Sotheby’s historic inaugural wine and spirits auction in Geneva garnered exceptional results, achieving a total of US$630,844. This marked the first time such an event was held in the Swiss capital, underscoring its significance despite Sotheby’s long-standing wine sales history in major global cities.
The auction featured 43 lots, predominantly showcasing Classed Growth Bordeaux and Burgundy wines, as well as prized magnums. Notably, 91% of the lots were sold by lot, with 64% surpassing their high estimates. Bidders from 14 countries participated, including several first-time buyers from Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond.
The top lot of the auction was a trio of magnums of 1971 La Tâche, which exceeded expectations by selling for CHF 125,000, doubling their low estimate. Additional highlights included three individual magnums of the same vintage, achieving significant prices of CHF 32,500, CHF 27,500, and CHF 18,750 respectively.
Key sales in the wine category included magnums from the 1976 vintage and a three-bottle set of Chateau Haut Brion 1959, all surpassing their high estimates.
In the spirits segment, notable sales included a bottle of Hennessy H8 Cognac ‘Arthur’s’ and The Glenlivet The Winchester Collection 50 year old, which achieved their high pre-sale estimates of CHF 37,500 and CHF 15,000 respectively.
However, despite strong bidding interest, two prestigious lots from Royal Salute’s ‘The Art of Wonder’ pinnacle collection remained unsold, including the Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross and Royal Salute Forces of Nature by Kate MccGwire.
Sotheby’s emphasized the auction’s success as a testament to the rarity and desirability of collectible wines and spirits, reinforcing the importance of provenance and authenticity for both sellers and buyers in the global market.
