:Expensive taste was the order of the day at Bonhams' most
successful sale of fine wine to date. A world record price was
achieved for a single bottle of champagne. A Methuselah of Louis
Roederer Cristal 1990 fetched a ground-breaking $14,730 on
September 27. The sale in total fetched in excess of $700,000.
The Methuselah - which holds six liters, the equivalent of eight
standard bottles - is bottle number 1,333 of 2,000 produced by
Roederer to commemorate the millennium, and is one of few such
bottlings that has appreciated significantly in value. It fetched
the highest price ever paid for a single bottle of champagne sold
at auction.
A collection of vintage champagne from a private Belgian cellar
also attracted great interest and prices to reflect this; a half
case of Dom Perignon 1966 fetched $1,965, and nine bottles of
Billecart-Salmon from 1966, 1967 and 1969 sold for $2,326 - some
five times the estimate.
The favorite vintage of one of the world's leading wine experts
sold was the sale's top lot. Robert Parker, famed for his
infallible taste and nose, once remarked, "If I had only one
Bordeaux to drink, the 1961 Latour à Pomerol would be at the top
of my list." A case of this wine, bottled in Belgium by M.G.
Lafitte, sold for $32,560, and a separate lot of six bottles
fetched $16,279.
The continued popularity of fine claret was also reflected by the
prices achieved for several vintages of Pétrus: two bottles of
1964 fetched $2,713; a single bottle of 1966, $930; a dozen
bottles of 1971, $12,597; six bottles of 1989, $7,753, and a
dozen bottles of 1996, $5,815. A large private parcel of 1996
first growth claret also sold well above the estimate, indicating
that the impending changes to pensions - whereupon holders will
be able to lay down wine as an alternative investment - is
already pushing prices upwards. A case of Chateau
Lafite-Rothschild fetched $3,876, Chateau Latour $3,488 and
Chateau Margaux $3,682.
Among reports that port is experiencing a resurgence of
popularity among the younger generation, several vintages
performed extremely well. A case of Quinta do Noval 1955 fetched
$2,325, and 1963 cases of Fonseca and Graham & Taylor selling
for $2,518 and $1,937, respectively.
Prices reported include buyer's premium. For information, 020
7468 8331 or www.bonhams.com.
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