Over 50 Years, 200 Years of Vintages, and One Collector’s Global Journey Come to Auction through live sales in New York and Hong Kong
November 14, 2025 (New York, NY) — Christie’s is honored to present The Historic Cellar of Jürgen Schwarz: Five Decades of Collecting one of the most comprehensive and meticulously curated private wine collections ever assembled. This extraordinary trove of fine and rare wines will be offered across a series of landmark auctions, beginning with Day I and Day II in New York on December 5 and 6, followed by sales in Hong Kong in Spring 2026.
Spanning more than two centuries of winemaking, the collection reflects over fifty years of passion, scholarship, and global discovery by Jürgen Schwarz, a German collector whose life in wine has taken him from the shores of Lake Constance to the world’s most storied vineyards. His journey began in the early 1970s, when a single bottle of 1940s Sauternes ignited a lifelong fascination with aged wines. While building a distinguished international consulting career, Schwarz immersed himself in the great wine regions of the world—Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, Duero, Tuscany, Piemonte, Napa, Mendoza, the Barossa Valley, and the Cape Winelands—developing deep relationships with producers and an unparalleled understanding of terroir and time.
Leading the sale are twelve bottles of Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée, Cros Parantoux 1999 (estimate: $110,000-160,000), a bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild 1868 (estimate: $80,000-110,000), and six magnums of Château Lafleur 1982 (estimate: $48,000-65,000). Further highlights include one double-magnum of Château Lafite Rothschild 1961 (estimate: $16,000-22,000), six magnums of Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc 2013 (estimate: $5,500-7,500), and one imperial of Joseph Phelps, Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 (estimate: $2,000-2,800).
Following his retirement, he formalized his expertise by studying Wine Marketing and Management in Bordeaux, blending analytical rigor with a collector’s intuition. His cellar is a testament to that journey: a synthesis of intellect, emotion, and reverence for craftsmanship. From legendary vintages to hidden gems, the collection offers a rare opportunity for collectors and connoisseurs to acquire wines of exceptional provenance and character.
Jürgen Schwarz comments: “I was never collecting labels. For me, every bottle represents a moment in history and the people who shaped it. This sale is not only the culmination of fifty years of collecting, but an invitation to a new generation to taste living witnesses of wine history.”
Edwin Vos, Christie’s Senior International Director, Head of Collections, adds: “Over the past 50 years Jürgen has built up an unprecedented collection of fine wines and this sale will undoubtedly be one of the most comprehensive private collections of historic wines to come up for auction in recent memory. That provenance and storage quality are of the utmost attention to Juergen, highlighted by his collection of old invoices, going back to 1982, which included the one of his first Christie’s purchase in June 1987. A beautiful testimony of an almost 40-year friendship between Jürgen Schwarz and Christie’s. We are exceptionally proud to organize this auction and give wine-lovers around the world the chance to acquire vinous treasures, so they can be shared with friends and family around the dinner table.”
Adam Bilbey, Christie’s Global Head of Wine & Spirits, says: “Following the tremendous success of this year’s global sales—from the relaunch of New York with The Cellar of William I. Koch to direct-from-the-cellar offerings from Faiveley and Bouchard—we’re thrilled to now present another landmark moment: The Historic Cellar of Jürgen Schwarz. This is a truly iconic collection, and we’re deeply grateful to Mr. Schwarz for entrusting us with his life’s work. More than a sale, this is a celebration of five decades of passionate collecting—and an invitation for a new generation to experience and savor living pieces of wine history.”
Collection Highlights
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| Lot 187Château Lafleur 1982 6 Magnums (150cl) per lot Estimate: $48,000-65,000 | Lot 362 Château Lafite Rothschild 1961 1 Double-Magnum (300cl) per lot Estimate: $16,000-22,000 | Lot 399 Château Lafite Rothschild 1868 1 Bottle (75cl) per lot Estimate: $80,000-110,000 |
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| Lot 445 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc 2013 6 Magnums (150cl) per lot Estimate: $5,500-7,500 | Lot 580 Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée, Cros Parantoux 1999 12 Bottles (75cl) per lot Estimate: $110,000-160,000 | Lot 802 Joseph Phelps, Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 1 Imperial (600cl) per lot Estimate: $2,000-2,800 |
About Christie’s
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 7 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction, launched the first fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art and manages an investment fund to support innovative startups in the art market. Christie’s is also committed to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide. To learn more, browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps. * Please note when quoting Estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price – see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue. * Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium.
