Wine at Auction is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

Sold: £196,318/$302,526/€233,618 | Lots Sold: 505 | Lots Offered: 762 | Sold by Lot: 66% | Sold by £: 68% [Exchange Rate£:= $1.541/ € 1.190]

Lot | Description | Estimate (£) | Purchase Price | Buyer

229 | Château Mouton-Rothschild–Vintage 2003. Pauillac, 1er cru classé | 12 bottles | 2,000-2,500 |
£2,070/$3,190/€2,463 | UK Private

627 | Quinta de Serrado Bual–Vintage 1827 (2),Blandy’s Malmsey Solera–Vintage 1863 (1), Cossart Gordon Bual–Vintage 1920 (1), Leacock’s Sercial–Vintage 1940 (3), Cossart Gordon Bastardo–Vintage 1969 (2), Cossart Gordon Verdelho-Vintage 1972 (3) | 12 bottles per lot | 1,400-1,800 | £1,610/$2,481/€1,916 | UK Trade

562 | Salon le Mesnil–Vintage 1988 | 6 bottles | 1,000-1,400 | £1,495/$2,304/€1779 | European Private

Comment: Carolyn Holmes, Senior Specialist, London Wine Department said: “There was a packed saleroom for the South Kensington Wine sale, although it was canny telephone bidders who bagged the top lots; A case of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2003 going at a respectable £2070, 12 festive mixed Madeiras at £1610 and fine Champagne, Salon Le Mesnil at £1495 for 6 bottles. A strong end to the year for South Kensington Wine sales.”

Christie’s | Monday 1 December 2008 is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

Total:	€ 3.075.481	£2.244.422	$ 3.898.516
Lots vendus: 547	Nombre de lots: 547	% par lot: 100%	% en valeur: 100%
Taux de change: € = 0.8599 £ /1.2677 $

- The sold total stands at Euros 3,075,481 / £2,644,422/ $3,898,516 (including premium, excluding VAT) for a reduced quantity of 544 barrels offered for sale – 450 barrels of red wine and 94 barrels of white wine totalled Euros 3,024,676* (including premium, excluding VAT, without the spirits and the President’s Barrel)

- The Special President’s Barrel benefiting two charitable organizations sold for Euros 50,000

The Traditional Sale of Wine in Barrel
In 2008, the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune offered a smaller amount of wine for sale: 544 barrels, compared to 607 last year (-10,4%), 680 in 2006 and 789 in 2005. This is the smallest number of barrels to have been offered for 21 years. There were several reasons for this: a difficult flowering of the vines, unfavourable weather during the summer and a rigorous sorting of the grapes at harvest time.

The new Cuvée being offered this year, Pommard-Epenots Premier Cru, Cuvée Dom Goblet was welcomed with enthusiasm, selling for the highest average price of any Pommard in the auction: €5.750 per barrel. In total there were 31 Cuvées of red wine, and 12 of white.

For the fourth year in a row, private individuals were able to participate and buy a single or several barrels of the different cuvées. Under the hammer of François Curiel, Chairman of Christie’ Europe and Emmanuelle Vidal-Delagneau, Christie’s France Business Development, the sale totaled Euros 3,075,481.

“At a time of economic uncertainty and after a summer which saw grape production cut by half for some of the best appellations of the Hospices (like Mazis-Chambertin and Corton-Charlemagne Dumay) in the end the results are better than we dared to anticipate. Wine lovers from around the world were present, despite the difficult financial context. The production of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune was 100% sold this Sunday for dispersal to the four corners of the globe, ” said Anthony Hanson, Master of Wine, International
Consultant of Christie’s and Emmanuelle Vidal-Delagneau, Business Director and auctioneer in charge of the sale.

About 20 barrels found virtual bidders.
Once again, the participation of online bidders via Christie’s Live required a simplification of the bidding process. Any buyer was able to purchase a single barrel or several from each parcel offered in the sale. This new system seemed to be appreciated by everyone, including the traditional Burgundian négociants-éleveurs.

The President’s Barrel Euros 50.000
Since 1945, each year the Hospices de Beaune gives its support to one or several charities by donating the profit from one barrel: the President’s Barrel. This year, it was a Pommard Premier cru, Cuvée Dames de la Charité. French actors Jean-Pierre Marielle and Michel Blanc were the presidents of the 148th Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction. They supported the Comité de Côte d’Or de la Ligue contre le Cancer and the Association Enfants d’Asie. At their side, Sophie Vouzelaud also supported the League Against Cancer.

All the funds raised at the sale will go towards the modernization and extension of the Nicolas Rolin center and hospital.

