| Wines spanning about 150 years from leading Sauternes producer Chateau d'Yquem went under the hammer in London this month, fetching prices which held firm for top years amid patchier demand for lesser vintages, reports Bloomberg.com.
Bottles from landmark dates such as 1967, 1983 and 1990 matched or came close to prices at similar sales in recent months, while a rare 1847 bottle was snapped up. Less-prized years such as 1943 and 1948, on the other hand, struggled to meet auctioneers' estimates.
While Chateau d'Yquem typically commands prices ranging from about $390 a bottle for the 1990s to triple that or more for 30-year-old wines, top Bordeaux and Burgundy reds from comparable vintages regularly fetch higher amounts.
``Chateau d'Yquem s quite an expensive animal,'' said Stephen Mould of Sotheby's London wine department, adding `Sauternes isn't as hot as red Bordeaux . Sweet wines aren't as fashionable, it's taste.''
d'Yquem is controlled by the world's biggest luxury- goods company LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, which also owns Moet & Chandon in Champagne . LVMH took full control of Yquem in 1999 from the Lur Saluces family, who had owned it since 1785, before the French Revolution.
Its sweet, golden wines are made from grapes affected by noble rot, and while often at their best after 50 or 75 years, they can last two centuries or more in the bottle.
The 1847 wine sold at Christie's this month fetched 8,500 pounds for a single bottle, above its estimate but below the 10,200 pounds paid for a similar bottle auctioned at Christie's last October.
Vintages from the past 30 years may give a clearer idea of demand for the wine.
A case of 1967 Yquem sold for 7,820 pounds at Sotheby's this month, equivalent to 652 pounds per bottle. That compares with two single bottles of the same year which sold for 575 pounds each in January.
Sotheby's and Christie's each sold a case of 1983 Yquem this month, for 2,760 pounds and 2,600 pounds, respectively, up from 2,358 pounds in December and 2,185 pounds last March.
While the 1983 vintage was changing hands at the equivalent of 230 pounds per bottle, seven bottles of the 1990, another highly rated vintage, sold for the equivalent of 193 pounds each at Christie's.
Bottles from 1943 sold this month for less than similar bottles last month and in March 2006, while bottles from the 1948 vintage sold for below their estimate.
For full details, visit http://www.bloomberg.com
For an earlier related article, visit http://www.indianwineacademy.com |
