HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Wine will open the Hong Kong Spring 2021 Sales with Wines from the Cellar of Joseph Lau Part II on 16 April 2021. Following the 100%-sold white-glove success of Part I last season, the sale will present a second offering of the finest French wines from the remarkable collection of the famed entrepreneur and art collector. With a combined estimate of HK$24-34.5 million / US$3-4.5 million, the sale is the first in a three-day series of wine and spirits auctions series, totaling HK$65-95 Million / US$8.5-12Million.
Patti Wong, Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, said: “We are honoured to share a further insight into the incredible cellar of Joseph Lau, a pioneering collector across the fields of art and luxury. With his enduring passion and discerning taste, Mr Lau has curated a monumental collection of the very finest producers and vintages. The sale is a great opportunity to look through the keyhole - into the cellar of one of most legendary collectors of our time.”
Adam Bilbey, Head of Sotheby’s Wine & Spirits, Asia and Europe, says: “The scale and depth of the very finest winesis what sets Mr Lau’s cellar apart from the rest, with an exhaustive inventory from the likes of Henri Jayer, Domaine de la Romaneé-Conti and Petrus. The ability to source these wines on this scale and with great provenance is almost impossible today, and this is testament to his vision and determination to focus on the very best. This spectacular sale continues our tradition of presenting our clients with the most important wine collections from around the world.”
The Part II sale reaffirms Mr Lau’s predilection for large format bottles, with 58 on offer, including a range of vintagesfrom Petrus. Taking centre stage, however, is Henri Jayer - with over one hundred bottles of the fabled Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux. The sale also features historic vintages of Chateau d’Yquem dating back to 1865, a slice of vinous history all on its own.
Sale Highlights
APRIL 16 - WINES FROM THE CELLAR OF JOSEPH LAU PART II
• Château d'Yquem 1865, 1 bottle, est. HK$65,000 – 95,000 / US$8,000 – 12,000
• Vosne-Romanée, Cros Parantoux Henri Jayer 1985, 6 bottles, est. HK$600,000 – 850,000 / US$75,000 – 100,000 (2 cases available)
APRIL 17 - FINEST & RAREST WINES
Totaling 941 lots and estimated in excess of HK$33.5million/US$4.3 million, Finest & Rarest Wines features an array of offerings ranging from drinkable classics to rarities. Spearheading the sale is an exceptional selection of wines from a long-standing client of Sotheby’s, who has an unerring eye for absolute top quality in every wine. Highlights include all the First Growths in various vintages and formats, an assortment of Liger-Belair La Romanée vintages, and a vertical line-up of vintages from Ornellaia’s Archivio Storico.
Also not to be missed are 50 lots of the legendary Henri Jayer from the 1970s to 1990s, including one bottle of the mythical Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1978, four magnums of Cros Parantoux 1986 and two bottles of Richebourg 1986. Lovers of large format bottles are in for a treat, with 84 lots of stunning Bordeaux, Rhône, Tuscany and Napa wines in double magnum to the 18-litre melchior.
APRIL 18 - RARE WHISKY & MOUTAI LIVE | INCLUDING THE BLACK BOWMORE ‘ARCHIVE CABINET’
The inaugural live spirits sale in Hong Kong will present a rare opportunity to acquire the complete Black Bowmore single malt whisky collection direct from the Bowmore distillery. Five archive bottles of Black Bowmore, spanning 1993 to 2016, presented in a truly unique bespoke piece of furniture created by awardwinning craftsman John Galvin, will lead in the sale. The winning bidder will be invited to the Bowmore distillery for a tasting of Bowmore’s rarest and oldest single malts, with proceeds from the sale donated to an Islay charity, further details to be revealed in due course. (Estimated at in the region of HK$4,000,000 / US$500,000)
