‘Remarkable’ wine collection from Hostellerie Jérôme raises US$6.37 million at auction
The six-part sale of wines from the legendary cellar of Michelin-starred restaurant Hostellerie Jérôme — “one of the most remarkable [collections] ever assembled by a restaurant” — has raised a total over US$6,379,335 for Bonhams, the culmination of “the largest wine auction in its history”.
The final part of the sale took place in London last month, following similar formats in Hong Kong in November and St Cyr, Paris in February. The live sale, held on 23 April, was 100% sold, and raised £249,302, with the online sale (from 9–30 April) raising £467,926 respectively.
This followed the live sale in Hong Kong, a white-glove sale that raised HK$25.7 million (US$3.3 million) for 509 lots, and the Paris sale which saw all 306 lots fetch €609,000 (US$650,000) – around 155% of the low estimate. The online sales also raised HK$6million (US $872,140) and €300,000 (US$350,632) respectively.
Overall, the collection comprised more than 25,000 bottles of wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Rhône Valley, which were purchased over a period of more than three decades direct from the domaines upon release, and then stored in the restaurant’s cellars.
Amayès Aouli, global head of wine & spirits at Bonhams said the sale was the result of an “ambitious global strategy” and he was delighted that the sale had brought together collectors from every continent, with registrants from 38 countries worldwide.
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He also thanked Chef Bruno Cirino, the man responsible for much of the collection (alongside sommelier Marion Cirino who Cirino said had spent “several decades exploring the greatest French vineyards to conceive this legendary cellar”) for trusting the collection to Bonhams and to the participants “for their passion and commitment”which underscored “the international demand for this historic cellar”.
“The exceptional quality of the wines was matched only by the enthusiasm they inspired and the memories we have created in sharing these wines extensively in dinners and three white gloves lively auctions. For what is one of the most important restaurant wine auctions ever staged and the biggest wine auctions in Bonhams history, this was a success made possible by hundreds of equally passionate Bonhams colleagues from every department,” he said.
Highlights
Highlights of the live auction included Domaine Leroy, Clos de la Roche, from 1999 (2 x 750ml), which sold for £8,060, smashing its pre-sale estimate of £4,500- 5,500; an exceptional vertical of Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg, comprising the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages (3 × 750ml each), which sold for a fraction under its high-estimate, at £6,448; and a selection of Domaine Jean‑Louis Chave Hermitage, spanning the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages (3 × 750ml each), which sold above its high estimate to reach £5,580.
During the online sale, a remarkable selection of Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny magnums, comprising Le Bourg 2006 (1 × 1500ml), Les Poyeux 2014, 2015 and 2017 (3 × 1500ml each), and Le Clos 2012 (3 × 1500ml), 2015 (6 × 1500ml) and 2017 (3 × 1500ml), sold for £5,952, (under its £6,000-7,500 estimate); with a Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale, 2010 (24 x 750ml), selling for £3,224, against an estimate of £3,000- £3,800; a trio of Clos Rougeard Saumur‑Champigny Les Poyeux vintages, comprising 2009, 2010 and 2011 (6 × 750ml each), hit above its high estimate (£3,400) to sell for £3,472; while a Domaine Coche Dury, Corton-Charlemagne, 2009 (1 x 750ml), sold for £3,968 against an estimate of £2,400 – 3,000.
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