NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s Wine unveiled the full contents of their autumn 2018 auctions in New York. Led by The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old (Sir Peter Blake Label) as well as an historic offering of Rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Wines from the Personal Cellar of Robert Drouhin, the series of four auctions this September, October and November will offer wine and spirit enthusiasts an unmatched opportunity to acquire some of the world’s most sought-after wines and spirits.

Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s Wine, commented: “Our New York fall auctions offer a unique opportunity to buy the rarest wines and spirits, the stars of which have never previously appeared in Sotheby’s auctions, since our founding in 1744. The highest value lot of our sale series is The Macallan 1926, “60 Year Old”, Sir Peter Blake Label, which carries the highest estimate for any bottle of wine or whisky ever offered by Sotheby’s. It already holds the record as the world’s most expensive spirit and we look forward to seeing if that record can be broken again. This exceptionally rare whisky is coming to auction during a particularly exciting moment in the market for whisky and spirits, as we have seen considerable demand for rare whiskies from both Asia and the United States. This market enthusiasm extends to the fine wine market and we have an October 13 sale dedicated to Rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from the Personal Cellar of Robert Drouhin, which presents collectors with the only opportunity to acquire some of the world’s most coveted wines, from the most celebrated wine producer, directly from Robert Drouhin’s personal cellar. Whether you’re an experienced collector or simply a wine enthusiast, this season’s New York wine auctions are a must-participate event.”

Finest & Rarest Wines featuring The Macallan 1926
Session 1: 12 October at 1PM
Session 2: 13 October at 11:30AM
Pre-Sale Estimate: $3.9/5.8 million
This momentous two-day sale is led by a single bottle of The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old (Peter Blake Label) that is estimated to sell for $700,000/1.2 million – the highest estimate ever placed on a single bottle of wine or whisky at Sotheby’s. Poised to become the world’s most expensive whisky, The Macallan 1926 has been aged in sherry casks for six decades, with only 40 bottles of the legendary spirit ever created, representing the oldest vintage ever produced by the celebrated distillery. Of the 40, 12 were labeled and signed with an exclusive design by British artist Peter Blake, who is perhaps best-known for designing cover art for the likes of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, The Who, and Oasis, and 12 by Italian artist, Valerio Adami. Reportedly, these bottles were not made available for purchase but rather given to the world-renowned distillery’s top clients. Separate release available

Describing the label art by Sir Peter Blake, Oliver Barker, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe, commented: "Peter Blake was the Godfather of Pop Art. Incorporating the universal language of popular culture in his vibrant collages, he expertly captured the zeitgeist of the time. His celebrated commissions for some of the greatest bands of the 20th century, most famously for The Beatles, have transcended their intended purpose to become icons of the age - a perfect pairing to the swinging sixties and to the spirit of the post-war Britain. With this magnificent label for Macallan’s finest vintage, Blake has put his stamp on yet another one of life’s great pleasures.”

Geoff Kirk, Director of Prestige, The Macallan, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for whisky connoisseurs to secure one of the most exclusive bottles ever presented. This Macallan 1926 Sir Peter Blake bottle is one of only 12 and is an iconic release emblematic of 20th century pop culture. The Macallan is renowned for its outstanding quality and this latest auction demonstrates the brand’s continued standing as the leading figure in the world of spirits.”

Comprising more than 1,100 lots of the world’s most prized wines, the sale also features a compelling selection of Burgundy, including the flagship wines in historic vintages. DRC figures prominently, including a 1993 DRC Assortment, a pristine 6-bottle lot of the mythical 1990 DRC Romanée-Conti, and a DRC-only consignment focusing on original wooden cases with impeccable provenance. In addition, bidders will be delighted to find Coche-Dury’s coveted Corton-Charlemagne across five highly-desirable vintages, and Raveneau Les Clos in rarely seen large format.

In addition, bidders will enjoy in the opportunity to acquire classic Bordeaux from the landmark vintages, including parcel quantities of 1982 Lafite, 1982 Mouton, 2000 Mouton, 2000 Margaux, and 2000 Ausone, as well as a pristine 12-bottle lot of 1989 Petrus.

Coinciding with the Finest & Rarest Wines auction, Sotheby’s will present our first-ever online-only sale dedicated to whisky. Open for bidding now through 16 October, Macallan Online: A Pioneer’s Collection comprises rare and coveted bottlings, including an early ‘90s Armando Giovinetti Special Selection and The Macallan, Millennium (one of 900 bottle released).

Rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from the Personal Cellar of Robert Drouhin
13 October at 10am EST
Pre-Sale Estimate: $952,100/1.4 million
This historic offering of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is emerging precisely after more than 50 years in the cellar of Mr. Robert Drouhin, patriarch of the family-run Maison Joseph Drouhin, who is internationally recognized as one of the wine industry’s most renowned figures. The 100-lot sale will offer DRC vintages spanning from 1937 through to 1964, with only one owner since being removed from the cellar of the world’s most celebrated producer.

The vintages were acquired by Mr. Drouhin and his father, Maurice, directly from DRC, mostly during their time as the exclusive distributors in France and Belgium for the Domaine – a highly-covetable attribute that amplifies the collection’s pristine provenance. Superlative bottles of Maison Joseph Drouhin from Grands Crus will also be on offer from 1959, 1961 and 1962. Separate release available

A Magnificent Selection from the Exceptional Cellar of James H. Clark, Part III
17 November | 10am EST
Pre-Sale Estimate: $2.5/3.5 million
Sotheby’s Wine will present their third sale of coveted wines from the cellar of Mr. James H. Clark, a leading technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. The November sale is a celebration of the great Domaines of Burgundy, namely Leroy (400+ bottles), Ponsot (250+ bottles), de Vogue (600+ bottles), Rousseau (150+ bottles), and Dujac (150+ bottles), focusing on the top vintages of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Sotheby’s had the privilege of offering wines from Mr. Clark’s cellar in November 2014 and September 2015.