Screaming Eagle magnums headline Sotheby’s inaugural Napa Valley Vintners auction

Sotheby’s has opened its inaugural auction in partnership with Napa Valley Vintners, a collection of more than 50 lots of rare Napa Valley wines spanning more than 40 years, including unique magnums of Screaming Eagle. 

The Napa Valley Library sale focuses on wines that come directly from the winery’s library cellars, Sotheby’s worldwide head of wine Jamie Ritchie said, and has been put together by 150 wineries representing six decades from 1978-2021. The auction, which takes place in New York this Saturday (5 February) is the first in the region’s three-year partnership with the international auction house, with proceeds from the sale being used to to benefit programs that promote, protect and enhance Napa Valley.

Many of the lots reflect Napa’s collaborative spirt, with bottles of wine from multiple wineries, Sotheby’s said.

“The sale presents an enticing array of bottles and experiences, representing the full range of wines and wineries from the Napa Valley, which will appeal to both established and novice collectors all around the world,” Ritchie added.

Lots include a four-bottle vertical of Harlan Estate magnums from the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 vintages; a 10-bottle vertical set from the Kenzo Estate; large-format bottles that have been stored in the vaults of Robert Mondavi Winery, spanning five decades; and a one-of-a-kind magnum lot from Screaming Eagle’s cellar comprising one magnum each of the only three wines produced at the estate: Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Screaming Eagle The Flight and Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc. Since neither The Flight nor the Sauvignon Blanc are ever sold in large format, this is one of the rarest offerings ever assembled from the estate.

Other highlights include a very mely rare 3L vertical of Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 vintages; a rare collection of six vintages of Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon in two formats; a hand-selected, six-vintage vertical set of Cardinale library magnums; a rare vertical of Hillside Select from Shafer Vineyards; an unprecedented 19-bottle lot from winemaker Christopher Carpenter; four coveted magnums of the Chappellet family’s famed Signature Cabernet Sauvignon; and an exclusive six-vintage, large-format double-magnum vertical of Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from Mount Veeder.

Napa Valley Vintner’s CEO and president Linda Reiff, CEO said the collection showcased the depth of wines that the Napa Valley wine region and its winemakers were capable of producing “We’re excited to partner with Sotheby’s to bring Napa’s rich history of winemaking to the auction world. The Napa Valley promise stands for wines of the highest quality, made with excellence and we’re excited for the global world of collectors to explore more of what we have to offer,” she said.

The auction house is also hosting a discussion on Thursday to discuss the evolution of Napa Valley wines on the secondary market over the last 20 years. It will feature well-known winemakers from a variety of wineries who have led the way in creating some of Napa’s most coveted wines.