Asian clients on Saturday dominated the first-ever Aulden Cellars/Sotheby’s wine auction held live on the Internet.

The auction, in New York, grossed US$2,032,376, far beyond the pre-sale low high estimate of US$1.1m.

Only 12 lots went unsold. The first 330 lots carried no reserve price. Though estimated to fetch US$270,000 to US$380,000, they yielded US$387,650.

The top five most-expensive lots were bought from Asia. Nine of the top 10 revenue-grossing lots were claimed by Asians.

This outcome ‘continues the trend seen in Hong Kong, London and New York this spring,’ Sotheby’s said.

A case of 1990 Le Pin, high-estimated at US$20,000 went for US $48,400.

Three double magnums of 1982 Lafite fetched US$36,300, more than twice the top estimate. Six bottles of Krug 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay Champagne fetched $27,225, more than twice the low estimate.

At the sale, Sotheby’s broke with tradition with a redesigned glossy catalogue that it bills as ‘more portable and environmentally conscious.’

The booklet, which will also come into play at London sales, is small and perfectly square, departing from the magazine-style catalogue used before.

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Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York

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Howard G Goldberg
Howard G Goldberg
Decanter Magazine, Food & Wine Writer

Howard G Goldberg is a wine writer and critic based in New York City. He made his name writing about wine for The New York Times, where he worked for 34 years. He has written various books on food and wine, including Prime: The Complete Prime Rib Book and All About Wine Cellars. He compiled The New York Times Book of Wine – a collection of the publication’s best wine articles.