HDH claims top US auction spot

Chicago-based fine wine auctioneer Hart Davis Hart has claimed the number one sales spot in the US.

Overall the house says it has achieved sales of US$48.8 million this year, with its last three-day auction from 15-17 December bringing in a final $9.5m.

Burgundy dominated this last sale and constituted $3.8m of the final result. Highlights included six bottles of 1980 Clos de la Roche, Vieilles Vignes from Domaine Ponsot and a Jeroboam of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 2000 La Tâche.

Mature Bordeaux contributed a further $2.1m while wines from Barolo, Spain, Champagne and Bourbon and rye whiskies all “achieved very strong results.”

HDH also noted that all seven of its fine wine sales this year – offering a total of over 16,000 lots – had been 100% sold, the highest sell-through rate in the industry it said.

Sotheby’s was the world’s most successful fine wine auctioneer in 2016, its sales in the US, UK and Hong Kong totalling $70m.