Asia’s thirst for Screaming Eagle soars

The Asian market is developing a thirst for Californian cult wine Screaming Eagle in addition to top Bordeaux and Burgundy.

The top lot in an Acker Merrall & Condit auction in Hong Kong this week was a rare case of Screaming Eagle’s inaugural vintage, 1992, made by Heidi Peterson Barratt, which helped seal the winery’s fate with a 99-point Parker score.

The rare case – 12 of just 2,100 bottles produced that year in Oakville, Napa Valley, fetched HK$442,800 (£35,762) at the auction held earlier this week.

John Kapon, CEO of Acker Merrall & Condit, described the atmosphere of the sale as “electric”.

A case of Pétrus ’82 sold for £38,742

“People keep talking about there being an economic slowdown coming in Hong Kong or China but I couldn’t see anything of the sort at the sale,” said Kapon.

“The participation of buyers from mainland China was particularly significant as they competed vigorously with collectors from Hong Kong and around the globe for some of the greatest wines in the world, driving the price of many lots beyond their estimates,” he added.

Bordeaux also put in a strong performance at the sale with a case of Pétrus 1982 selling for HK$479,700 (£38,742), while six bottles of the 2000 vintage from the Pomerol estate sold for HK$196,800 (£15,894).

Six bottles of first growth Château Haut-Brion 1966 meanwhile, scooped HK$108,240, (£8,742).

Burgundy also attracted interest in the auction, with two assorted cases of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1999 going under the hammer for HK$442,800 (£35,757) each.

In addition, a case of Leroy Romanee Saint-Vivant 2005 fetched HK$344,400 (£27,811), setting a world record.

The two-day sale generated more than £4m, with 98% of the wines on offer sold.