Jayer collection leads £1.5m auction haul

New records for Henri Jayer were set at Sotheby’s latest London sale as bidding on a “time capsule” of wines from the domaine propelled the auction to a £1.5 million haul.

Bidding on the 12 lots of Henri Jayer alone accounted for £902,000 and the final total was more than double the pre-sale low estimate in what has been described as “one of the most successful wine auctions ever seen in London”.

New auction records were set for cases of Jayer’s Richebourg 1978 and 1976, two full cases of the former selling for £211,500 apiece (triple the high estimate) and another dozen bottles of the latter making £108,100.

Seven of the top 10 lots were Jayer and the rest Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. All of the top lots were bought by Asian clients.

Head of Sotheby’s wine, Stephen Mould, commented: “The £1.5 million sale total, more than double the low estimate, is a fitting testament to the quality of this extraordinary cellar. We saw buyers from all four corners of the globe competing to secure rare Burgundy vintages from the legendary Henri Jayer.

“As ever, Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Pétrus were in high demand, rounding off a memorable sale – one of the most successful wine auctions ever seen in London.”

The collection, consigned from a European cellar, caused quite a stir before the sale due to the number of rare, full cases of Jayer wines it contained.

The collection had lain virtually untouched all of its life and Sotheby’s team called it a veritable “time capsule”.

The auction house’s James Reed told The Telegraph: “I’m still trying to fathom the iron discipline required to buy cases of Henri Jayer, put them in your cellar and resist the temptation to…even take a look.

“Not many of our collectors are made of such stern stuff.”