Auction introduction: When it comes to the most prestigious Single Owner collections, there is one theme above all others that ignites the most excitement and demand throughout the global wine community. The collection offered here has clearly been assembled with that one thing, and one thing only, in mind: the impact of extraordinary provenance. The owner of this beautiful collection has been close to Sotheby’s for many years, and throughout their collecting journey has applied serious dedication and devotion to sourcing only the world’s very best wines with the most impeccable provenance. Over the years, we have spent many evenings together sharing, comparing and enjoying great wines. This is a very knowledgeable collector, who is serious about their wines, but knows how to appreciate them in a low key, understated, relaxed way. Their singular focus on the quality of provenance is even more noteworthy when you consider the exclusive selection contained herein, of only the most sought-after cuvées from the most admired producers, including a staggering 85 lots from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Almost all of the wines offered here trace their provenance directly back to their original release from the domaines, and remain in their original cases (and in the case of the extensive selection of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the vast majority are complete with domaine banding and almost always with consecutive bottle numbers). This approach should inspire bidders throughout the world to take supreme confidence in the stocks offered here, which truly represent the pinnacle of provenance and connoisseurship. Inspecting this collection was an enormous pleasure and truly exciting for our team of Specialists – rarely do we encounter such volumes of the very rarest and finest wines in the world, in one place, in such brilliant condition and with such a spotless history.