Attracting more than 550 buyers, the Online Auction that closed on the 29th of April recorded a surge in prices of certain Bordeaux and Burgundy wines. Krug Champagne and aged spirits also garnered good results.
Bidders from 25 countries, from all four corners of the world, competed for the great wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône and Champagne, not forgetting the Loire, as well as some rare and aged spirits.
In Bordeaux, Petrus remained the top performer. Even lesser vintages, such as the 2007 (€1,680), or classic years like 2004 (€1,620), recorded price increases. This trend also benefitted La Fleur Petrus, with the 1995 up 7%, reaching €157. Mouton Rothschild wines from these lesser years, at more attractive prices, were also sought-after and the 1999 sold for €288, up 4%. 1990 was a great year with perfect ripening conditions, and these wines again proved popular, with incredible results for Petrus (€2,700, up 2%), Cheval Blanc (€670, up 8%) and Montrose (€438, up 6%). Another stellar performer was Léoville Barton, particularly the 2000 and 2003 vintages. The only significant decrease was a recent vintage of Lafite Rothschild – the 2011 sold for €391, down 12%.
Those Burgundy wines already scarce in their youth, are now reaching new heights with aged vintages. Domaine Leroy topped the podium, with their best wines nearing €2,000: a Musigny 1978 sold for €1,980 and a Richebourg 1955 for €1,920. Armand Rousseau’s prices jumped in favour of the weak Euro, a factor favoured by buyers from Hong Kong and Singapore. Among the wines sold to Asian buyers, a Chambertin 1988 was awarded €960, an increase of 80% compared to the iDealwine estimate. The 1993 also managed to reach €1,380 (+24%).
In the Côte de Nuits, Échézeaux 1986 of Domaine Dujac sold for €336 to a Japanese buyer. The top Burgundian wines from ready to drink vintages, as well as recent vintages also proved very popular. Among the recently released 2012 vintage, a Chambertin from Rousseau reached €1,140, while a Chambertin Clos de Bèze from the same producer sold for €960. Looking at white wine, prices of Coche-Dury continued its ascent and a Meursault Perrières 1999 sold for €1,260, up 77% on the iDealwine estimate.
From the Rhône Valley, the legendary Château Rayas 1990 of Châteauneuf-du-Pape proved particularly popular, crossing the threshold of €1,000 a bottle – reaching €1,050 to be precise (+15%). Several wines from Rayas registered good results, including a magnum of Côtes-du-Rhône Fonsalette 1978, which sold for €600, or a Pignan 1989 from Rayas, which sold for €168. Great success was also achieved by Hermitage la Chapelle 1985, with a magnum reaching €288 (+40%). Côtes-Rôtie from Guigal also fared well and prices were up on all three flagship wines: La Turque (€228 for a 1996, +12%), La Landonne (€252 for a 1995, +27 %) and La Mouline (€174 for a 2004, +21%).
In Champagne, Krug’s success was undeniable, with a Clos du Mesnil 1979 awarded €2,520, a price increase of 117% compared to the iDealwine estimate. The 1997 “S” by Salon also impressed (€336, +14%), as did the wines of Cédric Bouchard (Roses de Jeanne, La Bolorée).
In the Loire Valley, wines from Clos Rougeard stabilised at high levels, with the Bourg 2005 selling for €232, the Poyeux 2005 for €160 and the Clos 2005 for €110. Old spirits were really sought-after in this Online Auction and an Armagnac Laberdolive 1935 reached €1,080. Also noteworthy was a Colheita 1900 from Niepoort in Porto, which sold to a French buyer for €720.
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