‘The Largest, Most Expensive Wine Collection Ever’: 25,000 Bottles From Billionaire’s Personal Collection Anticipated to Fetch $50M at Auction
An incredibly rare collection of wine provided by the world’s 515th richest person is set to fetch upwards of $50 million at auction. (Photo: Sotheby’s)
Taiwanese billionaire Pierre Chen is ready to auction off an impressive wine collection of 25,000 bottles, presenting what is expected to be “the largest and most expensive wine collection ever” sold at auction, CNN reported Thursday. Valued at a potential $50 million, this assortment showcases some exceptionally rare items, with projections of some fetching as high as $190,000 apiece.
“There is currently more wine in his cellars than any one individual could ever hope to drink in a lifetime, but wine is for drinking,” said George Lacey, Head of Sotheby’s Wine for Asia.
Over four decades, Chen, the mastermind behind the electronics giant Yageo Corporation, carefully curated this massive collection. The focal point of his assortment lies in the illustrious La Tâche vineyard, boasting some of the most sought-after and iconic vintages.
The primary focus of this auction rests on prized red burgundies, predominantly La Tâche. Noteworthy highlights comprise the 1985 six-liter bottles, commanding up to a striking $190,000 each, and a particularly rare six-liter bottle of the 1982 Château Pétrus, projected to fetch a significant $65,000, according to Sotheby’s.
The auction, christened “The Epicurean’s Atlas” by the organizing auction house, will unfold in multiple segments across diverse locales, commencing in Hong Kong this November. The subsequent auctions are slated for Paris, New York and Beaune in Burgundy, per CNN.
Chen’s ventures extend beyond wine, encompassing an art collection, winemaking and a soon-to-open Parisian eatery, Le Restaurant Blanc, where his wines will be featured prominently as he steps into the role of chief sommelier.
In November 2022, an incredibly rare 3-liter bottle of 1971 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti La Tâche wine was sold for $81,250 at Bonhams Skinner’s Fine Wines & Rare Spirits. The sale marked the second time ever that kind of bottle came to auction.
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