NEW YORK – On Friday, April 25, Acker Merrall & Condit will conduct a single cellar sale of vintage Champagne and more from the collection of New York real-estate investor Robert Rosania. The auction will take place at the award-winning Cru restaurant, 24 Fifth Avenue, in New York City. Highlights of the sale include prime examples of Krug, Roederer, Cristal, Salon, Bollinger, Dom Perignon, Pol Roger, and Pommery dating from as early as the 1800s through 1996.
“Rob’s cellar includes the best of the best in vintage and rare Champagne,” said John Kapon, President and C.E.O. of Acker Merrall & Condit. “Over the past few years, Rob has shared his passion for rare and vintage Champagne openly in private as well as public settings and allowed them to be experienced by a large number of people. He loves vintages of the greatest quality and the highest reputation, acquired from the most reliable of sources. Having these available for sale is truly historic.”
The collection, formed over many years by Mr. Rosania, was purchased primarily in Europe, either on release from original owners or from serious, ancient collections. This selection from Mr. Rosania’s cellar includes 1,346 bottles, 303 magnums and 11 jeros of Champagne.
“Over the years, we were opening and enjoying vintages that hadn’t been experienced for many years,” said Mr. Rosania. “Through this process, we’ve been able to compare vintages from a given house and determine which are the finest. In the process, I believe we’ve debunked the myth that Champagne doesn’t improve with age. In making these Champagnes available at auction, I’m hoping to share these discoveries with others.”
Highlights of the sale include Krug from the legendary 1938 vintage (est: $7,000 to $10,000 per one bottle lot) and magnums of 1969 vintage (est: $18,000-24,000 per six magnum lot); Dom Perignon from 1928 in magnums (est: $8,000 to $12,000 per one magnum lot) as well as the never commercially released 1959 Rose (est: $5,000 to $7,000 per two bottle lot) and numerous bottle lots from the 1950s onward; Salon magnums back to 1964; Cristal cases from 1969 (est: $15,000 to $20,000 per 12 bottle lot) and bottles from 1947 (est: $3,500 to $5,000 per one bottle lot) onward; Pol Roger from 1892, and the nearly extinct 1914 vintage (est: $8,000 to $15,000 per one bottle lot). Other Champagne such as Bollinger and Pommery are also well represented.
In addition to Champagne, the Rosania auction features a selection of wine, including OWC’s (original wooden cases) of 1989 and 1990 Petrus and 1999 Romanee Conti, as well as the super-rare Romanee Conti to 1919 and LaTache to 1923. Also included are cases of Monfortino (Italy’s greatest wine) dating back to the 1940s.
The auction will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25th at Cru (24 Fifth Avenue). Reservations are highly recommended. For general seating reservations, please call Acker Merrall at 973-287-6370. Dinner tables are also available for $95 per person (3 course pre fixe). For table reservations or a complimentary catalogue, email [email protected].
View or download the catalogue at:
http://www.ackerwines.com/catalogs/DisplayCatalog.cfm?CID=87
or conduct a keyword search at:
www.ackerwines.com/liveauction.cfm
Founded in 1820, Acker Merrall &Condit, prides itself as being America’s oldest and finest wine shop. The firm is not just a typical wine shop, and it’s not just about buying and selling wines, but also about sharing with its customers the experience of wine. The firm has greatly expanded its services with auctions, education, tastings and wine clubs. Three generations of the Kapon family have been dedicated to bringing the best from the vine to their customers. It offers the most comprehensive collections of fine and rare wines in America, and in 2007 Acker Auctions sold nearly $60 million worth of the world’s finest wines — the best, hardest-to-get producers and vintages are regularly available.
