- The world’s leading wine auction house, Zachys, launches in London with first-ever European auction of wines from Enoteca Pinchiorri
Zachys, the world’s leading wine auction house, has announced it will be launching its first ever European auction in London.
The sale will comprise rarities from the legendary cellar of the Michelin three-star Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, Italy and take place on 12 September at 11:00am GMT via live video stream.
Regardless of country, bidders can participate via live online bidding, absentee bidding, or phone bidding. This sale represents a coming together of two great institutions: an illustrious Michelin three-star restaurant with a legendary cellar and the world’s leading wine auction house.
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, an amazing collection of Italian eau de vie in beautiful hand-blown Murano glass. Scrolling through the wines in this offering is like peeking through a window into the mind of a master curator.
From legends, to lesser-known gems, to vintages bold and subtle, each bottle in this collection was originally purchased as a piece of a greater whole. To take home a bottle from this collection is to buy a piece of wine world history. 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 £115 million 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. London, the historic centre of wine buying and trading worldwide, was the obvious choice for Zachys’ new European hub. Zachys’ presence in the UK capital is a key piece in a global expansion strategy that not only ensures the company’s global clientele will receive the same level of service regardless of time zone, but also means the sun never sets on Zachys auctions. Despite Covid-19, Zachys has had its busiest first half-year ever, overshadowing projections with over £30 million in YTD auction sales.
Indeed, 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 now-famous bidding parties, where potential buyers in Shanghai, Stockholm, Hong Kong, or elsewhere can get together in small groups, enjoy a glass of Burgundy, some fine dining, 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 landmark Square Mile financial district. Not far from the 17th-century St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Bank of England, where modern skyscrapers tower above the vestiges of medieval alleyways below. Zachys will be on the cutting-edge of modern auction technology with bidders from around the world convening in a “virtual room” to bid on the rarest wines in the world.
Cabotte is familiar to wine lovers throughout London and beyond, boasting not one, but two Master Sommeliers and a wine list made up of beautiful classics and rarities, with a focus on Burgundy. 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 12 September here: https://auction.zachys.com/catalog.aspx?auctionid=79
