Acker Merrall & Condit's December Hong Kong Sale Presents Three Superlots of the World's Most Prestigious Wines

Superlot of DRC's Romanee Conti of every vintage released from 1952 to 2007

NEW YORK, Nov 28, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --*The Most Important Lot offered at Any Wine Auction In 2011*

--Plus an extremely rare original wood case of 1962 Romanee Conti

Acker Merrall & Condit, the world's leading rare wine auctioneer and America's oldest fine wine merchant, announced today that it will hold its next Hong Kong sale on December 8th &10th 2011 at Island Shangri-La and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. A total of 825 lots of rare and superb Burgundy and Bordeaux wines, estimated at over HK$70 million, will be offered in the sale. In the limelight are three Superlots comprising the largest single vertical collections of each respective brand ever to be auctioned off in the world, all coming from a single monumental European cellar. Acker Merrall will also auction an extremely rare original wood case of the legendary 1962 Romanee Conti.

John Kapon, CEO of Acker Merrall & Condit Companies said: "2011 has been a spectacular year for Acker Merrall. We will surpass our record-setting 2010 and widen our lead as the #1 wine auction firm in the world. We will also be the first auction firm to surpass US$100 million in auction sales in a year. The Hong Kong market has played a pivotal role in our success, and the city has become the world's leading fine wine centre. These three Superlots are a fitting celebration to end the great year that was 2011, and we couldn't think of a better place to do it then Hong Kong."

THE SEARCH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL -- THREE SUPERLOTS

Acker Merrall & Condit is privileged to bring together in the December sale three separate and magnificent Superlots which have never before appeared in the auction market.

Superlot of DRC Romanee Conti

This trilogy of mega-verticals is led by the spectacular offer of a Superlot of 55 bottles of every vintage of DRC Romanee Conti released from 1952 to 2007, with exception of the 1968 which was never released by the Domaine (estimate:HK$4)(estimate:800)(estimate:000-6)(estimate:400)(estimate:000/ US$600)(estimate:000-800)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 650)(estimate:illustrated on P.1). This is the most important wine lot to be sold in 2011 anywhere in the world. DRC Romanee Conti has been hailed as the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings.

This complete collection starts with 1952, the first post-World War II vintage of Romanee Conti, since they replanted the vineyard after 1945 and did not produce any wines between 1946 and 1951. Finding single bottles of Romanee Conti, which is very scarcely produced and the most expensive wine in the world, is incredibly difficult, and even a smaller vertical would take countless years to accumulate. The sale thus offers a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to amass a collection that can be boasted as the most prestigious vertical collection of wine in the world.

Superlot of Chateau Petrus

Another Superlot consists of 57 vintages of Chateau Petrus, beginning with the legendary 1945 and including every vintage made from 1959 to 2007 (estimate:HK$1)(estimate:600)(estimate:000-2)(estimate:400)(estimate:000/ US$200)(estimate:000-300)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 649). Production has always been small at Petrus compared to the First Growths of the Medoc, so the existence of this vertical is all the more remarkable. Not only does it incorporate almost every single vintage made at the Chateau in that period, but each bottle is packaged in a separate original wooden box bearing the Chateau emblem and the vintage branded into the wooden case. This post-war treasure of Bordeaux's most expensive wine is expected to arouse great interest among wine connoisseurs from around the world.

Superlot of Chateau Mouton Rothschild

The final Superlot offers 101 vintages of vertical Chateau Mouton Rothschild starting with the rare 1867 vintage and includes numerous, practically non-existent pre-war vintages, and every vintage from 1936 to 2008 (estimate:HK$1)(estimate:600)(estimate:000-2)(estimate:400)(estimate:000/ US$200)(estimate:000-300)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 648). It also features the legendary 1874, 1899 and 1905, and the entire series of 1945 to 2008, a span of vintages during which Mouton established and cemented its First Growth status. These are all in excellent condition with good levels and wonderful labels, representing the entire 20th century and its art history, as well as that of the legacy of both Baron Philippe and his daughter Baroness Philippine de Rothschild.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

