Auction report | July 2020

Wine enthusiasts all over the world were keeping an eye out throughout July to get their hands on some of the finest bottles in the business.

Overall, Bordeaux remained stable at the start of the summer, as was the case for some of Burgundy’s most legendary bottles, including Romanée-Conti whose cuvées have reached a high plateau. The only exception to this is the Richebourg cuvée which sold for €5,280 in the 2000 vintage, an increase of 7%. We’ve seen growth from other domains and appellations, though, and Georges Roumier’s Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses is the perfect example. Several vintages of this wine were put under the hammer in July, with the 1999 reaching the highest price of €3,438, an increase of 8%. In the Rhône Valley, apart from Château Rayas which continues to attract the hearts and wallets of wine lovers, it’s Domaine Gonon that stands out with its Saint-Joseph cuvées (2010 Vieilles Vignes: €688, +124%).

From the Loire valley, a region teaming with little treasures, a sweet 1947 Vouvray from Domaine Foreau sold for €1,842 in July. That’s the price of rarity…Bids also came flying in for the Chinons from Domaine Lenoir (Les Roches 1989: €178, 2001: €154), the Montlouis Le Volagré from Stéphane Cossais (2007: €178) and for Clos Nouveau by Catherine and Pierre Gauthier (2013: €104). And we can’t forget the classics of the region, such as Clos Rougeard and Dagueneau, still just as present and successful in our recent auctions.

Our July catalogues also contained some beautiful Champagne cuvées from the region’s finest producers: 2000 Cristal, 2000 Dom Pérignon, 1996 Ruinart and 1976 Bollinger RD were all particularly coveted. Some of the more modest domains have emerged among the top sales, too, including Pierre Peters, Sélosse and Egly-Ouriet.

In the Jura, all eyes are on Domaine des Miroirs (2015 Entre deux Bleus: €982), whilst the prices haven’t stopped soaring for bottles from Ganevat and the duo Adeline Houillon – Renauld Bruyère. From Savoie, it’s worth pointing out the price reached by Prieuré Saint Christophe’s Mondeuse cuvée: €236 in the 2009 vintage.

In terms of non-French wines, there have been myriad, beautiful bottles from Italy’s Piedmont region doing well, but it’s an American cuvée that steamed ahead in July: the 2016 vintage of Screaming Eagle (Napa Valley) went for a top bid of €2,824. A price that reflects the practically unfindable nature of this bottle.

See our previous auction reports here

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