Sotheby's 'nose best' - and its February wine sale is set to be a vintage one

The world of wine collecting often gravitates towards France ... and this auction will show you why

Sotheby's will be offering some wonderful bottles of the world's best in their upcoming 'Finest and Rarest Wines' auction.  It will be held in London on February 23, and will inevitably feature a whole host of the most exquisite wines available to humanity - after all, that is what the auction house has done best for over 40 years.

The leading lot is a remarkable French wine - not entirely unsurprising!  The lot consists of 12 bottles of Romanée Conti from the world renowned Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, vintage 1988.  This beautiful, chewy red from the heart of Burgundy has a deep, crimson colour with lost blue notes. 

The wine has a nose of black cherries and a well-balanced raspberry taste combining fruit, acidity and tannin.  With excellent levels and perfectly preserved labels, this outstanding produce from one of the world's best vineyards is estimated to sell for £46,000-55,000.  This would, without doubt, make an exceptional investment . . . and probably tastes alright too!

Second in line is Lot 8, a collection of 12 bottles of Château Pétrus.  Vintage 1990, this deep red wine originates from the appellation of Pomerol in Bordeaux.  Consisting almost exclusively of Merlot grapes, the wine has a nose of dried fruit, reminiscent of the wines of the Napa Valley.

This voluptuous and opulent Pétrus tastes of ultra-ripe plums and prunes with a sweet aniseed finish, making it rather atypical.  Add to that their excellent condition - apart from very slight damage to the bottom of 4 labels - and you have a very special lot.  These bottles are likely to sell for £26,000-30,000.

A final collection worth noting is an earlier vintage from Château Pétrus - 1982 to be precise.  This wine is in fact split across two lots - 6 bottles in each - with slightly different but still excellent condition and levels noted in both.

The wine contained is a mature-coloured red, with a nose of prunes and spices giving it great character and presence.  Its sweet 'leathery' taste exudes shades of liquorice and sweet aniseed, with a prune and cinnamon finish.  This full and rich tasting wine is a perfect example of why the French rule the wine world - it is estimated to sell for £18,000-24,000 per lot.

Sotheby's record in wine is astonishing and this auction only serves to reinforce that reputation.  This sale includes wines that are, quite simply, the best a collector or investor can get.  What more needs to be said?