From this morning's Decanter online. Don't be tempted as the carriage will be on the steep side.

Old and rare Bordeaux including Chateaux Lafite, Mouton, Haut Brion, and Pichon Lalande, great vintages from Gaja, Ornellaia, Isole e Olena, Vega Sicilia and other rare wines are being auctioned online now.

Melbourne-based Langton's is staging the sale of less than two thirds of what might be one of the world's most extensive private collections, according to auctioneer Stewart Langton.

'It's extraordinary. It is arguably the greatest international wine cellar ever to come on the Australian wine market,' he said.

'This auction catalogue is like a great stamp collection; almost every important wine postcode is represented including Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac, Bordeaux), Leroy (Vosne Romanee, Burgundy), Etienne Guigal (Rhone), Zind Humbrecht (Alsace), Gaja (Piedmonte), Vega Sicilia (Ribera del Duero), Te Mata Estate (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand) and Wendouree (Clare Valley, South Australia).'

Langton said the collection was not the usual investment cellar but reflected 'a highly personal and whimsical life of fine wine enjoyment.'

The collector – an Australian who would not disclose any other information about himself – had an early interest in Australian red wine, a fascination with Bordeaux and a heartfelt connection with Burgundy in later life.

'Along the way, he has discovered the extraordinary wines of Vega Sicilia, Antonio Gaja, Domaine Tempier, Dienhard and Dr Loosen etc.'
The wines were being offered in small lots.

http://www.langtons.com.au/


Highlights include:

Hardy's Private Bin and Seppelt red wines from the 1960s and 1970s

complete dozens of 1975 Wendouree Shiraz

a collection of Grand Cru Burgundy from Armand Rousseau, Domaine de La Romanee Conti, Domaines des Comtes Lafon, Henri Jayer, Leroy, Thomas Moillard, Mongeard Mugneret and Georges de Vogue etc,

stellar vintages of Guigal La Mouline and La Landonne, Chapoutier, JL Chave, Paul Jaboulet, and Chateau de Beaucastel

a comprehensive collection of Bordeaux from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s including Chateau Ausone, Chateau Cos d'Estournel, Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Leoville Lascases, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Haut Brion, Chateau Pichon-Longueville Lalande etc,

great vintages from Antonio Gaja, Ornellaia, Isole e Olena, Vega Sicilia, Hugel, Kuentz-Bas, SA Huet and Trimbach etc.

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