DRC continues auction success

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti again showed its popularity at two recent auctions.

Cases of La Tâche 1985 at Sotheby’s and Romanée-Conti 1988 and 1990 at Bonham’s set new records for the estate as its success at auction continued.

The six magnums of La Tâche was the top-selling lot at Sotheby’s New York auction on 10 September, valued at US$40,000 it sold for $60,500 in a sale that made $4,185,686 overall.

A further five bottles of Romanée-Conti 1985 also sold for $60,500. Both lots were bought by Asian clients.

Other top lots included several cases of Lafite 1982 bought by Asian and US clients from anywhere between $36,300 and $54,450 but usually falling between the estimates of $27,000 to $50,000 a case.

Another three bottle collection of DRC Romanée-Conti 1990 book-ended the top 10 going $3,275 over the high estimate to sell for $33,275.

Duncan Sterling, head of New York Wine Auctions, commented: “We are delighted to start the new season with such a strong result. This was our highest value sale in New York this year with buyers from 15 different countries competing for top class wines.

“We look forward to our next New York sale on November 12, where we will be featuring Hermitage La Chapelle directly from the cellars of Paul Jaboulet Aîné.”

Meanwhile in London, Bonham’s had equal success with the Burgundian estate at its sale on 8 September.

The case of Romanée-Conti 1990 sold for £126,500 while a case of 1988 from the same parcel made £74,750. Both cases were bought by a European buyer.

DRC’s growing success at auction has previously been looked at by the drinks business, which noted that sale prices for1988 in particular have gone from over £40,000 in March last to over £70,000 now.

Further cases of Romanée-Conti 1988 and 1990 are due at Bonham’s Hong Kong sale on 25 November.