Wine Industry Report

London based Antique Wine Company (http://www.antique-wine.com ) purchased almost all of the highest rated wines in the controversial sale of the Paris City Hall wine cellars - a sale of nearly 5,000 bottles of fine wine mostly that was amassed by Jacques Chirac during his time as Mayor of Paris.
Stephen Williams, Managing Director of the Antique Wine Company said:
“The sale was of special interest to us because apart from these wines being from great estates; Chateau Petrus, Lafite Rothschild, and Chateau Margaux for example, they also come with a perfect storage history. Paris is the Capitol city of the finest wine producing country in the world, and here we are in the Town Hall buying wines that were purchased by the current President of the country. They were purchased with the intention of being served to Heads of State, Royalty and other dignitaries to show the
best of what France has to offer”.
“Although my clients include are many of the most knowledgeable international wine collectors, they often open and drink valuable wines, frequently with friends, so a history like this makes a good dinner party story, and with this virtual guarantee that the wine will be in perfect condition, I know that we will find second homes for them”
When asked if he was able to buy everything he wanted from the auction Williams replied “Sadly not. I set out with a strategy of only buying the very best of the cellar, those from vintages that enjoy the highest internationally recognised quality rating, and at sensible prices. In some cases the bidding was tough and I missed out on a few lots, mainly to a small group from China. But I did secure both bottles of Romanée Conti 1986 which was the most valuable wine in the sale (EUR5,000), and all the Château Petrus, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Châteaux Haut Brion and Mouton Rothschild I wanted; I’m very satisfied”.