Diversity at heart of London auction

Sotheby’s conducted a fine wine auction yesterday in London, which showcased a strong Champagne line-up and an eclectic mix of Chilean, Italian, Australian and regional French wines alongside the usual claret and Burgundy.

The Rhône wines, including Chapoutier, Domaine du Pegau and Paul Jaboulet Ainé, sold well if not always above their high estimates.

Half a case of Ermitage Rouge, Le Méal 1998 from Chapoutier sold for £552 (above its estimate), whereas a whole case of the same wine from the 1999 vintage was well within its estimates at £805.

The half case of Cuvée da Capo Châteauneuf du Pape from Domaine du Pegau was sold for £1,995 (high estimate £1,700) and six bottles of Jaboulet’s Hermitage La Chapelle 2005 went for £460.

Several lots of Chilean wine from Almaviva, the joint project between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Viña Concha y Toro, sold for £100 above their asking prices. Three half cases of the 2003 vintage sold for £345 apiece and six bottles of the 2004 for £322.

Salon, Bollinger Vieilles Vignes, Billecart Salmon, Dom Ruinart, Moët & Chandon, Perrier Jouët’s Belle Epoque and Pol Roger’s Cuvée Winston Churchill all eased past their estimates in a very well-represented Champagne collection.

The most successful was undoubtedly a magnum of Salon 1976, which finished on £1,012 (estimates £400-£500), but even two magnums of what was believed to be Bollinger 1953 went for £782 when it was conservatively estimated at £300-£400.

Rupert Millar, 24.03.2011