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Auctioneers team up for Bordeaux sale
Sotheby’s has teamed up with Bordeaux Winebank to auction some of Bordeaux’s top names over two auctions in New York and Hong Kong.
While the sale of 2000 Bordeaux is not in itself remarkable, the selection marks the vintage’s tenth anniversary and a unique collaboration between the auction house and Norwegian businessman Henning Thoresen’s Winebank company.
The cases of 2000 Bordeaux, from the very best 16 estates, are to be auctioned in New York next month and Hong Kong early next year.
The selection from the 2000 vintage comes from the cellars of Bordeaux Winebank, a company that specialises in keeping wines in the optimum storage conditions before sale.
Its Five Star Provenance system certifies that all its wines come in their own wooden case, have ex-château provenance and were stored professionally in Bordeaux after bottling in a controlled environment.
Featuring in the sale are the five first growths; Cos d’Estournel; Ducru Beaucaillou; La Mission Haut Brion; Léoville Las-Cases; Palmer; Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande; Ausone; Cheval Blanc; Angélus; Pavie and Pétrus.
Serena Sutcliffe MW, worldwide head of wine at Sotheby’s said: “The expectation, not to mention the excitement, attached to this first year of the new century was always in the stratosphere and, miraculously, 2000 turned out to be a fabulous Bordeaux vintage.
“It is therefore enormously exciting to be able to offer such a tremendous selection of this vintage with the reassurance of perfect provenance and storage that comes with wine from the Bordeaux Winebank Collection.”
The New York half of the auction will take place as part of the Finest and Rarest Wines sale on 13 November and features 128 cases from Winebank. The Hong Kong sale will take place at the Mandarin Oriental on 23 January 2011 and will sell the final 118 cases.
Highlights of the New York auction include five cases of Ausone, valued at $20,000 to $30,000 each and three cases of Pétrus at $30,000 to $50,000 apiece.
Speaking to the drinks business about the partnership and what both parties would gain from it, Michael Egan, director of Authentication and Auctions at BWB, said: “In our considered opinion Sotheby’s will gain sales and will maintain their image as an auction house that offers wines of sound provenance.
“With Sotheby’s global client base that is becoming more and more demanding in light of all the provenance issues coming to the floor, it is advantageous for them to sell Bordeaux Winebank “Five Star Provenance” certificate certified and 3rd party controlled wines.
"Bordeaux Winebank stocks all of its wines, which have never left Bordeaux, in the latest cellaring facilities, “TGR Logistique” Bordeaux. Sotheby’s has such a reputation that they must certify the wines that they sell have not overly-travelled and are indeed authentic.”
Rupert Millar, 28.10.2010