Sotheby’s NYC wine sales approach $23m total

The latest fine wine sale held by Sotheby’s in New York has raised this year’s haul in the city to almost US$23 million.

Held last Saturday, the first sale in the auctioneer’s ‘Life of Luxury’ series this winter achieved $2.6m with a collection of fine Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Armand Rousseau leading the way.

Connor Kriegel, head of auction sales for Sotheby’s Wine New York, commented: “We were thrilled to kick off Sotheby’s A Life of Luxury an conclude our 2017 New York wine auctions in grand fashion with a banner one-day auction….bringing our sales total to nearly $23m for 2017.

“The lead consignment, ‘DRC Spanning Four Decades, Rousseau in Historic Vintages and Top-Flight Bordeaux’, sold for $619,244 versus a pre-sale estimate of $383,300 – $537,700 and included five of the top 10 lots of the sale.”

Three bottles of DRC’s 2013 Romanée-Conti led the sale with a hammer price of $55,350 while “classic, old-world wines excelled throughout the sale.”

Other top lots included a full dozen case of 1985 Petrus, 1988 Clos de la Roche from Domaine Dujac, two bottles of 1990 Montrachet from DRC, three bottles of 2004 Corton Charlemagne from Coche-Dury and one magnum of 1998 Krug Clos du Mesnil.

Sotheby’s reported “frenzied bidding” for red and white Burgundy and Rhône, with bidders competing for magnums of Domaine Roulot’s 2008 Merusault Clos de Mon Plaisir, double magnums of 2007 Volnay Clos des Ducs from Marquis d’Angerville and magnums of 1979 Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave.

Sotheby’s last fine wine sale of the year will take place in London on 13 December.