Palmer to offer barrel of 2015 at auction

Château Palmer is to sell a barrel of its 2015 vintage at auction in Hong Kong as part of an ex-cellar consignment this June.

The 225-litre barrel of wine from the latest vintage is to be sold by Sotheby’s alongside 219 other lots from the Margaux property that have come direct from its cellars and the cellars of négociant house Maison Mähler-Besse & Franck Mähler-Besse.

It is the first time Palmer has offered a full barrel of wine at an auction anywhere. With a pre-sale estimate of HK$500,000-$700,000 (US$65,000-$90,000), the lot equates to 25 cases or 300 bottles of wine.

The successful bidder though will have the option of bottling the barrel in any combination of formats they see fit, from half bottles to Melchiors and with their name printed on the back label.

With Asian buyers largely eschewing the en primeur game after briefly buying in heavily for the 2009s, the sale of a whole barrel, effectively en primeur, certainly comes across as a new way to engage Asian collectors with the process.

Elsewhere in the sale, lots from the cellars of Mähler-Besse include three bottles of the 1928 vintage, four bottles of the 1955, cases of the 1942, 1959 and 1990 as well as magnums of the 1949 and 1989.

From the cellar of the château itself come double-magnums of the 1959, 1961 and 2005 as well as magnums of its very rare ‘Vin Blanc de Palmer’ from the 2014 and 2010 vintages.

The buyer of the barrel also gets a tour, tasting and dinner at the estate and another dinner and visit package is being offered for HK$32,000-$48,000.

Adam Bilbey, head of Sotheby’s Wine, Asia, said: “It is with great excitement that we announce such a historic sale with one of Bordeaux’s most iconic estates, Château Palmer, which is a firm favourite here in Asia.

“We are also thrilled to offer the greatest wines made over the last century, in which one can buy a barrel of the much anticipated 2015 vintage and personalise the back label. In addition to that, the opportunity to visit Château Palmer and enjoy some of their most classic vintages is a lifetime opportunity for any wine lover.”

Palmer’s CEO, Thomas Duroux, added: “This is the first time ever that Château Palmer has participated in an auction dedicated exclusively to the estate. The selection of wines in the auction represents a historic journey through time going back to 1928. The provenance and conditions of the wines are perfect, and only Sotheby’s could pull off such an exceptional event. This is a unique opportunity for collectors around the world to obtain some of the rarest vintages of our wines.”

The auction will take place at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery on 4 June.