Mouton sale makes HK$32m

An ex-cellar collection of Mouton Rothschild has made over HK$32 million (£2.75m) at auction in Hong Kong, double the pre-sale estimate.

Hosted by Sotheby’s, the collection was 100% sold and 93% of the lots exceeded their pre-sale high estimates. The top lot was a 66-bottle vertical from 1945-2012 (excluding the 1958 and 1963 vintages) which made HK$2.94m (£250,000).

There was also strong bidding for the 2000 vintage, a Nebuchadnezzar made close to HK$1m while another lot made up of six bottles, six magnums, a Jeroboam, an imperial and a Nebuchadnezzar made HK$1.72m (£150,000).

A record was also set for the 1945 vintage, a magnum making HK$857,500 (£73,500) and the oldest bottle on offer, from 1870, also set a world record – selling for HK$392,000 (£33,650).

The consignment was the first Mouton has ever offered in Asia and was designed to capitalise on the Chinese lunar year of the ram – which falls on 19 February this year.

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, the estate’s new chairman, was present at the auction with his brother and sister and said he was “especially thrilled” by the results.

Jamie Ritchie, CEO and president of Sotheby’s Wine for Asia and the Americas, said that the results achieved in the sale showed, “Asian collectors’ great appreciation of Mouton Rothschild and the perfect direct-from-the-property provenance.”