On Tuesday 28 April, we are delighted to present our monthly auction of Fine Wine, Champagne, Vintage Port and Spirits. The sale offers some of the very best wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Germany, the Rhone, Italy and USA. A standout highlight is a case of twelve bottles of Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes Mares Grand Cru. This exceptional 1990 vintage has been stored in perfect conditions since release. Ahead of the auction, Dreweatts’ Senior Wine Consultant, Mark Robertson tells us more.
To say this is one the rarest and most significant cases to be sold at auction in recent years would not be an exaggeration.
With just over one hectare of vines, Jasper Morris MW describes the Bonnes Mares - a stable that includes both Musigny and Amoureuses - as his favourite of the Domaine due to its extraordinary weight and complexity. The is the highest of praise from one of regions most important voices.
The exact origin of the name Bonnes Mares is uncertain. However, it is assumed that it derives from a local order of Cistercian Nuns...“Good Mothers”. Others believe it has a more ancient and spiritual connection to fairies and Mother Earth.
Whatever its meaning, it remains a small jewel in Burgundy. A vineyard, long popular with both the discerning and fearless wild boar that roam the woods just above (have you tried the local sausages?) and those who enjoy a long lived, rich, fuller bodied almost wild style of Pinot Noir, as opposed to its more feminine, elegant neighbours in Chambolle Musigny.
It is often regarded as a vineyard that can be tough to grapple with due to the two soils making very different styles. But when deftly harnessed and blended by growers such as Roumier, with their skill and understanding, wonders unfold, legends are created and never more than in the great 1990 vintage. With Bonnes Mares’ Olympian capacity to age, at 36 years, this could just be in a perfect place, and with many more years to enjoy.
I will happily stand corrected, but I believe that this may be the last case of twelve bottles stored consistently since first release in 1992 at The Wine Society and thus making it ...and I can be rightly accused of overusing the words…truly unique.
A work of art and a privilege to hand the baton to a new owner.
Like a broken record, I will keep saying it as it is true that Dreweatts continues to be one of the most exciting places to buy wine in the world today.
This is a live online auction with an auctioneer. The auction will take place on Tuesday 28 April (starting at 1pm BST) at Dreweatts Newbury, but please note all wine and spirits are stored off-site at LCB Eton Park. Bidding is available online, by telephone, by commission bids or in person at Dreweatts. Please contact Dreweatts to register all commission bids or telephone bids by 1pm BST the day before the sale.
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Our specialists can provide valuations on single bottles and entire cellars, as well as advice on starting and maintaining your cellar. For further details or a free auction valuation, please contact:
Dreweatts Wine Department
Mark Robertson | Violette Jongbloed | Emily Clarke | Lucy Dadd
Direct tel: +44 (0) 1635 553 594
Main tel: +44 (0) 1635 553 553
Email: wine@dreweatts.com
Also on Tuesday 28 April (at 10.30am BST), we are thrilled to offer Château Lafite From The Collection of Lord Rothschild at Stowell Park. The sale brings together Château Lafite Rothschild from the 1970s alongside a selection of other great wines, the wines have remained in situ since release, quietly maturing in the cellars of Stowell Park, Wiltshire. The Lafite wines were delivered directly from the estate and laid down in dark, undisturbed bins—until now.
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