It certainly appears as though the market for fine wine and rare wine is off to a strong start in 2022. Christies offered two private collections made up of 486 different wine lots which sold on February 1, 2022. This auction created an opportunity for incredibly old wine for every level of collector. Some of the greatest wines you can buy were featured in this event and the result was a combined total of $2,083,062 after it ended.

While this fine wine auction may no longer be breaking news, this was among the first wave of large wine auctions of 2022 in the fine wine market. Another recent auction soon to be featured may be more in-line with expectations, but that would still be considered strong by most standards.

Christie’s noted key names such as Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, Screaming Eagle, Château Margaux, Château Mouton-Rothschild, Petrus, Château Haut-Brion, Château Palmer and too many more to easily count. It would be easy to get lost in the two key wine collections coming for bid, and it must have made for a buyer’s dilemma over which wines are investments and which wines must be tried over a very special dinner or occasion.

While perhaps a historic novelty to some, there are wines being offered from the late 1700s all the way through the 1800s and starts of the twentieth century. Items like this simply do not come up for sale that frequently, and bottles of that age would likely see more frequent sales in Europe closer to where they were made.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. Many collectibles now cost thousands of dollars (or much more). Collectors with a passion to own a collectible for years frequently have to compete directly against investors whose only desire is to make a profit in the future. Most of these wines are likely heading into private cellars for consumption, but it seems obvious with these prices that wine investors may have at least been in the hunt to buy wine that will be more valuable years into the future.

Investment wine is sometimes viewed as risky because of the unknown storage conditions it might encounter. Collectors Dashboard has written about secure devices and technologies used to extract the precise amount of wine desired without spoiling or contaminating the rest of the contents or upsetting the condition of the cork. Christie’s Auction house has a world renowned wine department that has generations of expertise and a clean record of secure sales to investors with a pallet for fine wine.

The first online wine sale in Los Angeles for Christie’s Auction House also included an online viewing room to browse through each item. The high sale of the auction was Château Mouton-Rothschild 1953 6 magnums per lot had an estimate of $26,000 to $40,000.00 and sold for $87,500.00.

These are just some of the other great wines that were sold:

• Domaine Dujac, Echezeaux 1990 (1) bottle per lot with an estimate of $1,500.00 – $2,400.00 sold for $1,875.00.
• Salon, Le Mesnil 1982 (2) bottles per lot with an estimate of $2,000.00 – $3,000.00 sold for $4,000.00.
• Château Mouton Rothschild 2000 (12) bottles per lot with an estimate of $17,000.00 – $20,000.00 (this was the image in the press release). The lot of 12 bottles sold for $35,000.00.
• Petrus 2016 (3) bottles per lot with an estimate of $7,500.00 – $10,000.00 sold for $22,500.00.
• Bonneau du Martray, Corton-Charlemagne 1994 & 2008 (6) bottles per lot with an estimate of $500.00 to $800.00 sold for $2,125.00.
• Bonneau du Martray, Corton-Charlemagne 2015 & 2016 (8) bottles per lot with an estimate of $800.00 to $1,200.00 sold for $2,250.00.
• Chateau Margaux 1953 (4) magnums per lot with an estimate of $18,000.00-$30,000.00 sold for $75,000.00.
• Screaming Eagle 1997 (3) bottles per lot with an estimate of $10,000.00-$15,000.00 sold for $30,000.00.
• Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Michel Couvreur label, “Mise du Domaine Rousseau” 1962 (1) bottle per lot with an estimate of $10,000.00 – $17,000.00 sold for $11,250.00.
• Domaine Leroy, Clos Vougeot 1990 (10) bottles per lot with an estimate of $15,000.00-$25,000.00 sold for $35,000.00.

There were multiple bottles of Port wine from Bolger and other producers in the 1800s. These generally range with estimates in a few hundred dollars on up to about $5,000 per bottle. Here are two more of the many:

• Barbeito Terrantez 1795 (1) bottle per lot with an estimate of $8,500.00 – $10,000.00 sold for $15,000.00. A second identical lot also for $15,000.00.
• Zimmerman Lipot Tokaji Essencia 1889 (1) half liter bottle per lot with an estimate of $2,000.00 – $3,000.00 sold for $2,375.00.

The big question remains concerning wine from the 1700s and 1800s. Almost certainly, the age of it restricts the interest in consumption. Perhaps these are being displayed for museum or trophy pieces to highlight wonderful collections.

According to Christie’s press release (Image above by Christie’s press release):

“Christie’s Wine Department in America is pleased to announce our first online sale based in Los Angeles, Fine & Rare Wines Including Two Outstanding Private Collections. Over 100 lots come from the superb cellar of Dr. Robert Maliner, who has bought and sold with Christie’s for more than fifty years. Of special note is his exceptional collection of Madeira, which includes many rare bottles such as 1795 Barbeito Terrantez and 1863 Blandy’s Malvasia Solera. Another 97 lots come from an expertly curated cellar, assembled by a knowledgeable collector over many years. The collection includes some fantastic rarities from some of Burgundy’s greatest Domaines, including Domaine Leroy’s 1990 Clos Vougeot and Domaine Armand Rousseau’s 1978 Chambertin. From California, we have a rare offering of every vintage of Screaming Eagle from 1993 to Present. Rounding out the sale are top-notch favorites such as Lafite, Mouton, and Petrus, and an outstanding selection of mid-century Ports and Madeiras.”