Fine Wines & Rare Spirits 3229B | Thursday, April 4, 2019 | 6PM | Boston
front cover: Chateau Cantenac Brown 1900, 1 bottle $1,500-3,000 back cover: Macallan Group, multiple lots left: Rare Old Port “Purchased in 1886,� 1 bottle $400-500
Please Note: Quotes cited as TWA used by permission of The Wine Advocate. Tasting notes attributed to APW are Anna Ward, those to MCK are Marie Keep.
The Emeritus Collection, full of astonishingly rare and historic vintages of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cognac, and Madeira, is the focus of the April auction. From the first to last cellar visit, we found ourselves spellbound by the sheer volume and rarity. Glorious older vintages can be acquired, including Bordeaux from 1928 (Ch Mouton Rothschild), 1929, 1945, 1947, a mesmerizing list of 1959s and 1961s, and still sleepy Burgundy, including a Ponsot Clos de la Roche 1949; multiple bottles of Port from the mid-1800s, Madeira Grand Reserve from 1805, Malmsey from 1808, and Cognac from 1865, amongst many others. These bottlings are from a different world, one rarely so viscerally accessible as opening a bottle from the year Napoleon was crowned king of Italy, Jefferson was sworn in for his second presidential term, or the year Confederate states surrendered to the North. Due to the age of much of the collection, we began a systematic exploration of the fitness of the wines, getting to know it (as we always do with a new collection) by judiciously pulling tasting bottles to find the beating heart of the collection. What is offered in the following pages, and in the live auction is a compendium of truly fine and rare. Collected through the decades by a renaissance man, patron of the arts, and dedicated philanthropist, the Emeritus Collection is full of soul—with a touch of whimsy. A few smaller, notable cellars round out the list, including one offering up more recent vintages of Jayer, Ponsot, and de Vogue. Each bottle in the auction is photographed and many aspects of the condition can be clearly seen, so we’re pulling back on the verbiage—if you can easily see it in the photo, it will likely not be transcribed in the text. Anything not readily apparent in the images will still be noted, as will unusual condition issues. Should you wish for a fuller accounting on a specific lot, we welcome your calls and emails. I hope you have as much fun scrolling through and studying these lots as we did discovering them in the cellar. Oenophilically yours,
Thursday, April 4, 2019 | 6PM
Marie Keep
63 Park Plaza
Anna Ward
Boston, MA
Joseph Hyman
preview by appointment
Lower Falls Wine Company finewines@skinnerinc.com 508.970.3246
MA LIC. 2304
The Emeritus Collection Our April Auction features The Emeritus Collection; an impressive 200+ lot selection from a lifelong collector of rare and fine wine. This collection is a study of Old World producers and explores magnificent Cru Classe and Right Bank Bordeaux from the early 20th century including Chateau Haut Brion, Mouton Rothschild and Leoville Las Cases, Burgundy from the great heights of Domaine Romanee Conti to nĂŠgociant blends throughout the decades, 19th century Cognac and vintage Rhone, Italian and Californian offerings. Amassed over a lifetime through retail and auction, and housed in three residences, these wines were stored in temperature and humidity-controlled environments including two custom built cellars and an Eurocave. Vetted with the upmost scrutiny, Skinner specialists tasted extensively through the collection.
Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 1978, 2 bottles $800-1,000
The 2005 vintage from Leoville las Cases is the epitome of the structural powerhouse the vintage was promised to be. Full of brooding dark fruit, this wine is still in its adolescence, but nearly kicking down the door to be unleashed. I look forward to revisiting this wine once it has matured into the glorious prime it promises.—APW 01/2018
Petrus 1972, 8 bottles $8,000-9,500
Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2005, 7 bottles $1,200-1,900
left: A.P. de Villaine Bourgogne Chante Flute 1979, 10 bottles $750-1,100 A woodsy nose gives way to a haunting quality with notes of a damp forest, wet leaves and woodsmoke. The wine possesses a purity and refinement, rare to fine in a simple Bourgogne, but simple this wine is not, and it’s still drinking beautifully.—APW 02/2019 Producer note: A vintage from the first decade Aubert de Villaine (director of the unparalleled Domaine de la Romanee Conti) and his wife Pamela founded and nurtured out from neglect this small property in the Cote Chalonnaise. Still in operation today, the de Villaines produce Alegote and Pinot Noir of substance; drinkable young but also go the distance. A strong nod to de Villaine’s philosophy of respect for the land, a fastidious hand and deft instincts. Though this particular label is no longer produced, de Villaine’s single vineyard Bourgognes are a weighty representation of a master’s love for his work.
