NEW YORK, NY.- On 28 April 2012 Sotheby’s will present an offering of wine direct from two of the world’s most prestigious wine makers – Château Cheval Blanc and Château Yquem. The Cheval Blanc and Yquem 1892 – 2009 Direct From The Cellars auction follows the landmark sales of these wines in London and Hong Kong, both of which significantly exceeded the high estimate. Until being shipped to New York for the auction none of these wines have left the cellars of the Châteaux in which they were produced. With vintages from 1892 -2009 the sale spans over a century and includes over 3,000 bottles grouped into 400 lots including a very large selection of rare and sought after large format bottles. Overall the auction is estimated to fetch $1.3/2 million. Prior to the sale Pierre Lurton, General Manager of Château Cheval Blanc & CEO of Château d’Yquem and Serena Sutcliffe MW, Jamie Ritchie and Duncan Sterling from Sotheby’s will travel to Latin America for events in São Paulo, Rio de Janerio and Mexico City.

Serena Sutcliffe MW, International Head of Wine at Sotheby’s, said: “We are thrilled to bring to New York this historic sale of Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem, two of the finest wines in the world and huge landmarks on the vinous horizon. This is a fabulous collection of extraordinary vintages, all of which come direct from the cellars of these two iconic châteaux. Both wines are unique examples of excellence, providing some of the greatest tasting experiences known to wine lovers – and certainly providing me with some of my most extraordinary memories in a life devoted to the subject!.” Jamie Ritchie, Head of Sotheby’s Wine, America and Asia, said: “We have seen tremendous growth in the number of Latin American collectors participating in both our auction and retail sales as well as a resurgent US market and I am sure that the chance of acquiring Cheval Blanc and Yquem with such unique direct from the Château provenance will prove irresistible to collectors throughout the Americas. I am looking forward to meeting many of them at our events in Brazil, Mexico, and New York prior to the sale. ”

Château Cheval Blanc
Château Cheval Blanc dates from 1832 when the first part of what is now the Cheval Blanc estate was acquired from the Figeac estate. The wine has long been synonymous with the highest quality and won medals in the London and Paris International Exhibitions in 1862 and 1867 that are still displayed on the labels today. Cheval Blanc is known as one of the most consistent wines in the world that tastes magnificent at any age. This extraordinary balance is a result of the unique terroir that gives Cheval Blanc both the richness and opulence of wines made on clay and the close knit tannic structure of those from more gravely soil. Cabernet Franc is the main grape variety used in Cheval Blanc wines but it is balanced with a large proportion of Merlot. There are approximately 37 hectares of vines that, on average, are around 40 years old. Château Cheval Blanc is one of only two St Emilion Châteaux to be awarded the top Class A classification.

1947
One of the most iconic Cheval Blanc vintages – 1947 – features in the sale and it is available by the bottle or magnum. The 1947 vintage is known as one of the great Bordeaux wines and has been described by Serena Sutcliffe MW as “quite unlike all other red wines.” The sweltering summer created a vintage that has built up an extraordinary reputation and is often compared to Port because of its power and sublime sweetness.