Sotheby’s London will host an auction on 7 November 2024 featuring a collection of wines from the cellars of Château La Mission Haut-Brion.
The sale marks 40 vintages produced under the ownership of Domaine Clarence Dillon, which took over the estate in 1983. The auction will include nearly 700 lots, covering more than a century of winemaking, with wines from both the Dillon family era and earlier vintages, with a combined value exceeding £1m.
Nick Pegna, Sotheby’s global head of wine and spirits, said: “We are delighted and honoured to be working with Prince Robert and his team on this celebration. The wines always outperform expectations, and with such perfect provenance, there is something here for all lovers of La Mission Haut-Brion and Quintus.”
The auction, Château La Mission Haut-Brion: Celebrating 40 Vintages by Domaine Clarence Dillon, will offer wines ranging from 1920 to 2022. In addition to La Mission Haut-Brion, the sale includes bottles from Châteaux Laville Haut-Brion, La Tour Haut-Brion, and the second wine, La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion. Wines from Château Quintus, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru estate acquired by the Dillon family in 2011, will also be featured. Quintus wines, such as the 2016 vintage, have performed well in blind tastings, consistently ranking among the top wines.
Prince Robert of Luxembourg, chairman and CEO of Domaine Clarence Dillon, reflected on the occasion: “I can barely believe that it has been over four decades since I sat at La Mission Haut-Brion to witness the moment when my family took on the stewardship of this estate. Since then, my family, colleagues, and I have worked to raise this estate to new heights.”
Alongside the auction, Domaine Clarence Dillon continues its support for French heritage and culture. The estate is backing the renovation of the Grand Palais in Paris, including the renaming of its rotunda on the Pont Alexandre III side as the Clarence Dillon Rotunda. This new naming will be officially marked in September, reflecting the long-standing relationship between Domaine Clarence Dillon and France’s cultural institutions, which extends back to its founder, Clarence Dillon, who purchased Château Haut-Brion in 1935.