A selection of red and white wines from Domaine Chave's Hermitage are to provide one of the main draws in Christie's Fine and Rare Wines sale.
 The Hermitage hillside, overlooking the white wine vineyards |
The October 18 auction features the recognisable Hermitage bottle as its cover image, with the auction house anticipating strong results from the Rhone Valley wines.
According to Christie's, "Domaine Chave's Hermitage wines are to the Rhone Valley what Ridge Montebello is to California or Chateau Lafleur to Pomerol." The red from the appellation is comprised mainly of the Syrah grape, with the white produced from Roussane and Marsanna.
The auction features seven of the vineyard's white wine vintages as well as four vintages of the red, with all bottles stored in impeccable conditions, remaining unmoved since shipping. A 12 bottle case of the "legendary" 1990 red will lead, estimated at £3,000-4,000 ($5,500-6,500). Christie's describes the 1990 as "an iconic northern Rhone vintage" and it is undoubtedly the finest wine to have left Domaine Chave.
The highest estimate among Hermitage's white wines is held by the 1989 vintage, 12 bottles of which are expected to bring £1,400-1,800 ($2,250-2,900).
The top lot of the auction is expected to be a case of Chateau Ausone's 2000 vintage, which managing director Alain Vauthier described as the "dream vintage". A spectacular Bordeaux, it is estimated to sell for £9,000-12,000 ($14,500-19,250).
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