Three Benchmark Collections, Including the Cellar of Napa Valley Legend Dick Grace, Lead Heritage’s Fall Wine Auction

The world’s most esteemed wine producers, from Leroy and Domaine de la Romanee Conti to Petrus and Dom Perignon, star in September 27 event DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (September 11, 2024) — From rare vintages that have stood the test of time to emerging stars destined to become tomorrow’s classics, Heritage’s September 27 Fine & Rare Wine Signature® Auction is a testament to the enduring art of winemaking and collecting. Each of the 865 extraordinary lots — including bottles from three impeccable featured collections — has been carefully selected to offer a rare opportunity to acquire some of the finest wines available. The event also marks the first time in 14 years that a Heritage Fine & Rare Wine auction will begin at 10 a.m. PDT — a shift from the longtime 6 p.m. PDT start time. Among the auction’s highlights is the first installment of The Northern Collection, which comes from a veteran of the wine industry who principally assembled his cellar from two mega collections in the north of the UK. As the consignor wrote for the auction’s catalog, “As you head out of London on the M1, you’ll see the sign ‘The North’ — which means you are heading in the right direction toward a couple of cellars, a portion of which are now making their way to your table.” Curated over many years, the collection features some of the best Burgundy, Champagne, Bordeaux and Rhône wines, with the majority coming from two outstanding UK sources, both of which are known for their impeccable provenance and optimal storage conditions. Some of the world’s most revered producers are represented in the collection, including Domaine de la Romanee Conti, Leroy, Sine Qua Non, Lafleur, Petrus, Henri Bonneau, Henri Jayer, Dom Perignon, Caymus, Conterno and many more. Among the collection’s top lots are 12 bottles of 1990 A. Rousseau Chambertin, a 1988 H. Jayer Cros Parantoux and a 1961 P. Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle. “This cellar was meticulously curated by a long-standing industry insider, and it boasts all the star power one could desire, with treasures from every major growing region in the world,” says Frank Martell, Heritage’s Senior Director of Fine & Rare Wine. “Just a few minutes spent browsing the remarkable assembly of greats will reveal the passion and expertise poured into its curation.” The fall auction also features the personal collection of Napa Valley legend Dick Grace. In addition to establishing Grace Family Vineyards with his wife, Ann, in 1976, Grace is responsible for starting the obsession with low-yield, low-production, uncompromising boutique wines. His commitment to excellence also extends to his personal collection, which includes outstanding examples of some of the finest wines produced. Of special note is a vertical collection — in etched, hand-painted, gold-leaf bottles — of the first 36 vintages of Grace Family Vineyards Cabernet. The collection begins with the inaugural 1978 vintage and runs consecutively to the 2013 offering. The bottles come in three custom Koa wood display boxes, and, like all the offerings in the legendary winemaker’s collection, have been stored at a cellar temperature of 55 degrees with appropriate light control. The other main collection in the auction is The Rafiki Collection, the second cellar consigned to Heritage from a meticulous New Jersey-based collector who selected only the finest vintages and in the most impressive quantities. His cellar boasts an exceptional array of the greatest Bordeaux ever produced, many of the bottles still in pristine original wooden cases. “Our client is a collector of all great things and has spared no expense to have only the finest wines from the most reliable sources to adorn his cellar,” Martell says. The collection features a stellar lineup, including Haut-Brion, Margaux, Lafite, Mouton and, most notably, 6L bottles (in their original wooden case) of 1979 La Tache and 1979 DRC Richebourg. All of the wines have been meticulously cared for, stored in the consignor’s deeply dug temperature-controlled wine cellar, and have rarely seen the light of day until now. For images and info on all lots in Heritage’s September 27 Fine & Rare Wine Signature® Auction, visit HA.com/5564. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 1,750,000 registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of 6,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Hi-Res images available: Rhonda Reinhart, Communications Specialist 214-409-1798 or RhondaR@HA.com