Wine
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
1825-2005 Château d'Yquem vertical
2010 SOLD for HK$ 8M by Christie's
There may be no limit to the longevity of the wine of Château d'Yquem. After a hundred years, this sweet white wine continues to become more complex, to the delight of the oenologists. Choosing it as the guideline of a vertical collection is therefore highly suitable.
A connoisseur has built a double vertical, with 128 bottles from 1825 to 2005 and 40 magnums from 1900 to 2005 for a total volume of 156 liters. This set is identified as the Liquid Gold collection, referring to both the color and the speculative value of the most famous of the Sauternes wines.
The old bottles were checked at the Château and recorked as necessary. They are stored in wooden cases bearing the logo of the collection, accompanied by a prestigious decanter in Baccarat crystal.
It was not separated. Christie's sold the whole for HK $ 8M on May 29, 2010.
A connoisseur has built a double vertical, with 128 bottles from 1825 to 2005 and 40 magnums from 1900 to 2005 for a total volume of 156 liters. This set is identified as the Liquid Gold collection, referring to both the color and the speculative value of the most famous of the Sauternes wines.
The old bottles were checked at the Château and recorked as necessary. They are stored in wooden cases bearing the logo of the collection, accompanied by a prestigious decanter in Baccarat crystal.
It was not separated. Christie's sold the whole for HK $ 8M on May 29, 2010.
1865 La Romanée 12 bottles
2021 SOLD for CHF 1.95M by Baghera Wines
La Romanée, composed of 85 ares and surrounded by the other greatest Bourgogne vintages such as La Romanée Conti, Richebourg and La Tâche, is the smallest Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. With about 3,600 bottles produced per year, this Grand Cru from the Côtes de Nuits is one of the rarest in the world.
A collection of 1,819 bottles, 106 magnums and 1 jeroboam was dispersed on April 18, 2021 by Baghera Wines. It was covering a period from 1862 to 2005, from the cellars of Bouchard Père et Fils.
The top lot, made of 12 bottles of La Romanée 1865 ,was sold for CHF 1.95M. The most expensive single bottle, also from 1865 and sold in five units, was sold for CHF 200K each.
A collection of 1,819 bottles, 106 magnums and 1 jeroboam was dispersed on April 18, 2021 by Baghera Wines. It was covering a period from 1862 to 2005, from the cellars of Bouchard Père et Fils.
The top lot, made of 12 bottles of La Romanée 1865 ,was sold for CHF 1.95M. The most expensive single bottle, also from 1865 and sold in five units, was sold for CHF 200K each.
1937-1991 Romanée-Conti vertical
2018 SOLD for CHF 550K by Baghera Wines
A vertical of twelve bottles from the Domaine de la Eomanée-Conti was sold for CHF 550K from a lower estimate of CHF 120K by Baghera Wines on December 2, 2018, lot 174.
It is made of the following millésimes : 1937, 1952, 1961, 1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991.
It is made of the following millésimes : 1937, 1952, 1961, 1970, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991.
1978-2001 Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux vertical
2018 SOLD for CHF 1.16M by Baghera Wines
A winemaker at Vosne-Romanée, Henri Jayer operated parcels of Grands Crus Classés Richebourg and Echézeaux. He advocated a vinification that is as natural as possible with a graded selection of fruit, a mechanical destemming before crushing and a maceration phase before fermentation, and without filtering.
Jayer also had ambitions in a tiny vineyard that he had assembled in pinot noir at Cros-Parantoux. His fellows did not want it because the rocky soil was not conducive to a good yield. Its elevation higher than Richebourg was however ideal. Jayer understood that he could make the best wine in the world on his 1.01 hectare field.
1978 is a very favorable year for the Côtes-de-Nuits, with little sun in summer and a perfect autumn. Jayer took the opportunity to add to his trade the Cros-Parantoux, grading 13.5%.
The Henri Jayer brand is replaced in 2002 by Domaine Emmanuel Rouget operated by his nephew. On February 10, 2012 the sale of his private cellar at Christie's fetched HK $ 66M overall from a lower estimate of HK $ 20M. Provenance is essential in wine sales because it guarantees the quality of the storage conditions which are highly important for old Bourgognes.