Dauvissat Chablis Les Clos 1995, 12 bottles $1,100-1,600 A lush nose of ripe peach, guava, pineapple and lemon curd transports one almost to the tropics until a cool rush from a steely sip reels us swiftly back to Burgundy. Reminiscent of the flora surrounding a cold brook; this wine is lean, driven and precise with notes of chalky wet stones and moss. -APW 05/2018
skinnerinc.com/auctions/3229B
Ponsot Clos de la Roche 1949, 1 bottle $3,000-3,500 Michael Broadbent writes of the 1949 vintage “The most perfect end to the decade. One of my favorite of all Burgundy vintages… Elegant, well balanced wines, the best the epitome of Burgundy.”—Michael Broadbent’s Vintage Wine, Fifty Years of Tasting Three Centuries of Wine, c. 2002
Chateau Haut Brion 1959, 1 bottle $1,500-2,500
The Chateau with the longest recorded lineage in Bordeaux is that of Haut Brion. Records dating back to 1521 speak of the quality and reputation that precedes this great wine. Thomas Jefferson notated in his journal “The soil of Haut-Brion, which I examined in great detail, is made up of sand, in which there is near as much round gravel or small stone and a very little loam like the soils of the Médoc.” It is believed the site as a vineyard dates back to Roman times. In an early written recording of Haut Brion on April 10th, 1663, Samuel Pepys describes it as “a good and most particular taste I never met with,” after having it in a London pub. The red wine from Haut Brion with its elegant, feminine quality, richly scented nose of earth, and sweet autumnal leaves hauntingly lingers in one’s mind long after the palate is mired with other sensations. Haut Brion also produces a white wine composed of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and is ethereal in its crystalline quality yet finite in availability. In the red a more dominant proportion of Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc than typically seen in the Medoc adds an understated intensity that is long lived in the bottle but unveils in the glass. Over ten lots of Chateau Haut Brion from vintages spanning the 20th century are being offered in this upcoming Emeritus Collection.
Chateau Haut Brion 1959—A true marvel of vinous artistry. This 58-year-old masterpiece flits from wild rose to tar to otherworldly smokiness with the coolness of menthol and a delicate herbal tone. Tannins and acidity are so harmoniously married, the mere act of breathing in the wine creates the most delightful change in taste and experience. These sensations and much more morph; each sip is a new sensation lingering for what feels like an infinite length. This wine should be on every serious oenophile’s bucket list. —APW 04/2017
The 1967 vintage is not one of the most coveted on the auction market today and that’s unfortunate because we were impressed not only by this example of a classic Haut Brion but also the wine’s remarkable notes of iron, iodine, and ions after a summer thunderstorm. Wet earth, tar, tobacco, and cedar encapsulate a damson plum core, grape pip tannins, and an (almost) citrusy tinge of acidity. Plush and luxurious, this wine reveals not a hint of strain from the challenging vintage.—Fine Wines Department 02/2019
opposite bottom row: Chateau Haut Brion 1934, 1 bottle $600-800
Chateau Haut Brion Blanc 1979, 2 bottles $1,000-1,200
Chateau Haut Brion 1966, 2 bottles $2,000-3,000
this page: Chateau Haut Brion 1967, 10 bottles $1,700-2,100
Chateau Haut Brion 1979, 3 bottles $900-1,100
Chateau Haut Brion 1971, 3 bottles $550-850
Tokaji Lot, 3 bottles $150-250 Perhaps it was when Hungary was overtaken by Russia that the historic and forward thinking wine region of Tokaji diminished in recognition to a point where it is still catching up even today. The first region to establish a classification system similar to France’s AOC rules, embrace Botrytised grapes long before Bordeaux’s Sauternes and exported to European royalty, Hungary was an important contributor to the world of Fine Wine. But during the Communist regime the vineyards that private landowners held for centuries fell to state control. Throughout the 20th century vineyards lay impoverished and veiled behind the Iron Curtain to the rest of the world. In 1989 when Communism fell, the grip that had been held for so long on landowners loosened and lands were restored once again to private producers. An apt quote from King Saint Stephen (who ruled from 1000-1038) to his son is worth the read, “…For a country with one tongue and one manner is weak and shall fall. Therefore I command thee, my son, to aid aliens in good will and to hold them in high esteem, so that they shalt stay under thy wings rather than seek shelter elsewhere.”
