LONDON.- Sotheby's Finest and Rarest Wines sale in London on 17 June 2015 features a mouth-watering line-up of wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Italy and beyond. The 1050-lot auction is estimated to bring a combined total in excess of £930,000.
The sale opens with a collection from the underground cellar of a well-known Michelin-starred restaurant, offering a diverse selection of treasures. The small but powerful array of Domaine de la Romanée Conti is distinguished by the 'landmark' Romanée Conti 2005 and Montrachet 2008. Glittering Champagne features a vertical of Krug Clos du Mesnil and a mixed lot of Billecart Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart. The collection continues with some fascinating mixed lots for current drinking, including a 26-bottle lot of German Rieslings. Also vying for attention is a range of Vintage Port, Madeira, Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados and Whisky.
A complete case of Musigny 1972 from Domaine Leroy opens the next collection with a flourish. Further Burgundy highlights include a 25-bottle lot of Volnay Les Champans 2004 from Lafon and parcels of Meursault, perfect for summer drinking. An attractive group of Italian wines is marked out by Il Caberlot from Tuscany, rarely seen at auction.
All the Bordeaux First Growths from the most sought-after vintages of the last 25 years, together with Grand Cru Red and White Burgundy, are the essence of the next collection, while a fantastic offering of Rousseau, bought directly from the Domaine, spans vintages from 1989 through to 1996.
For Champagne lovers, a unique collection showcases the whos who of the region, featuring Krug Clos du Mesnil, Louis Roederer Cristal, Dom Pérignon Oenothèque and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, in a variety of formats from the 1960s to 2002, nine rare Nebuchadnezzars of aged non-vintage Moët et Chandon, and two Jeroboams of the classic Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque 1995.
Sauternes lovers will not want to miss a vertical collection of Yquem stretching from 1937 through to 1988. The sale also boasts a bottle of Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux 1988 from Henri Jayer, six bottles of Pétrus 1989 in superb condition, and magnums of Chambertin from Dujac, in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages.
Finally, for 70th anniversary celebrations this year, why not crack open a bottle of Taylor 1945? Or for a 60th anniversary, two bottles of La Tâche 1955 could be followed by majestic Fonseca 1955, for a truly memorable evening.