The auctioneer calls lot 1208, the third to last in a five-hour auction at the Hotel Inter-Kontinental in Zurich. On the otherwise businesslike, austere face of the caller, a smile: "How high should I start?" This question never usually comes up in an auction. The starting price is accurately recorded in the catalogue as the reserve price. Lot 1208 is a mixed lot. Reserve price 200 +.
Under the heading Mixed-Lot, wines appear which hardly interest traders and which usually only cause a weary smile even among wine connoisseurs. Bad vintages, low fill level, little-known wineries, in short, what comes up during a cellar emptying and is to be brought to the man or woman by the auctioneer. Mostly, each of these mixed lots contains a special "draught horse", which usually justifies the minimum price or even the starting price and which is very often desired. The remaining wines must then be taken to it. Often a disposal case, not rarely however also a surprise.
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| Extract from the auction catalogue |
Not "blind- " but "block-books" one calls this in the business world. So: lot 1208 is such a mixed lot and for CHF 200 +. 11 bottles: 2 Chambolle-Musigny 1969 Grivelet, 1 Charmes-Chambertin 1969 Roger de Jouennes, 2 Mazy-Chambertin 1978 Joseph Roty 4-6 cm., 1 Charmes-Chamebertin 1978 Joseph Roty 4 cm., 1 Chambertin 19779 Camus 5 cm., 1 Beaune Cent Vignes 1990 CH, 3 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er 1992 Morin.
The auctioneer starts at 300 francs. Hardly anyone is looking. Many bidders have already left, others are clearing their bags. Two in the room keep up: 300! The auctioneer himself - administrator of the bids received in writing - continues to bid 400 francs. In the hall 500! That is already twice the minimum price. Some look briefly, pause, but continue to deal with their departure. But the bidding continues: 600, 700, 800.... Now it gets quiet in the hall, people look in consternation at the auctioneer, then again at the auction catalogue. 900, 1000, 1100 francs. Now it gets very quiet. Those who are still here hold their breath. We know that old Burgundy wines suddenly fetch incredibly high prices at auctions: At this auction, for example: 1 bottle of Romanée-Conti, 3.5 cm. Cap lid cut off at the top for 5900 francs (3'740 ) or 1 Richebourg, 1959, 5 cm. for 1400 francs (890 ). But what is going on with this lot 1209? There are further bids of 1200, 1300, 1420 francs (900 ) until finally the hammer falls. What is so precious about these 11 bottles from Burgundy? I have not found out. Shaking my head in consternation, I leave the room. My only consolation: After all, I'm not a Burgundy connoisseur, but rather a "Bordeaux specialist". In the underground car park, I meet two other participants, the auction, excitedly discussing: What is it about this lot? They don't know either and are quite disappointed because they feel they are bad wine connoisseurs.
They only lost their foul mood when I confessed that I hadn't figured it out either. That's when the day was saved for them. But I have been stuck with Lot 1208 ever since. Who can help me to find my peace again?
Yours sincerely
Peter (Zuellig)