LONDON.- On Wednesday, 23 February, 2011, Sotheby’s London sale of Finest and Rarest Wines will include a plethora of delectable wines, including a superb private collection of top Bordeaux, the finest vintages of Domaine de la Romanée‐Conti produced in the last 20 years, and a selection of Masseto and Ornellaia from the private cellar of Marchese Lodovico Antinori, together with the fruit of the Marchese’s latest wine project, Biserno. The 548‐lot sale has an overall estimate of £1 – 1.28 million.

Serena Sutcliffe MW, Worldwide Head of Wine at Sotheby’s, comments: “This is a really rewarding sale, full of “gold nuggets” and vinous treasures. The Bordeaux and Burgundy are ace, with Pétrus and Romanée‐ Conti itself proliferating. Marchese Lodovico Antinori has also opened the doors of his exciting personal cellar.”

A collection of Bordeaux removed from a pristine Continental cellar opens the sale, including Châteaux Haut Brion, Margaux and Cheval Blanc 1982, and Château Pétrus 1982, 1990 and 1999. 12 bottles of Château Margaux 1982, Margaux, 1er Cru Classé – “An ethereal scent… the texture has real finesse… top prize” (SS) – come to the market with an estimate of £7,000‐9,000 (lot 2). From the same collection 12 bottles of Château Pétrus 1990, Pomerol carry an estimate of £26,000‐32,000 (lot 8).

A second collection comprises an array of the legendary 2005 vintage of Châteaux Lafite, Haut Brion, Mouton Rothschild, Cheval Blanc and Pétrus, often in parcel quantities:

• Château Lafite 2005, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, 3 lots of 6 bottles, est. £4,400‐5,500 per lot (lots 29‐31) – “an absolute ‘must‐have’” (SS)

• Château Mouton Rothschild 2005, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, 4 lots of 6 bottles, est. £2,200‐2,800 per lot (lots 34‐37) – “Absolutely stunning… deeply scented and very exciting… one of the greatest Clarets ever made.”

• Château Pétrus 2005, Pomerol, 5 lots of 6 bottles, est. £11,000‐14,000 per lot (42‐46)

The third collection features the finest vintages of Domaine de la Romanée‐Conti produced in the last 20 years. The collection was shipped to Sotheby’s from the cellar of a prestigious French Château (lots 75‐158). Many are available in small quantities:

• Romanée‐Conti 1992 through 2002 and 2004-2006

• La Tâche 1994 through 2006

• Richebourg 1988, 1990, 1994 through 2002 and 2004‐2006

• Romanée St. Vivant 1990, 1994 through 2006

• Grands Échézeaux 1988, 1993 through 2006

• Échézeaux 1990, 1993, 1995 through 2006

A complete case of Romanée‐Conti 1988, Côte de Nuits, Grand Cru, is another highlight, and carries an estimate of £46,000‐55,000 per 12 bottles (lot 214).
An attractive collection of classed growth Bordeaux includes the following parcels: Château Léoville Barton 2000, St. Julien, 2ème Cru Classé, 12 bottles per lot, est. £850‐1,000 per lot (lots 241‐252) and Château Lafite 2003, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, 12 bottles per lot, est. £10,000‐12,000 (lots 275‐278).

Lovers of mature Claret will be tempted by the mythical Château Latour 1961, 6 bottles, est. £8,000‐10,000, recently removed from the underground cellar of a beautiful London residence (lot 489).

Sotheby’s is honoured to bring to auction a selection of Masseto and Ornellaia from the private cellar of Marchese Lodovico Antinori. Magnums, double‐magnums and Imperials feature in this stunning line‐up, including: Masseto 1990, Bolgheri, IGT, 3 magnums, est. £2000‐2,600 per lot (lot 396), Ornellaia 1990, Bolgheri, DOC, 1
Imperial, est. £900‐1,100 (lot 415), and Masseto 1996, Bolgheri, IGT, individual magnums, est. £500‐700 per lot (lots 407‐410). The collection features the fruit of Antinori’s latest wine project, Biserno. This is the first time Sotheby’s has offered this fabulous Tuscan wine at auction: Biserno 2006, Tuscany, IGT, 6 bottles per lot, est. £400‐500 per lot (lots 426‐429) and, direct from the cellars of Tenuta di Biserno, Biserno 2007, Tuscany, IGT, 6 bottles per lot, est. £400‐500 per lot (lots 431‐434).