Chateau d’Yquem 1971, 4 bottles $1,000-1,500 “Served from an ex-chateau bottle. I have always stood by the 1971 Chateau d’Yquem as being one of the most seriously underrated vintages of that decade. I feel completely vindicated in this view as I batted away the 1967 Yquem when tasted at the chateau and entranced its audience. This great Yquem was born during 10 days from October 6, when warm and humid conditions caused an outbreak of botrytis. It was a small crop of just 228 barrels. Slightly deeper in color than the 1982 Yquem tasted alongside, it is blessed with a truly spellbinding nose that has such energy and frisson that you don’t know where to look. You can detect Mirabelle, ripe satsumas, citrus peel, and beeswax. The palate is vibrant, animated and simply electrifies the mouth upon entry. The 1971 has immense concentration, while the almost Tokaji Aszu-like finish is beautifully poised. This is simply an outstanding Yquem that shows absolutely no sign of reaching the end of its drinking plateau. Drink now-2040+. Tasted March 2014.” N. Martin for TWA, 97 pts. 03/2014
Chateau Lynch Bages 1966, 2 bottles $250-350 Full of character, smoky, earthy, woody, like an early morning at the campsite. Dark red fruits, plummy and peaty, a wild hint of animal laced with fragrance of violets. This wine doesn’t go where you expect it to and drinking younger than its age would suggest. Memorably
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1966, 6 bottles $1,800-2,400
explore all lots online at skinnerinc.com/auctions/3229B
unexpected.—MCK 09/15
1900— One of the legendary vintages of the 20th century. A twin vintage following the heralded 1899 crop, 1900 was another uniformly excellent growing season which allowed for winemakers to produce triumphant wines of structure and gravitas at the turn of the century. Other notable events in the year were: US Post Office issues 1st books of postage stamps | 4th Boston Marathon won by Jim Caffrey of Canada in 2:39:44.4 | Associated Press organizes in NYC as non-profit news cooperative | Total solar eclipse occurs on May 28 | 6,000 killed when a hurricane & tidal wave strikes Galveston, Texas.
Chateau Cantenac Brown 1900, 1 bottle $1,500-3,000
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1928, 1 bottle $2,500-4,000
1928 – Another example of back-to-back impressive vintages. 1928 was the first of two and similar to 1900 was the vintage that produced robust, tannic wines of deep color and high alcohol optimal for long-lived pleasure, compared to the lighter, more feminine counterpart.
Chateau Latour 1928, 1 bottle $4,000-5,000
Various Cellars Consigned by various collectors, these offerings hold something for everyone—from passive cellars to professional climatecontrolled vaults—all were removed and vetted by Skinner specialists.
Armand Rousseau Lot, 3 bottles $800-1,200
Vega Sicilia Unico 2004, 3 bottles (owc) $650-950
Ridge Monte Bello 2010, 1 magnum $225-350
Rare Spirits
Our spirits offerings are a mix of old and new, large and small. We have Cognacs and Armagnacs from early 1800s through 1900s vintages, a limited release 1914 Talent de Thomas Hine in a heavily etched Baccarat crystal decanter, as well as full cases of whiskies, including Macallan 1964, AH Hirsch 1974, and a very rare, original six-pack of Very Very Old Fitzgerald distilled in 1955 and bottled in 1970 at 15 years old. Our Glen Grant 25 Years Old, bottled in 1965, is believed to be comprised of pre-war distillation from 1936. Others lots include vertical vintage selections of Macallan 18 Years Old, bottlings from highly prized distilleries as Ardbeg and Brora, and bourbons from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and Pappy Van Winkle.
Very Very Old Fitzgerald $18,000-24,000
Macallan 1964 $35,000-50,000
Macallan Anniversary Malt 1957 $2,500-3,000
Glen Grant 25 Years Old $6,000-8,000
Ralent de Thomas Hine $3,000-4,000
63 Park Plaza | Boston, MA 02116
PRSRT FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID GALLERY