The final Wine sale of the spring season at Aulden Cellars-Sotheby’s New York once again topped presale estimates to bring $2,032,376 (est. $1.1/1.5 million). The sale was a remarkable 98% sold by lot and over 99% sold by value. The sale was presented in a new square-format catalogue, which found many supporters and featured a large section of no-reserve lots, representing approximately one third of the pre-sale value of the auction. The section of wines sold without reserve, estimated to bring $270/380,000, exceeded expectations to bring $387,650.
For the first time ever, Sotheby’s offered clients the combination of online bidding with a live audio and video feed, which was met with an extremely enthusiastic response among bidders from all around the world. Online bidders purchased 17% of the lots sold, and bid on 41% of the lots offered for sale, competing for wines at all price levels. Some of the sale’s top buyers participated online, including the sixth largest buyer by value. Continuing the trend seen in Hong Kong, London and New York this spring, Asian clients were once again a strong presence in this sale, purchasing nine of the top ten lots. In addition, all of the sale’s top five buyers by value came from Asia.
Jamie Ritchie, Head of Sotheby’s Wine North America, said, “The wine market has rebounded very strongly; this is our second consecutive New York sale with a 99% sold by value rate and all New York sales this year have exceeded the high estimate. Certain wines, for example a DRC 1990 Assortment, sold for nearly double the price achieved in March this year. We were also delighted to offer live online bidding for the first time in a wine sale – this technology was embraced by our clients, who were enthusiastically bidding online on nearly half the lots – the online bidding helped us achieve such a strong result and
will be used for future wine auctions in New York.”
Highlights from the sale include:
First Growth Bordeaux:
3 d.mags 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild, est. $14,000-18,000, sold for $36,300 (Lot 472)
12 bottles 1982 Château Latour, est. $9,000-12,000, sold for $21,780 (Lot 518)
12 bottles 1990 Château Margaux, est. $5,000-7,000, sold for $14,520 to an internet buyer (Lot 522)
Château Petrus:
12 bottles 1979 Château Petrus, est. $3,500-5,000, sold for $8,470 (Lot 461A)
1 magnum 1982 Château Petrus, est. $4,500-6,500, sold for $7,260 (Lot 382)
6 bottles 1989 Château Petrus, est. $10,000-20,000, sold for $20,570 (Lot 383)
1 d.mag 1989 Château Petrus, est. $6,000-9,000, sold for $11,495 (Lot 474)
12 bottles 1990 Château Petrus, est. $16,000-25,000, sold for $30,250 (Lot 461B)
Le Pin:
12 bottles 1990 Le Pin, est. $12,000-20,000, sold for $48,400 (Lot 461C)
12 bottles 1991 Le Pin, est. $6,000-9,000, sold for $13,310 (Lot 461D)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
3 bottles 2002 Romanée Conti, DRC, est. $7,000-10,000, sold for $15,730 (Lot 495)
12 bottles 1989 DRC Assortment, est. $10,000-14,000, sold for $20,570 (Lot 747)
1 bottle 1989 Romanée
Conti, DRC, est. $2,750-3,750, sold for $5,445 (Lot 749)
12 bottles 1990 DRC Assortment, est. $15,000-20,000, sold for $39,325 (Lot 748)
Champagne:
1 methusaleh (6 Liter) 1995 Dom Pérignon, est. $2,750-4,000, sold for $5,142 each (Lots 493-494)
6 bottles Krug, Clos d’Ambonnay, est. $12,000-20,000, sold for $27,225 (Lot 462)
Sotheby’s first half of the 2009 worldwide Wine season will conclude with Finest and Rarest Wines featuring The Collection from the Cellars of Château Cheval Blanc, to be offered in London on July 17. Following that sale, a worldwide first half summary release will be available.