By Andy Young
A forgotten collection of wine, including a rare selection of wines from world-renowned winemaker Henry Jayer, is expected to raise up to $1.3 million when it comes up for auction next week.
According to The Telegraph newspaper in London, the collection of more than 2500 bottles of the some of the world’s finest wines, lay forgotten in a cellar for 10 years after the original owner passed away.
The collection will be sold at Sotherby’s with the auction house’s director of wine, James Reed, telling The Telegraph: “After his father fell ill, the door to the cellar was locked and the collection lay half forgotten. When I looked inside, the sheer extent of Henri Jayer wines was mind-blowing. The legendary Jayer is synonymous with some of the greatest wines from Burgundy and they have always been revered for their concentration, breed and class.
“The wines he produced were made in tiny quantities and here in front of me were several original cartons in good condition that hadn't even been opened, including Richebourg 1978 and Richebourg 1976.”
As well as the Richebourg, the collection also includes four cases of Petrus 1978, dozens of bottles of Domaine de la Romanee Conti as well as several magnums of Gosset Champagne.