{"id":342939,"date":"2024-11-11T14:00:06","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T19:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/blog-api\/?p=342939"},"modified":"2024-11-11T14:00:06","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T19:00:06","slug":"collecting-focus-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-wine\/","title":{"rendered":"Collecting Focus: Wine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wine collectors may be buying up Bordeaux and Burgundy, but they\u2019re also seeking out suitable spaces to store their liquid investments, writes Nina Caplan<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Wines from the cellar of William I. Koch, offered at Sotheby\u2019s in 2016<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t many collectibles that are as delightful to consume as they are satisfying to amass, but wine is special, in the glass and in the cellar. And this is a great time to be a wine collector, as commercial interest in the area continues to grow. In 2023, wine auction sales reached a new high for the third year in a row and, for the first time, Sotheby\u2019s sold $158 million in wine auctions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wine collecting is evolving. Whereas Bordeaux used to be the collectors\u2019 darling (and is still the backbone of most collections), there is now a thirst for Burgundy that, given the small quantities available, is almost impossible to assuage. And not just any Burgundy. \u201cCollectors used to place more emphasis on the Grands Crus or the famous appellations, but now so much collecting is producer-driven. People will follow, say, Christophe Roumier or Jean-Marc Roulot,\u201d says Lukas Dempsey, AVP in <\/span>wine at Sotheby\u2019s<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This approach is true of Barolo, too. \u201cCollectors are becoming more particular, wanting Vigna Francia by Giacomo Conterno, for example, or certain wines by Bruno Giacosa,\u201d says Richard Young, Sotheby\u2019s head of auction sales in fine and rare wines for the Americas. \u201cMaybe these clients are more and more educated\u2014or else they have that geeky side we associate with Burgundy, where collectors enjoy understanding specific plots.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The cellar from the estate of Jerry Perenchio, offered at Sotheby\u2019s in 2018<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Dempsey concurs. \u201cThere is a focus now on the hyperlocal, the traceable, the site-specific,\u201d he says. It is even the case with Champagne: people who used to simply love Krug are now more excited about their single-plot cuv\u00e9es, Clos du Mesnil, or Clos D\u2019Ambonnay. Another advantage of concentrating on individual vineyards is that it\u2019s possible to collect them all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And not just to lay down or to sell. Collectors, particularly younger ones, also want to drink the wines. \u201cThey will buy at village or Premier Cru level because they want to really experience these wines and the prices of the Grands Crus make that difficult,\u201d says Young. The wines needn\u2019t be mature, either. Where once, Burgundy under 20 years old was rarely seen at auction, now 2020s and 2021s come onto the market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This democratization is all relative, of course. After all, at the top echelons of collecting, scarcity is part of the point. The excitement around \u201cThe Epicurean\u2019s Atlas: The Encyclopaedic Cellar,\u201d last year\u2019s sale by Sotheby\u2019s Hong Kong of the first tranche of one of the most important and valuable wine collections ever to come to market, demonstrates that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Wines from the cellars of Park B. Smith, offered at Sotheby\u2019s in 2020<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

While many collectors store their wine in professional cellars, to protect provenance, every wine-lover\u2019s home needs storage that is kind to bottles. Ideally, that space will be below ground, for temperature control, including humidity, and bottles will be stored on their side. \u201cPeople forget how important it is to maintain 70% relative humidity, particularly on the West Coast, given the dry climate,\u201d says Young. If possible, the temptation to have a showcase should be resisted. However much people want to display their prize finds, direct light is terrible for wine. \u201cEven [window] glass with ultraviolet protection isn\u2019t ideal,\u201d he says. Wooden cases might hide their contents from admiring eyes, but they safeguard the bottles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Young\u2019s key advice to homebuyers is: think big. \u201cArchitects or designers often ask their clients: \u2018How big a cellar do you really need?\u2019 And they may say 1,000 bottles and think that\u2019s more than enough, but within a year every collector wishes they had asked for more space. I always advise them to opt for the largest area that is realistic, because it is much harder to extend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you wish to inquire about the possibility of selling your wine with Sotheby\u2019s, please <\/span><\/i>click here<\/span><\/i><\/a>. The <\/span><\/i>Finest & Rarest Wines<\/span><\/i><\/a> auction takes place on November 22 in New York. Explore <\/span><\/i>Four Homes Perfect for Wine Tastings<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wine collectors may be buying up Bordeaux and Burgundy, but they\u2019re also seeking out suitable spaces to store their liquid investments, writes Nina Caplan Wines from the cellar of William I. Koch, offered at Sotheby\u2019s in 2016 There aren\u2019t many collectibles that are as delightful to consume as they are satisfying to amass, but wine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64295786,"featured_media":342940,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1393],"tags":[1511],"class_list":["post-342939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture","tag-wine"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf4gbL-1rdh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":342036,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/4-homes-perfect-for-wine-tastings\/","url_meta":{"origin":342939,"position":0},"title":"4 Homes Perfect for Wine Tastings","author":"SIR Admin","date":"June 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Those who presume that wine is just another beverage are missing the point, and missing the potential\u2014for as any connoisseur knows, it\u2019s so much more. Wine can be a collector\u2019s item and an investment; it can be an invitation to a celebration, or the centerpiece at a chic soir\u00e9e. Of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Home and Design"","block_context":{"text":"Home and Design","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/home-and-design\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image5-2-1024x683.