A PERFECT 10

作者: Stuart George        来源: 《酒典》www.winemagcn.com|原创作品 谢绝转载

Stuart George looks back on an extraordinary year for the fine wine market.

After the global economic downturn of 2009, 2010 was a year that saw fine wine prices continue to rise against a still-turbulent economic background.

Thanks to a thriving market in Hong Kong, clearance rates at wine auctions were outstanding and record prices were achieved. Annual totals were the best ever, exceeding previous highs seen in 2007.

The auction houses in 2010

Auction sales of fine wine in 2010 totaled $408.1 million. New York-based Acker Merrall & Condit achieved $98.5 million in worldwide sales, the highest total ever achieved by a single auction house in one year. Nearly two-thirds of that figure came from Hong Kong.

Sotheby’s more than doubled its 2009 total to achieve $88.27 million. Sales in Hong Kong increased by 268% year on year. Christie’s was in third place with $71.5 million (£46,121,900), about the same as its 2007 peak. Morrell & Company’s move to Internet-only sales paid off with a jump from $630,000 sales in 2009 to $3.76 million in 2010.

In 2009, Zachys had the highest gross of any wine auctioneer. Although it totalled a sizeable $56.51 million in 2010, this represented “only” 11% growth year on year. Its Hong Kong revenue increased by just 3%. By comparison, Acker Merrall was up by 94%, Sotheby’s by 111% and Christie’s by 69%. Fine wine auctioneering is an intensely competitive business.

    Overall, New York sales were up by 34%, the UK and Europe by 58% and Hong Kong by a dizzying 157%. New York’s relatively modest figure suggests that wine that previously would have been sold there is now going to Hong Kong.

Record prices in Hong Kong

According to the Capgemini Asia-Pacific Wealth Report 2010, Asia Pacific’s population of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) increased 25.8% to three million in 2009, catching up with Europe’s HNWI population.

HNWI wealth in the region increased 30.9% to US$9.7 trillion in 2009, surpassing that of Europe’s HWNI wealth in 2009. China remained the second largest HNWI base in the region and fourth largest in the world, up 31% from the previous year.

Hong Kong’s HNWI population had the highest percentage gain in the world, up 104.4% to 76,000, though this growth did not fully recoup the large declines Hong Kong saw in 2008.

Now that they have some money, the Chinese seem to be collecting wine like English aristocrats used to collect paintings. Chinese wine collectors will spend as much as it takes to get what they want. In October, three bottles of Lafite 1869 were each sold by Sotheby’s for HK$1,500,000 (CNY1,278,180), making this the most expensive 75cl bottle of wine ever sold.

A bottle claimed as the only known existing Imperiale of Cheval Blanc 1947 was sold by Christie’s in Geneva on 16 November for CHF298,500 (CNY2,045,440). Pro rata, however, it did not match the Lafite 1869. A six-litre Impériale of that would be worth CHF1,450,390 (CNY9,938,650).

Away from the auction rooms of Kowloon, a lot of Chinese wine buyers visited the Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy, held every year since 1851 on the third Sunday in November, for the first time. The auction catalogue was translated into Chinese and pre-auction dinners were held in various Asian cities. There were also many Chinese wine buyers in Bordeaux during the en primeur campaign held in April 2010.

My predictions

Here are my fine wine predictions for the year of the rabbit.

The 2010 wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy will be awesomely expensive. Lafite 2008, which will be bottled and shipped this year, will be very popular in China when it is released, with its etched Chinese symbol on the bottle. Lafite is apparently the only Bordeaux estate to have translated its entire website into Chinese. Its neighbour Mouton has chosen the Chinese artist Xu Lei for its 2008 label.

With anniversary wines, those celebrating a 20th anniversary or birthday in 1991 are unlucky-it was a dreadful Bordeaux vintage. Tokaji was good, though, as was Port. California had an excellent year.

    For 21st anniversaries, 1990 offers a lot of choice. It was a great year in Bordeaux for both red and sweet wines. Red Burgundy was outstanding and some good whites were also made. The Rhone and Champagne also had fine years, as did Barolo and Barbaresco, the latter a nice way to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.

The wine of choice for 25th celebrations would be Mouton Rothschild 1986 – expect demand and prices for this to increase. Very good white Burgundy was made and it was a good year for Penfolds Grange.

Although overshadowed by 1982, 1981 clarets (and Champagnes) can be surprisingly pleasant.Chateau Musar was good. 1971 is another unfashionable Bordeaux year but worth a look, especially Cheval Blanc.Domaine de la Romanee-Conti did well, and fine wines were made in the Rhone (especially Hermitage La Chapelle), Champagne and the Mosel. This is arguably the best ever vintage of Penfolds Grange.

People celebrating their 50th birthday are deeply fortunate. 1961 was a truly great Bordeaux vintage, with Latour and Palmer especially distinguished. Hermitage La Chapelle of this year is the most expensive vintage available of this wine. Barolo and Barbaresco from Italy were also good.

Wines from 1951 and 1941 are mostly poor, though some 1941 Madeiras are thought to be good. Grange was first made this year, though never released commercially, and nowadays only available to taste at a Penfolds Rewards of Patience event.

Port was terrific in 1931, especially Noval Nacional. The first vintage of Dom Perignon was made in 1921, an auspicious year for Champagne in which Pol Roger produced a renowned wine. Romanee-Conti and d’Yquem were fabulous.

There were riots in Champagne in 1911, though the wines were still very good. Finally, the “Comet” vintage of 1811 was great throughout Europe’s classic wine regions. Bottles still occasionally appear at auctions and can be drunk with pleasure for your 100th birthday!

 

 

 

作者简介:斯图亚特·乔治,已从事酿酒业十四年,走遍了欧洲酿酒区,并到访南非、澳大利亚、新西兰、巴西等地的酿酒区。2003年,他被评为“英国年度年轻葡萄酒作家”,是畅销书《1001瓶你死之前必喝的酒》的作者之一。

作家其它文章 相关文章