S otheby’s Hong Kong is delighted to present THE FIVE-STAR CELLAR Iconic Wines of Impeccable Provenance on 3 October, commencing our three wine auctions in this year’s Sotheby’s Autumn Sales.
As the title suggests, wines on offer come with five-star provenance, having been purchased on original release and never moved from professional storage facilities in the UK prior to this sale. With 174 lots and estimated in excess of HK$12.2million, this sale offers the very finest names from Bordeaux and Burgundy.
Leading the Bordeaux section is the iconic Pomerol, Petrus, followed by the First Growths, all in their owc. In Burgundy it is DRC and Leroy that steal the headlines with over eighty lots of DRC and thirty original cases of Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Staying in Burgundy, other highlights include Jayer, de Vogüé, Rousseau, Grivot, Rouget, Clos de Tart and Mortet. To round out the sale there is a precise selection of fine Champagne and Rhône.
香 港蘇富比很高興於10月3日推出「五星級窖藏:完美來源經典名釀」,為我們今年秋季拍賣的三場洋酒拍賣展開序幕。顧名思義,這場拍賣所提供的葡萄酒具有五星級的出處,藏家於酒莊原始發行時購買,一直存放於英國的專業酒窖,並在這場拍賣前從未移動過。 此次拍賣共有174批拍品,總估價超過1,220萬港元,為法國葡萄酒愛好者和收藏家提供無可挑剔的波爾多和勃艮第美酒。
領頭羊的是波爾多右岸波美侯的標誌酒––柏翠堡,以及左岸一級酒莊,全部仍保存於原木箱。 至於勃艮第,DRC和Leroy共領風騷,其中包括80多項DRC拍品和30項原箱Domaine Leroy和Auvenay。 其他勃艮第亮點包括Jayer,de Vogüé,Rousseau,Grivot,Rouget,Clos de Tart和Mortet。 為了使拍賣更加圓滿,拍場還有精美的香檳和隆河酒可供選擇。
The Wines
All wines in this collection come with five star provenance, being purchased on original release from their respective UK agents.
Storage
All wines have been stored with the respective agents professional storage facilities in the UK and have never moved prior to this sale.
Shipping and Inspection
Wines were airfreighted from the UK to Hong Kong in 2020, via door to door temperature-controlled conditions. The wines were then inspected by Sotheby’s Wine Specialists Adam Bilbey, Paul Wong, Kent Law and Fiona Hui at Crown Wine Cellars.
洋酒
此系列全部洋酒均擁有「五星級來源保證」,藏家趁剛上市時從酒莊各自的英國代理商購入。
儲存
全部洋酒均儲存在各代理商位於英國的專業酒窖內,在本次拍賣之前從未移動。
搬運及檢驗
洋酒在2020年從英國空運至香港,全程處於恆溫狀態。隨後由蘇富比洋酒部專家貝安霖、王浩東、羅子康及許定怡在皇冠酒窖進行檢驗。
DRC: The Grands Crus
T
he Domaine, as it is known, is iconic. Much more important, it also produces the most extraordinary wines in Burgundy - and it has been doing so for a long time. The generations responsible for the Domaine change, but the terroir remains. And these are very special vineyard parcels indeed, married to meticulous care and philosophy leading to low yields and healthy, ripe grapes, at whatever cost. From the 1990s, vineyard policy has been organic, with co-owner Aubert de Villaine monitoring everything with his usual attention to detail. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wines evolve and develop dimensions in a way that resembles a mosaic – points of bouquet and flavor making up a harmonious whole that becomes more beautiful as it unfolds in the glass. Yes, these are hedonistic wines and yes, they are not like any other. The trick is in capturing what these remarkable plots of vines can give and letting them express themselves through minimum intervention and enlightened nurturing.
Please see below for individual vineyard descriptions.
