HDH Bordeaux sale makes $6m

Hart Davis Hart’s ‘Celebration of Bordeaux’ sale in Chicago last weekend made over US$6 million, with 1982 Le Pin leading the way.

The two-day, Bordeaux-only sale was projected to make between US$4.4 and US$4.6m but smashed estimates as buyers from around the world piled into the 1,992 lots of fine and rare claret on offer, including six magnums of 1982 Le Pin which made over US$100,000.

As HDH noted, the strong prices achieved at the sale, “indicate that the Bordeaux market is on the rise within the US.”

The sale featured Bordeaux from more than 140 châteaux spanning 62 vintages, including ex-cellar consignments from Mouton Rothschild, La Mission Haut-Brion and Léoville Las Cases.

There was strong bidding for 1976 Montrose and 2000 Lynch-Bages and a bottle of 1959 Léoville Las Cases sold for US$1,912. The 24 ex-château consignments made US$810,281 in total.

In addition, part of a collection from the cellar of the late Josue Harari made over US$751,000. The collection included rarities such as 1982 Lafleur, 1947 Cheval Blanc and 2000 Petrus.

The top lot by value was six magnums of 1982 Le Pin which made US$101,575. Also highly sold were 1982 Lafite, a case of 1989 Petrus, another dozen bottles of 2000 Le Pin, and cases of 1982 Petrus.

Lots that exceeded their high estimates by some margin included cases of 1986 Las Cases, six magnums of 2005 Ausone, two bottles of 1928 Cheval Blanc and six magnums of 1989 Haut-Brion.