ORNELLAIA, MASSETO (FRESCOBALDI), TIGNANELLO (ANTINORI) AND AMARONE (ALLEGRINI) LEAD THE RISE OF MADE IN ITALY WINES IN HONG KONG: AT CHRISTIE’S AUCTION (NOVEMBER 25TH) ITALY TOP, FRANCE “FLOP”.

Italian wines are on the rise in the new wine auction capital of the world: Made in Italy fine wines take everything at Christie’s auction in Hong Kong and beat their highly touted French cousins. Tuscan wines of the Italian Committee of Grand Cru were tops: the trend of previous auctions was confirmed on November 25th in Hong Kong, at the most recent auction of “fine and rare wines” - French wines were definitely down (from Château Lafite to Château Margaux to Haut-Brion) and part went incredibly un-sold, contrary to a lot of Italian wines, up to now ignored by the Chinese, which were sold at much higher prices than the auction base price.

Among these lots, 18 bottles of the Frescobaldi family’s 1997 Ornellaia, that had a start price between 20 and 26 thousand HK dollars (1.922 – 2.499 euros) were sold at 30 thousand HK dollars (2.883 euros). Six bottles of Frescobaldi’s 2006 and 2007 Masseto at a base price of 20-26 thousand HK dollars were sold at 28 thousand HK dollars.

Antinori’s lot of Tignanello – 30 bottles of 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2005 vintages at a base price of 20 thousand HK dollars (1.922 euros) sold at 24 thousand HK dollars. The Piedmont and Veneto wines also faired quite well: particularly Allegrini’s Classic Amarone, 12 bottles 2001 vintage sold at 9 thousand HK dollars (856 euros). The best performance of all was another Tuscan wine of the Italian Committee of Grand Crus, I Sodi of S. Niccolò di Castellare di Castellina: 12 bottles of 2006 vintage in Christie’s catalog at a base price of 4.000- 6 thousand HK dollars sold at 36 thousand HK dollars (3.460 euros).

After the record sale at the first 100% Made in Italy auction in Hong Kong organized by Gelardini & Romani Wine Auction (the number one Italian auction house specialized in wine) – more than 300.000 euros for “legends” like Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Monfortino, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Masseto, Gaja, Barbaresco e Sperss, Biondi Santi, Brunello di Montalcino, Tua Rita, Redigaffi, Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Antinori, Tignanello - held on November 19th, that is still the talk of the town, Italian wine puts another feather in its cap with a huge success in the new wine auction capital of the world and, the door to the important Asian markets where the French reign: at Christie’s auction, however, many French wines sold only at auction base price and many were un- sold.