2nd November, 2018
by
Rupert Millar
Sotheby’s latest London sale was positively dominated by Bordeaux and with a complete collection of 144 bottles of 2010 Pichon Baron stealing the top spot.
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Held on 31 October, the sale realised £1.4 million in total and was 90% sold. A ‘complete collection’ of the 2010 vintage from second growth Pichon Baron was the sale’s most expensive lot.
A European client paid £21,780 for the entire gamut of formats from the Pauillac estate: 12 half bottles, 12 bottles, three magnums, one double magnum, one Jeroboam, one imperial, one Salmanazar, one Balthazar, one Nebuchadnezzar and one Melchior. All in all the equivalent of 144 standard 75cl bottles.
Nearly £20,000 (£19,360) was also paid for a case of 2000 Château Mouton Rothschild and bottles and magnums of 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009 Le Pin was clearly much sought-after, so too 2001 Petrus and 1986 Lafite.
Stephen Mould, head of Sotheby’s Wine, Europe, commented: “Our October wine sale was distinguished by two important collections, the first focussing on Bordeaux with appearances from Burgundy, Rhône, Italy, California and highlighted by multiple vintages of Le Pin.
“The second, from the cellars of the 7th Earl of Durham, featured Bordeaux from the 1980s and 1990s, a great selection of 2005s and parcels of 2009s, all of which were in high demand. The top lot, however, was a 10-case collection of Château Pichon Baron made up of every bottle format from half bottles to the 18-litre Melchior in the outstanding 2010 vintage. We look forward to our forthcoming sales in New York on 17 November and London on 21 November.”