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Sotheby’s sets new record for Super-Tuscan Masseto
A new record has been set for a bottle of Masseto, after a Nebuchadnezzar of the 2010 vintage sold for a record €56,250 (US$61,093), triple its original estimate, at Sotheby’s.
The record-priced bottle was part of a sale devoted to the Super-Tuscan producer, the first to offer back vintages released directly from the estate’s impressive steel cellar that is situated deep beneath the vineyard.
The Caveau Release comprised 46 lots offering 132 bottles in total, of vintages spanning three decades, from cases of the 2006, 2010 and 2011 vintages, to magnums, double magnums, two imperials of the 2001 and 2016 vintages, which sold for €15,000 (US$16,292 each), and the single nebuchadnezzar.
Overall, the sale achieved a total of €376,625 (US$409,052), well in excess of the €200,000 estimate, with all 46 lots essentially sold above their high estimates on the first day of bidding (12 April). There was a further flurry of bids as the final day of bidding (28 April) from collectors across Europe, the Americas and Asia, the auction house said.
The bottles were presented for sale in numbered cases handcrafted in oak and containing a certificate of origin signed by Masseto’s estate director, Axel Heinz.
Amayès Aouli, Sotheby’s head of wine, Europe, said the standout results were testament to the quality of the wine produced by Masseto and the unprecedented opportunity to acquire bottles directly from the Masseto Caveau.
“We saw bids coming in from all over the world, with competition among both established collectors and buyers new to Sotheby’s. It has been a pleasure to partner with this iconic estate for such a special occasion and to bring their wines to as wide an audience as possible,” he said.
Masseto’s CEO Giovanni Geddes thanked the bidder and buyers for their enthusiasm for the wine, saying it was “the best recognition Masseto can receive”, with the auction results going beyond the company’s expectations.
All the bottles from the Masseto Caveau Furthermore, every bottle came to auction with a Prooftag®, attesting to the wine’s authenticity, including the date when the bottle left the Caveau stated on the front label: April 2023. In addition, Caveau features on every capsule as well as on the seals of guarantee that close the wooden cases – a singular confirmation of watertight provenance.
Speaking to db at a recent visit, estate director Axel Heinz, described it as a “fascinating discovery” every time an older vintage of Masseto is uncorked.
“Each time we take a sip, we learn something new,” he said. “How the wines we have brought up with patience and care, evolve. How they change. How each individual vintage expresses its unmistakable Masseto character, but with a slightly different interpretation – just as a masterpiece of music will sound differently according to the artist who plays it. A discovery that gives way to pure emotion in that special moment every wine lover is seeking.”
Last month db revealed that Heinz is stepping down from Ornellaia and Masseto this summer to pursue new challenges in France,
Read more:
Masseto teams up with Sotheby’s for Caveau release (thedrinksbusiness.com)
Château Lascombes pulls off ‘real coup’ with appointment of Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz
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