Domaine Clos des Lambrays
Clos des Lambrays 2011 150cl 278.00* (Swiss Francs)
Clos des Lambrays 2013 75cl 159.00
Clos des Lambrays 2014 75cl 159.00
Clos des Lambrays 2014 150cl 323.00
Clos des Lambrays 2016 75cl 225.00
Clos des Lambrays 2016 300cl 960.00

Domaine Bruno Clair
Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny 1er Cru 2016 75cl 115.00
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2016 75cl 325.00
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2016 75cl 385.00

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville
Volnay Fremiet 1er Cru 2016 75cl 105.00
Volnay Champans 1er Cru 2016 75cl 129.00

The price you see is ‘delivered’ but ex 8% Swiss purchase tax. My throwaway remarks are that we can see a significant price increase at Lambrays since it became part of LVMH, also that Bruno Clair’s 2016 Bèze, despite being one of my wines of the vintage, is simply far too expensive…

Following up on my previous post – ‘already time for jayer’s records to fall?‘ – Finally some detail is available from Sotheby’s on their October sale.

I’d assumed Romanée-Conti 1945 to be a unicorn wine, but that can’t be, because there are two bottles in this sale – and for the first time in 15 years, Rudy Kurniawan hasn’t been anywhere near an RC 1945 label!

I must say that the pre-sale estimates for the 1945s look laughable – how about 100k+ per bottle, or 250K? I think much higher, I expect the record from the Henri Jayer sale to be obliterated!

I asked the question, but it seems that Robert Drouhin doesn’t want to do any interviews on the subject of this sale, that said, I still managed to relay a question through ‘channels’ along the lines of: “I was interested in one of the videos that Maurice wrote back to his wife (from German prison) to tell her that it was time to start bottling one of the vintages of the DRCs. For the French/Belgian markets; was that a decision for the maison, rather than the domaine? Or simply because Maison Drouhin elevaged their own barrels – or…?” To which I kindly recieved the following response:

“We have little in the way of archives but in a couple of letters from Maurice to his wife we see that he purchased part of the wines of DRC (but not RC) in the 1938 & 1940 vintages (La Tâche, Richebourg, Grands Echezeaux…) Maurice decided on the bottling of those wines. The corks and labels were provided by the Domaine. We don’t know for 1939.”

Fascinating…

– – – – – – –
Sotheby’s Press Release:

An Historic Offering of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
*The World’s Most Celebrated Producer*
Featuring 100 Lots of Legendary Vintages Spanning from 1937 to 1964
Emerging from the Personal Collection of Mr. Robert Drouhin,
Patriarch of Maison Joseph Drouhin & Longtime Distributor for DRC
As Close to a Direct-from-the-Cellar Auction of DRC as Has Ever Been Held
Auction 13 October at Sotheby’s New York

NEW YORK, 16 August 2018 – Sotheby’s is honored to present Rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from the Personal Cellar of Robert Drouhin in a dedicated auction of 100 lots on 13 October 2018 in New York. This historic offering of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is emerging precisely after more than 50 years in the cellar of Mr. Robert Drouhin, patriarch of the family-run Maison Joseph Drouhin, who is internationally recognized as one of the wine industry’s most renowned figures.

The sale will offer DRC vintages spanning from 1937 through to 1964, acquired by Mr. Drouhin and his father, Maurice, directly from DRC, mostly during their time as the exclusive distributors in France and Belgium for the Domaine – a highly-covetable attribute that amplifies the collection’s pristine provenance. Superlative bottles of Maison Joseph Drouhin from Grands Crus will also be on offer from 1959, 1961 and 1962. The sale this October will present collectors with an unmatched opportunity to acquire legendary vintages of DRC, with only one owner since being removed from the cellar of the world’s most celebrated producer.

This unprecedented selection comes to market during a remarkable surge in demand for wines from Burgundy, which has steadily increased over the last five years. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti reigns supreme within the region – in fact, DRC has led Sotheby’s Wine’s Annual Market Report as Top Producer every year since we began our yearly rankings in 2013.

