The recent record sale of a case of Burgundy wines is a reflection of the massive increase in US interest in the region, say auction house Christie’s.
The auction house claims that the $237,000 (£119,697) paid for a case of 1985 Romanée-Conti is the most expensive case of Burgundy wines ever to go under the hammer. The lot was bought by an anonymous Asian bidder at the 22 May auction in New York following eight initial bids from other attendees.
‘[It’s] not bad that as many were ready to pay $100,000 for a case of Burgundy,’ said Richard Brierley, Head of Wine Sales, Christie’s Americas.
Brierly told decanter.com that this was merely a reflection on the burgeoning market for Burgundy wines in the US.
‘Burgundy sales have shot through the roof for the American market, from 10% a few years ago to almost 40% of our sales,’ he said.
The auction yielded $2.56m (£1.29m). Internet buyers, successfully bidding on 10% of the sale, participated from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and the United States.
Written by Panos Kakaviatos