*Euros 2.826.800 without premium

The 148th Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

FINEST AND RAREST WINES: Featuring Treasures from the Cellars of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and a Connoisseur’s Outstanding Private Collection | 12 November 2008

GRAND TOTAL: £1,005,50 | EXCH RATE: 1.55 | SOLD BY LOT: 77% LOTS OFFERED: 1000 | SOLD BY £: 73% | LOTS SOLD/UNSOLD: 777/223

LOT | PRICE | ESTIMATES | BUYER
765 | £25,300 | ($39,149) £24,000-32,000* | UK Trade | Château Pétrus 1982 (12 bts)
383 | £14,950 | ($23,134) £13,000-18,000 | Asian Trade | Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Assortment 1990 (12 bts)
674 | £11,500 ($17,795) | £6,000-8,000 | European Private | Château Latour 1961 (9 bts)
808 | £11,500 ($17,795) | £13,000-16,000 | UK Private | Château Pétrus 2000 (6 bts)
239 | £8,280 ($12,812) | £8,000-10,000 | UK Private | Château Lafleur 1990 (12 bts)
676 | £8,280 ($12,812) | £4,000-5,000 | European Private | Château Haut Brion 1961 (9 bts)
683 | £8,280 ($12,812) | £6,500-8,000 | UK Trade | Château Pétrus 1970 (9 bts)
506 | £8,050 ($12,457) | £8,000-10,000 | UK Private | Château Haut Brion 1989 (12 bts)
507 | £7,820 ($12,101) | £8,000-10,000 | UK Private | Château Haut Brion 1989 (12 bts)
508 | £7,820 ($12,101) | £8,000-10,000 | UK Private | Château Haut Brion 1989 (12 bts)

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium

Discussing the Sale, Serena Sutcliffe, International Head of Wine at Sotheby’s said: “This was a solid result at a time when wine prices have been fluctuating, with the greatest adjustments being seen on those wines that have had the most meteoric increases over the last 2-3 years. There is certainly realignment in this category and buyers are finding more to tempt them if they missed out when the market was at its height. This sale demonstrated that older wines of perfect provenance are very much in demand as shown by the Treasures from the Cellars of Château Pichon Lalande which were 100% sold. Buyers were truly international in this sale.”

Sotheby’s Finest and Rarest Wines: featuring treasures from the Cellars of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

Chris Munro, Head of London Wine Department said:
“Another good result for fine wine at King Street as global buyers competed for high quality lots with exceptional provenance. This sale brings the total wine sold this week in London to a very healthy £850,000 with 86% of lots being sold – a good result in any market. We were particular pleased with the result of the evening charity sale which was 100% sold and raised £69,000 for The Bahia Street Trust and The Cardinal Hume Centre.”

Lot	Description	Estimate (£)	Purchase Price	Buyer
293	Chateau Lafite Rothschild Vintage 1982 – 12 bottles	14,000 - 18,000	£14,375 $21,376 €16,819	Hong Kong Private
294	Chateau Lafite Rothschild Vintage 1982 – 12 bottles	14,000 - 18,000	£14,375 $21,376 €16,819	Hong Kong Private
3	Taylor Vintage 1945 – 12 bottles	5,000 - 7,000	£7,475 $11,115 €8,746	Russia Private

Christie’s Fine and Rare Wines: London – Thursday, 13 November 2008 is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

The top lot was Château Pape-Clément -Vintage 1961 – 12 bottles which realised £1,840 /$2,889 /€2,245.

Chris Munro, Head of London Wine Department said:
“A strong result with active bidding from the room, on the telephones and via the internet through Christie’s Live as buyers competed across the sale for desirable good value lots. “

Christie’s Fine Wines & Vintage Port sale is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

Charles Curtis MW, Head of North American Wine Sales, says:

The tenor of the market for Christie’s recent Los Angeles sales can best be described as “wait and see”, with results that were selective. Although significant interest in rare and unusual wine continued unabated, demand was mixed in difficult trading conditions.  The sales demonstrate that the market remains liquid, with many clients recognizing the buying opportunities such conditions represent.  Like any market, the international fine wine market fluctuates, and we are currently seeing a conversation between buyer and seller about the levels at which the market will healthily trade at the present time – as market leaders, we are actively reviewing our own pricing procedures and are advising both our buying and selling clients on the market situation as it continues to develop. Our outlook for the future is cautiously optimistic.

California wine was among the most sought after in both sales (see Top 10).  In Thursday’s evening sale a twenty-four vintage vertical of Dunn Howell Mountain and a case of Heitz Martha’s Vineyard 1974 that both sold for $18,000.  In Saturday’s sale, examples abounded, with six bottles of Screaming Eagle 1994 selling for $14,400 and six bottles of the 1997 selling for $21,600.  Fine collections of Harlan Estate, Bryant Family Vineyard, Araujo and Colgin also sold vigorously.

