Last of René Engel’s wines sold

The last bottles from the cellar of famed Burgundy wine estate, Domaine René Engel, were sold in Geneva recently for CHF1.8 million (£1.4m).

The sale, held by Baghera Wines, featured 1,157 bottles, magnums, Jeroboams and Methuselahs of the domaine’s wines dating back over man decades.

The sale’s top lot was 24 bottles of 2004 Grands Echezeaux – the last vintage made by Philippe before his untimely death – which went for CHF50,400 (£40,100).

A further 17 bottles of Clos Vougeot from 2001 to 1955 made CHF36,000 (£28,600) and a 16 magnum vertical from 1976 to 2003 of Echezeaux made CHF33,600 (£26,700).

Michael Ganne, executive director of Baghera Wines, said: “This auction is quite an emotional moment for all wine-lovers, as it writes the last chapter of a domaine’s history that was initiated precisely one hundred years ago.

“Domaine René Engel and its trilogy of passionate winemakers worked one after the other to inscribe their wines in Bourgogne’s wine history. This sale embodies the transmission of the last bottles originating directly from one of the most prominent Côte de Nuits’ domaines, to passionate collectors who, I know, will know how to uncork and appreciate these great wines.”

Although a healthy final tally, it was apparently the pre-sale high estimate, so this sale did not reach the extraordinary heights of the ex-cellar Henri Jayer sale Baghera held last year which realised £26.3m.