Second leg of Monumental sale ‘a triumph’

The London leg of Sotheby’s three-part ‘Monumental Collection’ sale was branded a “triumph” after it made £1.6 million on Wednesday.

Held in the British capital on Wednesday 29 March, the sale realised £1,663,588 in total. Following on swiftly from the first part of the sale held in New York on 25 March, the two auctions have raised a combined £3.1m (US$3.9m).

The third and final part of the sale will be held in Hong Kong on Saturday 1 April.

The best-selling lot from the sale was a double magnum of 1947 Cheval Blanc which was sold for £84,000 to an Asian buyer.

Asian buyers also swooped on several other venerable claret lots including: a Jeroboam of 1961 Latour (£30,550) and five magnums of 1961 Haut-Brion (£22,325).

European buyers meanwhile managed to pick up a 12-bottle case of 1995 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux (£58,750) and four bottles of 1961 Château Lafleur (£30,550).

Aside from another six bottles of Jayer’s 1990 Echézeaux, the other best-selling lots were all Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from the 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2006 vintages.

Stephen Mould, head of wine for Sotheby’s Europe, said: “Part II of ‘A Monumental Collection, from the Cellars of a Connoisseur’, was a triumph, with a total comfortably exceeding the high estimate. Intense bidding saw prices soar for rare Bordeaux and treasures from Burgundy, with bottles through to large formats all hitting the heights. A double magnum of Château Cheval Blanc 1947 stood out in a galaxy of Bordeaux stars, while 12 bottles of Vosne Romanée, Cros Parantoux 1995 Henri Jayer shone equally brightly within the Burgundy firmament, alongside greats from Domaine de la Romanée Conti and other top growers.

“Further gems included Hermitage La Chapelle 1959 from Northern Rhône, and the luscious Loire wine Vouvray Le Haut Lieu 1947 from Huet. Across continents, buyers clamoured to secure wine from this incredible collection. The sale follows the excellent results for Part I of the collection in New York, and we now look forward, in anticipation, to the final part of this trilogy in Hong Kong on 1 April.”

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