Three top lots of the first half of Acker’s 2019 auction season – 6 bottles of 2005 DRC Romanee Conti; 1 liter of Hennessy ‘8’ Cognac; and 12 bottles of 1990 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne
NEW YORK – June 27, 2019 – Acker closed the spring auction season on strong footing, setting nearly 950 New World Records across a wide-range of ground-breaking and prestigious collections. The ten remarkable live auctions combined with its monthly web sales illustrated that collectors continue to seek to expand their collections and drink beyond the most elite brands.
Remarkable Auctions and Events this Year at Acker
Among the accomplishments most notable this season, Acker launched its first spirits auction in Hong Kong devoted to rare whiskies and cognacs, offered bidders the opportunity to snap up exceptional bottles of coveted California cult favorite Sine Qua Non in conjunction with the winery, offered one of Europe’s greatest collections via the Chalet Collection, and introduced the most significant German rare wine collection from legendary importer Rudi Wiest.
Consignments from the world’s top Burgundy Domaines lit up the first half of the auction season, most notably from superstar vigneron Comte Liger-Belair, as well as Domaines Bizot, Meo Camuzet, Hubert Lignier, Fourrier, de Montille, Henri Gouges, Duroche and Clos de la Chapelle, all of which were snapped up by savvy collectors. The April New York auction was punctuated by a repeat appearance from the great Chalet Collection, one of Europe’s deepest and most comprehensive cellars.
The new world’s turn in the spotlight arrived with one of the most comprehensive collections of Sine Qua. None that the market has experienced, including many of the earliest wines of producers Elaine and Manfred Frankl. The owner of this collection, one of the world’s most respected collectors, made this offering all the more special by donating his proceeds to two charities selected in conjunction with the Frankls. The season closed with great success via the greatest collection of German wines ever sold in the global auction market, “The Personal Collection of Rudi Wiest,” illustrating Acker’s unique strength in the market.
The Top Brands and Winemakers of 2019
Domaine de la Romanee Conti once again ruled Acker’s auction season as the wine that worldwide collectors sought out most, followed by a surging Armand Rousseau finishing an impressive second. Rousseau was joined by fellow Burgundian Domaines Dujac and Leroy in the Top Ten Brands of 2019. Four appearances from the elite of Bordeaux made the Top Ten rankings, including Chateaux Petrus, Lafite, Mouton Rothschild and Latour, along with strong marks achieved by Italian master Bruno Giacosa and California’s Screaming Eagle rounding out the Top Ten and illustrating that the palate of collectors worldwide is still quite diverse.
Our Top Lots YTD 2019
The Top Lots of the first half of 2019 were also dominated, not surprisingly, by Domaine de la Romanee Conti, and by Burgundy overall. The wines of DRC secured 13 of the top 20 lots, representing 65% of the top 20. The 1990 vintages of the Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne and Armand Rousseau Chambertin rounded out the top five. Only two of the Top 20 lots were not Burgundy and included Hennessy ‘8’ Cognac, demonstrating the surging strength of the Rare Spirits market, and six bottles of the iconic 1961 Paul Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle. Burgundy accounted for 50% of sales YTD overall, with Bordeaux and California following at 23% and 10% respectively.
A Perspective from John Kapon, Chairman of Acker
“It has been a busy 2019 so far, but we feel the best has yet to come. It was great to see California, Germany and the sizzling Spirits market share the spotlight with Burgundy this season, and to show the increasing bandwidth of the overall market. Multiple multi-million collections are already on tap for the Fall including “Mr. Burgundy” and a single owner collection of Bordeaux for September alone, as well as a very exciting new producer offering direct from their cellars later in the season. The good times will continue to roll this Fall!”
Upcoming Auctions & Deadlines for the Fall 2019 Season:
New York City: September 7,2019 | Deadline to receive collections: August 2, 2019
Hong Kong: September 21, 2019 | Deadline to receive collections: August 16, 2019
