Christie’s Presents The Cellar of William I. Koch The Great American Collector

Christie’s Relaunches Wine in New York City with a 1500-lot auction with a low estimate of $15 Million. 

The inaugural three-day live auction will revolve around large-format bottles from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Pétrus, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Cheval Blanc, among others.

NEW YORK -   This June, Christie’s Wine in New York is proud to present one of the greatest single-owner wine collections ever to come to market: The Cellar of William I. Koch: The Great American Collector. This landmark auction will be held live over three days, from June 12–14, at Christie’s iconic Rockefeller Center location. A once-in-a-generation sale, the auction will feature a highly curated selection of rare bottlings from the world’s most revered wine estates, in legendary vintages, including more than 750 extraordinary large-format bottles.

An industrialist, America’s Cup winner, and one of the world’s foremost collectors, William ‘Bill’ Koch has spent a lifetime pursuing his many passions—the collecting of fine wine being a lifetime highlight. Drawn from his renowned cellars in Palm Beach, Cape Cod and Aspen, this world-famous collection offers a "never-to-be-seen-again" lineup of historic vintages from the greatest names in wine. Over the course of the three-day event, passionate oenophiles from around the globe will have the opportunity to engage with approximately 1,500 lots, representing historic vintages interpreted by the greatest growers. Bordeaux and Burgundy figure most prominently in the offering, complemented by significant selections from Champagne, the Rhône Valley, Italy, and the New World. The sale will feature stellar vintages from prestigious producers such as Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Pétrus, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Leroy, Henri Jayer, Armand Rousseau, Margaux, and Château Cheval Blanc, among others. At the heart of this unprecedented auction will be more than 750 majestic large-format bottles, including over 45 Jeroboams and Methuselahs of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, promising to make this a truly historic event.

William I. Koch comments: “I have often wondered what deeply attracts me to outstanding wine, gourmet food, incredible art, music, and camaraderie. Wine brings it all together. Winemaking is both farming and art. To me, it is simple prairie philosophy, you can taste the love, passion, hard work, dedication, teamwork, and pride that went into the making of a great wine. Perhaps you could say that these philosophies are what have been most important to me in both my personal and business lives. With hard work, business success, and a great deal of luck, I have been fortunate to collect things that I love. I collect things that celebrate the love of my family and friends; and remind me of significant and special times in our lives. My hope is that at this wine sale you will find something that speaks to your passion and that you are able to share it with the people you love.”

Adam Bilbey, Christie’s Global Head of Wine and Spirits says: “It is with great pride that we present The Cellar of William I. Koch: The Great American Collector, marking the highly anticipated relaunch of our Fine Wine sales in New York this June. Mr. Koch is truly one-of-a-kind icon in the world of wine, whose influence on the story of fine wine collecting is both profound and enduring. His vision and unwavering dedication to building one of the greatest wine cellars of our time will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. It brings him great joy to share both his extraordinary wines and his remarkable collecting journey with a new generation of enthusiasts. Mr. Koch collected during an era when, with passion, foresight, and means, it was still possible to amass significant quantities of the world’s most historic and collectible wines. The phrase "they don’t make them like that anymore" feels especially apt—both for this extraordinary cellar and for Mr. Koch himself. We look forward to celebrating Mr. Koch, honoring his incredible collecting journey, and welcoming collectors back to our Rockefeller Center galleries this June to experience this unparalleled offering.” 

The inaugural three-day auction marks the relaunch of Christie’s Wine auctions, returning live to New York City after a brief pause prompted by market trends.

Collection Highlights 

Lot 153 Château Lafleur 1982 Pomerol 2 Bottles (75cl) per lot $26,000 - $38,000
Lot 221 Domaine Georges Roumier, Bonnes Mares, Vieilles Vignes 1988 Côte de Nuits, Grand Cru 1 Magnum (150cl) per lot  $9,000 - $14,000
Lot 265 Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée, Cros Parantoux 1990 Côte de Nuits, Premier Cru 1 Magnum (150cl) per lot $24,000 - $38,000
Lot 333 Château Lafite Rothschild 1900 Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé 1 Bottle (75cl) per lot $4,000 - $5,500
Lot 1084 Château Mouton Rothschild 1945 Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé 4 Bottles (75cl) per lot $38,000 - $50,000
Lot 1115 Petrus 1990 Pomerol 6 Magnums (150cl) per lot $38,000 - $50,000
Lot 1174 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Vosne-Romanée, Les Gaudichots 1929 Côte de Nuits, Grand Premier Cru 1 Bottle (75cl) per lot $8,000 - $12,000
Lot 1321 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet 1986 Côte de Beaune, Grand Cru1 Jeroboam (300cl) per lot $20,000 - $30,000
Lot 1470 Penfolds, Grange 1971 South Australia 6 Bottles (75cl) per lot $4,800 - $7,000
Lot 60 Château Haut-Brion 1989 Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé 12 Bottles (75cl) per lot $17,000 - $26,000

Founded in 1766, Christie's is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie's unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie's auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million. Christie's has sold 7 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction, launched the first fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art and manages an investment fund to support innovative startups in the art market. Christie's is also committed to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide. To learn more, browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at christies.com or by downloading Christie's apps.
* Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price - see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue.
* Estimates do not include buyer's premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer's premium.
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SOURCE Christie's