WATCH: ROBERT DROUHIN RECOUNTS THE AMAZING STORY OF HIS FAMILY’S ESTATE AND PERSONAL WINE CELLAR

Robert Drouhin said: “It is a great pleasure to offer these 100 lots at auction with Sotheby’s Wine in October. These wines span four decades and are filled with remarkable and historic vintages from one of the world’s greatest Domaines. I have had access to these remarkable wines for many years, given that Maison Drouhin was the exclusive importer of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in France and Belgium from the late 1920’s to the early 1960’s. The wines being offered have never left Beaune and have been in my private cellar, undisturbed, for more than 50 years. I have been fortunate to enjoy many of these exceptional bottles with friends and family over the years, and now it is time to share them with others. I hope that the buyers of these wines will know how scarce they are, how good the wines should be, and drink them with friends and family who can appreciate and enjoy them the right way.”

Serena Sutcliffe, MW, Honorary Chairman of Sotheby’s Wine, commented: “It is a great privilege for us to offer this historic collection of wines from the Drouhin family’s legendary cellar. This is an enchanted kingdom in the realm of wine and we are honoured to be asked to bring these precious bottles to auction. The vintages are among the greatest ever made in Burgundy, both extremely rare and gloriously individual. The perfect provenance stems from the long relationship between the Domaine de la Romanée Conti and the Drouhin family, two of the most respected names in Burgundy. The breathtaking line-up of DRC’s stunning vineyard sites brings back memories of vocabulary-defying wines that are imbued with the excitement and complexity of tasting at its pinnacle. One can hardly believe that these wines still exist – but, happily, they do! The icing on the proverbial cake is in the Drouhin Grands Crus from three show-stopping years, a complement to the DRC treasures. This is Burgundy’s Gift to the World.”

WATCH: SERENA SUTCLIFFE DELVES INTO THE PERSONAL CELLAR OF ROBERT DROUHIN

ABOUT MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN

Maison Joseph Drouhin is internationally recognized as one of Burgundy’s foremost négociants and wine producers.

Established in 1880 by Joseph Drouhin, the domaine began acquiring vineyards in 1919 under the direction of his son, Maurice, after years of solely purchasing grapes to produce the quality wines for which it had become known in Beaune. Over several years, Maurice fostered close relationships with some of Burgundy’s most prominent families and business owners, including those of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. From circa 1928 through to circa 1964, Maison Drouhin was the exclusive distributor of all DRC wines in France and Belgium – a highly-respected position that also afforded Maurice the opportunity to own many valuable pre-war wines, some of which will be offered in the October sale.

With so many great wines in the cellars of Maison Drouhin, the collection became a target for the Germans during World War II. Acutely aware of the value of these precious commodities, Maurice built a wall inside the cellars – a labyrinth of ancient paths and vaults located underneath the city of Beaune — to conceal an impeccable selection of wines, largely comprised of DRC. His son Robert, then just 8 years old, gathered cobwebs and dirt to spread about the fortress in an effort to hide the newly-built chamber. Maurice’s instinct to hide the wines would soon prove to be sound. In August 1941, he was arrested by the German police while on his way to the Hospices de Beaune, a well-known charity hospital where he served as vice president.

Accused of engaging in anti-German activity, a result of his suspected role in the French Resistance, Maurice remained in prison for several months. While in custody, he often wrote to his wife, Pauline, about how best to safeguard their cellar and the Drouhin business. It was on a visit to see her husband that Pauline delivered the news of an exciting opportunity: DRC was prepared to sell half of its business, and Maison Joseph Drouhin, their largest distributor, could acquire a significant portion of the estate. While imprisoned, Maurice was unsure of his fate and also unable to obtain a bank loan, so he declined to purchase shares of the famed producer.

