1 half-bottle per lot
Details
RUDESHEIMER APOSTELWEIN
Rüdesheimer Apostelwein--Vintage 1727
Rheingau. Ratskeller Bremen. Believed 20th Century bottling
Chipped wax capsules
Tasting note: This wine comes from a large cask in the famous 12 Apostles' cellar beneath the Town Hall or Ratskeller in Bremen. The first time this appeared in a Christie's wine catalogue was in 1829 when it sold for 5 pounds a dozen, a high price at the time. An occasional half bottle has appeared at auction since that date, mainly over the past 30 years. The wine is drawn from the mother cask, which is then topped up with a young Rüdesheimer of appropriate quality. In this way the large volume of the old wine is kept refreshed. I first tasted the 1727 at Schloss Vollrads in 1973 at a tasting of wines of the world to celebrate Count Matuschka's 80th birthday
Another memorable occasion took place at a dinner in Sydney on the evening of my first visit to Australia in February 1977. By way of welcome, my host, the irrepressible Len Evans, had invited the Prime Minister and a group of the best 'palates'. Among other fine and rare wines was this 250 year old Hock. Just as it was about to be served, there was a shattering crash followed by an agonised Australian voice ' Gee Len, sorry; we'll just have to have the 1728'! (The 'waiter', Anders Ousbach, who had dropped a handful of spoons, was a wine expert and opera singer known for his practical jokes.)
On my second visit to Bremen in 1981, I was able to taste the wine from the cask. It had an amber straw colour, the smell of old apples and a nutty, appley taste. Dry. Good length. High acidity. More recently, from a half bottle 'Réserve du Bremer Ratskeller': it was paler than I had previously noted. Sercial madeira-like colour; bouquet reminded me of an old madeira, then more like a raya sherry. After two hours in the glass, a smell of rich old stables and an hour after that, an amazing pungency lingered in the empty glass. On the palate medium-dry, lightish weight, a soft, gentler, slightly toasted old straw flavour, tolerable acidity, and clean finish. Last noted at a dinner to mark the publication of the German edition of my Great Vintage Wine Book in Zürich, Oct 1983 ** for pleasure, ***** for interest. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine
1 half-bottle per lot
Rüdesheimer Apostelwein--Vintage 1727
Rheingau. Ratskeller Bremen. Believed 20th Century bottling
Chipped wax capsules
Tasting note: This wine comes from a large cask in the famous 12 Apostles' cellar beneath the Town Hall or Ratskeller in Bremen. The first time this appeared in a Christie's wine catalogue was in 1829 when it sold for 5 pounds a dozen, a high price at the time. An occasional half bottle has appeared at auction since that date, mainly over the past 30 years. The wine is drawn from the mother cask, which is then topped up with a young Rüdesheimer of appropriate quality. In this way the large volume of the old wine is kept refreshed. I first tasted the 1727 at Schloss Vollrads in 1973 at a tasting of wines of the world to celebrate Count Matuschka's 80th birthday
Another memorable occasion took place at a dinner in Sydney on the evening of my first visit to Australia in February 1977. By way of welcome, my host, the irrepressible Len Evans, had invited the Prime Minister and a group of the best 'palates'. Among other fine and rare wines was this 250 year old Hock. Just as it was about to be served, there was a shattering crash followed by an agonised Australian voice ' Gee Len, sorry; we'll just have to have the 1728'! (The 'waiter', Anders Ousbach, who had dropped a handful of spoons, was a wine expert and opera singer known for his practical jokes.)
On my second visit to Bremen in 1981, I was able to taste the wine from the cask. It had an amber straw colour, the smell of old apples and a nutty, appley taste. Dry. Good length. High acidity. More recently, from a half bottle 'Réserve du Bremer Ratskeller': it was paler than I had previously noted. Sercial madeira-like colour; bouquet reminded me of an old madeira, then more like a raya sherry. After two hours in the glass, a smell of rich old stables and an hour after that, an amazing pungency lingered in the empty glass. On the palate medium-dry, lightish weight, a soft, gentler, slightly toasted old straw flavour, tolerable acidity, and clean finish. Last noted at a dinner to mark the publication of the German edition of my Great Vintage Wine Book in Zürich, Oct 1983 ** for pleasure, ***** for interest. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine
1 half-bottle per lot
Special notice
ParcelWine(Wine sales only). Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 17.850% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €150,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €150,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 17.850% of the first €150,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €150,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.