In 2025, we’ll be introducing changes to our wine auction format, along with the launch of a new initiative. More about this later in the newsletter. Let’s begin with the top 5 highlights from this year’s stellar line-up of auctions.

This lot achieved an exceptionally impressive hammer price in early 2024, due in part to its excellent provenance, which could rightfully be compared to discovering an unexplored cave of stalactites. It’s quite understandable that many people choose to drink their red Burgundies while they’re still young. But this wine needs time to fully express itself, and with more than twenty years in the bottle, it has been given that opportunity and should be at its peak now and for many years to come.

Representing the pinnacle of Bordeaux, the 2000 Château Lafleur from Pomerol stands as a true icon. Located on the famous Pomerol plateau, surrounded by icons such as Petrus and Vieux Château Certan, the postage-stamp-sized Lafleur estate covers just 4.5 hectares. However, the wines are anything but small. This vintage ranks among the estate’s greatest achievements, boasting remarkable longevity. Its reputation as one of the rare wines capable of rivalling – and sometimes even outperforming – the mighty Petrus itself makes this wine an absolute treasure for collectors.

Whisky of this calibre is increasingly finding its way to our auctions. These rare bottles offer extraordinary complexity and an aftertaste that persists long after the final New Year’s reveller has departed. We sold no fewer than 45 lots bearing the Macallan stamp on the bottle or label. However, none quite like this one bottled in the wartime year of 1940.

Petrus has become such a fixture at our auctions, it’s as if it has its own chair with a gold-embossed nameplate on the back. Petrus made an impressive 25 appearances at our auctions in 2024, and not just one bottle at a time. For this reason, it’s no surprise to us that the above lot performed so well at auction. Château Petrus is the stuff that dreams are made of in the wine world, and the benchmark against which all other Bordeaux wines are measured.

Supreme and unmatched. The second-highest hammer price in world history for Bruun Rasmussen’s wine auctions. There was a buzz of anticipation and excitement among the staff as the final hammer fall approached. But no one had predicted that it would sell for 355% above the estimate. Then again, we were dealing with ten pristine bottles in their original wooden case, with impeccable provenance. A wine of such substantial character that it demands to be tackled with knife and fork, revealing at its core a vibrating energy perfectly balanced between blue fruit, fresh, almost crackling tannins, and an endless, mind-bending complexity.

If we break it down by region/country, the perennially popular Bordeaux stands highest on the podium, with Burgundy following a close second, and Italy securing a tannin-rich third position. And what better way to celebrate these top three than with a foaming shower of champagne – itself securing a strong fourth place in our rankings. Taking fifth place is the whisky category, showing perhaps the year’s most significant improvement – a trend we’re excited to keep an eye on in the new year, especially with two dedicated whisky and spirits auctions planned. Portugal (in the form of port wine), Spain and the US follow suit and have performed impressively at the auctions throughout the year.

“If it ain’t broke, don't fix it” might just be the perfect way to summarise the year past. The old giants still have the broadest shoulders, but their ankles are being nipped at, which might prove to be their Achilles’ heels.

New format and new initiative

To further enhance our auction portfolio, in 2025, our wine auctions will be held every other Thursday at 8 pm. The first auction of the new year will therefore be on Thursday 9 January. Our exclusive themed auctions, which have become a cherished tradition, will be spread throughout 2025. We’re also going to be introducing “Cellar Auctions”, a new concept featuring complete wine cellars from private collectors. These cellars are assigned their own auctions, held separately from the regular auctions.

Obtain a valuation and consign to auction

We’re currently on the lookout for fine wines to sell at our Online Auctions in 2025. If you’re considering selling, you’re welcome to contact our wine experts directly or make use of our online valuation service.