Bonhams has held its first ever wine auction in Hong Kong.

On 24 April, Bonhams sold 246 lots – over 96% – for a total of HK$11,503,597 (£744,392/US$1,474,820), which the London-based auction house said was above its high estimate.

‘It was a stunning evening, and a lot of fun,’ Stephen Wickens, Crown’s restaurant and events manager, told decanter.com. He confirmed that most of the buyers were existing Crown clients.

‘I think it reinforces how much of an appetite there is in Hong Kong for fine wine.’

Among the top 10 lots (all top Bordeaux) were two cases each of 1990 and 2000 Chateau Pétrus, both of which sold for HK$452,200 (£29,270;US$58,022, six bottles of 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild for HK$285,600 (£18,477/US$36,646) and a case of 1982 Chateau Latour HK$232,050 (£15,011/US$29,774).

American lawyer Alec Tracy, who buys a lot of wine, said it was his first time buying at auction.

‘It was great fun – and very exciting to be in the room in person,’ he said. ‘There was a bit of tension.’

Among other things, Tracy bought the 2000 Pétrus, a case of 1989 Haut-Brion and a mixed case of Barolo.

Wickens said Crown was working with several other auction houses on plans to hold more auctions.

New York wine merchant Acker Merrall & Condit will hold an auction in Hong Kong in May.

Written by Maggie Rosen

Maggie Rosen
Maggie Rosen
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer & Editor

Maggie Rosen is a wine journalist, editor and author, hailing from New York but based in London. Aside from Decanter, she has contributed to the Financial Times, The Drinks Business, Harpers Wine and Spirit Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, The World of Fine Wine and Meininger's Wine Business International. She is also a member of the Circle of Wine Writers.