AN EXCEPTIONAL PRIVATE COLLECTION OF PORT AND VENERABLE SPIRITS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY
The Property of M. Jacques Seysses
The remarkable collection of port and spirits offered here were, for the most part, inherited by Jacques Seysses - celebrated owner of the excellent Domaine Dujac, and (with Aubert de Villaine) of Domaine de Triennes in Provence - upon the death of his father, M. Louis Seysses, in 1992.
Louis Seysses (1910-1992) was one of France's most noted 'gastronomes'. A successful businessman, (his family biscuit company, Belin, was sold to the American giant Nabisco) his great passions were food, wine and spirits. He held an unusually long 14 year presidency of that most exclusive and infulential gastronomic association, the Club des Cent. What is certain is that being brought up in a climate of interest in food and drink caused Jaques to eschew his training in banking and to enter into the production of top flight burgundy. Dujac was established in the late 1960's - the rest is history.
The purchase of these spirits, most especially the cognacs, has a fascinating history. Most originate from the famous Bordeaux restaurant, Chapon-Fin. The restaurant, which had its heyday between the two world wars, had a legendary cellar. According to the story passed on from Jacques father to him, the restaurant had agreed to sell a substantial parcel of its extraordinary range of 19th century cognacs to a foreign buyer. They were due to be shipped to him just at the time that the Second World War broke out. Apparently the buyers disappeared and the export was blocked and held by French customs. They were forgotten about until they were rediscovered in a warehouse in the mid-1960's, when they were put up for auction in Paris at Hotel Drouot on Tuesday 14 December 1965. It was at this auction that Seysses purchased most of the cognacs. Jacques Seysses still has the original catalogue and invoices relating to his fathers purchases, and these are available for inspection upon request to the Wine Department.
The knowledge, enthusiasm and interest inherent in Louis Seysses clearly passed on to Jacques, for it was he who was responsible for the purchase of the unusually large range of armagnac from Laberdolive, a house that is widely considered to be the finest in Armagnac. In Jacques' own words he explains the circumstance of the purchase as follows:-
"How I bought the Laberdolive Armagnacs
by Jacques Seysses
In the early 60's a friend of my father's, a famous gourmet named Jean Ferté, stormed into my office one day and said "I've found it - the Armagnac gold mine." I replied, "Great, but why do you need me?"
"Because Joseph Laberdolive is 97 years old and will only sell to you if you go down there yourself, taste and help him label, capsule and write your bill."
So I went, and it was perfectly true. The two Laberdolive brothers still had 1904, 1920, 1930 and 1942 in casks. The brothers' policy was to sell in bulk what they considered ordinary vintages and keep the exceptional ones for decades. These all had to be tasted, and then I did most of the work to get the bottles labelled, packed and into the car. I bought some 1904, but mostly the 1930 which is a truly great Armagnac.
I returned after the death of Joseph and was received by his nephew Gérard, a sprightly young man of 67. I was now a valued customer and I can assure you that the hospitality of Armagnac is unrivalled. Tasting began at 10 a.m. - and although interrupted for lunch and dinner continued until 2 a.m. At which point I drove very carefully to the nearest Auberge, and collapsed. I confess to never having returned, I don't have the stamina!"
The bottles offered here have been carefully stored since the respective purchases described above between Jacques Seysses' cellars in Burgundy, and those in Jacques' fathers Neuilly residence. They were sent to London at the end of 1992, and are now offered lying at Christie's.
Saul Rebello Old Douro Port--Vintage 1864
Details
Saul Rebello Old Douro Port--Vintage 1864
Soiled label, slightly damaged. Level top-shoulder
1 bottle per lot
Soiled label, slightly damaged. Level top-shoulder
1 bottle per lot