On November 8th 2021, Atlas Fine Wines launched its first online auction featuring 65 lots from one of Burgundy’s greatest estates, Domaine Leroy. The lots were part of a single private collection and include some very rare original wooden cases such as a mixed case of 1999 Grand Cru Musigny and 1999 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots and a 12-bottle case of 1999 Grand Cru Richebourg.
These are incredibly rare items, particularly when production may have only extended to several hundred bottles.
Having accompanying original invoices to underpin the provenance, as many of these cases do, simply adds to the rarity and the extraordinary nature of this collection. These are after all some of the most sought after, finest and most expensive wines in the world.
This is Atlas’ first ever auction but not entirely new territory. The company sold a DRC superlot at an auction in Hong Kong in 2014, which Managing Director, Simon Larkin MW, assembled for one of his clients. The lot consisted of a flight of 114 bottles of La Romanée-Conti spanning vintages 1992-2010 (six bottles of each). With a hammer price of $1.6m USD, this remains the highest value single lot of fine wine ever sold at auction.
The move to host an online auction allows Atlas to engage directly with prospective buyers and, as Larkin states ‘to dispense with unnecessary buyer’s premiums by simply taking the commission from the vendor as would be the case in a normal broking transaction’. The transparency of such a model holds appeal for both the vendor, who wishes to reach the widest possible audience for their prized collection, and the purchaser, who can avoid hefty additional fees. This transparency also ties in with the ethos at Atlas.
The Great Domaine Leroy Auction will conclude on the 6th December 2021 at 18:00 (GMT). Interested clients can register online and view all lots, with an extensive range of high-resolution images at www.atlasfinewines/auction. All the stocks are currently stored in Atlas’ dedicated reserves area at LCB Vinothèque.Atlas can assist in arranging prompt worldwide shipping for all stocks purchased (quotations supplied upon request).
This sale marks the start of a new facet of Atlas’ business and highlights the services available to clients, not only in assembling remarkable collections, but also in bringing them to market should the client be inclined to sell.
Atlas Fine Wines Ltd was founded in 2010 to meet the needs of private clients seeking qualified advice on buying fine wine. With London and Swiss offices and an extensive network of trade contacts worldwide, Atlas’ experienced team’s wine knowledge and in-depth understanding of market trends enable them to provide well-selected fine wine offers, efficient broking and class-leading reserves management. Atlas brings expertise, insight, and tailored opportunities to its clients, taking pride in the quality of the advice, its responsiveness, and the transparency of the business.
