Might it be the first hint of the festive period? Or are people simply looking for something special to lighten the mood as we head into autumn? Our latest auctions offered up some of the best this region can produce. From the biggest champagne houses to more modest producers, enthusiasts showed themselves to be fans of the fizz in September.
One of the specialities of iDealwine’s auctions is the way it can eek almost unfindable bottles out of their cellars. This is the case for notably mature vintages, as well as cuvées from small, artisanal producers that perhaps sell only to a handful of clients. Among the collectors’ bottles was the “S” cuvée from Salon which went under the hammer for €2,456 to a British buyer. Not such a surprising result considering this champagne comes from the ‘garden’ of Aimé Salon, a single hectare of Chardonnay in Mesnil sur Oger, at the heart of the Côte des Blancs. This cuvée has only been made in 41 vintages since its first in 1905. Maison Krug’s 1979 Brut Vintage was acquired by a Czech collector, just brushing the €1k threshold at €982. We should also note some particularly good bids for the prestige cuvées from Moët & Chandon, including the famous Dom Pérignon (1990: €761, 2000: €491, +38%) and a 1947 Brut Impérial (€283, +11%). Closer in time is the 1996 R.D. cuvée by Bollinger which went for €368, whilst an exceptional 2004 Cristal by Roederer receive a winning bid of €246, +11%.
Independent producers
Some of the more modest champagne makers have also been attracting attention. An assorted case of different lieux-dits where Selosse champagne is made was sold to a Japanese buyer for €2,088. Just 600 of these cases are produced per year, a real rarity that serves as a kind of cartography of Champagne’s terroirs; it includes the lieux-dits Les Carelles (Le Mesnil sur Oger), La Côte Faron (Aÿ), Chemin de Chalon (Cramant), Les Chantereines (Avize), Sous le Mont (Mareuil sur Ay) and Le Bout du Clos (Ambonnay). A German enthusiast got their hands on the Largillier Extra-Brut cuvée from the same producer for €366 (+11%). We should also note the €197 bid by a Belgian wine lover for a blanc de blancs extra brut Les Roises by Ulysse Collin. A great result for bottles produced by Olivier Collin, who trained with Anselme Selosse and is now committed to biodynamic conversion.
These results are evidence of a dynamic market and a continued demand for the treasures of Champagne. A real message of support for some truly exceptional wines.
