October 14, 2008
Geraldini & Romani Fall Auction: Italian Labels Among Top 10 Bids

The highly anticipated fall wine auction hosted this past weekend in Rome by the prestigious Gelardini & Romani auction house demonstrated that despite current economic uncertainties, international collectors and wine enthusiasts alike are still eager to invest in the world of fine wines.

The auction, which reported a total amount of sales of about $140,000, confirmed once again the increasing appreciation of Italian labels, three of which contented with French wines for the top 10 bids of the day. In 5th place came Tenuta San Guido with a case of the 1997 Sassicaia which sold at $4,360; the 7th highest bid was made for tree bottles of Biondi-Santi 1955 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva at $3,018, followed by two magnums of the Tenuta dell’Ornellaia 1998 Masseto sold for $2,850.

Overall the auction showed a great interest was placed on all the Biondi-Santi lots, thanks in part to a previous tasting held in March, as well as the positive trend of the great Super Tuscans of Masetto, Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Messorio and Solaia, who were competing with the best Bordeaux. Still stable and strong were Piemonte’s stars: the premier bottlings of Gaja, Sandrone, Aldo Conterno and Giacomo Conterno.

The total amount earned during the auction included the sale of about 250 lots, raging from 6L formats to the standard .750L. The auctions’ strong earnings awarded it as one of the most important wine auction of the year, the first of a series of three. The northern region of Trentino Alto Adige will host the second auction on November 8th, in the suggestive town of Merano near Bolzano. Generally best known for its spa resorts, surrounded by the Dolomites Mountains at the entrance to the Passier Valley (Val Venosta), the Merano International Wine Festival will be the spotlight for the event. The third and final installment will be hosted again in Rome on December 13th.