Press Release London For Immediate Release London +44 (0)20 7293 6000 Matthew Floris matthew.floris@sothebys.com Matthew Weigman matthew.weigman@sothebys.com New York +1 212 606 7176 Dan Abernethy dan.abernethy@sothebys.com Hong Kong +852 2822 8129 Winnie Tang winnie.tang@sothebys.com Three Magnificent Collections Take Centre Stage at Sotheby s London Wine Sale on 21 March --- The Bordeaux Winebank Selection, The Adrian Bowden Collection Part III & A Classic Collector s Cellar --- A very rare complete collection of the 2003 vintage at Domaine de la Romanée Conti in Magnum format, est. 24,000-32,000* SOTHEBY S LONDON SALE of Finest & Rarest Wines on Wednesday, 21 March 2012 will feature three magnificent collections, comprising The Bordeaux Wine Bank Selection, The Adrian Bowden Collection Part III, and A Classic Collector s Cellar. Together, they epitomise the appeal of buying wine at Sotheby s. The 892-lot sale is estimated to bring 2.1 2.7 million.
Opening the sale are 373 lots from Bordeaux Wine Bank, a name and a consignment that are bywords for quality, condition and provenance. As Sotheby s Worldwide Head of Wine, Serena Sutcliffe MW notes, This is a collection that provides an excellent opportunity to stock up with classic, classified Bordeaux, knowing that all these wines come direct from the châteaux to Bordeaux Wine Bank. They bring with them the utter reassurance of their pedigree. Parcels of the First Growths, Classed Growths, Second Wines and Right Bank Claret are available in vintages for drinking now the 1982s or in those that lend themselves to further cellaring, such as the 2005s (pictured left). Top wines from the landmark 2000 vintage are available in parcel quantities, including Latour, Margaux, and Mouton Rothschild. Attractively estimated benchmark Claret comes in the form of Léoville Barton 2000, with 12-bottle cases expected to bring 850-1,100 (lots 67-71) and 24-bottle lots estimated at 1,700-2,200 (lots 72-76). The dry white Bordeaux, Haut Brion Blanc, and the sublime Sauternes, Yquem, complete a stunning selection. The sale continues with The Adrian Bowden Collection Part III, the third tranche to be offered at auction by Sotheby s. The late Adrian Bowden s name is synonymous with a real wine collector s connoisseurship and enthusiasm for great bottles. A new generation of collectors will have the chance to acquire rare wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley produced between 1953 and 1993 all impeccably sourced, stored and ready to drink. Adrian Bowden s special affinity with Pomerol is reflected by a stellar line-up of Pétrus, Le Pin and Lafleur. A case of Le Pin 1990 from this collection is estimated at 24,000-30,000 per 12 bottles (lot 419) and six Magnums are estimated at 22,000-28,000 per lot (420) (pictured left). A case of Château La Mission Haut Brion 1982 is expected to bring 6,000-7,500 per 12 bottles (lot 385); a 12-bottle case of the 1989 vintage similarly carries an estimate of 6,000-7,500 per lot (399-400, pictured above). Its neighbour, Haut Brion, is available in the 1989 vintage in both bottle and Magnum cases with an estimate of 9,500-12,000 per 12- bottles (lots 396-397, pictured above) and the same estimate per 6 Magnums (lot 398). From Burgundy, two bottles of very rare Romanée Conti 1959, are estimated at 10,000-14,000 per lot (424), and 12 bottles of Richebourg 1978 DRC, in original wooden case, are expected to bring 15,000-20,000 per lot (425). 2
The exceptional line-up of red Burgundy continues with the highly sought after La Tâche 1989, estimate 10,000-14,000 per 12 bottles (lot 428) alongside Grands Crus from producers such as de Vogüé, Leroy, Dujac and Rousseau. From the Rhône come 12-bottle lots of Château Rayas 1976, 1989 and 1990, estimated at 1,800-2,400 (lot 436), 4,000-5,000 (lot 439) and 8,500-10,000 (lot 440) respectively (pictured left). Guigal s La Landonne 1989, with its lovely, sweet, seductive, gently spicy nose (SS) carries an estimate of 3,000-4,000 per 12-bottles (lot 438). For collectors of Grange Bin 95, a selection of this Australian icon is featured in selected vintages from 1981 to 1995 (lots 446-452). Session Two opens with a stunning ensemble of First and Second Growth Bordeaux, red and white Burgundy, great German wines, Super Tuscans, and an historic Vega Sicilia Unico vertical, from a renowned Continental Michelinstarred restaurant. Sublime rarities from Krug lead the charge among the Champagne. Aptly named A Classic Collector s Cellar, the collection comes to the market with impeccable provenance (lots 460-708). The highlight is a very rare complete collection of Domaine de la Romanée Conti in the 2003 vintage in Magnum format. Comprising all seven Grand Cru wines Romanée Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, Romanée Saint Vivant, Grands Echézeaux, Echézeaux and Montrachet this single lot is estimated to bring 24,000-32,000 (534, pictured on page one). Individual offerings of these 2003s directly follow with estimates ranging from 1,600-2,000 for 3 bottles of Grands Echézeaux (lot 539) to 12,000-16,000 for a 2-bottle lot of Romanée-Conti (535). Further Burgundy features an enticing selection from de Vogüé and rare Coche-Dury (lots 550-554, pictured left). Rhône wines from Jaboulet, Chapoutier and Guigal span the years from 1962 to 2001 (lots 557-576). Mixed lots of Bordeaux, including Château La Mission Haut Brion (1963, 1986 and 1992 vintages, estimate 260-340 [lot 521]) and Château Gruaud Larose (1971, 1989 and 1990 vintages, estimate 280-420 [lot 522]), provide fascinating tasting opportunities. 3
