Las Vegas has welcomed a new form of gambling with open arms and open wallets.
On 8 February Zachys held what president Jeff Zacharia calls the Nevada city’s first-ever commercial wine auction.
In Vegas jargon, the ‘take’ was US$2,526,037 for 94% of Zachys’ book – not bad since only 374 lots were offered.
High-rollers crowded Alex, a glitzy restaurant in the Wynn Hotel. A portion of their outlay went to charity.
A 1982 Pétrus jeroboam made $59,500. A case of 2000 Le Pin fetched $52,360.
A 1982 Lafite Rothschild case made $33,320. Two six-bottle cases of Krug 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay went for $26,180 each.
Six magnums of 1990 La Tâche DRC, made $107,550, more than double its low estimate.
A case of 1982 Lafite made $31,070, five bottles of 1996 Screaming Eagle, $11,950, and a case of 1994 Harlan Estate case yielded $19,120.
Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York
