Sotheby’s Hong Kong wine sale on September 7 reached a total amount of HK$35.8 million or US$4.6 million, versus a pre-sale high estimate of HK$38 million.
The first part of the sale, a 140-lot collection of DRC wines, yielded HK$16.2 million (pre-sale high HK$16m). The highest lot was a six-liter Methuselah of 1989 Romanée Conti Grand Cru which sold for HK$875,000 (pre-sale high HK$800,000) or US$113,000. This is less than the US$171,500 reached by a Methuselah of Romanée Conti of the greater vintage 1990 at Zachy’s New York last March (read full story here), but this remains an impressive price compared to the US$17,250 reached by a similar bottle at Christie’s New York in 2001 (see here).
Other highlights of this fabulous collection’s results include: six bottles of 1993 Romanée Conti sold HK$525,000 (versus a pre-sale high at HK$500,000), one Methuselah of 1990 Montrachet sold HK$400,000 (vs HK$300,000), three bottles of 2003 Romanée Conti sold HK$375,000 (vs HK$360,000), and a six-magnum assortment of 1997 Romanée Conti which achieved HK$300,000 (vs HK$240,000).
Many vintages of Romanée Conti Grand Cru lots exceeded their pre-sale high estimate, including some older ones, like 2000, 1986, 1982, 1979 and 1976. Remarkable results were also recorded for 1988 La Tâche, 1990 Montrachet and 1989 Echezeaux.
As for the second part of the sale, which total of HK$19.7 million remained under the pre-sale high of HK$22 million, the highest lot was neither a Bordeaux nor Burgundy wine, but a six-bottle lot of 1961 Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet Aîné which received a last bid at HK$735,000 (vs HK$380,000).
Other highlights of this sale include: 10 bottles of 1999 Cros Parantoux Henri Jayer sold HK$450,000 (vs 340,000), 12 bottles of 1990 Petrus sold HK$350,000 (vs 340,000) and a 10-bottle lot of 1985 Sassicaia sold HK$106,250 (vs 34,000). On the other hand, none of the 10 lots of château Lafite 2008 (est HK$70,000-100,000) did find a buyer.
On offer during this sale were also 199 lots of Hermitage and château La Lagune coming directly from the cellars of Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné, which fetched a total of HK$3.3 million (vs HK$3.6 million), with 75 percent of lots sold.
Among the 13 charity lots sold for the benefit of the First Initiative Foundation (read full story here), the 12 bottles of 1990 château Margaux donated by Peter Lam Kim-ngok reached HK$87,500 (vs 100,000), the 12-bottle lot of 1997 château Haut Brion blanc from Henry Tang’s cellar achieved HK$68,750 (vs 60,000), and the two bottles of 1961 château Palmer from Louis Ng’s collection were auctioned for HK$45,000 (vs 46,000).
The complete results of these sales are available on www.sothebys.com
