1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild sees $29,750 at Bonhams
12 bottles of the 1982 vintage of Chateau Lafite Rothschild highlighted Bordeauxs
1982 is renowned as the legendary year for Bordeaux, so it is no wonder bidders were keen to snap up 12 bottles of Chateaux Lafite Rothschild at Bonhams' Fine and Rare Wines.
1982 is a legendary vintage for Bordeaux and its price reflects this
The September 8 auction was held in New York, and saw the case star as top lot at $29,750, despite the bottles being in less than perfect condition. A comparison can be seen at Christie's recent online-only sale, where 12 bottles of the 1982, in far superior condition, sold at $42,350.
Sotheby's will feature a further three imperials of 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild in their forthcoming The Classic Cellar auction at $25,000-35,000, as the classic Bordeaux reaches its prime drinking age. For those looking to buy, imperials are the best way to age wine for a long time and those in Sotheby's sale have been stored in near perfect conditions.
Bonhams' sale was dominated by 1982 Bordeaux, and following the Lafite was a case of 12 Chateau Latour, which sold for $15,470. Both Latour and Lafite have been named as some of the most valuable wines of 2012 and remain incredibly popular with both collectors and investors alike.
The auction's third highest-selling lot came from 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which sold for $13,090. Rated behind Lafite and Latour, Mouton often achieves smaller prices at auction and offers a fantastic opportunity for those with a more modest budget.
With prices for the 1982 vintage increasingly high at auction, Paul Fraser Collectibles recommends that those about to purchase Bordeaux look towards the 1990 vintage, whose quality is reportedly more consistent than the '82, but, without the legendary status, holds a lower estimate at auction.
