| Hong Kong, SAR – December 11, 2017 – The 2017 wine auction season in Hong Kong ended just as did 2016 – with Acker Merrall yet again as the #1 firm in Hong Kong, continuing a decade long dominance of Asia’s most important market. With over HK$250 million in revenue and 615 World Records set in Hong Kong alone this year, Acker Merrall is the clear, unchallenged #1 wine auction firm in all of Asia and the World. Over 21% of all non-mixed lots set World Records in this spectacular auction, led by a consignment ofClos Vougeot’s Chateau de la Tour direct from the property, which set 32 of the sale’s 116 World Records on its own, an astounding 80% of all its lots on offer. Collectors are already anticipating 2018 and January 27th in Hong Kong, when Acker Merrall will offer two Multi-Million (US) dollar collections in an exciting kickoff to celebrate the New Year on both Western and Chinese calendars. |
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| The December 9th auction featured a very special consignment direct from the “Heart of Clos Vougeot,” Chateau de La Tour. In attendance at the auction was the Chateau’s owner and winemaker, Francois Labet, a man whose roots in Burgundy run as deep as any other. With wines on offer back to 1929, collectors competed aggressively to own the forty, directly consigned lots, lots that included large formats of the Domaine’s newest super sensation, the Hommage a Jean Morin (only 50 cases produced every year). Thirty-two new World Records were set, including HK$41,990/US$5,418 for 3 magnums of 1985 Clos de Vougeot, HK$79,040/US$10,199 for 12 bottles of 1978 Clos de Vougeot, HK$88,920/US$11,474 for 6 bottles of 1961 Clos de Vougeot, HK$46,930/US$6,055 for 3 bottles of 1949 Clos de Vougeot, HK$32,110/US$4,143 for one magnum of 1929 Clos de Vougeot, HK$83,980/US$10,836 for 12 bottles of 2015 Clos de Vougeot Hommage a Jean Morin, HK$59,280/US$7,649 for 3 magnums of 2010 Clos de Vougeot Hommage a Jean Morin, HK$79,040/US$10,199 for a Methuselah of 2010 Clos de Vougeot Hommage a Jean Morin and HK$74,100/US$9,561 for 12 bottles of 1979 Fine de Clos Vougeot, a Cognac-style spirit only made once in the entire history of the Chateau. |
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| The auction’s top lots were dominated as usual by the World’s most important Domaine, the Domaine de la Romanee Conti. Four of the five top lots and eight of the top ten were from DRC, with number one being a three magnum OWC of 2007 Romanee Conti, which sold for HK$691,600/US$89,239 (a World Record), followed by three-bottle banded OWCs of 2005 and 2009 bought for HK$494,000/US$63,742 and HK$395,200/US$50,994 respectively, plus a three lot of the 2010 that sold for HK$370,500/US$47,806. Crashing the Top Five Lots and Romanee Conti party was a rare double magnum of 1993 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon that was bought for HK$345,800/US$44,619, also a New World Record. |
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| “We are incredibly proud to be the #1 wine auction firm in the great city of Hong Kong once again for 2017, and for the past ten years, just amazing,” said Acker Merrall and Condit Companies Chairman John Kapon. “The market continues to go from strength to strength; for 21% of the lots to set World Records, and 80% from Chateau de la Tour to do the same, I’ll say it again – just amazing. Even more amazing will be our January 27th Hong Kong auction, which will both begin and end the year on the highest of notes. We will set the bar high quickly in 2018.” |
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