CHRISTIE’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY AUCTION IN LONDON CELEBRATED WITH FINE WINES AND HIGH KNOCK DOWNS: RECORD SUMS FOR FRENCH LABELS. GOOD BIDS FOR SASSICAIA, SOLAIA, AND ORNELLAIA. ANTINORI THE ONLY ITALIAN LABEL INCLUDED IN WINE TASTING TO HONOR THE PRESTIGIOUS

The auction held at Christie’s in London last November 16th celebrated a particular event: the first 40 years of the wine section of the most famous auction house in the world. The lots on sale included prestigious Italian and French labels, and some of the knock downs were notable.
Like, for example, the 7,700 pounds paid for the 12 bottles of Le Pin 2001 Pomerol, or the 6,900 pounds for 6 bottles of Chateau Pétrus 1989. A case of 12 bottles of Chateau Margaux 1990 went for 5,300 pounds and 12 bottles of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild , for a whopping 7,800 pounds. Twelve bottles of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild went for 6,500 pounds, and 6 magnums of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1986 got 5,200 pounds.

The big Italian wines on the list also got excellent results, with the super Tuscans grabbing the highest bids: 2,000 pounds for 12 bottles of Sassicaia 1990 Tenuta San Guido and 1,650 pounds for 12 bottles of Solaia 1990 Antinori. A rare edition of Ornellaia, with 12 bottles from 2000 to 2003, enclosed in a case created by artisans from Bolgheri, got a bid for 1,600 pounds. Other top Italian wines like Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Nobile di Montepulciano and Amarone, also received good bids but nothing truly spectacular.

The only Italian winemaker invited to participate in the other events – wine tastings, conventions, and seminars – in celebration of Christie’s 40th anniversary, was Antinori, that held a vertical tasting of the best years of Solaia and Tignanello (1985, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001) a few days before the auction.

With over 41.9 million dollars in sales made in 2005 in the wine sector alone, Christie’s represents the top wine auction house in the world, and counts 9 locations between Europe and America (New York, Los Angeles, London King Street, London South Kensington, Paris, Bordeaux, Borgogna, Genoa and Amsterdam).