HDH hails $6m Chicago sale

US auctioneer Hart Davis Hart has opened its autumn sales season with a US$6.6 million auction in Chicago, Burgundy leading the way once more.

The auction was held last weekend, was 100% sold and saw a record number of participants bidding “aggressively” for the lots on offer; with over 2,000 of them selling above their high estimates.

At the centre of the auction was “A superlative selection of wine from a magnificent Long Island cellar”, which included a “pristine” collection of Burgundy.

With the prestige of the lots on offer and the provenance provided by the consignor, over 70% of the lots from the collection sold for over their high estimate and made $1.6m in total.

Bidding on Burgundy was described as “robust”, with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – as usual – scooping seven of the auction’s top 10 lots, while two “incredibly rare” bottles of 1994 rosé from Henri Jayer made $2,380 against estimates of just $120-$180 and possibly the most ever paid for rosé according to HDH.

Other top Burgundy performers were Rousseau (74 lots making $478,916 in total), Leory, Dujac and Leflaive.

Bordeaux sales were similarly strong, with 1989, 1995, 1996 and 2005 first and second growths and Right Bank properties all selling “significantly” above their estimates. The auctioneer’s Bordeaux Index rose 3.63% as a result of the sale.

Cult Napa estates Screaming Eagle and Harlan were also sought after, 40 lots of Harlan making $139,766 and 17 lots of Screaming Eagle $67,354.

President Ben Nelson commented: “The unprecedented amount of demand we saw in this sale speaks to both the state of the market, and the strength of HDH.

“HDH’s uniquely high standards for quality and provenance give buyers an unmatched abilityto bid with confidence, and the turnout we’ve seen this weekend shows how powerful that confidence can be.”

The auction is the latest strong sale to take place so far this autumn. Acker Merrall & Condit’s first Hong Kong sale this autumn and Sotheby’s London sale last week have been counted as successes.

The fine wine market in general is beginning to look like it’s over the worst of what has been a three year slump and may be on the rise once more, driven by an increasingly resurgent US and the continuing appetite for fine wine in Hong Kong.

The top lots can be seen on the following page.

Top Lots by Price (inclusive of 19.5% buyer’s premium):

Lot 1019: 1999 La Tâche, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (12 bs) (est. $30,000-45,000) $47,600

Lot 182: 1982 Château Pétrus (10 bs) (est. $28,000-42,000) $38,080

Lots 1015-1017: 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Assortment (12 bs) (est. $26,000-38,000) $33,320

Lot 1859: 2007 Romanée-Conti, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (3 bs) (est. $22,000-32,000) $33,320

Lot 2214: 1982 Château Lafi te Rothschild (12 bs) (est. $26,000-38,000) $30,940

Lot 1177: 1993 Chambertin, Armand Rousseau (12 bs) (est. $15,000-22,000) $30,940

Lots 1005-1007: 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Assortment (12 bs) (est. $20,000-30,000) $28,560

Lot 1008: 1996 La Tâche, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (12 bs) (est. $18,000-28,000) $28,560

Lot 1004: 1995 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Assortment (12 bs) (est. $20,000-30,000) $28,560

Lot 1012: 1998 La Tâche, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (12 bs) (est. $15,000-22,000) $26,180

Top Lots to Exceed High Estimates (inclusive of 19.5% buyer’s premium):

Lot 1294: 1994 Bourgogne Rosé, Henri Jayer (2 bs) (est. $120-180) $2,380

Lot 762: 1985 Alain Robert, Mesnil Sélection (2 bs and 4 mags) (est. $1000-1500) $4,165

Lot 1215: 1991 Vosne-Romanée, Beaux Monts, Emmanuel Rouget (3 bs) (est. $280-420) $1,071

Lot 1579: 1997 Côte Rôtie, Domaine Jamet (6 bs);

1997 Côte Rôtie, Les Sommets d’Harys, Domaine Jamet (3 bs) (est. $750-1100) $2,618

Lot 843: NV Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey (5 bs) (est. $500-750) $1,785

Lot 200: 1978 Gevrey-Chambertin, Combottes, Domaine Dujac (1 b) (est. $300-450) $1,011

Lot 1346: 1980 La Tâche, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (1 b) (est. $1,400-2,000) $3,808

Lot 1575: 1999 Côte Rôtie, Domaine Jamet (6 bs) (est. $950-1,400) $2,618

Lot 2122: 1983 Musigny, Georges Roumier (1 b) (est. $1100-1700) $3,094

Lot 1434: 1993 Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Armand Rousseau (6 bs) (est. $8,000-12,000) $21,420