HONG KONG.- Following the phenomenal success of last night’s historical sale of Lafite Ex Cellars spanning 140 years of wine excellence (sales total: HK$65.5 million / US$8.4 million; pre-sale high estimate: HK$20 million / US$2.5 million), today’s sale of The Bordeaux Collection from SK Networks is a sheer statistical triumph, marked by the huge quantity available in parcels for stellar young vintages from exceptional châteaux. The large parcel format of our offering proved extremely effective. Buyers responded enthusiastically with aggressive parcel bidding, achieving a stunning HK$79 million / US$10 million for 624 lots in 1.5 hours, HK$53 million / US$6.7 million per hour and 83 bottles per minute.

The extraordinary success of two remarkable sales of contrasting styles is a testament to Sotheby’s Asia’s breadth and depth of clients, reaching out to both experienced collectors competing for the ultimate trophy wines and relatively younger collectors aggressively building up their cellars.

Serena Sutcliffe M.W., Head of Sotheby's International Wine Department said: “This was a starry sale dominated by First Growths in real quantity. The speed of the sale testified to the thirst of the Asian market for the very best wines, which we shall continue to source from the most desirable collections.”

S.H. Kang, Head of Wine Business, SK Networks, commented after the sale: “We believe that Hong Kong will continue to grow as a hub of the global fine wine market. SK Networks Wine Business is happy to provide Asian collectors with fine wine in pristine condition through Sotheby’s auctions. We shall continue to deliver perfect wines to satisfy market needs.”

* Pre-sale estimates do not include buyer’s premium