US auctions: healthy start to the season for Zachys, Acker, Sotheby’s
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Autumn’s opening auctions seemed to ignore troubled credit markets and strains in the economy.
In its wine-auction debut on 14 September, Skinner, a Boston house,sold 94% of its 224 lots, grossing US$290,460.
Skinner’s catalogue was estimated at US$222,855 to US$313,445. Its top sellers were two lots each of 12 bottles of 2000 Lafite-Rothschild, which fetched US$9,560 each.
Aulden Cellars/Sotheby’s generated US$5,398,591 in separate sales on 7-8 September. The collector Thomas O. Ryder’s 5,477-bottle consignment made US$1,706,698. Four 1974 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard magnums went for US$26,887.
Zachys fetched US$5,349,038 – ‘one of the strongest auctions we have ever held,’ the house said – on 7-8 September. Six bottles of Louis Roederer Cristal rosé, estimated at a low US$1,800 to US$3,000 brought in an eye-opening US$23,800.
On 7-8 September, Acker, Merrall & Condit had a US$5,100,706 yield. A case of 1999 Romanée Conti, DRC brought US$78,650. Twelve bottles of Georges Roumier’s 1971 Musigny sold for US$66,550.
Hart Davis Hart generated US$3,850,015 in Chicago on 15 September. Twelve bottles of 1982 Le Pin fetched US$50,190.
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NYWines/Christie’s sold US$2,107,320 worth of wine on 15 September. A case of 2000 Romanée-Conti, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, fetched US$60,000.
Morrell & Company hammered home US$1,710,858 on 8 September. Of 1,000 lots offered 983 were sold, and 532 of that group (54%), valued at US$811,450, were taken via the Internet, according to director Kimberly Janis.
In Chicago, Edward Roberts International made US$325,933 on 8 September. A case of half bottles of 1970 Pétrus sold for US$10,530.
Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York
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.