Los Angeles – Christie’s Wine Department’s first sale based in Los Angeles, Fine & Rare Wines Including Two Outstanding Private Collections, totaled $2,083,062, the second highest total ever achieved for an online wine sale at Christie’s, with 97% sold by lot and 161% hammer above low estimate. There was global participation with registered bidders from 19 countries and 28% first-time registrants. Throughout the sale there were over 30 auction records set.

Leading the sale was a case of 6 magnums of Château Mouton-Rothschild 1953 (lot 40), which sold for $87,500 and set a record for highest price ever paid for a case of wine in an online sale at Christie’s Americas.

Other notable results were achieved for lots from the superb cellar of Dr. Robert Maliner, led by 5 bottles of Château Lafite-Rothschild 2000 (lot 10) and two 1795 Barbeito Terrantez (lots 325 and 326; 1 bottle per lot), each sold for $15,000. The sale also achieved strong results for rare vintages of Screaming Eagle from 1993 to the present (lots 253-281), with all lots surpassing the low estimate.

Chris Munro, Head of Department, Wine and Spirits, Christie’s Americas, commented: “Christie’s first wine sale of 2022 and the first sale based in Los Angeles for around a decade  was a resounding success. We saw strong global participation for lots from a number of great cellars sourced from across the United States. Rare Bordeaux, Burgundy and Madeira alongside Californian cult wines saw fierce bidding in the final hours as the sale closed. We were delighted to see world records broken in several categories, including the highest price ever paid for a case of wine in a Christie’s online wine sale in the Americas as six magnums of Château Mouton Rothschild 1953 made an astonishing $87,500, a new world record price for this rare collectible. The sale achieved 161% of its low estimate and we continue to see global demand for fine and rare wine far outstrip overall supply – this market shows no signs of cooling.”