Though he was released in February 1942, in June 1944, Maurice again found himself a target of German forces, who were prepared to re-arrest him, having now obtained sufficient evidence to support their initial suspicions. Maurice had anticipated the likely event, and as officers knocked on the door of his Beaune home, he escaped through a window and descended into the cellars, which ran from the Drouhin’s home to the Hospices de Beaune. It was buried beneath Beaune where Maurice would remain hidden by nuns from the Hospices until the city was liberated in September 1944.

After the war, Maurice returned to work fulltime for Maison Drouhin until he suffered stroke in 1955. Having remained in the Drouhin family for more than a century, the management of the domaine was transferred in 1957 to his son, Robert Drouhin, who grew the burgeoning company into a dynamic and expansive global business with vineyards located throughout the Côte d’Or, Chablis and Oregon. Today, Maison Joseph Drouhin is managed by the founder’s four grandchildren, Frédéric, Véronique, Philippe and Laurent, who, under the tutelage of their father, Robert, continue to uphold their family’s legacy and “passion for vine and wine”.
 

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
ROMANÉE CONTI | 16 Lots

• 1 MG 1937 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $30,000 – $40,000 (3 Lots)
• 1 BT 1938 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $20,000 – $30,000
• 1 BT 1945 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $22,000 – $32,000 (2 Lots)
• 2 BT 1954 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $20,000 – $30,000
• 2 BT 1959 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $13,000 – $18,000 (2 Lots)
• 2 BT 1961 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $18,000 – $25,000
• 2 BT 1962 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $16,000 – $24,000
• 2 BT 1964 Romanée Conti, DRC est. $15,000 – $20,000

LA TÂCHE | 23 Lots

• 1 BT 1941 La Tâche, DRC est. $3,000 – $4,000
• 1 BT 1942 La Tâche, DRC est. $4,000 – $6,000
• 3 BT 1943 La Tâche, DRC est. $11,000 – $15,000
• 3 BT 1945 La Tâche, DRC est. $18,000 – $26,000 (2 Lots)
• 3 BT 1949 La Tâche, DRC est. $15,000 – $20,000 (2 Lots)
• 1 MG 1959 La Tâche, DRC est. $10,000 – $15,000 (4 Lots)
• 4 BT 1964 La Tâche, DRC est. $10,000 – $15,000

RICHEBOURG | 47 Lots

• 3 BT 1947 Richebourg, DRC est. $9,000 – $15,000 (4 Lots)
• 3 BT 1952 Richebourg, DRC est. $10,000 – $15,000 (12 Lots)
• 3 BT 1959 Richebourg, DRC est. $9,000 – $15,000 (10 Lots)
• 3 BT 1961 Richebourg, DRC est. $5,000 – $7,500 (10 Lots)
• 3 BT 1964 Richebourg, DRC est. $10,000 – $15,000 (2 Lots)

MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN | 9 Lots

• BT 1962 Griotte Chambertin, Maison Joseph Drouhin est. $6,000 – $9,000 (2 Lots)
• 6 BT 1959 Clos de la Roche, Maison Joseph Drouhin est. $4,000 – $6,000 (2 Lots)
• 6 BT 1962 Bonnes Mares, Maison Joseph Drouhin est. $6,000 – $9,000 (3 Lots)
• 6 BT 1961 Musigny, Maison Joseph Drouhin est. $9,000 – $12,000 (2 Lots)

– – – – – – –

Only last month was that (in)famous Jayer sale – the sale of the century – but already a new sale of the century is on its way. You will have to wait until August to see the details of the collection though, and October for the sale!

I had the feeling that it was highly unlikely that there was another bottle of 1945 Romanée-Conti left in this world – several hundred more having been drunk than were ever made! But it seems from this video that Robert Drouhin may have one – maybe more – certainly there are scores of DRC from other (old) vintages. This should come as no surprise, given that Drouhin were the distributors of DRC in France and Belgium from 1928, indeed they were the largest distributor of the domaine’s wines.

