It’s a sweet wine lover’s dream: thousands of bottles, including rare vintages of Château d’Yquem dating from 1928 to 2019, sourced straight from the cellar of the Sauternes estate’s longtime manager and co-owner, Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces. On Thursday, Nov. 13, beginning at 8:00 a.m. EST, auctioneer Daguerre will auction approximately 2,500 bottles from the late winemaker’s cellar online and in person at Paris’ Hôtel Drouot, including not just rare Yquem but other top Sauternes, plus gems from Burgundy, Bordeaux and beyond.
De Lur Saluces, who died in 2023, oversaw operations at Yquem for his family from 1968 to 2004; his family’s roots in Sauternes date to the late 1400s. He also managed the family’s Château de Fargues, which is strongly represented among the auction lots, for nearly six decades. The bottles up for auction were stored in the cellars of Château de Fargues.
[article-img-container][src=2025-11/ns_portrait-lur-saluces-auction-110725_1600.jpg] [credit= (Deepix Studio)] [alt= Alexandre de Lur Saluces at Château de Fargues][end: article-img-container]
Rare Wines, and Some Values
Unsurprisingly, Yquem comprises the majority of the lots. Among the most notable are three half-bottles from the legendary 1937 vintage. Other important vintages represented include 1935 and 1946, as well as 1989 and 2001 from more recent standout years. The lots include original wooden cases, groups of bottles and single bottles in different sizes, including a number of half-bottles.
Burgundy lovers also have plenty to be excited about. De Lur Saluces, who was born in Burgundy, was a good friend of Aubert de Villaine, longtime proprietor of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Several of the domaine’s wines are among the lots, including bottles of Richebourg, La Tâche and Romanée-Conti from the classic 1990 vintage. Highlights from Bordeaux include 12 bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild 1945, six bottles of Château Cheval Blanc 1998, nine bottles of Château Margaux 1994 and a single bottle of Pétrus 1986.
While the sale will appeal to collectors with serious money to spend, everyday wine lovers will find good buying opportunities too. Overall, the sale estimates offer value for lovers of mature wine. While the highest estimate—at over $17,000—is for the single bottle of Romanée-Conti 1990, the Yquem lot with the highest estimate—around $4800 for 12 bottles of the 1988 vintage—comes out to around $400 per bottle. That’s only about $50 more than what you can expect to pay for a bottle of the 2022 vintage.
There are several half-bottles of Kracher trockenbeerenauslese from the early 2000s with high estimates around $100. The lowest estimate for an Yquem lot is around $350, for a half-bottle of the 1938 vintage.
Wine lovers can join the auction in person at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris or bid online. Instructions for registering can be found at the auction website.
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