Wine auction house Zachys has announced it will be launching its first ever European auction in London.
The sale will comprise rarities from the cellar of the Michelin three-star Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, Italy and take place on 12th September at 11:00am GMT via live video stream. Regardless of country, bidders can participate via live online bidding, absentee bidding, or phone bidding.
The London auction will include over 800 lots from the cellar of Enoteca Pinchiorri, internationally known as one of the greatest wine and culinary destinations for the past 50 years. Not only has the restaurant held three Michelin Stars since 1993, but from its inception, it has been focused on owner Giorgio Pinchiorri’s love of wine.
The sale includes Coche-Dury, Rouget, Dujac, Ramonet, Leflaive, Jayer, Liger-Belair, DRC, the First Growths, Pétrus back to the 1920s, Le Pin, Yquem back to the 1920s, Masseto, Ornellaia, Krug, Chave, a collection of Italian eau de vie in hand-blown Murano glass.
Giorgio Pinchiorri said: “I’m delighted to be partnering with Zachys for such a historic auction. Each of these bottles means a lot to me, and indeed I said goodbye to every single one as they went into the Zahcys boxes. I always try to keep in mind that wine bottles, if not opened, cannot be truly appreciated. My advice to buyers is as follows; before opening a bottle of wine you’ve won in this auction, give it a little caress, and a little kiss. Celebrate its producer, who has put a lot of sweat and effort into bringing a great vintage into the cellar. And enjoy it. That’s why I bought them, and why I want you to have them!”
Zachys, a New York-based fine wine specialist, founded in 1944, sold over £115m worth of wine at auction and retail in 2019. Zachys has offices in New York, Napa, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Stockholm and Paris.
Zachys’ presence in the UK capital is a key piece in a global expansion strategy that ensures the company’s global clientele will receive the same level of service regardless of time zone.
Despite COVID 19, Zachys has had its busiest first half-year ever, overshadowing projections with over £30m in YTD auction sales. Zachys was the first major auction house, wine or otherwise, to go fully live streaming with auctions, now called “Studio Sales”.
With a live auctioneer based in New York, Zachys’ global team hosts bidding parties, where potential buyers in Shanghai, Stockholm, Hong Kong, or elsewhere can get together in small groups and bid in real time. The London launch is no different; a live bidding party for the Enoteca Pinchiorri sale will take place at Cabotte Wine Bar and Restaurant in the Square Mile financial district. The restaurant is part-owned by Ian Mill, QC, who auctioned his personal collection through Zachys last year, with sales achieving over £8 million.
Jeff Zacharia, president of Zachys, commented: “At Zachys we pride ourselves on our unique auction style which is more fun and relaxed than the more traditional wine sales. Our events are a true celebration of fine wine and an opportunity for discerning drinkers to connect with like-minded enthusiasts. We cannot wait to bring Zachys signature style to London which we see as the perfect place for our launch in Europe. The city has a fascinating, wine-related story on every corner.”
Christy Erickson, head of Europe at Zachys, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting Zachys’ first European event in the City of London, known as one of the most historic fine wine centres of the world. Along with New York and Hong Kong, Zachys now has outposts in the three top fine wine markets globally. Our team has an unrivalled passion for wine and we cannot wait to meet some new faces in the city. The bidding party promises to be a brilliant occasion to mark our inaugural European sales season.”
Zachys will follow up the London auction with a multi-vendor sale in the city in November.
Register for the auction on 12th September here: https://auction.zachys.com/catalog.aspx?auctionid=79.
