Lots offered: 964 | Percent sold: 99% | Price with buyer’s premium: HK$41,395,068 / US$5,341,299

Zachys introduced its Evening Sale format to the Hong Kong wine market with resounding success this past weekend, with the two-part October Hong Kong Auction Featuring a Spectacular Evening Session grossing HK$41,395,068 / US$5,341,299¹ (versus estimates of HK$27,681,300 – 42,569,900 / US$3,571,781 – 5,492,890) and selling over 99% of 964 lots offered. Friday’s 201-lot Evening Session offered up an impeccable, high-value selection of the world’s finest wines, set to a sumptuous three-course BYO dinner at the elegant Mandarin Oriental. The evening sale realized a total of HK$16,799,035 / US$2,167,617, while Saturday’s 763-lot session grossed HK$24,596,033 / US$3,173,682. This weekend’s auctions marked a full year of Zachys Auctions in Hong Kong and the company’s fourth auction there in 2009, for a total of HK$145,720,662 / US$18,802,666 ².

A prominent feature of both Friday and Saturday’s programs was a significant selection from The Big Guy Collection (Lots 140-204 & 463-719), an incredible offering of blue chip wines that spans two auctions and four days, to be continued at Zachys’ Fall Auction, November 12 – 14 in New York. The combined selections from The Big Guy Collection totaled HK$17,423,516 / US$2,248,195 (versus estimates of HK$11,686,000 – 17,970,400 / US$1,507,871 – 2,318,761). Highlights from The Big Guy Collection included:

Lot 142: 12 bottles Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1945 in original wood case, released from the cellars of Mahler-Besse for Zachys’ Inaugural Auction in October 2002 | SOLD HK$1,694,000 / US$218,581 | estimate HK$950,000 –1,600,000 / US$120,000-200,000

Lot 191: 2 bottles Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet 1961 | SOLD HK$193,600 / US$24,981 | estimate HK$80,000-120,000 / US$10,000-16,000

Lot 491: 12 bottles Chateau Haut Brion 1989 | SOLD HK$133,100 / US$17,174 | estimate HK$80,000 – 120,000 / US$10,000 – 15,000

Lot 596: 12 bottles Chateau Haut Brion Blanc 1998 | SOLD HK$45,980 / US$5933 | estimate HK$24,000 – 36,000 / US$3000 – 4600

Lot 673: 12 bottles Vega Sicilia Unico 1990 | SOLD HK$36,300 / US$4684 | estimate HK$19,000 – 28,000 / US$2400 – 3600

Lot 676: 6 bottles Pingus 1999 | SOLD HK$36,300 / US$4684 | estimate HK$16,000 – 24,000 / US$2000 – 3000

An Extraordinary Collection of Pristine Rarities from a Passionate European Collector (Lots 25-113) offered bidders a chance to own stunning old world wines in formats and quantities rarely seen at auction. A few of the exquisite lots from this collection included:

Lot 57: 12 bottles Clos de la Roche VV Domaine Ponsot 1985 | SOLD HK$217,800 / US$28,103 | estimate HK$120,000 – 200,000 / US$15,000 – 26,000

Lot 80: 1 jeroboam (3L) Chevalier Montrachet Domaine Leflaive 2006 | SOLD HK$24,200 / US$3123 | estimate HK$16,000 – 24,000 / US$2000 – 3000

Lot 89: 12 bottles Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Chateau Rayas 1990 | SOLD HK$169,400 / US$21,858 | estimate HK$80,000-140,000 / US$10,000-18,000

Lot 100: 12 bottles Krug 1976 | SOLD HK$102,850 / US$13,271 | estimate HK$55,000 – 85,000 / US$7000 – 11,000

Among the other Bordeaux rarities were:

Lot 118: Chateau Mouton Rothschild Complete Vertical 1945-2005 | SOLD HK$629,200 / US$81,187 | estimate HK$380,000 – 600,000 / US$50,000 – 80,000

Lot 205: 1 bottles Chateau Petrus 1961 | SOLD HK$72,600 / US$9368 | estimate HK$32,000 – 55,000 / US$4000 – 7000

Lot 229: 6 magnums (1.5L) Le Pin 2002 | SOLD HK$90,750 / US$11,710 | estimate HK$38,000 – 60,000 / US$5000 – 7500

Lot 244: 5 bottles Chateau Haut Brion 1961 | SOLD HK$78,650 / US$10,148 | estimate HK$46,000 – 70,000 / US$6000 – 9000

Lot 247: 12 bottles Chateau Cheval Blanc 1990 | SOLD HK$108,900 / US$14,052 | estimate HK$60,000 – 95,000 / US$8000 – 12,000

Lot 365: 12 bottles Chateau La Clusiere 2000 | SOLD HK$90,750 / US$11,710 | estimate HK$36,000 – 55,000 / US$4600 – 7000

Highlights from Burgundy included:

Lot 131: 12 bottles Corton Charlemagne Coche-Dury 1998 | SOLD HK$84,700 / US$10,929 | estimate HK$46,000 – 70,000 / US$6000 – 9000
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Lot 333: 12 bottles Vosne Romanee Les Beaux Monts Domaine Leroy 1996 | SOLD HK$43,560 / US$5621 | estimate HK$19,000 – 28,000 / US$2400 – 3600
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Lot 340: 12 bottles Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Joseph Drouhin 1996 | SOLD HK$48,400 / US$6245 | estimate HK$24,000 – 38,000 / US$3000 – 5000
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Lot 342: 12 bottles Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive 1996 | SOLD HK$31,460 / US$4059 | estimate HK$14,000 – 24,000 / US$1800 – 3000

Zachys’ Chairman Don Zacharia commented,

“This weekend’s auction marked a full year of Zachys auctions in Hong Kong and our fifth sale here. We are thrilled that the Hong Kong market received our festive evening sale BYO so enthusiastically, and we couldn’t be happier with the results of the terrific collections in the sale. Our auctions in Hong Kong continue to get bigger and better each time, and we eagerly look forward to what January has in store.”

1. All prices inclusive of a 21% buyer’s premium [↩]
2. Conversion rate: US $1 = HK $7.75 [↩]

Related Posts

1. Zachys: Hong Kong September 12
2. Hong Kong: Zachys Wine Auctions — April 28, 2009
3. ‘The Classic Cellar from a Great American Collector’