The first part of this 610-lot collection was recently removed from a damp, underground cellar, conditions that have been excellent for the wine itself, if not the labels. As a result, these bottles carry enticing estimates, offering wine lovers an opportunity to acquire iconic vintages that are ready to drink or on the cusp of maturity.

Serena Sutcliffe MW, Honorary Chairman, Sotheby’s Wine, said: “The consignor of this dream collection has a great ‘feel’ for Bordeaux, going for the best in every fine vintage. This is an ideal chance to revel in the beauty and complexity of top Bordeaux, a part of France’s patrimony for which we are all eternally grateful.”

Further collections comprise over 400 more lots of sought after Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Left Bank Bordeaux includes Lafite, Margaux, Mouton 2000, Super Seconds Léoville Las Cases 1998, Pichon Lalande 1999, Léoville Barton 2003, Pichon Baron and Ducru Beaucaillou 2010. Petrus 1990, 1998, 2009 and 2010 are stars from the Right Bank and for followers of Vieux Château Certan there is a plethora of vintages including 1989, 2005, 2009 and 2010.

A major collection of Burgundy features an impressive roll-call of producers such as Georges Roumier, Méo-Camuzet and Anne Gros alongside treasures from Domaine du Comte Liger Belair and cases from the smallest Grand Cru vineyard in France, La Romanée (measuring less than one hectare). Elsewhere, a complete vertical of Clos de Tart from 2003 to 2012 and an offering of single bottles of 1999 DRC including La Tâche are further highlights.

Champagne glitters with Salon and Krug 1990 and a limited edition Jeroboam of Cristal 2002 while parcels of Fonseca 1970 and Quinta do Noval Nacional 1982 lead the Port selection.

HIGHLIGHTSBordeauxLatour 1961, 1 Magnum, est. £7,500-9,500 (893)Latour 1970, 12 bottles, est. £3,800-4,600 (18)Lafite 1982, 12 bottles, est. £12,000-16,000 (23)Margaux 1982, 12 bottles, est. £5,000-6,000 per lot (24-25) Mouton Rothschild 1982, 12 bottles, est. £5,000-6,000 (28) Mouton Rothschild 1982, 6 Magnums, est. £8,000-10,000 929) Mouton Rothschild 1982, 1 Double Magnum, est. £3,000-4,000 (30)Mouton Rothschild 1982, 1 Jeroboam, est. £5,000-6,000 (31)La Mission Haut Brion 1989, 12 bottles, est. £5,000-6,000 (113)Petrus 1989, 1 Imperial, est. £16,000-20,000 (118)Léoville Las Cases 1996, 12 bottles, est. £1,900-2,400 per lot (361-370)Cheval Blanc 2000, 1 Imperial, est. £3,600-4,400 (433)Cheval Blanc 2000, 1 Double Magnum, est. £1,800-2,200 per lot (591-592) Vieux Château Certan 2005, 6 Magnums, est. £1,250-1,500 per lot (503-504) Vieux Château Certan 2005, 1 Double Magnum, est. £420-500 per lot (505-508) Vieux Château Certan 2005, 6 Imperial, est. £850-1,000 (509)Haut Brion Blanc 1996, 12 bottles, est. £3,400-4,200 per lot (523-524) Suduiraut Créme de Tête 1989, 12 bottles, est. £900-1,200 (529-530) LoireVouvray Le Haut Lieu 1947, Huet, 12 bottles, est. £2,400-3,200 (577)2BurgundyLa Tâche 1999, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 1 bottle, est. £2,400-3,000 (923) Musigny, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 1999, Comte Georges de Vogüé, 6 bottles, est. £2,200-2,800 (547)Bonnes Mares 2000, Domaine Georges Roumier, 12 bottles, est. £2,800-3,400 (611) Vosne Romanée, Clos du Château 2001, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, 12 bottles, est. £1,800-2,400 per lot (626-634)Clos de la Roche 2002, Domaine Dujac, 12 bottles, est. £3,400-4,200 (927) Musigny 2002, Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, 12 bottles, est. £9,000-11,000 (636)La Romanée 2002, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, 6 bottles, est. £10,000-13,000 (666)Clos de Tart 2005, Mommessin, 6 bottles, est. £1,200-1,600 (805)ChampagneKrug 1990, 12 bottles, est. £2,400-3,000 per lot (1014-1015)Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 1990, 6 bottles, est. £2,600-3,000 (1016) Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2002, 1 Jeroboam, est. £5,000-6,000 (828)PortFonseca 1970, 12 bottles, est. £950-1,100 per lot (207-209)Quinta do Noval Nacional 1982, 6 bottles, est. £1,200-1,500 per lot (221-225) Graham 1983, 12 bottles, est. £340-420 per lot (228-246)Notes to EditorsSotheby’s Wine auctions in 2016 brought a worldwide total of $74 million. Sotheby’s overall total of $88.27 million for global wine auctions in 2010 is the highest in the company’s forty-six years of wine auctions.

The Lafite Ex Cellars sale held by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in October 2010 set a new record for a single standard sized bottle at auction when a bottle of Château Lafite 1869 sold for $232,692. This means that Sotheby’s now holds the world records for a standard bottle, a bottle in any format – the Jeroboam of Château Mouton Rothschild 1945 which fetched $310,700 in February 2007 in New York – and any wine lot at auction – the Romanée-Conti Superlot (114 bottles) which sold for HK$12,556,250 (US$1,609,776) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2014.Sotheby’s holds the record for a wine collection sold at auction. Wines from the Cellar of William I. Koch (New York, 19-21 May 2016) brought a total of $21.9 million, with 100% lots sold.Between 2009 and October 2011 Sotheby’s Hong Kong maintained 16 consecutive 100%-sold wine auctions in Asia – the only major auction house with this record.