ROMANÉE CONTI DOMINATED GELARDINI & ROMANI WINE AUCTION IN ROME: 4613 EUROS FOR A 2006 BOTTLE AND 3354 FOR A MONTRACHET 2003 VINTAGE. MAJOR AWARDS FOR ROEDERER CRISTAL, KRUG CHATEAU D’YQUEM ... ITALIAN WINES OK

Romanée Conti is the King of the Gelardini & Romani (the only Italian auction house specializing in wine) Wine Auction in Rome. On May 20th, a bottle of vintage 2006 was auctioned at 4613 euros. Top price also for the only white wine produced by Romanée Conti: 3354 euros for a bottle of 2003 Montrachet. Excellent results for Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne: the 2002 Imperial version came in second place on the virtual podium of the top awards, with a quote of 3,774 euros. The Krug Collection 1964 magnum was awarded best increase in base price (+111%) at 2276 euros.
Due to the large turn out of national and international buyers, 80% of the lots in the catalog were sold with an average increase of 30% per lot on the auction base prices. Despite the climate of economic uncertainty felt throughout the world, the market for great “collectible” wines seems to know no crisis. On the other hand, the road to the cellars of the great collectors is still uphill for several Italian wines, which have been candidates for this critically important award for many years.
The results are lower compared to last year, ”says Raymond Romans, deus ex machina, with Flavio Gelardini of “Wine Auction”. It was adversely affected by the particularly poor demand, well below expectations for some wines included in the catalog for the first time. One third of the lots in the catalog - Montevetrano, Miani, Campoleone, Turriga and Carnet were unsold or awarded at first price. Burgundy wines from Village to Grand Cru, the Champagnes and the Riesling della Mosella wines did very well and confirm the excellent demand recorded last year. The Sagrantino “25 years” of Caprai, the Terra di Lavoro of Galardi and the wines of Quintodecimo (Fiano, Falanghina, Aglianico) got off to a good start this year and are headed on the path that leads to the great collections, continued Romani, “nearly all the lots found buyers and there were some significant increases”. The next meeting is in September. The auction will be dedicated to the “grand cru” wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Super Tuscans, from two important private collections.
Info: www.grwineauction.com

The Auction - “Wine Auction” Top 10
1) Domaine Romanée Conti, Romanée Conti 2006 (1 bottle) Euros 4.613
2) Louis Roederer, Cristal Champagne 2002 (1 Imperial, 6 liters) Euros 3.774
3) Domaine Romanée Conti, Montrachet 2003 (1 bottle) Euros 3.354
4) Domaine Romanée Conti, Montrachet 2005 (1 bottle) Euros 2.635
5) Domaine Romanée Conti, Montrachet 2002 (1 bottle) Euros 2.396
6) Krug, Champagne Collection 1964 (1 Magnum) Euros 2.276
7) Domaine Romanée Conti, La Ache 1990 (1 bottle) Euros 2.156
8) Domaine Romanée Conti, La Tache 1952 (1 bottle) Euros 1.557
9) Louis Roederer, Cristal Rosè Champagne 2002 (1 magnum) Euros 1.437
10) Chateau d'Yquem 2005 (3 bottles) Euros 1.317