The first wine sale to take place at Christie’s in London in 2010 is sure to start the season in spectacular fashion. Fine and Rare Wines Including a Superb European Collection will take place at King Street on Thursday, 25th March 2010 comprising over 450 lots, and is an event not to be missed by wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.
Chris Munro, Director, Wine Department, Christie’s comments: “Christie’s March Fine & Rare Wine sale represents an amazing opportunity to purchase rare wine from a Superb European Collection. On offer is a unique collection of Fine Bordeaux, Burgundy and rare Italian wines recently removed from a notable Private Cellar in Italy – and featuring an unprecedented 17 vintages of Giacomo Conterno’s flagship Barolo, Monfortino. Ranging from the 1937 vintage through to 1982 and including full dozens of the 1955 (£3,000-3600 per case) – the 1961 (£2,400-3,000 per case) – the 1968 (£3,000-3,600 per case) – and the 1971 (£3,000-3,600 per case) vintages.”
The leading highlight of the sale is an extensive selection of Barolo from the European Collection – a vibrant and full-bodied wine that has been produced in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy for centuries by The Giacomo Conterno estate. Using traditional winemaking techniques, Giacomo Conterno produces arguably one of the world’s best expressions of the Nebbiolo grape, the Barolo Monfortino Riserva which is only produced in exceptional vintages. This signature wine requires considerable bottle ageing to evolve, and featured in the sale are a number of outstanding vintages: 1952, 1955 illustrated above, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1979 and 1982.
Also forming part of the European Collection on offer, is an impressive assortment of large format wines, including magnums, double magnums, jeroboams and impériale bottles. Not only are these bottles a sight to behold, but they also extend the ageing ability of the wines within. Rarer than your average wine bottle, these large formats feature a larger air space (ullage) in the neck of the bottle, which increases the oxygen level and in turn helps the ageing process. Examples offered in the sale of the largest, impériale format include: Yquem 1982, 1983; Lafite 1985; Cheval Blanc 1970 and Mouton Rothschild 1970.
