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finest and rarest wines featuring the bordeaux winebank collection part iii london 25 may 2011

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front cover lots 36-40 this page lots 1-10

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finest and rarest wines featuring the bordeaux winebank collection part iii auction in london wednesday 25 may 2011 i 10:30 am live online bidding we are excited to offer live online bidding in all of our wine auctions in london new york and hong kong ­ you can join the action to listen watch and bid from wherever you are located please visit sothebys.com/wine and click on online bidding registration top right to complete the registration form ­ once registered you will be able to use your bidder number and password to participate in future sotheby s online live auctions worldwide all first-time online bidders including those registered for mysothebys have to pre-register to bid live via the internet registration closes 24 hours before the sale the book room for all wine news from sotheby s including serena sutcliffe s latest tasting notes please go to www.sothebys.com/wine 34-35 new bond street london w1a 2aa +44 020 7293 5000 sothebys.com

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international departments for a full listing of our offices and salerooms worldwide with detailed information on all of sotheby s services visit sothebys.com serena sutcliffe m.w head of international wine department senior director +44 020 7293 5050 +1 212 606 7050 london geneva los angeles benjamin lamers +41 22 908 4811 paris ann colgin consultant +1 310 274 0340 hong kong caroline bessière +33 1 53 05 52 84 zurich stephen mould senior director james reed director damian tillson director claire collini deputy director frédéric guyot du repaire simon herriot caroline shepherd elizabeth marett emily vanderwall +44 020 7293 6423 fax +44 020 7293 5961 brussels carole neuenschwander +41 44 226 2256 new york robert sleigh senior director michelle chan jessie lam +852 2822 8157 singapore jamie ritchie president michelle parenti assistant vice president auction catherine kee +65 6732 8239 taipei sandra yeh +886 2 2757 6689 beijing marianna lora +32 2 648 00 80 amsterdam duncan sterling assistant vice president benjamin bradford connor kriegel jessica friedman matt bolton +1 212 606 7050 retail jackie lien +86 10 8532 2323 shanghai jackie lien +86 21 6288 7500 jakarta albertine verlinde +31 20 550 2244 eli rodriguez assistant vice president alex zink +1 212 894 1990 deborah iskandar +62 21 5797 3603 forthcoming auctions a comprehensive calendar of international auctions in addition to all sale results can be viewed at sothebys.com these dates are subject to change london new york hong kong 15 june 13 july 14 september 12 october 9 november 7 december 7 may 10 september 12 november 30 september 1 2 october 2 3 december important notice please note a premium of 15 plus vat will be payable on the hammer price all lots are offered subject to sotheby s conditions of business and to reserves all lots marked with are subject to 20 vat while those marked with for wines offered in bond available duty paid taken duty paid are subject to duty 20 in lieu of vat for all lots marked or or or please refer to the important information for buyers at wine sales notes suffixed with the initials ss are written by serena sutcliffe m.w 2 i +44 020 7293 5000 sothebys.com

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specialists and auction enquiries for further information on lots in this auction please contact any of the specialists listed below sale number shipping warehouse l11705 bede bids department +44 020 7293 5283 fax +44 020 7293 6255 telephone bid requests should be received 24 hours prior to the sale this service is offered for lots with a low estimate of £1,000 and above accounts emily vanderwall emily.vanderwall@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 5048 fax +44 020 7293 5961 warehouse greenford park fine art storage facility serena sutcliffe m.w head of international wine department senior director +44 020 7293 5050 serena.sutcliffe@sothebys.com andrew sessions andrew.sessions@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 5600 wine department stephen mould senior director +44 020 7293 5046 stephen.mould@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 6423 fax +44 020 7293 5961 assistant to serena sutcliffe jean-luc rougier-cali jeanluc.rougier@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 6144 fax +44 020 7293 5926 sale administrator elizabeth marett elizabeth.marett@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 5829 fax +44 020 7293 5961 caroline shepherd caroline.shepherd@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 5045 fax +44 020 7293 5961 catalogue price james reed director +44 020 7293 5014 james.reed@sothebys.com £10 at the gallery for subscriptions call +44 020 7293 5000 for uk europe +1 212 894 7000 usa damian tillson director +44 020 7293 5851 damian.tillson@sothebys.com claire collini deputy director +44 020 7293 5041 claire.collini@sothebys.com frédéric guyot du repaire specialist +44 020 7293 5047 frederic.guyotdurepaire @sothebys.com simon herriot junior specialist +44 020 7293 5727 simon.herriot@sothebys.com +44 020 7293 5000 sothebys.com i 3

