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Bidding opens at Sotheby’s inaugural French auction

20 October 2021 By Arabella Mileham

Sotheby’s has opened the bidding on its inaugural wine sale in France, a collection of wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, one of Burgundy’s most prestigious domaines, that includes rare Methusalahs.

The collection which was acquired directly from the domaine on release, comprises 25 lots and spans vintages from 1998 to 2011, including the outstanding 2010 vintage. The auction takes place on 2 November, but online bidding has now been opened.

Estimates range from €7,000 to €180,000, with the entire sale expected to reach between €685,000 and €906,000.

Highlights include a Romanée-Conti 2000, 1 Methuselah, (estimate €140,000-180,000), Romanée Conti 2010, 3 bottles, (estimate €40,000-55,000) described by Sotheby’s consulrant Serena Sutcliffe MW as “one of the great Romanée-Contis” and twwo assortment 12-bottle Cases of the 1998 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and the 2001 vintage.

Amayès Aouli, head of auction sales for Continental Europe, Sotheby’s Wine, said the company was delighted to expand its presence in Continental Europe with the launch of the regular sales based in France, which will be held in either Beaune or Bordeaux.

“This move into a fourth major international hub with France joining London, New York and Hong Kong will allow us to provide our clients with the greatest access to the global market, and an opportunity to acquire the rarest bottles,” he said, adding that “This collection ranks alongside the many prestigious wine collections from private European collectors that we have brought to the market over the years.”

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