his professional life. He stored his wines under optimum conditions in his Lucerne cellar, carefully organised and housed in their original wooden cases.

Equally important as the care of the bottles was Mr. Bucherer’s enjoyment of the wines themselves. He would often ask his butler to accompany him to the cellar before dinner to select a bottle. Before the meal was served, the butler would carefully open the wine at the table, ensuring that even the oldest corks remained intact. Though delicate, sometimes requiring a two-pronged vintage cork extractor, this ritual of opening and decanting the wine was central to his enjoyment, and the empty bottle would always remain beside the decanter – a practice he observed even when dining alone.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Lafite 1982, 12 bottles, est. £10,000-16,000 per lot
• Latour 1996, 12 bottles, est. £4,200-5,500 per lot
• Margaux 1983, 12 bottles, est. £3,800-5,000 per lot
• Haut-Brion 1989, 12 bottles, est. £14,000-18,000
• Haut-Brion 1989, 6 magnums, est. £15,000-20,000
• Mouton Rothschild 1982, 6 magnums, est. £9,000-13,000
• Mouton Rothschild 2000, 12 bottles, est. £10,000-14,000
• La Mission Haut-Brion 1989, 12 bottles, est. £9,000-12,000 per lot
• Petrus 1989, 1 double magnum, est. £12,000-16,000
• Petrus 1990, 1 double magnum, est. £12,000-16,000
• Lafleur 1990, 12 bottles, est. £10,000-13,000
• Richebourg 2001 Domaine Leroy, 12 bottles, est. £45,000-55,000
• Romanée St Vivant 2000 Domaine Leroy, 12 bottles, est. £40,000-55,000
• Romanée St Vivant 2001 Domaine Leroy, 12 bottles, est. £42,000-55,000
• Clos de Tart 2002 Mommessin, 6 bottles, est. £2,000-2,600 per lot
• Clos de la Roche 2002 Domaine Ponsot, 12 bottles, est. £2,800-3,800
Clos de la Roche 2002 Hubert Lignier, 12 bottles, est. £5,000-6,500