Acker Merrall auction tops HK$52 million

Thousands of top-quality fine wines went on auction at Acker Merrall & Condit on 25 and 26 January, with 96% of lots sold, totalling HK$52,900,086 (£4.3m).

The highlight of the day was the direct sales from Domaine Dujac and Domaine Roulot, most of which exceeded the estimated price. Sixty of the 70 lots of Dujac, carefully chosen by Jeremy Seysses, one of the Domain owners, broke their previous world record.

Six magnums of 1985 Clos de la Roche was sold for HK$44,400 and one double magnum of 1978 Clos de la Roche reached HK$177,120. After frenetic bidding, six bottles of 1978 Échézeaux were finally sold for HK$196,800, three-times the original estimation.

Domaine Roulot drew the focus onto Mathusalem (6L) 2011 Meursault Clos des Bouchères, wine from one of the two monopole Premier Crus, when the deal was closed at HK$78,720.

Almost half of the lots were sourced from two world-class collectors’ cellars. The first cellar belongs to a famous doctor, who has been dedicated to rare and fine wine collection in the past four decades. Twelve bottles of 1982 Petrus were sold for HK$492,000 and a 4.5L bottle of 1961 Latour reached HK$270,600.

The other collector offered classic top Bordeaux of “supreme quality and condition”. These deals at the auction attracted enormous attention: 12 bottles of 2001 Le Pin – HK$221,400, 12 bottles of 2000 Lafite – HK$ 167,280, 12 bottles of 2000 Lafleur – HK$ 147,600, 12 bottles of 2000 Mouton – HK$ 118,080 and six bottles of magnum 2004 Pétrus – HK$ 147,600.

Acker has announced another auction in restaurant Marea, New York on 23 February and the first auction of the year of snake in Hong Kong 22 and 23 March.