DRC sale reaches new heights

A bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has smashed records, selling for $812,500 at auction in the US, beating its own 2018 high and underlining booming global demand for ultra-rare Burgundy.

The bottle, originally from Robert Drouhin’s cellar, had previously sold via Sotheby’s in 2018 for $558,000. After professional storage in the US, it returned to market at Acker’s La Paulée Auction in Delaware, drawing bidders from four continents.

Produced in tiny quantities, just 600 bottles, the 1945 vintage is famed for its rarity and heritage. It was the final release from the domaine’s pre-phylloxera vines before replanting, adding to its near-mythical status among collectors.

Acker chairman John Kapon described it as “the greatest wine” he has tasted, noting intense global interest. The wider auction raised over US $25 million, setting hundreds of records and highlighting a surge in demand for trophy wines at the very top end of the market.