Zachys prepares for new year in Asia

Auction house Zachys begins its new season in Asia with a “dazzling array” of fine wines and spirits at its Hong Kong sale this weekend.

Taking place at the Mandarin Oriental on 24 January, the sale will feature a number of collections including wine from the cellar of London barrister Graham Lyons and an ex-cellar consignment from Giacomo Borgogno.

Jeff Zacharia, president of Zachys Asia, said: “We are kicking off the 2015 auction season with a fabulous Hong Kong sale. It is filled with top notch Burgundys, amazing Bordeaux and our biggest offering of Japanese and Scotch whiskies ever. With over 250 lots of whiskies we have more than double the amount of whiskies we had in the spectacular November sale last year.”

Highlights include cases of 1982 Lafite, an imperial of Léoville Las Cases 1982 and six bottles of Griotte Chambertin Claude Dugat 1996.

Another collection from a “titan of finance” includes three bottles of 2004 Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive and there’s more Bordeaux including 2005 Pétrus, and Ausone, 1982 Haut-Brion, 1959 Palmer, 2002 Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux from Emmanuel Rouget and 1978 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques by armand Rousseau from the cellars of two Hong Kong collectors.

A small consignment of Barolo from Giacomo Borgogno dating back to 1978 will also be available.

Rare spirits have become a more consistent feature of Zachys’ sales of late and this auction will be no exception.

Highlights include a rare bottle of 1848 Godet Grande Champagne Cognac, one of only 10 being released in the world (HK$120,000 – HK$180,000) leads this part of the sale.

Scotch and Japanese whiskies make up the bulk of the spirits line-up with  bottles of 1974 Ardbeg, 38-year-old Glenfiddich, 1948 Macallan and 50-year-old Springbank leading Scotch and 21-year-old 1965 Karuizawa, 1977 Karuizawa from the “Card” series, 1984 Karuizawa and 21-year-old Hibiki in old ceramic bottles.