A single bottle of Château Latour 1865 was auctioned for HK$812,500 (£80,500), including buyer’s premium, at Christie’s Hong Kong on 30 October, significantly exceeding its pre-sale high estimate of HK$220,000.
The auction also included bottles of Bouchard Père & Fils Burgundy wines from the 1860s, featuring rare selections sourced directly from the estates owned by Artémis Domaines.
Christie’s reported that every lot was sold, culminating in total sales of HK$26 million.
During the time when grapes for Bordeaux’s esteemed 1865 vintage were harvested, Napoleon III was the emperor of France, and the Eiffel Tower had yet to be constructed.
Christie’s announced that a bottle of Latour 1865, which was reconditioned in 1990 with a new label and capsule, was sold in Hong Kong.
It was the joint-top lot of the auction, matching the price of a five-litre jeroboam of the legendary Latour 1961, both fetching HK$812,500 (with a high estimate of HK$650,000).
Nineteenth-century red and white Burgundy from the historic producer and merchant house Bouchard & Père & Fils also found buyers at the auction in Hong Kong.
A bottle of Bouchard Père & Fils’ Chambertin 1865 was sold for HK$625,000, significantly exceeding its high estimate of HK$300,000. Additionally, a bottle of the group’s Montrachet 1864 brought in HK$437,500, well above its estimate of HK$150,000.
In 2022, Artémis acquired Bouchard Père & Fils following a merger deal that included a controlling stake in the Henriot family’s wine business.
Frédéric Engerer, CEO of Artémis Domaines, remarked: ‘This sale demonstrates that collectors place immense value on the provenance and storage conditions of the offered lots, as well as the complete transparency from the estates regarding reconditioned bottles and the traceability features associated with each lot.’
‘This sale further confirms that old and rare wines, particularly those from the exceptional vintages of the nineteenth century, represent a truly unique heritage.’
‘Crafted from pre-phylloxera vines, these wines offer exceptional tasting experiences, yet the carefully curated quantity in our cellars is gradually decreasing.’
Another notable feature included Bordeaux and Burgundy wines from the renowned 1945 vintage.
Three bottles of Bouchard Père & Fils, Musigny Grand Cru 1945 fetched HK$475,000, including buyer’s premium, which is more than double the pre-sale high estimate of HK$190,000.
Three individual lots of Latour 1945 each realized HK$87,500 during the sale, hosted at Christie’s new Asia Pacific headquarters, The Henderson.
Among the wines sold by Artémis Domaines was a remarkable nine-litre Salmanazar bottle of Eisele Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, sourced from Napa Valley, which sold for HK$27,500, significantly exceeding the high estimate of HK$24,000.
According to Christie’s, a striking one in four new participants in the auction were millennials, indicating a growing enthusiasm from the younger demographic of bidders.
Adam Bilbey, who serves as Christie’s global head of wine and spirits, remarked, ‘We are delighted to report a 100% sell-through rate, achieving prices well above our highest estimates. This reinforces the value of quality and provenance in the fine wine sector.’
He further noted that the robust interest from bidders around the globe demonstrated the esteemed reputation of Artémis Domaines’ wines.
In recent years, the prices of certain premium fine wines have seen a decline after a phase of significant increases. Despite this, auction houses have consistently claimed that wines that are rarely available and come with impeccable provenance continue to attract the interest of bidders.