Wannenes auction, Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista vertical auctioned off in a unique lot at €41,600

They were originally meant to be 10 separate lots (averaging between 3,000 and 5,000 euros each), with an overall estimate of 31,000 euros, but in the end, at the clients request and in order to preserve the collection integrity, they were combined into a single lot and sold for 41,600 euros. The protagonist was the complete vertical from 2011 to 2021 in double magnum format of Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista by Tenuta dell’Ornellaia of the Frescobaldi Group, among the “top lots” of the Wannenes auction “The Historical Cellar - Wine & Spirits Auction”, held in recent days in Milan. The auction featured 461 lots from four major collections, including part of the cellar of the historic Milanese wine shop “Vino Vino 1921”. With a sell-through rate of 82%, average increases of 110% over starting prices, and a total nearing 310,000 euros, the results mark a positive start to the semester for the auction house Wine Department. It was an auction dominated by Italian wines and Champagne, with Bordeaux remaining stable and a slight decline in Burgundy.
“Italy dominated the scene, with the complete vertical from 2011 to 2021 in double magnum format of Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista. The 8,125 euros result achieved by the imperial (6 liters) of Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista 2013 is also noteworthy in the same collection, of which only 10 bottles were produced”, explains Flaviano Gelardini, Wine Specialist at Wannenes.
Remaining in Bolgheri, all the Masseto lots in the catalog were also sold, including a double magnum of Masseto 1996 from the Frescobaldi Group, auctioned off at 3,000 euros, and one bottle of the 2016 vintage at 875 euros. Sassicaia by Tenuta San Guido also performed well: the lot featuring a bottle of the 1985 vintage sold for 1,375 euros, while the lot containing a case of six bottles of the 1990 vintage was awarded at 3,250 euros. Another Super Tuscan in the catalog was Tignanello by Marchesi Antinori: the Balthazar (12 liters) of the 2015 vintage was sold for 3,750 euros, while the lot with three magnums of the 1982 vintage changed hands for 1,125 euros.
Remaining in Tuscany, one bottle of Brunello di Montalcino Case Basse 1987 by Soldera was sold for 1,000 euros, while a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino Intistieti 1987, also by Soldera, achieved 1,125 euros.
Among the lots coming from the cellar of the historic Milanese wine shop “Vino Vino dal 1921”, all the Gaja lots were sold, including the standout result of 1,875 euros for 6 bottles of Barbaresco Sorì Tildin 1988. Also from Piedmont, two lots each containing a bottle of Barolo Riserva Monfortino 1990 by Giacomo Conterno were sold for 1,300 and 1,250 euros respectively, while three bottles of Barbaresco Riserva Asili 1996 by Bruno Giacosa were auctioned off at 1,625 euros, and a magnum of Barolo Riserva Villero 1996 by Vietti changed hands for 1,062.50 euros.
From Italy to France, the catalog naturally included major French wines as well. In Bordeaux, the lot containing six bottles of Pauillac 2010 by Château Lafite Rothschild was sold for 3,750 euros, while a bottle of Château Margaux 2000 was awarded at 687.50 euros and a bottle of Saint-Émilion 1990 by Château Cheval Blanc was sold for 812.50 euros.
Turning to Burgundy, prices ranged from 2,250 euros for a bottle of Vosne-Romanée Les Genaivrières 2001 by Domaine Leroy, to 4,000 euros for a bottle of La Tâche 2022 by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Two lots each containing a bottle of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet 1998 by Domaine Leflaive were sold for a total of 1,500 euros, while a bottle of Clos de la Roche 2019 by Domaine Dujac changed hands for 687.50 euros.
Finally, Champagne. All the Salon lots were sold, including a bottle of the 1997 vintage that achieved 875 euros. A bottle of Clos du Mesnil 1979 by Krug was auctioned off at 3,750 euros; two lots each containing a bottle of Clos du Mesnil 1981, also by Krug, were sold for 4,000 euros each; the Krug Collection 1971 reached 2,750 euros; and a Mathusalem (6 litres) of Dom Pérignon Luminous Collection 2008 by Dom Pérignon changed hands for 4,160 euros.
Completing the auction was a selection of spirits, including an 18-year-old 1966 Macallan whisky sold for 1,875 euros and a 17-year-old 1965 Macallan whisky awarded at 1,500 euros.