Wine is not only drunk, it is smelled, it is observed, it is tasted, it is sipped... and it speaks.
Wannenes, a leading auction house in the Italian and international scene, is hosting its first auction dedicated to fine and distilled wines. They have partnered with Gambero Rosso, the premier authority on Italian wines and a trusted reference for experts and novice oenophiles alike. CEO of the auction house, Guido Wannenes, said that "The partnership with Gambero Rosso consolidates our strategy to combine the traditional auction sales of works of art with a new segment dedicated to luxury goods: jewellery, wristwatches, classic and sports cars, and now the wine. This collaboration will be an opportunity to enhance Italian excellence."
The auction will be held on 24 October at the Chorus Café in Rome, during the Roma Gambero Rosso Wine Week. The sale presents an important selection of almost 600 lots of prestigious labels, both Italian and international: Masseto, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Barolo Monfortino, Quintarelli, Romanée Conti, Château Lafitte, Krug, and Dom Perignon, to name a few. The Wine & Spirits department is headed by a leading figure in the industry, Count Gelasio Gaetani D'Aragona Lovatelli, who graduated from the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine in London and is a long-standing wine-maker in Montalcino.
We consulted experts on the lots to watch, and here are their recommendations.
The Italian choices are excellent, beginning with the Amarone della Valpolicella Classic Reserve 1990 from the selection of Bepi Quintarelli, whose estate is located in the heart of Valpolicella. What distinguishes Amarone is the complexity, character, uniqueness of the aromas, and its impenetrable ruby red color. The vintage of 1990 is particularly full-bodied, making this selection a highlight of the catalogue. From the northeast we move towards Tuscany, to the great historical estate of Biondi Santi with its Brunello di Montalcino: among the selected bottles there are some incredible vintages, including those of 1945, '61, and '67. It’s impossible to not mention the creation of the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, the Sassicaia, which is one of the most famous Italian wines in the world. Among the Bolgheri bottles the imperial format of 2014 is specially recommended, as it was selected by the Guide to Italian Wines 2018. Also incredible are the bottles of Masseto, some of which have come from the private collection of the estate. A very fine wine, the Masseto is a "cru", meaning it originates from part of a single vineyard, in this case 7 hectares between the hills and the sea. The wine is matured and aged in barriques for 24 months, and then in bottles for an additional 12 months.
Among the French bottles and champagnes, the department recommended several prestigious lots. Two that are especially notable are Lot 419, a 2002 Dom Pérignon limited ‘Andy Warhol’ edition, and Lot 521, the Domaine de la Romanée counts Grand Cru 1970. Dom Pérignon of course is champagne par excellence: elegant, complex and balanced. The Romanée-Conti on the other hand is effectively one of the most important wines in the world, produced in the infamous region of Burgundy.
The auction will also appeal to lovers of liqueurs and spirits, displaying an important selection of cognac and whiskey. Among the cognacs, Lot 552 is the complete Erté Collection, seven bottles produced in limited quantities between the 1980s and ‘90s and decorated with Art Deco motifs designed by Romain de Tirtoff. The market for fine whiskeys has experienced unprecedented development in recent years, and an important lot in this auction is a Macallan from the beginning of the last century.
However, the most incredible gem of Wannenes' Wine & Spirits auction is the Anima Aurea Alta Valle della Greve from the Venti4 limited collection. There are only nine specimens of the 2012 vintage, produced after years of study by two Italian oenologists. The Venti4 is the only bottle in the world to be made entirely of pure gold on the inside and pure silver on the outside–the synergy of the metal atoms help prevent the wine from oxidising, meaning that the wine ages much better and the organoleptic qualities are preserved over time. Handmade by Folrentine goldsmiths, this Anima Aurea is the perfect way to invest in both luxury and technological innovation.
Clearly, the Wannenes auction with Gambero Rosso promises to be truly unmissable. As for us, we could talk to you about wine for hours and hours, dreaming of wineries, vineyards, and tasting Sassicaia or an excellent Amarone... But instead we’ll leave you with the Wannenes catalogue, which you can peruse at your leisure.
The auction will be held on Thursday 24 October in Rome, at the Chorus Café.
