Sotheby's serves up its second fine wine auction for thirsty collectors

This time the other side of the Atlantic will be invited to taste the best of the world's wines

Sotheby's will follow up its 'Finest and Rarest Wines' auction on February 23 with . . . more wine!  Its second successive sale will feature more exquisite bottles from around the world, with the French once more dominating at the top end. 

The auction, to be held in New York on March 4, is led by Lot 293 - 12 bottles of wonderful 1990 Château Pétrus.  Hailing from Pomerol in Bordeaux and classified as Cru Exceptionnel, the wine is described by Sotheby's as having an excellent appearance with a deeper colour than the previous year's vintage.

This incredibly opulent, voluptuous and plummy wine has an array of dried fruit flavours, with Mocha and mint notes.  It tastes of ultra-ripe plums and prunes and has a sweet aniseed finish.  This atypical and extraordinary set has an estimate of $35,000-55,000, which says much about its quality.

Another leading lot features 12 bottles of the famous Château Lafite, vintage 1982.  Lafite, produced by the Rothschild estate, is widely regarded as one of the best red wines in the world.  The 1982 offered here consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and has an intensely aromatic nose.

The year was notably hot, yet the wine is described as having youthful acidity.  Sotheby's also highly recommend decanting the wine in advance as its taste 'plumps out' after contact with air.  This set of bottles - which has some minor damage to the labels - has an estimate of $35,000-45,000, and considering that Lafite ages so well, it would make an excellent investment for years to come.

Finally, another Château Pétrus, also from 1982, is likely to catch the eye - or nose - of collectors.  The lot consists of 10 bottles, which have slightly glue-stained and torn labels.  The wine itself has an excellent clarity and mature colour, with a 'huge' character and presence.

It has a distinctive nose of prunes, spices and liquorice, with a sweet, gummy definition.  The wine has a sweet, leathery taste, and a prune and soft cinnamon finish.  This excellent product of one of the most famous estates in France has an estimate of $32,500-42,500.

Sotheby's sold $44m of wine in 2008 - and it's easy to see why.  The auctions are frequent and full of the best wines available for consumption and investment.  Wine collectors and investors really are in for a treat this March - with two successive auctions in two weeks, they should raise a toast to the auctioneer . . . and then head for New York.