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this page lots 76-80 session one wednesday 25 may 2011 at 10.30 am lots 1­409 contents 6 finest and rarest wines lots 1­604 68 index of lots 77 glossary of abbreviations 78 bidding 79 a breakdown of the cost of buying wine at sotheby s 80 important information for buyers at wine sales 81 important notices 81 authenticity guarantee 81 warehouse storage collection information 82 vat information for buyers 83 conditions of business for buyers 84 absentee bid form 86 guide for absentee bidding sotheby s europe

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a boutborde au xwinebank bordeaux winebank is a subsidiary of bwb group which includes all of henning thoresen s wine ventures in norway luxembourg france and singapore with an estimated inventory under management of usd 110 million bordeaux winebank has built up an impressive collection of top classified bordeaux as is illustrated by the wines in this sale the business is the brainchild of norwegian businessman henning thoresen who has spent two decades fine tuning his idea of what constitutes ideal provenance resulting in the introduction of bordeaux winebank s certified five star provenance system this patented process ensures the authenticity and perfect condition of all the wines which have documented ex château provenance are in their original wood cases and have always been kept in professional climate-controlled storage in bordeaux until their shipment to the united kingdom for this sale all wine that is traded by bordeaux winebank has the supporting documentation that it has come directly from the château or from a secondary source in bordeaux the definition of a secondary source in this context is a major bordeaux négociant who has a direct allocation from the château each case sold by bordeaux winebank is rendered unique using advanced track and trace software four tamper-proof seals are applied to each case and these are scanned into the advanced track and trace database creating a unique identity for each case a corresponding seal is created and applied to a certificate of provenance for this sale sotheby s will forward each certificate it receives from bordeaux winebank to the purchaser upon delivery five star provenance the criteria are 1 all wines must be sold exclusively in original wooden case owc 2 all wines must have documented ex château provenance 3 all cases must remain in professional storage in bordeaux from bottling 4 professional storage facilities must be temperature and humidity controlled and monitored 24/7 5 annual certification of procedures by a qualified auditor 6 i to contact a specialist refer to auction enquiries on page 3

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s i m p ly thebest the beauty of great bordeaux is that it delivers in terms of bouquet flavour and depth these are wines that inspire confidence and guarantee huge enjoyment as well as reflective discussion among those who share them when the very top châteaux are combined with the greatest years those vintages where ideal weather conditions confer total quality and definition these wines go into orbit this selection is certainly starry on the eve of seeing the 2010s i still think the 2005s are the greatest wines i have tasted `en primeur they have enormous character and forceful personality two elements that really appeal to me in both people and wines the balance of fruit acidity and tannin is exceptional and they are undoubtedly wines that will live for decades the 2003 vintage has enormous seductive qualities due to the wines richness and luscious come-hither profile the heat of the year gave such voluptuous softness that you can approach even the greats at this comparatively early age ­ i cannot keep away from them the vintage that began this century the glorious 2000s is truly irresistible every time one tastes these wines one falls in love again it was beyond anyone s dreams that such an historic year would also produce stupendous wines but as in 1900 nature performed perfectly at the critical times and the result is outstanding sumptuous and yet classic the 2000s are totally exhilarating the 1996 vintage is particularly stunning for the cabernet sauvignon so the first growths of the médoc which are monuments to this formidable grape variety outshone everything else in bordeaux the wines have magnificent structure and huge concentration of both sugar and acidity making them obvious candidates for long-term cellaring and for 1995 this fabulous collection of top bordeaux has the ultimate prize château haut brion which made a superlative wine this year ­ i can only describe it as hedonistic heaven a bordeaux myths dinner can only end with château yquem and here there are two remarkable vintages 2001 and 2005 both showing the unique enchantment of this amazing opulent wine that coats the mouth with honey and citrus fruits leaving a taste that seems to be eternal certainly our love affair with great bordeaux is eternal and acquiring some of these magnificently sourced and cellared wines is a chance to sample excellence serena sutcliffe m.w head of international wine department 7 7