Serena Sutcliffe describes Robert’s cellar, a portion of which they will be selling in New York, as a “jewel-box of a personal cellar,” and she’s probably not even started contemplating all those bottles of Drouhin’s Musigny – all at least 50 years old. I’ll be very interested to see the catalogue of wines – I expect that the records set by the Jayer wines are about to be tested!

There really is no normal opportunity to get these wines.
Serena Sutcliffe, Sotheby’s

Enjoy the video:

So yesterday I posted an on-the-spot snapshot of Sunday’s Geneva-Jayer sale, today I’ll make a few relevant points. It’s stating the obvious that a number of the bottles will certainly be corked – Jayer had some issues in the mid-1980s – but I believe that only two things really need to be addressed – pricing and worth.

Pricing – and Provenence – they cannot be separated
Let’s forget that this is wine for a moment; get a couple of egos in any auction room – regardless of what is being auctioned – and the prices will very quickly cease to reflect reality, or at least whatever was previously taken to be reality! And let’s be clear, there were many more than ‘a couple’ of well-healed egos represented here.

Then there is one small word to be considered – provenance.

Of course, the moment that wine is removed from a producer’s cellar – whatever the logistical chain – it becomes less ‘pure.’ This wine, came directly from Jayer’s cellar – Emmanuel Rouget says so, the daughters of Jayer who were at the auction and took part in a dinner to celebrate the auction, with the auctioneer at the 2* Michelin restaurant of the auction venue, also say so. In a world where most of the Jayer that’s offered for sale is potentially fake – and for some auction houses probably fake – it doesn’t get better than this. People connected to other auction houses and businesses associated with the sale or authentication of wine will snipe, and even concoct potential scenarios where these wines may still not be as purported – but if you must have Jayer – any Jayer for your own cellar – this was a one-off. In the modern world this was as good as it gets.

Of-course, in a world of Coravins and industrial duplication, once this wine is distributed around the world, pretty oak cases and new prooftags aside, you will never be able to look at it again with the same certainty – but if you must have Jayer – any Jayer for your own cellar – this was a one-off. In the modern world this was as good as it gets.

Of-course, the auctioneer, Baghera, began their business selling what at first glance looked like a lot of wine bearing multiple warning signs that the bottles were junk. And they have never meaningfully addressed the legitimate concerns of those that pointed to the inconsistencies of those bottles and labels – save for pulling a few lots out their auctions – but what happened to those bottles? Essentially, were the family of Jayer and Emmanuel Rouget not fully behind this exercise there would be no credibility. Baghera put on a great show – they also earned about chf 7 million from their commissions. Would I rather it was an auction house that established their credentials with impeccable wine of impeccable provenance – of-course – but if you must have Jayer – any Jayer for your own cellar – this was a one-off. In the modern world this was as good as it gets.

Of-course, the question on everyone’s lips now is ‘What does that mean for the pricing of the wines from Domaine de La Romanée –Conti?’ Can the village Vosne of Henri Jayer actually have more worth than a bottle of Romanée-Conti itself? As a one-off auction, it could; specific vintages aside, there is more Romanée-Conti every year. There is no more Jayer – no more real Jayer anyway. In the longer term, and in the absence of significant fiscal upheavals, this irrational exuberance is unlikely to abate – DRC will regain the top spot, it’s only a question time.

Worth

I’ve (allegedly) had two Jayers in my glass. The first I didn’t believe, the second was credible but not mind-bending.

Friends, colleagues and vignerons all attest to the greatness of what Jayer did, but I and they agree that in the modern vernacular of wine production, Jayer is not exceptional. In fact there are producers today that make wines that are probably better than those of Jayer – and so they should – because they have largely better weather today, a better technical understanding and better equipment. It’s not just those things though, it’s because they have built on what Jayer and others pioneered, aided in no small measure by having the type of money to invest in the tiniest of details that Jayer couldn’t have dreamed of.

