LONDON.- On Wednesday, 26 January, 2011,
Sotheby’s London will offer a Magnificent Private Collection of Chteau Lafite, Chteau Mouton Rothschild 1959, Chteau Latour 1959 and Chteau Haut Brion 1961. The 51 lots will open the sale of Finest and Rarest Wines & Vintage Port, and all come with impeccable provenance. Described by Serena Sutcliffe MW, Worldwide Head of Wine at Sotheby’s, as “A stunning array of the most iconic wines ever made that sets the bar for this first sale of the year in London”, this collection is expected to bring in the region of 500,000. The 538‐lot sale has an overall estimate of 1.19 – 1.49 million.
In the wake of Sotheby’s record price for a single standard sized bottle at auction, achieved when a bottle of Chteau Lafite 1869 sold for $232,692 in Hong Kong in October 2010, the demand for Chteau Lafite – particularly among Asian buyers – continues apace, and this collection will offer the opportunity to acquire exceptional vintages. Lots 1 and 2 comprise two complete cases of Chteau Lafite 1945, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, estimated at 12,000‐16,000 per 12 bottles (“An intoxicating, exciting bouquet of heather and honey… with that ethereal Lafite quality.” SS). Further stand‐out vintages in complete cases include:
• Lots 8 and 9, Chteau Lafite 1961, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, estimate 6,000-7,000 per 12 bottles (“So sweet, rich and gentle on the palate. A terrific mocha finish. This is the sheer elegance of Lafite…” SS)
• Lots 15 and 16, Chteau Lafite 1982, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, estimate 22,000‐28,000 per 12 bottles (…”so youthful, even haunting in its flavours…” SS)
• Lots 22 and 23, Chteau Lafite 1986, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, estimate 12,000‐16,000 per 12 bottles (“Take every opportunity to acquire and, preferably, to drink this.” SS)
• Lots 46 and 47, Chteau Lafite 2000, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, estimate 17,000‐22,000 per 12 bottles (“This will last a century if required, so think two generations on.” SS)
Chteau Mouton Rothschild, the most opulent and exuberant of all the First Growths, is represented by 11 bottles of Chteau Mouton Rothschild 1959, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, estimated at 11,000‐14,000 and being offered in a single lot (7). Nine bottles of Chteau Haut Brion 1961, Pessac‐Lognan (Graves), Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, make up lot 10 (pictured left), with an estimate of 12,500‐17,000. (“Just fireworks on the palate.” SS)
Elsewhere in the sale, there is a wonderful range of 2000 Bordeaux (lots 63‐88). Jeroboams of Chteau Mouton Rothschild 2000, Pauillac, 1er Cru Class, are estimated at 3,400‐4,200 per lot (72‐75), and magnums of Chteau Cheval Blanc 2000, St. Emilion, 1er Grand Cru Class (A), are estimated at 3,400‐4,200 per lot (3 mags). Lots 92 to 149 comprise an array of 2001, 2002 and 2003 Bordeaux vintages.
For Champagne lovers, Krug, Clos du Mesnil should prove hard to resist, with the 1988 vintage estimated at 700‐800 per bottle (lots 152‐155), and the 1989 vintage estimated at 600‐700 per bottle (lots 156‐161, pictured left, “Long and luscious with a lovely fresh flourish at the end. Will age superbly.” SS).
Other star lots are Chteau Petrus 1982, Pomerol, estimated at 24,000‐30,000 per 12 bottles (lot 189) and a case of Romane Conti 1988, Domaine de la Romane Conti, Cte de Nuits, Grand Cru, estimated at 46,000‐55,000 per 12 bottles (lot 190).
A further collection of top Bordeaux, all bought en‐primeur and stored professionally since purchase, comprises lots 191 to 379, and spans the best years from the 1990s and 2000s.
Fans of Italian wine will appreciate the iconic Sassicaia on offer in a range of vintages: Sassicaia 1998, Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri, estimated at 1,300‐1,700 per 12 bottles (lot 442) and Sassacaia 2001, Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri, estimated at 800‐1,100 per six bottles (lots 447‐450).