– SERENA SUTCLIFFE, MW
- DRC Echézeaux
- DRC Grands Echézeaux
- DRC Romanée St. Vivant
- DRC Richebourg
- DRC La Tâche
- DRC Romanée-Conti
- DRC Montrachet
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DRC EchézeauxEchézeaux has real flair and a dashing character to it, sometimes, but not always, coming to the fore earlier than the other DRC wines, with its enchanting brambly bouquet and creamy, redcurrant fruit – the tannic structure may seem soft, but it is very much there, as in all DRC wines. As always, the breed and purity indicate glorious, top Burgundy right from the outset.
VIEW Lots 6045-6058 -
DRC Grands EchézeauxGrands Echézeaux is usually less showy than Echézeaux at the start of its life, deploying its dual gifts of power and finesse. The ‘hidden depths’ metaphor can be applied here, but they do not stay hidden for long, as the mouth-filling qualities impose themselves as time passes, although embarking upon bottles as one watches developments is always a temptation.
VIEW Lots 6059-6071 -
DRC Romanée St. VivantWith its relatively deep soil, the vineyard was replanted over a number of years and one has seen even greater refinement in the wines as the decades have passed. Almost shadowing Romanée-Conti itself, its sheer class creeps up on you, underpinned by rich Vosne earth, never tamed but aristocratic to the core.
VIEW Lots 6072-6087 -
DRC RichebourgThe Domaine owns nearly half of this appellation, in several superbly-sited plots. Perhaps the name has an influence on the wines, as Richebourg displays a deep colour and a velvety richness that rolls round the mouth and is utterly satisfying – it can be a Rubens of a wine.
VIEW Lots 6088-6097 -
DRC La TâcheSince 1933, entirely owned by the Domaine and recognised as the appellation of La Tâche in 1936, there is real complexity of terroir here as it also includes Les Gaudichots de La Tâche, a strip of vineyard that stretches from top to bottom of the slope. Inevitably, and perhaps slightly pointlessly, it is often ‘compared’ to Romanée Conti itself, far smaller in size but joining it at the pinnacle of Burgundy’s vinous heights.
VIEW Lots 6098-6112 -
DRC Romanée-ContiRarity alone is not an explanation of the magical properties of Romanée-Conti – it has to be a combination of terroir and care, for mere marl and limestone is just the point of departure. Often slower to emerge than La Tâche, smoke and roses at first, then filigree laciness and piercing, intense flavour to finish, this is ultimate beauty.
VIEW Lots 6113-6121 -
DRC MontrachetLe Montrachet always needs to mature in bottle for its full, glorious voluptuous character to open out and stun you with its dimension and complex fruit flavours. The richness and all-enveloping opulence of this wine reflects the sunlight and warmth of the vineyards here – this is impressive power, plumbing the depths of what Chardonnay can do in an unique and very precious setting.
VIEW Lots 6122-6125
Burgundy Vintage Guide
This sale offers Burgundy wines from 4 decades, below is a vintage guide on some selected vintages to give you a brief view of on those wines.
- 1995
- 1996
- 1999
- 2003
- 2005
- 2009
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1995A low yielding year, many grand crus are still youthful at this stage, with its tannic frame shielding the fruit behind it. Best producers made phenomenal wines in this low yielding year.
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1996A vintage that is characterized by wines showing firm acidity in the early stage. Those wines that has high fruit concentration and structure will ensure a long life ahead.
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1999A Great year with ideal growing conditions, not only quality is high but quantity also in abundant. It is also a rare year that the wines from Cote de Beaune in general are at least as good, if not better then those from Cote de Nuits. Wines are of very good balance and will offer delicious drinking currently, and the top wines will also have the capacity to further age and evolve in the next 5 years.
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2003A historical hot and dry year in Europe resulting in wines that are ripe and soft in structure. Even top Grand Crus should be drinking beautifully now.
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2005A great year with almost perfect growing conditions that results in highly structured wines with immense fruit concentration. Only downside is that patience is needed, especially for the Grand Crus. The wines will need at least 5 to 10 more years in the bottle to start showing its full potential. Village wines should start to drink very well.
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2009A relatively dry and warm year resulting in wines having good fruit concentration but a relatively supple structure. Many wines are already delicious since bottling. Even some Grand Crus are starting to drink well now.