SPECTRUM WINE AUCTIONS’ DEBUT AUCTION BRINGS IN NEARLY $US3.5 MILLION ($HKD 26,775,869.60) HONG KONG BUYERS COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE FINE WINES
THE COLLECTION OF AUBREY MCCLENDON AND OTHER FINE PROPERTIES ATTRACTS FURIOUS BIDDING; SPECTRUM SCHEDULES NEXT LIVE AUCTION FOR MARCH 19-20, 2010
Irvine, CA, December 1, 2009 – With a champagne toast and a pound of the hammer, Master of Ceremonies, “Gavel Goddess” and Screaming Eagle Estate Director Ursula Hermacinski kicked off the very first live auction from new auction house Spectrum Wine Auctions last weekend, held simultaneously at the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point, California and Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong. By the wee hours of the following morning (and well into the Hong Kong afternoon), 686 lots and $3,454,944 in fine and collectible wines had changed hands with 100% of lots sold.
“We’re very pleased with our first live auction,” said Spectrum Wine Auctions CEO Greg Roberts. “Buyers and consignors alike responded very well to our pre-auction techniques of a single estimate for each lot and as well as our unique 360-degree photos of a number of the lots. Combined with the lovely settings of The Conservatory at Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong and the Grand Ballroom at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, all this translated to strong sales of both individual lots and overall.” Capacity crowds gathered in the two live auction venues, and telephone and online bidders from around the world joined in the action. In addition to wines bidders brought themselves, Spectrum sampled numerous wines during the auction, including a 1995 Chateau Lafite Rothschild; 1996 Chateau Latour; 1998 Chateau Haut Brion; 2003 Greg Martin Estate and a generous tasting from the Screaming Eagle founders’ newest venture, Jonata Winery.
Case quantities of Burgundies and Bordeaux claimed many of the top spots in the auction, with the strongest showings coming from the top French estates. The top lots from Spectrum Wine Auctions’ Debut Live Auction: Wines from the Collection of Aubrey McClendon and Other Fine Properties were:
Lot
|
Description
|
Bottles/Format
|
Estimate
|
Realized
|
434
|
Romanée-Conti 1962, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$90,000
|
$109,940
|
425
|
La Tâche 1962, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$78,000
|
$80,065
|
48
|
Château Lafite Rothschild 1982
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$27,000
|
$38,240
|
275
|
Château Lafleur 2000
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$15,250
|
$22,705
|
84
|
Château Latour 1959
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$15,250
|
$21,510
|
85
|
Château Latour 1959
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$15,250
|
$21,510
|
54
|
Château Lafite Rothschild 1959
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$15,000
|
$20,912
|
While Burgundies from the venerable Domaine de la Romanée-Conti soared over estimates as well as claimed some top realized prices, some gems sparkled among the blue-chip sales. “The auction offered numerous opportunities to collectors of modest means,” noted Spectrum’s Director of Client Services Amanda Keston. “One interesting lot in particular was lot #665—a single 750ml bottle of 1966 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon; the vineyard's very first vintage.” The bottle sold for $200. “That’s not much to own a piece of history.” A sampling of lots that realized well over estimates included:
Lot
|
Description
|
Bottles/Format
|
Estimate
|
Realized
|
51
|
Château Lafite Rothschild 1961
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$2200
|
$7767
|
398
|
Château Beychevelle 1961
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$1200
|
$3585
|
555
|
Dominus Estate 1994
|
6 x 0.75L
|
$650
|
$1792
|
420
|
La Tâche 1993, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
|
12x 0.75L
|
$5500
|
$14937
|
435
|
Montrachet 2001, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
|
1 x 0.75L
|
$975
|
$2390
|
37
|
Château Lafite Rothschild 1990
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$3600
|
$7468
|
617
|
Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1995
|
6 x 0.75L
|
$3200
|
$6572
|
511
|
Bryant Family Cabernet Sauvignon 1993
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$1900
|
$3883
|
166
|
Château Mouton Rothschild 1966
|
12 x 0.75L
|
$2800
|
$5377
|
659
|
Opus One 1997
|
5 x 0.375L
|
$475
|
$896
|
673
|
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
|
1 x 1.5L
|
$2200
|
$3883
|
Full auction results for each lot are available from the Spectrum web site: www.spectrumwine.com. Spectrum will keep an archive of all the photos of the lots (including the unique 360-degree photos that represented 200 of the 686 lots) and prices realized on the site indefinitely.
With the first live auction just completed, Spectrum is already turning its attention towards the future. They have scheduled their next live auction for two days over March 19 and 20 at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, with a simulcast to Crown Wine Cellars March 20 and 21. In the meantime, wine lovers can check out Spectrum’s online auctions; some will feature wines with $1 reserves.
Spectrum Wine Auctions welcomes enquiries from consignors and collectors. Please contact Amanda Keston at 888.982.1982 for additional information and questions.
ABOUT SPECTRUM WINE AUCTIONS:
Spectrum Wine Auctions, based in Irvine, Calif., delivers a worldwide buying, selling and appraisal venue for collectors of rare and fine vintage wines. Live wine auctions in premier locations from Napa Valley to Hong Kong, as well as online wine auctions that span the globe, offer bidders and consignors alike the opportunity to collect and sell their favorite wines of the world with confidence and ease. Spectrum Wine Auctions is a division of Spectrum Group International, Inc., which includes first-class auction houses in numismatics, philately, and fine arms and militaria, as well as trading of bullion coins, bullion gold, silver and platinum to the wholesale marketplace, and financing on a wide array of collectibles, including coins and currency, bullion, and guns and militaria.