DP and Lafite lead $5.1m HDH auction

Dom Pérignon and Lafite dominated Hart Davis Hart’s latest Chicago sale which saw another 100% sell-through rate with sales totalling $5.1 million.

A case of 1982 Lafite was the top lot, the first time for a while the Left Bank estate has been the headline lot at an auction with Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Right Bank Pétrus being the clear favourites at sales for some time now.

Twelve bottles sold for US$35,850 (just under the high estimate). Prestige cuvée Dom Pérignon saw several cases of “Commande Spéciale” (“specially ordered”) Oenothèques dotted throughout the best sellers.

A case of the 1971 disgorged in 2008 was the second highest selling lot at $31,070, followed by two bottles of 1999 DRC Romanée-Conti for $28,680.

Another 12 bottles of 1988 DP rosé disgorged in 2004 made $23,900 and a 2007 disgorged 12 pack of the 1975 went for $20,315.

All of the Dom Pérignon lots went for well over their asking prices, showing the growing demand for top level fizz in the fine wine market.

As well as US bidders, there was interest from Canada, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, the UK, Taiwan, Switzerland, South Korea, Norway and Singapore.

Also strongly sold were Californian wines, particularly Screaming Eagle, Shafer, Dominus and Scarecrow, which CEO Paul Hart said saw “impressive demand” and contributed just over $1 million to the auction’s $5.1m total.