Cellar’s Big Sellers

PERFECT PROVENANCE, BURGUNDY BESTING BORDEAUX, SOUTH AMERICAN GEMS, AND A TICKLISH WHEAT-FROM-CHAFF PROBLEM MAKE James Suckling’s ROUND-UP THIS MONTH Manna from the Cellar TO P VALUE

ASIA’S OBSESSION WITH PROVENANCE CONTINUES TO GROW, WITH BUYERS OF ULTRAEXPENSIVE WINES WANTING TO BE SURE THEY’RE GETTING THE REAL THING—AND THAT IT’S BEEN STORED IN PERFECT CONDITIONS. IT MEANS A LOT TO THEM IF THE WINE HAS COME DIRECTLY FROM THE ORIGINAL ESTATE’S CELLAR. SO IT’S NO WONDER THAT THE SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG AUCTION THAT TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 30 WAS DRAWING LOTS OF ATTENTION WHEN THIS ISSUE OF HONGKONGTATLER WAS PUT TO BED. THE SALE INCLUDED HUNDREDS OF BOTTLES DIRECT FROM CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD (BELOW), INCLUDING A JEROBOAM OF THE LEGENDARY 1945, ONE OF THE GREATEST WINES EVER, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER GREAT VINTAGE OF MOUTON FROM 1870 TO 2010. THERE WAS EVEN A VERTICAL LOT OF 66 VINTAGES FROM 1945 TO 2012. ALSO OFFERED, TO CELEBRATE THE COMING YEAR OF THE RAM, WAS A LOT OF EIGHT SIX-BOTTLE CASES FEATURING A RAM ON THEIR LABEL DESIGNED BY FAMOUS ARTISTS: PIERRE ALECHINSKY (1966), JOHN HUSTON (1982), KEITH HARING (1988), GEORG BASELITZ (1989), RAYMOND SAVIGNAC (1999), XU LEI (2008) AND MIQUEL BARCELÓ (2012), AS WELL AS THE THE ENGRAVED AUGSBURG RAM FROM 2000. JAMES SUCKLING’S FIRST LIST OF THE TOP 100 WINES OF ARGENTINA AND CHILE, FROM THE BOLD AND SAVOURY MALBECS OF ARGENTINA’S MENDOZA REGION TO FINE, BEAUTIFUL PINOT NOIRS FROM CHILE’S CASABLANCA AREA, INCLUDES MANY THAT SELL FOR US$20 TO US$30 A BOTTLE. THE TOP 10, STARTING AT NO. 1, ARE: VIÑA COBOS MALBEC PERDRIEL LUJÁN DE CUYO COBOS 2011 (100 POINTS); SEÑA VALLE DE ACONCAGUA 2012 (98); TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES LA CONSULTA VALLE DE UCO LA CONSULTA SINGLE PARCEL LOS CASTAÑOS 2010 (99); ACHAVAL FERRER MALBEC LUJÁN DE CUYO FINCA BELLA VISTA 2011 (98); ABREMUNDOS VALLE DE UCO PAGINA 1 2011 (98); MONTES VALLE DE COLCHAGUA PURPLE ANGEL 2011 (97); GARCIA SCHWADERER SYRAH VALLE DE CASABLANCA SOFÍA 2012 (96); ALTA VISTA VALLE DE UCO ALTO 2010 (96); RITUAL PINOT NOIR VALLE DE CASABLANCA 2013 (94); AND BODEGA NOEMIA DE PATAGONIA MALBEC RÍO NEGRO J ALBERTO 2012 (95).