Geneva, September 17, 2020 – It is with a wonderful story of passion for wine that Baghera/wines proposes to close its 2020 auction season. On December 6, “Kingdoms” by Baghera/wines will be held in Geneva, an auction sale including a very special collection. Large-format bottles from the collection of Giorgio Pinchiorri, owner with his partner Annie Féolde, of the famous three-Michelin-starred Florentine restaurant, will be auctioned. 24 jeroboams and methuselahs from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, some of the most sought-after jewels in the world, will be presented on this occasion.
Pinchiorri : The story of a life dedicated to the love of wine
For any discerning gourmet, the Enoteca Pinchiorri, nestled in the elegant Palazzo Jacometti-Ciofi in Florence, resonates like a discreet holy grail, a gastronomic destination to be discovered at least once in a lifetime. For more than 40 years, this palace has also held an invaluable treasure – the work of a lifetime dedicated to the love of wine, that of Giorgio Pinchiorri. As early as 1958 the incredible destiny of Giorgio Pinchiorri was sealed with his entry into the world of gastronomy and wines. Initially at the helm of the Enoteca Nazionale, alongside his partner Annie Féolde, he travelled around Italy and built up a collection of local wines. The acquisition and transformation of the Enoteca Nazionale in 1979 marked a turning point for the establishment, which then became the Enoteca Pinchiorri – thus enabling its owners to enrich the cellar with foreign wines, particularly from Burgundy.
The stars destined Giorgio’s partner to be French. This important detail allowed them to maintain very close relationships with a large number of Burgundian winegrowers, whether discreet or world famous – they all contributed to expanding the Pinchiorri collection which is to this day one of the rarest and most complete in the world. It is passion but also an incredible flair that led this unconditional wine lover to make the right choices, to fight tirelessly for the preservation of the world’s oenological heritage, to be the privileged interlocutor of some of the most talented and renowned winegrowers in the world.
Hence, for more than 40 years, Giorgio Pinchiorri has bought directly, every year, as many Burgundian grands crus as he could, especially in the remarkable and now legendary 1985 vintage.
Michael Ganne and Julie Carpentier, founders of Baghera/wines and auctioneers of the sale jointly observe, “Entering the cellars of Enoteca Pinchiorri is a magical moment in the life of any wine enthusiast. To be entrusted with the transmission of these bottles which are unique in the world and have never before been offered at auction provokes intense emotion. Any learned connoisseur nurtures the dream of one day owning such a collection and the sale of the large formats of the Enoteca Pinchiorri will undoubtedly mark the world of Burgundy wine enthusiasts.”
Giorgio Pinchiorri remarks about the auction, “I have chosen to entrust the jewels of my wine collection to Michael Ganne and his team, who are as passionate about Burgundy wines as I am. The Baghera/wines team has repeatedly proved its talent in highlighting the most wonderful cellars in the world, thrilling connoisseurs with the rarest bottles. I am convinced that the purchaser of these wines will not only have the joy of including the complete n° 1 series in his collection, but he will also have the immense privilege of the delectation of this mythical nectar – this myth of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti which goes through history. For millions of years to come, this wonderful wine will be evoked, and Romanée-Conti will endure! In the spirit of this legacy, it is important to me to donate part of the proceeds of the sale to charitable organizations”
1, 2, 3 in 1985: A rare podium for a legendary vintage
On December 6, as part of its “Kingdoms” auction sale, Baghera/wines will have the immense honour of presenting to the public an extremely rare collection consisting of large formats of wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
In Burgundy, the producers of the most sought-after crus number their labels, thus giving the lucky holders of these large bottles an additional guarantee, a guarantee of rarity, at the very least of extremely limited production. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is one of the pioneers in this area.
Unique in the world, this collection of large formats – 6 and 3 liters – of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti vintage wines proudly exhibits n ° 1, n ° 2 and n ° 3 numbered labels. Unprecedented for the 1985 vintage, unanimously recognized as one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century in Burgundy, a total of 24 large-format bottles will be presented for sale; 12 jeroboams (3 liters) and 12 methuselahs (6 liters), for a high estimate exceeding 2 million Swiss francs.
These 24 bottles have never left the Enoteca Pinchiorri, with the sole exception of 2011, when they were brought back to the Domaine, in Vosne-Romanée to be coated with new wax capsules, this operation thus giving a new lease of life to these prodigious bottles.
It is, among other things, the perfect provenance of this collection, coupled with its rarity that makes it so desirable. The special bonds of friendship that Giorgio Pinchiorri had with the wine importer, Angelo Gaja guarantee this unique provenance.
The “Kingdoms” auction sale organised by Baghera/wines will present, alongside the jewels of the Enoteca Pinchiorri, an exceptional collection of historic Chartreuse liqueurs and a remarkable collection of great Burgundies including, among others, Domaine Prieuré-Roch, Georges de Vogüé, Leflaive, Bizot.
Key details of the “Kingdoms” sale by Baghera/wines:
- Auction: “Kingdoms” by Baghera/wines
- Location: Geneva, Switzerland | Hôtel Beau-Rivage Genève
- Date: Sunday December 6, 2020
- Number of lots: 280
24 large-format bottles (jeroboams and methuselahs) of Grands Crus from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1985, including two sets unique in the world of N ° 1 numbered bottles in 6-liter format and 3-liter format; A hundred bottles of Chartreuse liqueurs from 1900 to the present day; 42 lots of wines from Domaine Prieuré-Roch in bottles, magnums, jeroboams & rehoboam.
ABOUT BAGHERA / WINES, BUREAU OF EXPERTS IN EXCEPTIONAL WINES
European leader in rare wine auctions based in Geneva, Baghera/wines offers a new approach to these exceptional wine auctions by placing conviviality and sharing at the heart of their events. For 5 years passionate experts, Michael Ganne, Julie Carpentier and Francesco Lee, have developed a bureau dedicated exclusively to rare wines, which accompanies collectors in all aspects of highlighting a collection.
In 2018-19, the historic sale of Henri Jayer’s personal cellar, to date the world’s most important wine auction ever (CHF 34.5M), followed by the unprecedented sale exclusively dedicated to the wines of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and then by the last bottles from Domaine René Engel, have propelled Baghera/wines to the position of European leader in wine auctions.
The experienced team working together with Baghera/wines experts offers excellent tailor-made professional advice to international collectors passionate about fine & rare wines: the organisation of master classes, the careful selection of wines for private tastings, dinners and events combining music and wine. It is in September 2020 that Baghera/wines officially inaugurates its new Geneva establishment, a private club and a boutique dedicated to fine wines at the Beau-Rivage, Geneva.