The château-direct offerings in the evening sale were also successful, including a case of 1989 La Mission Haut-Brion that sold for $13,200 – an increase of more than 15% on the previous sale last week.  The Jaboulet family had also consigned a large selection of their famed Hermitage “La Chapelle”.  The six bottle case of 1961 sold for $60,000, and other wines such as the 1990 and 1991 also found buyers, while some other seemingly attractive vintages did not.

Red Burgundy was the other success story of both sales.  In the evening sale, a hotly-contested selection of Burgundies from Henri Jayer did quite well.  Stand out lots included eight bottles of the 1982 Richebourg that sold for $15,600 and six bottles of the ’83 Richebourg that sold for $12,000.  Burgundy continued to prove resilient in Saturday’s sale as well, with a range of wines from the region selling well, and some, such as 5 bottles of 1985 Griotte-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes from Ponsot selling above the high estimate.

Classic claret in recent vintages found buyers with difficulty.  Certainly, there were exceptions to this trend: eight bottles of 1982 Lafite attained $16,800 on Saturday, and in the same sale, eight bottles of 1961 Latour attained the same price, as did a case of 1959 La Mission Haut-Brion with impeccable provenance.

Lot	Description	Estimate ($)	Purchase Price	Buyer
414	Château Pétrus–Vintage 1990 10 bottles	$30,000 - 40,000	$26,400 £16,709 €20,952	U.S. Private
752	Screaming Eagle, Cabernet Sauvignon–Vintage 1997 6 bottles	$18,000 - 24,000	$21,600 £13,670 €17,153	Asian Trade
1	Château Lafite-Rothschild–Vintage 1982 8 bottles	$16,000 - 24,000	$16,800 £10,633 €13,333	U.S. Private
408	Château Latour–Vintage 1961 8 bottles	$12,000 - 16,2000	$16,800 £10,633 €13,333	U.S. Private
749	Screaming Eagle, Cabernet Sauvignon–Vintage 1994 6 bottles	$12,000 - 18,000	$14,400 £9,114 €11,429	Asian Trade
571	La Tâche–Vintage 1988 1 dozen bottles	11,000 - 15,000	$13,200 £8,354 €10,476	Asian Trade
467	Château Haut-Brion–Vintage 1989 1 dozen bottles	$12,000 - 16,000	$12,000 £7,595 €9,524	U.S. Private
728	Château Mouton-Rothschild–Vintage 1982 1 dozen bottles	$12,000 - 18,000	$12,000 £7,595 €9,524	U.S. Private
750	Screaming Eagle, Cabernet Sauvignon–Vintage 1995 5 bottles	$10,000 - 15,000	$12,000 £7,595 €9,524	Asian Trade
55	Château Mouton-Rothschild–Vintage 1986 1 dozen bottles	$8,000 - 12,000	$9,000 £5,696 €7,143	U.S. Private

Christie’s Fine and Rare Wines: Los Angeles is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

Sold:	$486,420	£302,124	€383,007
Lots Sold: 54	Lots Offered: 156	Sold by Lot: 35%	Sold by $: 36%
Exchange Rate: £ = $1.61 / € = $1.27

Lot	Description	Estimate ($)	Purchase Price	Buyer
82	Hermitage, La Chapelle–Vintage 1961 6 bottles	$60,000 - 90,000	$60,000 £37,267 €47,244	Asian Trade
101	Château Pétrus–Vintage 2000 1 dozen bottles	$35,000 - 50,000	$42,000 £26,086 €33,070	Asian Private
103	Château Pétrus–Vintage 1989 1 dozen bottles	$35,000 - 50,000	$36,000 £22,360 €28,346	Asian Private
17	Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 24 jeroboams	$18,000 - 24,000	$18,000 £11,180 €14,173	U.S. Private
18	Heitz Cellars, Martha’s Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon–Vintage 1974, 1 dozen bottles	$15,000 - 20,000	$18,000 £11,180 €14,173	U.S. Private
46	Château Haut-Brion–Vintage 1959 1 dozen bottles	$15,000 - 20,000	$16,800 £10,434 €13,228	U.S. Private
56	Richebourg–Vintage 1982 8 bottles	$13,000 - 18,000	$15,600 £9,689 €12,283	U.S. Private
96	Château Pétrus–Vintage 1975 1 dozen bottles	$13,000 - 18,000	$15,600 £9,689 €12,283	Asian Trade
48	Montrachet–Vintage 1998 1 impériale	$15,000 - 20,000	$14,400 £8,944 €11,338	U.S. Private
106	Le Pin–Vintage 1989 9 bottles	$13,500 - 18,000	$13,800 £8,571 €10,866	Asian Trade

Private cellar of the Paul Jaboulet family and Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

* Sotheby’s London Autumn Wine sales see 64% Increase from 2007.
* 15th October Sale helps boosts extraordinary total
* Asian and US Demand Drives Prices

Sotheby’s October wine sale reached a total of £806, 277 it brings the total for Sotheby’s wine auctions this autumn to nearly £3.5 million. The top lot in the extraordinary private collection removed from a purpose built London cellar was a case of Château Pétrus 1982 which sold for £39,100, well above its estimate of £24,000 -32,000. The auction was the third wine sale since early September and again attracted huge interest from Asian collectors; the removal of duty has meant that these wine buyers no longer pay tax when importing their purchases from London. Many of the top lots in the most recent sale were from the greatest Burgundy growers which are widely recognised to be favoured by drinkers in the Far East.

