The Wine Blokes

Serena Sutcliffe, Senior Director and Head of Wine at Sotheby's

There are some wines you just can’t get anywhere else. Sothebys manage to secure some of the most interesting lots in the world thanks to their international presence and illustrious history. Sotheby’s started out as a book auctioneer in 1744 under Samuel Baker. It has since expanded into a large public limited comany covering all aspects of the fine and decorative arts. It has 100 offices around the world and an annual turnover of around $2 billion.

The wine department at Sothebys is led by Serena Sutcliffe M.W.They have been selling wine in London since 1970 and in New York since 1994 with worldwide sales of over $44 million in 2008. Sotheby’s specialise in offering some of the finest wine cellars in the world, such as:

• 

  CHATEAU LA MISSION HAUT BRION 1961, 12 bottles sold for £25,300 in 2007

  “A Superb Private Collection” (London, September 2008, $2.9 million)

• “Magnificent Bordeaux and Burgundy from an Important Private Cellar” (New York, April 2008, $6.1 million)
• “The Adrian Bowden Cellar Part II” (London, March 2007, $2.8 million)
• “Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Treasures from the Private Cellar of Baroness Philippine” (New York, February 2007, $2.2 million).

For anyone interested in paddling their way into some seriously fine wine, there are several upcoming fine wine auctions in London and New York whic include lots from Chateau Latour and Chateau Mouton Rothschild. They are as follows:

• 18 Apr 09 Auction Finest and Rarest Wines [N08528] New York
• 22 Apr 09 Auction Fine and Rare Wines & Vintage Port [L09804] London
• 20 May 09 Auction FINE & RARE WINES [L09805] London
• 06 Jun 09 Auction Wine [N08553] New York
• 17 Jun 09 Auction FINE & RARE WINES [L09806] London

To find out more about buying wine from Sothebys, visit their wine department webpages by clicking here.