5 bottles per lot
Details
A SUPERB RANGE OF BURGUNDIES, FROM FASCINATING DOMAINES
This is a collector after my own heart. He made his first trip to Burgundy in the late 1960s, when I was living there, picking grapes, rolling barrels and visiting growers for the first time. Almost all the Domaines in his collection are like old friends, where I have known three generations of wine-makers. When he discovered them, many of his chosen growers were just starting their family's rise to stardom.
He wasn't buying to hoard, or to re-sell, he was buying to drink and share his bottles - which is why the 4 bottles of 1959's got drunk, and so did the few 66's and 69's he could then afford to buy. Drinking great bottles is the best way to hone your palate, to become a canny buyer. And the knowledge he gained, he put to buying larger quantities, as soon as he was able to afford them.
"I have more wine than I am going to drink in my lifetime" says our collector, which prompted the thinning-out. His canny buying means he has accumulated some of Burgundy's most sought-after collectibles. I recommend that Burgundy lovers look closely at these selections, for many bottles look completely irresistible.
Anthony Hanson MW
Senior Consultant
15 Feb 2006
Today's offering is the second and last installment of a truly impressive cellar. All of the bottles I tasted from this collector have been incredibly youthful or show appropriate development for their age. A bottle of the 1997 Méo Camuzet Clos Vougeot stacked against the 1998 showed predictable differences. The 1997 was plump and forward-absolutely ready to be consumed now and matched perfectly well with the roasted duck that accompanied it. On the other hand, the 1998 showed much darker fruits, spice and promises an even better future. The entire collection is full of juice ideal to consume now and plenty that will continue to improve such as Sauzet, Faiveley and Montille.
A sample bottle of the 1997 Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Kabinett from Bassermann-Jordan still shows lovely primary fruit and complementary acidity, while the 1996 Pommard Rugiens from Girardin contains typical Pommard firmness and earthy spice. Who could resist this opportunity to buy such undervalued gems? Buy now to stack your cellar for the summer.
The collection below was removed from temperature-controlled, professional wine storage by Christie's staff.
Dini V. Rao
Romanée-Saint-Vivant--Vintage 1991
Côte de Nuits, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Scuffed labels
"Wonderful aromatics of Vosne spice, black fruit and hints of earth and violets followed by rich, velvety flavors of stunning complexity and exceptional length. This has finally started to open and shows even more promise now than it did before as the hardness of the tannins is melting, revealing classic RSV qualities. Drinkable now but this will undoubtedly be better with a few more years of bottle age. Multiple and consistent notes." BH
5 bottles per lot
This is a collector after my own heart. He made his first trip to Burgundy in the late 1960s, when I was living there, picking grapes, rolling barrels and visiting growers for the first time. Almost all the Domaines in his collection are like old friends, where I have known three generations of wine-makers. When he discovered them, many of his chosen growers were just starting their family's rise to stardom.
He wasn't buying to hoard, or to re-sell, he was buying to drink and share his bottles - which is why the 4 bottles of 1959's got drunk, and so did the few 66's and 69's he could then afford to buy. Drinking great bottles is the best way to hone your palate, to become a canny buyer. And the knowledge he gained, he put to buying larger quantities, as soon as he was able to afford them.
"I have more wine than I am going to drink in my lifetime" says our collector, which prompted the thinning-out. His canny buying means he has accumulated some of Burgundy's most sought-after collectibles. I recommend that Burgundy lovers look closely at these selections, for many bottles look completely irresistible.
Anthony Hanson MW
Senior Consultant
15 Feb 2006
Today's offering is the second and last installment of a truly impressive cellar. All of the bottles I tasted from this collector have been incredibly youthful or show appropriate development for their age. A bottle of the 1997 Méo Camuzet Clos Vougeot stacked against the 1998 showed predictable differences. The 1997 was plump and forward-absolutely ready to be consumed now and matched perfectly well with the roasted duck that accompanied it. On the other hand, the 1998 showed much darker fruits, spice and promises an even better future. The entire collection is full of juice ideal to consume now and plenty that will continue to improve such as Sauzet, Faiveley and Montille.
A sample bottle of the 1997 Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Kabinett from Bassermann-Jordan still shows lovely primary fruit and complementary acidity, while the 1996 Pommard Rugiens from Girardin contains typical Pommard firmness and earthy spice. Who could resist this opportunity to buy such undervalued gems? Buy now to stack your cellar for the summer.
The collection below was removed from temperature-controlled, professional wine storage by Christie's staff.
Dini V. Rao
Romanée-Saint-Vivant--Vintage 1991
Côte de Nuits, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Scuffed labels
"Wonderful aromatics of Vosne spice, black fruit and hints of earth and violets followed by rich, velvety flavors of stunning complexity and exceptional length. This has finally started to open and shows even more promise now than it did before as the hardness of the tannins is melting, revealing classic RSV qualities. Drinkable now but this will undoubtedly be better with a few more years of bottle age. Multiple and consistent notes." BH
5 bottles per lot