THE TOP WINES OF “GRAND CRU OF ITALY” AT GELARDINI & ROMANI WINE AUCTION (AVERAGE BIDS 40% OVER BASE PRICE)... AND COLLECTORS AUCTION FAVORITES

After the Grand Cru Bordeaux and Italy auction (the first one was held in November 2009), here is the updated list of the Grand Cru of Italy, ranked according to highest prices and lowest percentage of unsold lots recorded at the Gelardini & Romani Wine Auction (www.grwineauction.com), the first auction house in Italy specialized in wine which confirms the growing interest in wine investments.

The “Gran Gala” of the “Grand Cru of Italy” has drawn up a special list of the most popular wines at the auction, according to highest bids and fewest unsold lots. “Based on the 2010 bids, we can say,” explained Flaviano Gelardini and Raimondo Romani of the “Gelardini & Romani Wine Auction”, “that the market has largely confirmed, within specific price ranges that collectors and investors prefer Italian wines. Some of the most significant changes compared to the 2009 ranking are: Barolo Riserva Rocche del Falletto Giacosa, which has moved from the second group (150/200 euros) to the first (over 200 euros), increasing the first group to five bottles (over 200 euros) together with the Biondi Santi Brunello Riserva (stable in first place), Masseto (which has moved to second place, instead of Amarone Dal Forno, which is now in fourth place) and Monfortino, which is stable in third place. “Another significant, but obvious change to those familiar with the growing worldwide interest in the great merlot on the Tuscan coast, is the rise of Messorio from the third group (100/150 euros) to the second group (150/200 euros),” the two entrepreneurs pointed out. Even if the “top lot” was the French wine Lafite Rothschild (2009 batch of three 0.75 liter bottles) that a collector purchased for 1.980 euros per bottle, Masseto of the Ornellaia Estate, magnum size (three bottles) was sold at 1.144 euros a bottle. In third place, two lots of three magnum bottles each were purchased at the same price: Le Messorio Macchiole Redigaffi Tua Rita for 1.320 euros (440 euros per bottle). All three are pure merlot.

Among the “Grand Cru of Italy” Masseto 2008, as usual, topped the auction with bids from 396 euros per bottle and 1.144 euros for magnum at average increases of respectively, 67% and 117%. Le Pergole Torte 2008 also fared very well with bids of 100% over the base price both for bottles and magnum. Among the Piedmont wines, Barbarescos of Giacosa did very well. Barolo Riserva Rocche Falletto 2007 of Giacosa was a special case, which mainly because of the very long delivery times (June 2013) was almost completely unsold.

“Customers have understood,” commented Flaviano Gelardini and Raimondo Romani owners of “Gelardini & Romani Wine Auction” the concept of investment in wines; lots of 48 bottles each were sold confirming that investing is obviously the goal. So, wine was not purchased purely for consumption as is usually the case in most auctions”.



Focus – Classification of the Grand Cru d’Italia

First group (from 200 euros up)

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Biondi Santi (Tuscany)

Toscana Super Tuscan Masseto Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
(Tuscany)

Barolo Monfortino G. Conterno (Piedmont)

Veneto Amarone Riserva Dal Forno (Veneto)

Barolo Rocche del Falletto B. Giacosa (Piedmont)



Second group (from 150 to 200 euros)

Super Tuscan Redigaffi Tua Rita (Tuscany)

Amarone Riserva Quintarelli (Veneto)

Super Tuscan Sassicaia Tenuta San Guido (Tuscany)

Barolo Sperss Gaja (Piedmont)

Barolo Brunate Voerzio (Piedmont)

Super Tuscan Messorio Le Macchiole (Tuscany)


Third group (from 100 to 150 euros)

Barbaresco Asili B. Giacosa (Piedmont)

Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Valdicava (Tuscany)

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Soldera (Tuscany)

Super Tuscan Solaia Antinori (Tuscany)

Barbaresco S.Stefano B. Giacosa (Piedmont)

Barolo Granbussia A. Conterno (Piedmont)

Barbaresco Gaja (Piedmont)

Super Tuscan Ornellaia Tenuta dell’Ornellaia (Tuscany)

Barolo Cascina Francia G. Conterno (Piedmont)

Barolo Vigneto Arborina E. Altare (Piedmont)

Super Tuscan L’Apparita Castello di Ama (Tuscany)

Fourth group (from 50 to 100 euros)

Barolo Cannubi Boschis Sandrone (Piedmont)

Super Tuscan Pergole Torte Montevertine (Tuscany)

Super Tuscan Saffredi Le Pupille (Tuscany)

Super Tuscan Tignanello Antinori (Tuscany)

Super Tuscan Oreno Sette Ponti (Tuscany)

Super Tuscan Flaccianello Fontodi (Tuscany)





Focus - “Gelardini & Romani Wine Auction” – November 11, 2010

Name and year, size, average price*, % unsold, % increase*

Chateau Leoville Poyferrè 2009 bottle 145.20 0% 50%

Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2009 bottle 290.40 0% 10%

Montrose 2009 bottle 176.00 0% 33%

Chateau Margaux 2009 bottle n.a 100% 0%

Chateau Lynch Bages 2009 bottle 117.92 50% 22%

Chateau Mouton 2009 bottle n.a 100% 0%

Pontet Canet 2009 bottle 127.60 0% 32%

Chateau Lafite 2009 bottle 1.980 63% 15%

La Croix de Gay 2009 bottle 47.67 0% 81%

Petrus 2009 bottle n.a 100% 0%

Il Borro 2008 18 liters 1.452 0% 22%

Oreno 2008 bottle 49.50 0% 61%

Oreno 2008 magnum 151.80 0% 146%

Le Pergole Torte 2008 bottle 90.75 0% 117%

Le Pergole Torte 2008 magnum 191.40 0% 107%

Tignanello 2008 bottle 52.25 6% 8%

Tignanello 2008 magnum 141.90 0% 24%

Apparita 2008 bottle 109.27 25% 18%

Apparita 2008 magnum 220.00 0% 9%

Ornellaia 2008 bottle 102.96 0% 23%

Ornellaia 2008 magnum 220.00 0% 22%

Sassicaia 2008 bottle 107.80 0% 29%

Sassicaia 2008 magnum 236.50 0% 31%

Redigaffi 2009 bottle 118.80 0% 8%

Redigaffi 2009 magnum 440.00 0% 67%

Messorio 2008 bottle 132.00 0% 36%

Messorio 2008 magnum 440.00 0% 82%

Solaia 2008 bottle 118.80 44% 29%

Solaia 2008 magnum 297.00 0% 50%

Masseto 2008 bottle 396.00 0% 67%

Masseto 2008 magnum 1.144 0% 117%

Amarone Dal Forno 2006 bottle 220.00 0% 22%

Barbaresco Gaja 2008 bottle 123.20 63% 12%

Barbaresco Gaja 2008 magnum 257.40 50% 13%

Barbaresco Santo Stefano Giacosa 2008 bottle 72.60 0% 38%

Barbaresco Riserva Asili Giacosa 2007 bottle 151.80 0% 28%

Barbaresco Riserva Asili Giacosa 2007 magnum 352.00 0%
33%

Sperss bottle 140.80 94% 10%

Sperss magnum n.a 100% 0%

Barolo Ris. Le Rocche del Falletto Giacosa 2007 bottle n.a 100% 0%

Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto Giacosa 2007 magnum 484.00 75% 34%

Granbussia Conterno bottle 118.80 88% 8%

Granbussia Conterno magnum 264,00 0% 22%





* average price = arithmetical average of bids for various lots of the same label and specific size, including auction fees and VAT.

** price increase percentage over the base price