Jayer was the best of his era, and whilst I believe his Cros Parantoux may have been better than his Richebourg – because it’s still like that chez Méo, at least for those two parcels and my palate – I doubt very much that it’s as good as La Tâche in the same vintage. That’s still a very high bar of achievement, mind!

Drinking Jayer is naturally about drinking exceptional wine, but it is more about the persona of Jayer and drinking history – history is special and finite – in this world it’s crushingly expensive too.

In full flow…

My pre-sale post.

Henri Jayer, 12 years after his death, remains an iconic winemaker.

It seems a shame then that his life was reduced to mere money yesterday, though it was quite a final payoff for the family, a number of whom were hidden in the Geneva hotel where the sale of (what is said to be) his last bottles took place: 855 bottles and 209 magnums delivering a sales result of 34.5 million swiss francs* (US$ 34.6 million) – the family had anyway drunk most of his remaining Richebourg!
Includes commission.

A place not with the easiest of access, but the hotel was beautifully situated with views over the vines of Canton Genf (Geneva). “The sales room doors will close at 2pm for the auction” said PR Emily Drouhin – seemingly that was more in hope than expectation – at 14h05 the sales room was still only half full, though one thing was clear, the target audience for this sale, or at least the appearance of those that have taken their seats, was predominantly the Orient – maybe 80% so.

As the clock ticked to 14h10, there seemed as many people with bidding paddles keeping cool in the foyer, as had taken their allotted seats – magnums of Vincent Girardin 2012 Corton-Charlemagne helping to soothe their heated palates. I noted one Gil Lempert-Schwarz in the audience, it seems he’s bidding – that’s okay then – I wouldn’t touch anything that he’s selling with a barge-pole!

Eventually, maybe 15 minutes later than scheduled, we get underway with three bottles of 1988 Nuits St.Georges – they sell for 20k** (swiss francs), then a single bottle for 10k, then a dozen 1991s start slowly, they hover around 60k for a long time, before the hammer falls at 75k – modest after the first lots – maybe everyone just wanted to be first! No. 3 bottles of 1996 go for 22k and we are off again.

Can this go on? It’s 1997 Nuits next, a modest vintage for drinking now, but what do I know? 42k! Okay, that was for 6 bottles and it’s only double the high estimate in the catalogue! They went to a bidder in France – Thibaut Marion of Maison Segiun-Manuel fielding one of the phones on behalf of a French entrepreneur – but then a single bottle exits the door for 10k!
**These are all hammer prices, without the auctioneer’s commission of 20% – yes 20%! Plus the wines are stored in bond in Switzerland, so if I bought something I would also have to pay the Swiss tax of 7.7% – other country’s purchase tax varies, but wines returning to France will be charged almost another 20% VAT!

Now it’s time for the first of the premier crus – a single bottle of Nuits Meurgers, a 1976 – 29k. Bids are often in inconsistent increments – 9k, 10k, 11k, 15k – there’s no reason sometimes. The next 3 bottles were knocked down for only 27k – but then people wake up for a magnum of 78 Meurgers – 40k sold to someone in the room. Enthusiasm is easy to spot; “Lot 23 a single bottle of 1986 Nuits Meurgers. Where shall I start – 3,000?” says the auctioneer – “10,000” shouts someone in the room!

An auction is a long process, this auction anyway, with long pauses as bidders are pit against one another. After 3 hours I’ve had enough – and it’s not yet halfway through – but the auctioneer’s same jokes eventually start to grate. The Orient may have had the most representation at the start of the sale, but over two hours in, and not yet at lot number 70, there’s a slow trickle of western faces, clutching large cigars, back-slapping and taking selfies – the audience seems to be evolving – or maybe the vultures are just beginning to circle…
​ 

But the headliners are:

• Lot 135, 6 magnums Vosne-Romanée 1er Cros-­Parantoux 1999 – 528k*
• Lot 160, A vertical of 15 magnums Vosne­-Romanée 1er Cros­-Parantoux, 1978-2001 – 1,164k*
• Lot 212, 1 bottle Richebourg 1986 – 50.4k*

My alternative headliners would be one of his brass wine faucets for 3k, an empty barrel for 6.5k and one of his (still very dirty) wine pipettes for 5.5k. The first and the last I could (almost!) understand – but an empty barrel, devoid of personalisation?