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lots 11-15

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lots 1-115 lying in octavian wiltshire offered in bond available duty paid chateau lafite throughout the centuries lafite has proved that this is a wine that ages in the most ethereal way lafite combines elegance breed and scent with sustained power a miracle of balance and nobility the extraordinary terroir and position in pauillac have always been matched by the rothschilds sense of quality and vision resulting in a wine that has mythical status continuity is vital in producing a great wine and the wine-making brilliance of charles chevallier from the 1990s to the present day has added extra lustre to this exceptional liquid with the fame of the property spreading further throughout the world when serving lafite decant it well in advance of drinking as its bouquet and taste amplify to multi-faceted dimensions on contact with the air at the château itself they double decant back into the original bottle with its unchanging instantly recognisable label lafite matures slowly developing gloriously with bottle age as historic tastings have shown collect lafite for yourself and watch it grow ss 1 2 3 4 5 château lafite 1996 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 1-3 excellent levels and appearance lot 4 excellent levels good appearance apart from 2 labels very slightly marked and 3 very slightly scuffed lot 5 u 1ts rest excellent levels good appearance apart from 1 bottle with old signs of seepage on tissue tissue wrapped every single time i taste this wine i am aware of its greatness ­ power class nobility and yet with the utter finesse of lafite dense and thick with damson flavours ­ i have always thought it eternal at 13 years old the bouquet was all deep aromatic intensity and spiciness terrific cabernet sauvignon depth and concentration on the palate `grand vin of the first order i do not find the mint now replaced by black cassis dimension and finally attack proving that it has a long way to go ­ not that i would turn it down now it is truly a knock-out again at a 2009 dinner in hong kong a glorious spicy nose like the smell of christmas pudding cooking huge black cherries and liquorice taste perfect composition bursting with fruit and health big impact wine ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £12,000-16,000 per lot us$19,500-26,000 per lot 13,500-18,000 château lafite 2003 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 6-10 pristine tissue wrapped 50 went into the `grand vin in this vintage great classy nose great coffee taste superb complexity sensational tremendously rich on the palate with excellent length at 7 years old a wonderfully exotic smoky nose warm coffee notes glorious texture and depth has the real `heart to it of a great vintage i am hooked ss 6 12 bts owc 7 12 bts owc 8 12 bts owc 9 12 bts owc 10 12 bts owc per lot £10,500-13,000 per lot us$17,000-21,000 per lot 11,500-14,500 château lafite 2005 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 11-15 pristine tissue wrapped great warm spicy nose big huge massive rich wine an absolute `must have combining the enormous breed of lafite with depth and profundity great long cassis finish a giant in all senses of the word ss 11 12 bts owc 12 12 bts owc 13 12 bts owc 14 12 bts owc 15 12 bts owc per lot £10,000-13,000 per lot us$16,000-21,000 per lot 11,000-14,500 9

