Fine wine news

An auction held in London last night (February 8th) was forced to withdraw 13 lots after claims were made prior to the event that some bottles were unauthentic.

Days before the Spectrum and Vanquish auction, debate was risen in online communities about some of the labels on 12 lots of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and one magnum of Chateau Latour a Pomerol 1961.

London wine merchant Corney & Barrow voiced its own concerns about the lots, Decanter.com reported, as well as wine critic Jancis Robinson.

Keen-eyed collectors highlighted discrepancies ranging from the wrong capsules on some bottles and incorrect digit bottle numbers.

In a statement seen by the news provider, wine and spirit merchant Vanquish said: "Through an abundance of caution, and in line with our commitment to excellence in due-diligence and verification, we have withdrawn 13 lots, in order that the issues can be properly investigated, in collaboration with the Domaine and its agent."

The lots would have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds as some bottles were very rare, such as a case of Romanee-Conti 1971 and six magnums of La Tache of the same vintage.

Posted by John Yates