Rest in peace, Henri…

It’s a question of ethics, I suppose. And I don’t know all the details – so maybe some of the ethics are fine – but it’s still a tale that leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.

A retailer in the UK is offering, nudge-nudge, wink-wink, cheap Domaine Leflaive under another label – and of-course they can’t actually say Leflaive, but, wink-wink, it’s Leflaive. That’s how their sales-pitch goes. But why would anyone offer relabelled Leflaive for cheap? Well, for a start there are endless reports on the internet of oxidised wine coming from that domaine since the start of the 2000s, and the tacit acceptance of that by the domaine, by recently changing to DIAM seals in order to combat that.

Of-course, if the retailer is standing behind every bottle, and replacing them if faulty – for instance oxidised – then, to my mind, there is at least the basis for a transaction. But even if that is the case, what about bottles found to be oxidised in another 2 years, or 5, or…

Then of-course we have reason to question the ethics of the producer – assuming that the domaine actually knows what the merchant is doing – and, of-course, why they are doing it! The why is important, because historically, wine with a provenance of being sourced direct from a domaine usually has a premium – not comes (wink-wink) at half price – for that reason I think it may not be the domaine at work. I have seen some suggestion that wine may be from a family member, not actually the domaine itself – then we would have to assume the corks still show the original producer’s name – unlike the labels – if not, why the need to change the corks?

It’s a can of worms, no mistake. I’ll leave you to make up your own minds:

Dear XXX
I am very pleased to let you know I have access to parcels of one of the most exciting opportunities we’ve ever seen come out of Burgundy. Grand & 1er Cru whites, made by one of the region’s great domaines, kept in their cellars for years and re-labelled as Joseph Paget earlier this year. We’re not allowed to say who they’re from, but only one producer makes all of these and in terms of White Burgundy, it doesn’t get any better.
The demand among Burgundy collectors across the globe who recognised what this parcel represents was rapid and meant that 75% of the stocks have sold. I am therefore delighted to present what is left; a handful of cases from the Grand Crus of Chevalier, Batard and Bienvenues Batard Montrachet and 1er Crus from Pucelles and (here’s a big potential clue to the origin) Puligny Montrachet Les Clavoillons.
As this parcel is, to our knowledge, a complete one-off once these remaining cases are sold there will never be more. This is all there is and all there ever will be so if you’d like some, now is the time. I am delighted to offer:
[No need to give you the (low) prices – Bill]
Offered subject to final confirmation.
Many thanks,
Kind regards,
XXX | Private Client Account Manager

[Edit: The wines had been recorked and are now ‘generic.’ The domaine were pretty unhappy when they heard about this. They want to underline that it has absolutely nothing to do with them and that they are pretty unhappy with this type of ‘publicity!’]

Relatively – the offers are coming in, thick and fast – that’s two this week! 🙂 Some more 2016s for you:

VINS ROUGES
Morey Saint-Denis La Rue de Vergy 2016 75cl 94.50 (*Swiss Francs)
Gevrey-Chambertin 2016 75cl 94.50
Nuits St-Georges 1er ‘Les Murgers des Cras’ 2016 75cl 100.80
Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 109.80
Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 109.80
Vosne-Romanée Les Champs Perdrix Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 128.70
Morey Saint-Denis 1er Cru La Riotte Vieilles Vignes 2016 75 cl 163.80
Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 193.50
Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru La Richemone “Ultra” Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 385.00
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 2016 75CL 420.00
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 2016 75CL 420.00
Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 2016 75CL 420.00
Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 840.00
Chambertin Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 2016 75cl 840.00

Now I never said that they were going to be cheap!

*These are delivered prices, but this email offer is discounted – whatever is sold from their catalogue is at a higher price!