Wannenes Wine Auctions - Italy’s Top Names Confirmed, Burgundy and Bordeaux Revived

The wine market is definitely experiencing challenges in this moment. The passion for fine wines, however, is a constant among collectors who now more than ever, are picking up excellent opportunities to enhance their cellars. The first “Wine & Spirits” auction in 2025 at Wannenes Auction House was held recently in Milan, selling 80% of the lots, for a total of 323.082 euros at 48% average increases above the starting price. “It definitely was an outstanding auction, marking increases of up to 100% above the starting price, “Flaviano Gelardini, head of the Department, together with Luca Giordana, commented. One of the many highlights, Wannenes explained, was “the surprising and evident recovery in Burgundy and Bordeaux prices, thanks in part to the drastic declines over the past few years”. The auction house highlighted some of the top lots, such as a bottle of La Romanée Domaine Comte Liger Belair that sold for 7.500 euros, and a bottle of La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 that sold for 5.250 euros (+ 45% increase above the starting price). Furthermore, a bottle of Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Meurgers by Henry Jayer sold for 2.750 euros (+ 62% increase above the starting price). Regarding Bordeaux wines, twelve bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild sold for 8.750 euros (+32% increase above the starting price), and a lot including a two bottle and a magnum of Château d’Yquem (1962-1967-1976) sold for 1.875 (+70% increase).
Fine Italian wines also performed extremely well. A 1988 three bottle lot of Le Pergole Torte di Montevertine, sold for 1.250 euros (+ 55% increase above the starting price), and cases of six bottles from 2011, 2012, and 2014, averaged 25% increases above the starting price. Sassicaia of Tenuta San Guido also performed very well, selling out completely. One of the lots was an assortment of eight bottles from 1995 to 2007, which sold for 2.250 euros (+33% increase above the starting price), and another lot was a case of 2019, which sold for 1.625 euros (+ 43% increase), Wannenes explained. Other very interesting lots were a bottle of Giacomo Conterno’s 1999 Barolo Riserva Monfortino, which sold for 937.50 euros (+ 53% increase above the starting price), a six bottle case of Gaia & Rey 2021, which sold for 1.375 euros (+ 45% increase), and several six-bottle lots of Ornellaia in their original cases, which marked increases of up to 45% above their starting price. Masseto also sold very well, as two bottles from 1995 sold for 1,250 euros (+60% increase above the starting price) and a bottle from 2010 that sold for 875 euros (+57% increase). Special mention went to Giuseppe Quintarelli’s historic Amarone and Recioto wines, which all sold at record increases of up to +70%, including a bottle of 1988 Amarone Riserva, which sold for 1.250 euros.
“The only negative note”, Flaviano Gelardini added, “was that some lots from Bruno Giacosa, Bartolo Mascarello, and Giuseppe Rinaldi, were not sold, more than likely reflecting the excessive speculation over the past few years on the secondary market”. The spirits section marked remarkable results as well. An extremely rare 1964 Bowmore 38 Years Old sold for 10.000 euros (+20% increase above the starting price). “It was a special day, which we hope to repeat on December 11th at the next Wannenes “Wine & Spirits” auction, and again give customers the opportunity to taste some of the wines in the catalog” he concluded, “to verify firsthand the state of conservation of the collections up for auction, savoring for instance, unique wines such as a 1985 Château Margaux, a 1968 Barolo Riserva Borgogno, a1995 Cristal, a1988 Tignanello, and a1997 Cascina Francia di Giacomo Conterno”.