For connoisseurs, a bottle of exceptional wine is not just a drink – it is a bottled story, an emotion preserved over time, an experience in waiting. And when one of the most prestigious private wine collections in the world is put up for auction, time seems to stand still. This is the case of American tycoon William “Bill” Koch, a renowned collector, wine enthusiast and inflexible defender of authenticity in the world of auctions.
3-Day Auction at Christie’s New York
Christie’s New York is hosting, starting June 12, a three-day auction that will include 1,500 lots, estimated at a starting price of $15 million. A true parade of oenological rarities, including emblematic bottles from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Château Lafite Rothschild, Pétrus or Harlan Estate. It is also the first live auction organized by Christie’s in New York after a break of several years – and promises to be a landmark for collectors and investors.
750 bottles in magnum format or larger, historic lots of Champagne Krug, Salon and Dom Pérignon, as well as rarities from Napa and Burgundy are just a few of the treasures that will pass through the auction house’s hammer. A treasure trove of guaranteed provenance: The bottles come from Koch’s residences in Palm Beach, Cape Cod and Aspen, each undergoing a rigorous authentication process – including nuclear spectrograph analysis and detailed examinations of label paper composition.
“These wines are like old friends to me,” says Koch. “I hope that those who will purchase them will open them in special moments, share them with their loved ones, laugh and create lasting memories. Wine is made to be drunk.”
Among the stars of the auction are:
- 295 lots Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
- 363 Burgundy lots, with names such as Coche-Dury, Dujac, Comte Liger-Belair
- 607 lots in Bordeaux, including Château Margaux, Angelus, Cos d’Estournel
- California Rarities: Screaming Eagle, Hundred Acre, Harlan Estate
Koch, a wine enthusiast
Known for his crucial role in exposing counterfeiters Rudy Kurniawan and Hardy Rodenstock, Koch is also one of the main architects of changing authentication standards in the fine wine industry. His passion was not limited to collecting – he was a pioneer in imposing transparency in an often opaque segment.
Just as he celebrated his America’s Cup victory in 1992 with sparkling wines from Chandon, Koch also celebrated Kurniawan’s conviction in 2013 with a comparative tasting, in his unmistakable style: a magnum of Romanée-Conti 1978, a Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 and a legendary Pétrus 1945.
For wine enthusiasts, for the aesthetics of rarity and authenticity, this auction represents more than an investment opportunity – it is an invitation to refinement, memory and the celebration of the essence of authentic luxury.
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