THE ESPRESSO AND PITTI IMMAGINE GUIDES RELAUNCH THE ‘FINE WINES AUCTION’. ORGANIZED BY PANDOLFINI, SET FOR 8 OCTOBER IN FLORENCE. 200 LOTS OF ITALIAN (SASSICAIA, TIGNANELLO, MONFORTINO, GRAN BUSSIA) AND FRENCH WINES (FROM ROMANEE CONTI TO YQUEM)

The Espresso and Pitti Immagine guides are once again launching the ‘Fine Wines Auction’ organized by the Pandolfini auction house. 200 lots divided equally between Italy and France will be on the auctioning block in Florence on October 8. And there will be many appetizing offers to be made: from the big names among Supertuscans (from Solaia to Tignanello, Guado al Tasso, Lupicaia, Ornellaia and Sassicaia; there will also be Messorio, Scrio, Alceo, Solengo, Apparita, Redigaffi, and the notable Sassicaia Tenuta San Guido 1985 estimated at 600 euros), a lot of Ornellaia Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, limited edition with a numbered case (the vintages are from 2000 to 2003, 12 b) for an estimated 1,000 euros; the most sought after wine of the moment, Masseto Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, will also be available (appearing in large numbers in the catalogue, including magnum and double magnum formats; as well as a selection from 1987 to 2000 subdivided into multiple lots; magnum 2001 at 1,100 euros, magnum 1999 at 500 euros, double magnum 1998 at 1,000 euros.
The Piedmont region will also be largely represented: from the Monfortino 1999 magnum and double magnum, estimated at 500 and 900 euros, to Barolo Sandrone Cannubi Boschis 1990 magnum and 2001 magnum, for 1,000 euros, Barolo Aldo Conterno Gran Bussia, two bottles of 1989 and magnum bottles of the 1990 (1,500 euros). The rich assortment of Italian wines also includes Amarone della Valpolicella dal Forno 1990 - 2 bottles, going for 500 euros.
The two top lots of the auction: an incredible assortment of Domaine de la Romanée Conti 2005 made up of 13 bottles (1 bottle Romanée Conti, 3 bottles La Tache, 2 bottles Richebourg, 2 bottles Echezeaux, 2 bottles Grand Echezeaux, 2 bottles Romanée St.Vivant, 1 bottle Montrachet), going for 23,000 euros (they have already disappeared from the market though they had just been released); the second is another exclusive lot of the 2005 vintage made up of the most important Domaines di Bourgogne, and which are on auction for the first time.
The 2005 vintage in Bourgogne is considered the vintage of the century and has a market value that will continue to grow which only means that those who manage to grab a bottle now will see their investments multiply exponentially.
Continuing through the Pandolfini catalogue (info: Pandolfini auction house, tel. 055/2340888, 055/685698, www.pandolfini.it) we find an assortment of Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1999, 12 bottles for 15,000 euros, another lot that includes wines that are no longer available on the market. Domaine de la Romanée Conti is well represented with another assortment of 2000-2002, as well as single bottles of Romanée Conti, La Tache, Richebourg, Echezeaux, Grand-Echezeaux, Romanée St.Vivant and Montrachet of various vintages. Among the Bordeaux, all of the “premier cru” are present, with various vintages and formats: 2000 Château Lafite Rothschild magnum estimated at 1,700 euros, Château Leoville Las Cases 3 magnum bottles for 1,500 euros, Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2 magnum bottles at 2,200; Château Mouton Rothschild magnum, double magnum and 5 liters for 1,000, 2,000 and 4,800 euros. There are also many lots of the 1990 vintage: Château Latour 1 bottle magnum, for 1,000 euros; Château Margaux 1 bottle magnum at 1,100 euros; Château Montrose 2 bottles, 500 euros; Château La Pin 1 bottle, 1,800 euros; Château Latour 4 bottles, 2,000 euros; Château d’Yquem 1 bottle of 5 liters, 2,800 euros.
The novelty this year is the inclusion of lots of top champagnes: Krug Clos de Mesnil, Bollinger, Cristal, Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon, and Selosse in various formats.