A bottle of a 1945 Romanee-Conti was sold for a record breaking $785,000 at a Sotheby’s auction in New York over the weekend. Another bottle of the same wine was sold for a similar price of $698,000 at the same auction.
Two of only 600 produced that year by the maker of what’s considered France’s best Burgundy – Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), after which the celebrated vineyard was uprooted.
The wines were acquired direct from DRC by Robert Drouhin and his father, Maurice, mainly at the time when Drouhin was exclusive DRC distributor for France and Belgium.
1945 Romanee-Conti
Sharing his knowledge about the history of the wine, Drouhin explained that during the German invasion of France in the 1930s, his father had built a fake wall inside their wine cellar to ensure it was never discovered. In his speech at the auction, Drouhin expressed mixed feelings at selling the wine. He explained that he felt both regret and pleasure at sharing the bottles, revealing that though he had saved some for his children and friends, he was glad to be sharing his precious bottles of fine wine because those who will purchase the bottles, will be able to enjoy and appreciate the quality and luxury that the wine offers.
The Romanee-Conti was apparently sold at 17-times its estimated price. Additionally, it has also set a new record for all wine bottles in the world. Meanwhile, other spirits that were auctioned off last weekend at Sotheby’s include three magnums from 1937 that were sold for about $310,000.
1945 Romanee-Conti
