Our June Fine & Rare Wine Auction had wines from iconic producers, Old World and New. Here is a look at some of the standout bottles.
100 Pointers
The two most iconic wines of June’s auction were also the most valuable, one was from the ‘Old World’, the other represented the ‘New World’, each one sold for a hammer price of £3,000.
In the red corner, representing the New World, was 1997 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon from the exclusive Napa Valley vineyard. Not only was it one of only 6000 bottles ever produced, it was also awarded 100 points by Wine Advocate’s Robert M. Parker Jr., who described it as having ‘extraordinary purity, symmetry, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute.’
In the (other) red corner, representing the Old World, was 2009 Chateau Petrus. It also received the honour of 100 points from Wine Advocate. Robert Parker described it as ‘a wine of great intensity, a multidimensional mouthfeel and full-bodied, stunning concentration’.
Bordeaux
Wines from legendary producers, large format bottles and vintages dating back as far as the 1940s caught the interest of collectors. The auction’s biggest bottle was a double magnum of 2006 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which sold for £2,500. At half its size, a magnum of 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild reached a hammer price of £800.
Other vintages of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, in standard 75cl format included this 2005 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which sold for £460, and a 2012 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which sold for £330.
From the legendary 1982 vintage, there was Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Margaux, fetching £1,600 and £825 respectively.
Older vintages of Chateau Latour included 1967 Chateau Latour, which sold for £280, and a fascinating 1940 Chateau Latour that followed just behind on a hammer price of £270.
Red Burgundy
Domaine De La Romanee Conti in the shape of this 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru fetched a winning bid of £2,100. There were two further bottles of 2006 Richebourg Grand Cru from A F Gros that sold for £380 and £390 apiece.
Another significant red from Burgundy, 1985 Clos de Tart, described as ‘easily the best vintage of the decade for Clos de Tart’ by Burghound’s Allan Meadows, sold for £525.
Champagne
The Champagne category was topped by a pair of magnums with this 2009 Louis Roederer Cristal that fetched £625 and a 1990 Bollinger La Grande Annee which sold for £400.
A rare magnum of 1975 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut with a framed John Ward etching to commemorate the opening of the Lloyd’s of London building had a winning bid of £300.
Wine Icons From The Rest Of The World
The greatest wine icons, from all over the world were in the auction. From one of France’s steepest vineyards, 1998 Hermitage from Rhone legend Jean Louis Chave fetched £400. From Spain, 2004 Vega Sicilia Unico, described as ‘really stunning’ and awarded 19.5/20 by Jancis Robinson, sold for £220. From Napa, 2005 Dominus from Christian Moueix (98 points from Wine Advocate) sold for £190. From Australia there were great bottles from Penfolds and Wynns. In the Port category, 1952 Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny Port, bottled to commemorate the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II sold for £450. And an amazing dessert wine from Hungary, this 1993 Pajzos Tokaji Esszencia, another 100 pointer, sold for a steal to one lucky bidder for £210.
See the full auction highlights here.