On June 17, 2018, Baghera Wines auctions the last bottles from the private reserve of Domaine Henri Jayer.
The lot 160 was sold for CHF 1.16M from a lower estimate of CHF 280K. It is a vertical of 15 magnums of Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux made of the millésimes 1978, 1980, 1982, 1985 to 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999 to 2001.
Jayer also had ambitions in a tiny vineyard that he had assembled in pinot noir at Cros-Parantoux. His fellows did not want it because the rocky soil was not conducive to a good yield. Its elevation higher than Richebourg was however ideal. Jayer understood that he could make the best wine in the world on his 1.01 hectare field.
1978 is a very favorable year for the Côtes-de-Nuits, with little sun in summer and a perfect autumn. Jayer took the opportunity to add to his trade the Cros-Parantoux, grading 13.5%.
The Henri Jayer brand is replaced in 2002 by Domaine Emmanuel Rouget operated by his nephew. On February 10, 2012 the sale of his private cellar at Christie's fetched HK $ 66M overall from a lower estimate of HK $ 20M. Provenance is essential in wine sales because it guarantees the quality of the storage conditions which are highly important for old Bourgognes.
On June 17, 2018, Baghera Wines auctions the last bottles from the private reserve of Domaine Henri Jayer.
The lot 160 was sold for CHF 1.16M from a lower estimate of CHF 280K. It is a vertical of 15 magnums of Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux made of the millésimes 1978, 1980, 1982, 1985 to 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999 to 2001.
1981-2005 Château Lafite Rothschild vertical
2011 SOLD for HK$ 4.2M by Christie's
Asians love the Château Lafite-Rothschild, and they are right. Last year, the auction by Sotheby's in Hong Kong of 2000 bottles direct from the cellars of the vinery was certainly the greatest wine sale of all time.
On September 3, 2011, Christie's sold in a single lot for HK $ 4.2M a remarkable vertical made of 300 bottles. Not a vertical of bottles but a vertical of cases of twelve bottles each.
All years are present from 1981 to 2005. The wooden boxes are original, and the bottles are in perfect condition. The set includes the legendary 1982 vintage and the great 2000, and the most recent in the series, 2005, is also one of the most promising.
On September 3, 2011, Christie's sold in a single lot for HK $ 4.2M a remarkable vertical made of 300 bottles. Not a vertical of bottles but a vertical of cases of twelve bottles each.
All years are present from 1981 to 2005. The wooden boxes are original, and the bottles are in perfect condition. The set includes the legendary 1982 vintage and the great 2000, and the most recent in the series, 2005, is also one of the most promising.
1992-2010 Romanée-Conti vertical
2014 SOLD for HK$ 12.6M by Sotheby's
A specific vintage of Romanée-Conti reveals its qualities after about twenty years. When I started this column, 1990 was the star and the most promising later years were 2001, 2004 and 2005.
The surprise came in 2011 when wine lovers found that at the completion of a slower evolution 1988 could reach a quality worthy of being compared to 1990.
On October 4, 2014, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 12.6M a great vertical of 6 bottles each from 19 consecutive younger vintages, from 1992 to 2010, totaling 114 bottles.
The surprise came in 2011 when wine lovers found that at the completion of a slower evolution 1988 could reach a quality worthy of being compared to 1990.
On October 4, 2014, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 12.6M a great vertical of 6 bottles each from 19 consecutive younger vintages, from 1992 to 2010, totaling 114 bottles.
1999 Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux
2021 SOLD for CHF 560K by Baghera Wines
A lot of twelve bottles of 1999 Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux from the Domaine Henri Jayer was sold for CHF 560K from a lower estimate of CHF 180K by Baghera Wines on June 20, 2021, lot 135. This lot came from the collection of Henri Jayer's elder daughter Lydie.
A lot of six magnums of 1999 Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux from the Domaine Henri Jayer was sold for CHF 530K by Baghera Wines on June 17, 2018, lot 135.
A lot of six magnums of 2001 of the same wine from the Domaine Henri Jayer was sold for CHF 450K by Baghera Wines on June 20, 2021, lot 132. This lot came from the collection of Lydie Jayer.
