Sotheby’s last sale of the season saw lots of fine Burgundy and Bordeaux realise a total of £1.5m, as bidders competed fiercely to get their hands on sought-after wines.
Leading the sale were 10 bottles of Armand Rousseau’s 1990 Chambertin, and 10 bottles of 1982 Petrus, both of which went for £33,880.
Other top lots included 12 bottles of Rousseau’s 2005 Clos de Beze and 2002 Chambertin, as well as half cases of 1996 and 2001 La Tache, 1998 Haut-Brion, 2000 Mouton Rothschild and 1982 Lafite.
Meanwhile, Domaine Leflaive's 1996 Batard Montrachet had been given a high pre-sale estimate of £5,500 but was eventually sold for £16,940.
Stephen Mould, head of Sotheby’s Wine, Europe, said: “The final London wine sale before the summer break, with temperatures hitting record levels, saw thirsty buyers frantic for white Burgundy. Batard-Montrachet 1996 Domaine Leflaive sold for a mouth-watering £16,940 against an estimate of £4,200-£5,500 and other Grands Crus from this ever-popular producer also soared over their high estimates.
“Red Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Armand Rousseau were flying high, whilst fine collections of other top Burgundy producers, Bordeaux and Champagne were equally in strong demand, taking the overall total to a figure well over the high estimate. We now look forward to a sequence of excellent sales in London, New York and Hong Kong this September.”
