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.
