Pétrus tops NY sale

Pétrus 1990 was the leading lot at Sotheby’s New York sale, with Lafite, Haut-Brion and Burgundy also making the list.

The 12 bottle case of the Pomerol and a another 12-pack of 1989 were sold to a Latin American client for US$45,938 and $42,875 respectively.

The sale made $1,724,493 in total, with over 70% of lots achieving over their high estimate.

A US trade buyer scooped up nine bottles of 1982 Lafite for $27,563 and an Asian trade client bought six magnums of La Tâche 1998 from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

Other top-selling lots included a case of 1989 Haut-Brion ($17,150), a single bottle of 1990 DRC Romanée-Conti ($19,600), a case of 1989 Richebourg from Domaine Leroy ($13,475) and a magnum of 1971 DRC La Tâche ($14,700).

Duncan Sterling, head of New York Wine Auctions at Sotheby’s said: “Bidders from 14 different countries competed online, on the telephone and in the room for 568 lots, leading to a 99% sold rate and 70% of the lots selling above the high estimate. North and South American buyers dominated the sale, purchasing the seven of the top 10 lots and representing all seven top buyers.

“The market for Red and White Burgundy from the greatest domaines continues to expand while increasingly rare older Bordeaux was in high demand as ever. While we have a short break in our New York auctions, we will have a busy summer preparing an exciting line up of fall sales, starting on 20 September in New York.”