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image5-2-1024x683.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image5-2-1024x683.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":347159,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/inside-a-hillside-haven-in-wine-country\/","url_meta":{"origin":342939,"position":1},"title":"Inside a Hillside Haven in Wine Country","author":"Natalie Davis","date":"June 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Modernity meets majesty in this striking sustainably designed contemporary home\u2014and its plentiful outdoor living spaces\u2014overlooking the Sonoma Valley. As is true of many of the world\u2019s most lauded architectural firms, San Francisco-based\u00a0 green-building-certified EAG Studio strives to \u201cblend form with function, crafting spaces that resonate with nature and nurture the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Home and Design"","block_context":{"text":"Home and Design","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/home-and-design\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"exterior of contemporary home overlooking wine country","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2-2.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":344432,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-contemporary-art\/","url_meta":{"origin":342939,"position":2},"title":"Collecting Focus: Contemporary Art","author":"Kate Marburger","date":"August 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sotheby\u2019s New York is inviting first-time buyers to explore art at auction with its upcoming Open House, writes Katie Armstrong David Hockney\u2019s \u201cTerrace Hollywood Hills House with Banana Tree,\u201d 1982 at the Contemporary Day Auction on 16 May 2025 at Sotheby\u2019s New York. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s Buying contemporary art and collectables\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Header-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Header-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Header-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Header-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Header-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Header-2.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":347854,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/inside-a-designers-distinctive-wine-country-estate\/","url_meta":{"origin":342939,"position":3},"title":"Inside a Designer’s Distinctive Wine Country Estate","author":"Natalie Davis","date":"August 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Along with a swimming pool, a guesthouse, and a rustic garage barn with a live-work loft, this unique three-bedroom residence\u2014inspired by those built in South Africa\u2019s wine country in the 17th century\u2014anchors an approximately 16-acre estate of gently rolling land strewn with stalwart oaks and suffused with character. Amid orderly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Home and Design"","block_context":{"text":"Home and Design","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/home-and-design\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"exterior shot of Glen Ellen, California wine country estate with Cape Dutch-style home","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2-3.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2-3.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2-3.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2-3.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":342225,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/inside-a-chic-contemporary-on-the-outskirts-of-wine-country\/","url_meta":{"origin":342939,"position":4},"title":"Inside a Chic Contemporary on the Outskirts of Wine Country","author":"SIR Admin","date":"July 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Much like the other esteemed architectural firms of the world, San Francisco-based Aidlin Darling Design proclaims to create architecture \u201cconnecting us to place and to ourselves\u201d and providing \u201caccess to and integration with the surrounding environment.\u201d In the case of this cloistered 14,000-square-foot residence, the milieu is roughly 156 acres\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Home and Design"","block_context":{"text":"Home and Design","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/home-and-design\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4-3-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4-3-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/4-3-1024x683.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":346174,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/inside-a-rare-lake-view-compound-in-wine-country\/","url_meta":{"origin":342939,"position":5},"title":"Inside a Rare Lake-View Compound in Wine Country","author":"Natalie Davis","date":"February 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"This 40.66-acre estate boasts a 8,500-square-foot home, two guesthouses, an infinity-edge pool and spa, a lap pool, an acre of cabernet vines, mature gardens, multiple alfresco entertaining areas, tennis and bocce courts, and an enviable vista of Lake Hennessey. With its stately pitched rooflines, gently curving eaves, august ironwork, ivy-draped\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Home and Design"","block_context":{"text":"Home and Design","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/home-and-design\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"outdoor dining area with water views","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64295786"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342939\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}