A lot of six magnums of 1999 Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux from the Domaine Henri Jayer was sold for CHF 530K by Baghera Wines on June 17, 2018, lot 135.
A lot of six magnums of 2001 of the same wine from the Domaine Henri Jayer was sold for CHF 450K by Baghera Wines on June 20, 2021, lot 132. This lot came from the collection of Lydie Jayer.
Hospices de Beaune Pièce des Présidents
1
2020 SOLD for € 706K by Christie's
The 160th auction sale of the Hospices de Beaune was operated by Christie's on December 13, 2020.
The Pièce des Présidents was a 228 liter piece from the Clos de la Roche Grand-Cru. Its barrel was handcrafted from a grand cru oak from the forest park of the Domaine national de Chambord.
This lot was offered for the benefit of hospital workers in France who were victims of COVID-19.
It was sold for € 660K before fees. Two donations were added for a total of € 120K, ultimately fetching € 780K for the benefit of hospital staff.
The price including premium was € 706K, lot 640.
The Pièce des Présidents was a 228 liter piece from the Clos de la Roche Grand-Cru. Its barrel was handcrafted from a grand cru oak from the forest park of the Domaine national de Chambord.
This lot was offered for the benefit of hospital workers in France who were victims of COVID-19.
It was sold for € 660K before fees. Two donations were added for a total of € 120K, ultimately fetching € 780K for the benefit of hospital staff.
The price including premium was € 706K, lot 640.
2
2021 SOLD for € 800K by Sotheby's
The 161st auction sale of the Hospices de Beaune was operated by Sotheby's on November 21, 2021.
The Pièce des Présidents was selected from one of the most prestigious appellations in Côte-D'Or, the Corton Renardes Grand Cru 2021. It has been vinified and is maturing in a 228 liter special designed barrel in fine grain Burgundian oak from the nearby forest of Cîteaux.
This charity piece was offered to benefit the Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes to fight against violence against women, and the Curie Institute for medical research agains breast cancer.
It fetched € 800K hammer price with no applied buyer's premium, lot 115.
The Pièce des Présidents was selected from one of the most prestigious appellations in Côte-D'Or, the Corton Renardes Grand Cru 2021. It has been vinified and is maturing in a 228 liter special designed barrel in fine grain Burgundian oak from the nearby forest of Cîteaux.
This charity piece was offered to benefit the Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes to fight against violence against women, and the Curie Institute for medical research agains breast cancer.
It fetched € 800K hammer price with no applied buyer's premium, lot 115.
3
2022 SOLD for € 810K by Sotheby's
In 2022 the Pièce des Présidents was a blend of Corton Grand Cru from three vineyards in equal parts.
This barrel was sold for € 810K by Sotheby's on November 20, 2022, lot 236.
The proceeds go to two charities selected by the Hospices Civils de Beaune : Princesse Margot against child cancer and Vision du Monde against child suffering.
2022 is a good year that had a delayed harvest after a very hot summer.
The 163rd sale of the Hospices de Beaune was operated by Sotheby's on November 19, 2023. The Pièce de Charité was sold for € 350K, lot 222. It is made of 228 liters of 2023 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Its barrel is made from a bicentennial oak from Vibraye forest which has also been used in the rebuild after fire of Paris cathedral.
This unique wine displays an exceptionally dense purple color. The bouquet delivers a mingling of strawberry, blackberry and blueberry. The charity benefits to two associations devoted to medical research and to longevity.
This barrel was sold for € 810K by Sotheby's on November 20, 2022, lot 236.
The proceeds go to two charities selected by the Hospices Civils de Beaune : Princesse Margot against child cancer and Vision du Monde against child suffering.
2022 is a good year that had a delayed harvest after a very hot summer.
The 163rd sale of the Hospices de Beaune was operated by Sotheby's on November 19, 2023. The Pièce de Charité was sold for € 350K, lot 222. It is made of 228 liters of 2023 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Its barrel is made from a bicentennial oak from Vibraye forest which has also been used in the rebuild after fire of Paris cathedral.
This unique wine displays an exceptionally dense purple color. The bouquet delivers a mingling of strawberry, blackberry and blueberry. The charity benefits to two associations devoted to medical research and to longevity.
