A very rare case of 1988 Romanée-Conti consigned from a private French collector is to be included in the Fine and Rare Wines auction on 25th March at Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street.
Wines from the Romanee Conti vineyard, the pinnacle of the Domaine de la Romanée-Contiin Burgundy, are considered among the very finest in the world, and it is exceptionally unusual to find a complete case of a dozen bottles. This case, from the excellent 1988 vintage, was still sealed with its metal banding until opened for inspection by Bonhams and is estimated to sell at £35,000-40,000.
There is also a good assortment of 1989 wines from the Domaine, from another Continental cellar, including bottles and magnums of La Tâche as well as a case of Grands Echézeaux 1991 (£4,000-5,000), consigned from a private cellar in Scotland.
Highlights from a wide range of Bordeaux include magnums of Chateau Latour 1964 (£3,000-3,600 per 6), a dozen Pétrus 1975 (£10,000-12,000) and 6 bottles of 1990 (£10,000-12,000), a case of 6 magnums Chateau Haut-Brion 1985 (£2000-2600) and 2 dozen Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1986 (£9,000-11,000 per dozen).
Another private collection includes two cases of Le Pin 1996 (£3,600-4,200 for 6 bottles), two cases of de Vogüé’s Musigny Vieilles Vignes 2000 (£800-1,000) and a particularly fine range of Italian wines from Gaja, Solaia and Sassicaia of several vintages.
Amongst many large format bottles are jeroboam of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1985 (£1300-1500) and 1989 (£1,000-1,200), an impériale of Chateau Haut-Brion 1990 (£2,500-3,500) and rare nebuchadnezzars (15 litres) of Château Troplong Mondot 1998 (£900-1,100) and Louis Jadot’s Chevalier Montrachet, Les Demoiselles 2000 (£1,500-2,000).
Fine Rhone wines are also on offer, including a good spread of vintages of Chateau de Beaucastel including 1978, 1985 and 1990 as well as Domaine de Trevallon from three vintages.
There are good sized parcels of white Burgundy from top producers such as Joseph Drouhin, Fontaine Gagnard, Moret-Nomine and Sauzet.
Champagne lots include a case and a half of Dom Pérignon Rosé 1973 (£3,600-4,200 per dozen), a bottle of Pol Roger’s Cuvee de Reserve 1947 (£500-700) and a magnum of Krug Collection 1979 (£420-500).
And amongst all these fine lots are many more modest wines both for current drinking and laying down offered both in complete dozens and as mixed lots.
Richard Harvey, Head of Department, comments, “We are very excited to offer this rare, pristine case of Romanée Conti 1988, which will now have reached its peak for drinking, amongst so many other exciting wines in this sale.”
www.bonhams.com/wine