Mature German wines from the great estates of Fritz Haag, Egon Müller, J J Prüm and von Schubert (lots 645-686) and others, are followed by a range of the Super Tuscans, including Sassicaia, Masseto, Ornellaia and Solaia (lots 687-704). From Spain, an exceptional 12-bottle vertical of Vega Sicilia Unico, spanning five decades, is estimated at 2,800-3,200 (lot 707, pictured right). The array of Krug Collection and Krug Private Cuvée presented is a dream for Krugistes. As Serena Sutcliffe notes, few great wine collectors bypass Krug Champagne since its power and sheer vinosity appeal to a connoisseur of great Bordeaux and Burgundy. Highlights include 1 bottle of Krug Collection 1928, estimate 10,000-15,000 (lot 577, pictured left); 1 Magnum of Krug Collection 1937, estimate 10,000-12,000 (lot 578, pictured left); and 1 Magnum of Krug Private Cuvée Brut 1937, estimate 8,000-10,000 (lot 585). Magnums and Jeroboams of Perrier-Jouët, Belle Epoque and Belle Epoque Rosé range in estimates from 220-260 to 650-820 (lots 611-617, pictured above). Additional private collections feature Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Henri Jayer, Rhône from Guigal and J.-L. Chave and further parcels and mixed cases of Bordeaux from the last four decades. In the spotlight is a single Jeroboam of Romanée Conti 2000, estimate 18,000-24,000 (lot 712), and Burgundy from Henri Jayer, including the fabled Vosne Romanée, Cros Parantoux from a triumvirate of top vintages the 1988, 1989 and 1990 (lots 724, 726 and 728 respectively, pictured right) the 1988 carries an estimate of 9,000-11,000 per 5-bottles. A super-cuvée of red Rhône, Château de Beaucastel, Hommage à Jacques Perrin 1989, is available in a 12- bottle case with an estimate of 4,000-5,000 (lot 737). Parcels of Hermitage Rouge 2000 from J.-L. Chave are on offer in cases of 12 bottles estimated at 1,100-1,300 per lot (746-751). The auction closes with further lots of mature as well as younger Bordeaux for laying down. # # # * Pre-sale estimates do not include buyer s premium 4
Notes to Editors About Bordeaux Winebank Bordeaux Winebank has built up an impressive collection of top classified Bordeaux, all of which come with their Five Star Provenance. This patented process ensures the authenticity and perfect condition of all the wines, which have documented ex château provenance, are in their original wood cases and have always been kept in professional, climate-controlled storage in Bordeaux until their shipment to Hong Kong for this sale. All wine that is traded by Bordeaux Winebank has the supporting documentation that it has come directly from the château or from a secondary source in Bordeaux. The definition of a secondary source in this context is a major Bordeaux négociant who has a direct allocation from the château. Each case sold by Bordeaux Winebank is rendered unique using Advanced Track and Trace software. Four tamper-proof seals are applied to each case and these are scanned into the Advanced Track and Trace database, creating a unique identity for each case. A corresponding seal is created and applied to a certificate of provenance. Sotheby s Wine will forward each certificate it receives from Bordeaux Winebank to the purchaser upon delivery. Criteria of the Five Star Provenance enance : 1. All wines must be sold exclusively in original wooden case (owc) 2. All wines must have documented ex château provenance 3. All cases must remain in professional storage in Bordeaux from bottling 4. Professional storage facilities must be temperature and humidity controlled and monitored 24/7 5. Annual certification of procedures by qualified auditor Sotheby s Wine Sales Sotheby s Wine auctions in 2011 brought an overall global total of US$85,467,096; this is almost equal to 2010 s figure of $88.27 million, which was more than double the 2009 figure. The 2011 figure is the second highest in the company s forty-one years of wine auctions. The Lafite Ex Cellars sale held by Sotheby s in Hong Kong in October 2010 set a new record for a single standard sized bottle at auction when a bottle of Château Lafite 1869 sold for $232,692. This means that Sotheby s now holds the world records for a standard bottle, a bottle in any format - the Jeroboam of Château Mouton Rothschild 1945 which fetched $310,700 in February 2007 in New York and any wine lot at auction 50 cases of Château Mouton Rothschild 1982 which sold for US$1,051,600 at Sotheby s New York in 2006. Between 2009 and October 2011 Sotheby s Hong Kong maintained 16 consecutive 100%-sold wine auctions in Asia the only major auction house with this record. Upcoming wine sales in 2012 include Finest and Rarest Wines in London on 18 April, Finest and Rarest Wines in New York on 28 April, and over two days in Hong Kong on 31 1 March and 1 April. 5