Champagne shines at London sale

Sotheby’s London fine wine sale saw strong bidding for Champagne and a case of Armand Rousseau beating Domaine de la Romanée-Conti into second place.

The sale made £950,658 in total, 85.5% sold by value and 76.1% by lot. As Stephen Mould, European head of Sotheby’s Wine Department, explained: “A collection of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from a Michelin-starred restaurant opened our auction on a high note.

“Grand cru Burgundy from sought-after producers was in demand and seven of the top ten lots were from Armand Rousseau, whose star is in the ascendency right now.”

A case of Rousseau’s 1993 Cambertin was the top lot, realising £21,150 – almost double its high estimate – while in second place were two bottles of 2005 DRC Romanée-Conti on £15,863.

Other Rousseau lots included cases and six-packs of 1989, 1992, 1996 and 1991 Chambertin as well as 1991 and 1996 Clos de Bèze.

Six bottles of 1989 Petrus realised £12,338.

A vertical of Krug Clos du Mesnil comprising 12 bottles and one magnum made £11,515 – some way above its £9,500 high estimate – while nine Nebuchadnezzars of Moët & Chandon were “snapped up”.

A magnum of 1973 Bollinger RD made £588, while one bottle of 1975 Vieilles Vignes Françaises went for £1,034.

However, a headline lot of 12 bottles of 1972 Domaine Leroy Musigny valued at £20,000 to £30,000 failed to find a buyer.

“We now look forward to our next sale on 15 July which will conclude London’s spring/summer season,” said Mould.