Discussing the sale Stephen Mould, Head of the European Wine Department at Sotheby’s said – “There were some excellent prices achieved for top wines, notably a lot of 12 bottles of Château Pétrus 1982 that fetched £39,100 and exceeded its high estimate by a wide margin. The more mature vintages sold well throughout the sale, although there was less demand for some recent vintages. (A probable explanation is that all the wines offered today were “Duty Paid” and packed in cartons whereas those buyers looking towards longer term investment prefer to buy wine “In Bond” in original wooden cases). A result of 80% sold met our expectations and we look forward to our next auction on 12 November – Finest and Rarest Wines, Featuring Treasures from the Cellars of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.”

Compared to sales this time last year, Sotheby’s recent auctions have seen a 67% increase on the equivalent 2007 total. This has been helped enormously by the new buyers from the US and Asia who have driven up prices across the spectrum but particularly for top red and white Burgundy in pristine condition. Sotheby’s wine sale on 12 November that features treasures from the Cellars of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is set to build on this recent success.

October 15: Show Stopping White Burgundy Prices

As well top prices for red Bordeaux there was strong demand Burgundy’s great white Montrachet with a lot of 5 bottles of Montrachet 1985 Domaine de la Romanée Conti realising £15,525. With less white wine available from Domaine de Romanée-Conti the sale was a rare chance to acquire this very sought after wine – the buyer was Asian.

Bordeaux Continues to Shine

The top lot to be sold to a UK collector was a case of Château Lafite 1959 that sold for £27,600 against an estimate of £15,000 – 20,000. It was described by Serena Sutcliffe as “one of Bordeaux’s best wines ever” and is sure to provide a memorable drinking experience.

LOT | PRICE | ESTIMATES | BUYER

41 | £39,100 ($68,319) | £24,000 – 32,000* | Asian Trade | Château Pétrus 1982 (12 bts)

9 | £27,600 | ($48,225) | £15,000 – £20,000 | UK Private | Château Lafite 1959 (12 bts)

42 | £27,600 ($48,225) | £24,000-32,000 | Asian Trade | Château Pétrus 1982 (12 bts)

19 | £21,850 ($38,179) | £12,000 – 16,000 | Asian Trade | Château Lafite 1982 (5 mags)

89 | £20,700 ($36,169) | £15,000 – 20,000 | Asian Trade | Château Pétrus 1990 (1 jero)

282 | £15,525 ($27,127) | £15,000-20,000 | Asian Trade | Montrachet 1985 Domaine de la Romanée Conti (5bts)

18 | £13,800 ($24,113) | £14,000-20,000 | Asian Trade | Château Lafite 1982 (12 bts)

237 | £13,800 ($24,113) | £14,000-18,000 | European Private | La Tâche 1996 Domaine de la Romanée Conti (12 bts)

256 | £13,570 ($23,711) | £12,000-15,000 | European Private | Romanée Conti 2001 Domaine de la Romanée Conti (2 mags)

195 | £11,500 ($20,094) | £7,500 – 9,000 | European Private | Château d’Yquem 1967 (12 bts)

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium

Sotheby’s Finest and Rarest wines: 15 October 2008 is a post from: Fine Wine Journal

Sold: £1,654,775/$3,001,762/€2,094,945. Lots Sold: 1178. Lots Offered: 1238. Sold by Lot: 95%. Sold by £:98%. Exchange Rate£:=$1.814 / €1.266

Comment: Chris Munro, Head of Wine, Christie’s London said: “The two sales held this week in London generated huge interest throughout the fine wine world. Following tastings in Hong Kong, Paris, London and New York we witnessed active bidding from around the globe by fax, telephone and on line as well as many active bidders in the room. The combined totals reached £1,654,775 with 98% sold by value. We saw an upswing of prices for the 2000 vintage with all the first growths jumping by around 20%. Amongst many highlights Lafite Rothschild 2000 made a whopping £10,925 per case and Latour 2000 made £9,200 per dozen. The market for fine wine continues to show resilience across all levels with not just first growths showing strongly. We also witnessed a surge in demand for all wines from this famed vintage.”

Christie’s: London – Monday 15 & Thursday 18 September 2008 is a post from: Fine Wine Journal