CASE LOTS OF ROMANEE CONTI

Including an extremely rare original wooden case of the great 1962

An auction containing case lots of 1988, 1989 and 1990 Romanee Conti would be special. But to accompany those great wines with the legendary 1962 in an original wood case offers a unique opportunity for collectors. It is without doubt one of the very, very few remaining in the world (estimate:HK$1)(estimate:600)(estimate:000-2)(estimate:400)(estimate:000/ US$200)(estimate:000-300)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 650A). The array of great Romanee Conti continues with cases of 1988, 1989, 1990, 2006 and 2007. Highlights are two parcel lots each comprising six bottles of the highly coveted 1990 vintage (estimate:HK$640)(estimate:000-960)(estimate:000/ US$80)(estimate:000-120)(estimate:000 each)(estimate:Lots 645-646); two parcels of 12-bottle cases of 1988 (estimate:HK$640)(estimate:000-960)(estimate:000/ US$80)(estimate:000-120)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 642-643) and a 12-bottle case of 1989 (estimate:HK$640)(estimate:000-960)(estimate:000/ US$80)(estimate:000-120)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 644).

BORDEAUX

An exceptional array of Bordeaux will be featured, including two collections of original wooden cases of First Growths and Super Seconds plus the most prestigious wines of the Right Bank. The first collection, kept in a temperature controlled cellar for decades undisturbed until carefully moved for the sale, includes numerous rare large formats. The spotlight will be on Bordeaux's great 1982 vintage, crested by imperials of Mouton, Latour and Lafite:

-- One Imperial of 1982 Lafite (estimate:HK$240000-320)(estimate:000/ US$30)(estimate:000-40)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 143)

-- One Imperial of 1982 Latour (estimate:HK$144)(estimate:000-200)(estimate:000/ US$18)(estimate:000-24)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 159)

-- One Imperial of 1982 Mouton (estimate:HK$88)(estimate:000-120)(estimate:000/ US$11)(estimate:000-15)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 174)

Bordeaux's greatness remains on display with these additional immortals in this spectacular collection:

-- Six magnums of 1990 Petrus in its original wooden case (Lot 183, HK$320,000 - HK$480,000 / US$40,000 - US$60,000)

-- Three Double Magnums of the benchmark '82 Petrus (Lot 180, HK$400,000 - HK$560,000 / US$50,000 - US$70,000), and

-- Three 12-bottle cases of the bewitching '82 Lafite (Lots 139-141, also available in lots 50, 630, 632, and 637-638, HK$320,000 - HK$480,000 / US$40,000 - US$60,000 per lot)

The second Bordeaux Collection features a wealth of mature Bordeaux rarely found in quantity today. These treasures include a parcel of sixteen cases of 1971 Latour: nine 12-bottle cases (estimate:HK$32)(estimate:000-48)(estimate:000/ US$4)(estimate:000-6)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lots 330-338) and seven 6-magnum cases (estimate:HK$40)(estimate:000-60)(estimate:000/ US$5)(estimate:000-7)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lots 339-345)(estimate:illustrated right). There is also other parcels such as four cases of 1978 Haut Brion, five cases of 1971 Lafite in double-magnum, six cases of 1978 Margaux and many, many cases of Mouton Rothschild.

There is also six chateau-bottled 750ml bottles of the Legendary 1947 Cheval Blanc removed from its original wooden case and in correspondingly excellent condition (Lot 252, HK$240,000 - HK$400,000 / US$30,000 - US$50,000) and a six bottle lot of one of the all-time greats, 1959 Lafite (estimate:HK$144)(estimate:000-200)(estimate:000/ US$18)(estimate:000-24)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 251). Bordeaux lovers should not miss a vertical of Lafite encompassing 29 vintages (estimate:HK$240)(estimate:000-320)(estimate:000/ US$30)(estimate:000-40)(estimate:000)(estimate:Lot 634) or the recurring magic of 1982 Petrus, this time via a pristine 12 bottle wooden case (HK$480,000-720,000/ US$60,000-90,000, Lot 641).

We are looking forward to a memorable, festive and unprecedented two days in Hong Kong on December 8 & 10, 2011.

About Acker Merrall & Condit

Founded in 1820, Acker Merrall & Condit is America's oldest fine wine merchant and the world's largest wine auction house. With operations in New York, Chicago and Hong Kong, the companies hold more than 20 auctions a year, including Internet auctions. They are devoted to helping their customers buy and sell the best wines, and also to sharing with them the experience of enjoying wine. Starting out as a family business, three generations of the Kapon family have been dedicated to bringing the best from the vine to their customers.