By Julie Carpentier
Baghera/wines’ 2021 sale season fetches a strong CHF 31M global result, one of its strongest totals ever.
Across a dynamic sales calendar, thousands of lots went under the hammer, achieving numerous auction records. As 2021 draws to an end, we look back on some of the most thrilling moments of the year…
Enthralling moments
in the salesroom
The live auctions season started strong on April 18th with the historic "La Romanée Bouchard 1862-2005" event, fetching chf 9,6M ($ 10,5M), selling every lot on average at four times their pre-sale estimate and witnessing the highest price achieved for a wine lot in 2021 with the monumental La Romanée Bouchard 1865, 12 bottles alone realizing chf 1,9M ($ 2,1M).
On June 20th, Baghera/wines hosted the impressive "Burgundy Fields Forever" auction which included many rare Burgundy gems, featuring the private collection of Henri Jayer's eldest daughter Lydie. This joyful Bourgogne celebration netted chf 6,6M ($ 7,2M) and set a large number of market price records among the Henri Jayer lots and other iconic winegrowers featured in the sale, like these rare Chambertin Armand Rousseau 1959, 3 magnums selling for chf 400k ($ 430k), nine times their pre-sale projection.
Earlier in the month, Baghera/wines presented wine connoisseur Alberto Lee's Swiss collection of unrivaled Burgundy and Bordeaux wines at Beau-Rivage Genève on December 5th. Titled "The Provenance", the 121 lots collection largely exceeded its presale forecast making chf 8,5M ($ 9,2M) under the hammer of auctioneer Michael Ganne, an enthusiastic response to wine of impeccable quality and unequivocal provenance. The star lot of the auction, Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux 2000, 6 magnums sold for chf 370k ($ 405k) while the René Engel wines soared to new heights, tripling their estimated prices.
The strongest digital sale series
With no less than 11 "Wine o'clock" sales, Baghera's 2021 online-only auctions prove highly dynamic, offering ultra-scarce wines from numerous European private cellars.
These innovative, quick and regular (they occur each second Tuesday of the month) digital sales continue to offer a seamless auction experience to an unprecedented number of participants. Engaged more than ever in fierce bidding competitions, buyers from all over the world confront their bids on some of the most desirable wines resulting in an exciting digital sale season.
At the "Leroy Stardust" wine o'clock on November 9th, a rare 12-bottle lot of Richebourg Leroy 2009 fetched the remarkable price of chf 134k ($ 145k). It was one of the highlights of this dedicated online auction, that offered 50 lots of Domaines Leroy and d'Auvenay, all sold in 25 minutes generating a total value of chf 1,6M ($ 1,8M).
Amongst other highly regarded wines confirming an ongoing thirst from collectors in quest for the perfect Bordeaux (Pétrus, Mouton, Lafite Rothschild, Cheval-Blanc…), Rhône valley wines (Rayas, Bonneau…), Champagne, Italy, Spain, not to forget European spirits (Chartreuse, Cognac, Scotch whiskies…), thousands of lots composing the 'Wine o'clock' sales this year have captivated collectors and brought a record of new bidders in search of these rarefied treasures with enviable provenance.
