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Sotheby’s inaugural wine and spirits in Geneva achieves US$630,844

12 June 2024 By Arabella Mileham

Sotheby’s first wine and spirits sale in Geneva achieved CHF 573,500 (US $630,844), with the top lots dominated by a 16-lot collection of bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC).

The sale, which is the first time a wine and spirits sale has been held in the Swiss capital, despite offering wine sales for fifty years, first in London, then New York, Hong Kong and more recently in France, was 91% sold by lot, with 64% of the lots sold achieving prices above their high estimates. Bidders came from 14 countries, across Europe, North America, Asia and beyond, including several first-time buyers from those regions.

The sale comprised 43 lots and included many Classed Growth Bordeaux and Burgundy and magnums, which performed particularly well, Sotheby’s noted. A spokesman said that most of the wine lots, particularly the mature Bordeaux and rare Burgundy, fetched prices two to three times above their low estimates, “underscoring the strong interest of international collectors for such rare wines”. This, he continued not only highlights the “scarcity and desirability of these collectible wines and legendary vintages but also reaffirms that provenance and authentication are paramount for Sotheby’s and [its]clients, both sellers and buyers”.

The top lot was a trio of magnums of 1971 La Tâche, which more than doubled their low pre-sale estimate (CHF60,000 – 75,000) to sell for CHF 125,000 Swiss francs (£110,000), while three individual magnums of 1971 La Tâche also sold for CHF32,500, CHF27,500 and CHF18,750.

Three magnums from the 1976 vintage – which had also been purchased directly at the Domaine around 50 years ago and formed part of the 16-lot selection from the estate – were also sold for CHF16,500.

Meanwhile, six magnums of 1976 La Tâche raised CHF37,500, and a three bottle set of Chateau Haut Brion 1959 more than doubled its high pre-sale estimate to achieve CHF13,750.

The sale also offered a selection of significant whisky and Cognac, led by a bottle of Hennessy H8 Cognac ‘Arthur’s’ 40.0 abv NV, which sold for CHF37,500, as well as The Glenlivet The Winchester Collection 50 year old achieving its high pre-sale estimate of CHF15,000.

However, it appears that the two most expensive lots, from one of Royal Salute’s most limited ever bottle runs, from ‘The Art of Wonder’ pinnacle collection (which comprised only 21 bottles) remained unsold. This comprised the Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross 53 Year Old 41.5 abv NV (1 BT70), which had an estimate of 100,000 – 150,000 CHF and the Royal Salute Forces of Nature by Kate MccGwire 53 Year Old 41.5 abv NV (1 BT70) which had a pre-sale estimate of 90,000 – 140,000 CHF.