A 5 litre bottle of Petrus 1982 set a new record at Brightwells’ auction on 8th July.
The Bordeaux Jeroboam, one of only 40 produced, set pulses racing and attracted bidders from around the world. An intense battle between European and Far Eastern buyers ensued and the £25,000 hammer price was the biggest ever for a single bottle of wine at Brightwells.
Other French Red highlights included 12 bottles of Chateau Latour 1970 (£1,550), 6 x Domaine Prieure Roch 2009 Nuits St Georges (£1,900) and 6 x Thierry Allemand 2010 Cornas Reynard (£1,150).
The sale featured over 600 lots of Wine, Port, Champagne and Whisky and attracted a worldwide audience. Bidders from the UK, France, Scandinavia, the US, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea did battle over the internet and ensured a clearance rate of over 90%.
An excellent Champagne selection included a 2 bottle lot of Krug 1964 which sold for £1850 and a similar lot at £1800.
Although not traditional Port drinking weather a few bidders obviously had their eyes on Christmas as a large number of mature Vintage Port Lots sold well over reserve. The top Port lot on the day was an excellent case of Taylor’s 1963 which saw the hammer fall at £950.
The Spirits section contained some real gems. A 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon sold at £1350. The star of the show was an 1802 Napoleon Reserve Cognac, produced at the Imperial Palace. This handblown bottle was the source of much international interest and finally sold for £1600.
Prices held up well against market values on the whole, with some solid signs of returning confidence, despite the uncertainty linked to global events that we have seen in recent years.
Brightwells are inviting entries for their Wines and Spirits Auctions in September and October.
For information about buying and selling at auction please contact Paddy Shave on 01568 619719 or paddy.shave@brightwells.com