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lots 16-35

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chateau latour the power and glory of latour are undisputed the consistency of latour due to its fabulous gravel soil great situation near the gironde and a succession of inspired winemakers is unrivaled it is a wine that can start slowly and then takes off like a rocket it is always profound with many layers of taste a real reflection of the heart of pauillac latour is famous for producing impressive wine in more modest vintages but it knows how to seize great vintages and make them monuments ss château latour 1996 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 16-17 good levels excellent appearance tissue wrapped lot 18 1 level just into neck otherwise excellent levels and appearance tissue wrapped lot 19 good levels excellent appearance 6 corks slightly depressed tissue wrapped lot 20 good levels 4 labels very slightly marked 2 slightly yellowish otherwise good appearance 5 corks slightly depressed textbook latour cedary nose inky flavour with a touch of anise chocolatey tannins a majestic irony latour of enormous class a monument in terms of structure and a work of art in terms of creative genius ss 16 12 bts owc 17 12 bts owc 18 12 bts owc 19 12 bts owc 20 12 bts owc per lot £6,000-8,000 per lot us$9,500-13,000 per lot 6,500-9,000 26 27 28 29 30 château latour 2003 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 26-29 pristine tissue wrapped lot 30 excellent levels labels slightly marked and 7 slightly scuffed 53 went into the `grand vin this has everything great breed with beautiful fruit oak and health then it finishes on a note of extraordinary freshness a `tour de force no pun intended ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £7,500-9,500 per lot us$12,000-15,000 per lot 8,200-10,500 21 22 23 24 25 château latour 2000 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 21-25 pristine tissue wrapped in 2011 an absolutely classic pauillac nose stupendous deep cassis taste of huge concentration and length great foursquare structure archetypal latour that hits the spot ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £9,500-13,000 per lot us$15,000-21,000 per lot 10,500-14,500 31 32 33 34 35 château latour 2005 pauillac 1er cru classé lots 31-35 pristine tissue wrapped huge plums and roses nose so silky-textured but with great flesh and body irony and tannic in the latour way but with wonderful red fruits and freshness to balance ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £7,500-9,000 per lot us$12,000-14,500 per lot 8,200-10,000 11

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lots 36-40

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chateau margaux château margaux is the most imposing building of all the first growths its neo-classical elegance reflected in the sheer aristocratic bearing of the wines the superb scent of margaux fascinates so alluring so complex and so giving the mentzelopoulos régime wines are unerringly consistent in quality often topping the charts against the toughest opposition there is weight and depth added to the breed and class that come from this fabulous terroir modern vintages are giants brilliant creations of technical director paul pontallier exuding richness and rewarding the drinker with undying memories ss 36 37 38 39 40 château margaux 1996 margaux 1er cru classé lot 36 excellent levels and appearance 3 corks slightly depressed lot 37 excellent levels and appearance 4 corks slightly depressed lot 38 excellent levels and appearance 5 corks very slightly depressed lot 39 excellent levels and appearance 6 corks slightly depressed lot 40 excellent levels and appearance 8 corks slightly depressed immensely intense aromatic nose of great complexity and concentration you go right to the heart of it with one sniff multi-layered and dimensional pure class totally focussed the cabernet sauvignon has real nobility in this vintage massive berry density on the palate majestic margaux spiced plum liqueur on the finish ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £5,000-6,000 per lot us$8,000-9,500 per lot 5,500-6,500 46 47 48 49 50 château margaux 2003 margaux 1er cru classé lots 46-49 pristine lot 50 pristine apart from 1 label very slightly marked by case dividers 45 made the `grand vin glorious red fruit showing beautiful maturity of the grapes very very good david peppercorn said that the texture reminded him of the young 1947 they have also made a tremendous pavillon rouge in 2003 that real penetration of a 1er cru bouquet ­ intense far-reaching and noble a huge mouthful of stunning healthy fruit with the complete perfect balance of tannin and acidity smoky blackberries finish ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £5,500-7,000 per lot us$8,800-11,000 per lot 6,200-7,800 41 42 43 44 45 château margaux 2000 margaux 1er cru classé lots 41-44 pristine lot 45 pristine apart from 1 label very slightly marked this has always had from the start a great rosy bloom to the bouquet maybe a reflection of the 1900 when it was young violets finesse and sheer class great freshness on the palate blackberry jam great spicy black fruit all through it huge tannins that are so soft and fresh luscious redcurrants at the end in 2011 glorious woodsmoke and blueberries on the nose a touch of aniseed on the finish great nobility and breed ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £8,000-10,000 per lot us$13,000-16,000 per lot 9,000-11,000 51 52 53 54 55 château margaux 2005 margaux 1er cru classé lots 51-55 pristine this was bottled late in november/december 2007 as the wine is so huge it certainly could take this extra barrel age incredibly intense red fruit and smoke nose luscious blackberries in the mouth great class and complex aromatics coffee beans and such fresh acidity a feature of the year in spite of 2005 being the driest year ever recorded as i was told at the château the wonders of nature never cease to amaze ss 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc 12 bts owc per lot £6,000-7,500 per lot us$9,500-12,000 per lot 6,500-8,200 13

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