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Our first evening sale was an extraordinary success, and a packed salesroom witnessed our first ever 100% sold sale. Our last single cellar auction in March was 99% sold with only one lot unsold, but thanks to a bevy of eager and benevolent bidders in the room, every lot found a new home this time around.

The fabulous offering of the cellar we affectionately dubbed Dr. Vino. drew bidders all over the world out of the woodworks in order to acquire some of his impeccably stored collection. Even wine celebrities such as Dominique Lafon and Bernard Magrez, owner of Pape Clement and many other distinguished wine properties around the world, came to observe. The few that knew the identity of the owner were some of the most active bidders accordingly. The sale’s low estimate of $1.15 million was shattered with an overall gross of $1.75 million, and a world record was set for a single, 750ml bottle of wine as a 1945 Romanee Conti went for over $40,000.

The top ten grossing lots of the sale were as follows:

In case you forgot, it was an Acker auction, and we like to taste the fruits of our labor. We started things off with some complimentary Multi-Vintage Krug for everyone. While most houses call this type of offering non-vintage, Krug differentiates itself as multi-vintage, as the blend is a carefully made one, consisting of multiple vintages, and not just the leftovers. In fact, the Krugs will tell you that it is the product that they work the most on and actually consider their finest Champagne. Obviously, there are different batches of MV. released over time. The one in the market right now is fantastic. Crisp, clean, fresh, full, linear and long, it is everything a glass of Champagne is supposed to be. Every cellar should always have a couple six-packs on hand (94).

The greatest collector of Champagnes in the world today, aka Big Boy, kept the bubblies flowing with a magnum of 1976 Salon. The Salon was a bit woodsy at first but blew off into a creamy, meaty mouthful of Champagne. Its flavor hues were yellow, orange and brown as it gave some autumnal impressions to go with its gamy fruit. It never completely shook its wood, but I still managed to polish off two glasses (93M).

About 100 lots into the sale, I was politely serviced with an outstanding magnum of 1992 Ramonet Montrachet. Possessing none of the typical 1992 over-ripeness, the Ramonet was still racy like a rocket and very youthful by most 1992 standards. Its acidity was extraordinary, enough to easily last another couple of decades. Ramonet’s signature style shone through, as its white and yellow fruits, sun-dried corn, mint and minerals were all in harmony. Still on the way up while most 1992s are heading in the opposite direction, the 1992 Ramonet Montrachet is definitely the white wine of the vintage (97M).

The Ramonet got me through the rest of the auction, but now the sale was over, and it was time to eat, drink and be merry. There was one more white wine that I sampled, a delicious Roulot Meursault Mon Plaisir.. Clean, fat and round, this balanced Meursault made me want to check out more whites from the overlooked 2001 vintage (92).

King Angry, aka Ray, had bought a trong>1991 Roumier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses. off the list. It was a bit simple by the usual Roumier standards, almost a bit sweet with its cherry and strawberry fruit. Soft, tender and lush, it did not seem to have much backside left, although it could have been partially due to the fact that it was open well over an hour by the time I got to it. I do not think 1991 was a successful vintage for Roumier by his usual standards; however, the wine was still tasty and easy (91).

A magnum of 1993 Meo-Camuzet Vosne Romanee Les Brulees. was hanging out on The Don’s table, and he made me an offer I couldn.t refuse. The greatness of the 1993 vintage was quickly apparent with its sturdy backbone and definitive tannin flavors. There was still dark plum fruit to this long and stylish wine, with pinches of vitamins, stems and deeper, purpler hues (94M).

King Angry was busting my&chops, as usual, looking for the wines that I was going to buy and share with everyone. Magnums of 1990 Mugnier Musigny and 1988 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze. were on the way. Take that! Well, he took it, and he was loving every minute of it.

The Mugnier was its usual outstanding self, and since the Burghound was not in the room, this 1990 wine showed quite well (that’s an inside joke about how whenever Allen Meadows is around, any wine from 1990 is doomed to show poorly). Rich and a bit fuller than the usual Musigny, it still retained the class of the vineyard while delivering a mouthful of rich red fruits, earth and game. It was ripe yet not over-ripe and an awfully good glass of wine (95M).

The Rousseau was no slouch either. It was more robust around the edges, typical of 88, delivering a hearty experience full of tannins, alcohol, rust and brick. However, it also had a lot of flesh to it, full of menthol, game and earthy fruit, which is atypical for a lot of 88s. It was borderline outstanding, but a bit rough and rugged to cross into that territory (94M).

.The Big Ticket. had arrived towards the end of the auction and quickly snapped up ten or fifteen lots. He also snapped up a 1961 Palmer for us to drink. Now you know why the artist formerly known as Eric the Red Wine Bandit. is now officially The Big Ticket.. The Palmer was superb, classic all the way. The earth, minerality and acidity jumped out first, but there was still a core of dark cassis fruit behind all that with only a hint of autumn in the wine. Robust, still youthful and long, the Palmer still maintained its hallmark elegance (96).

Bad Boy Bruce, another late arrival whose presence was most felt at the auction anyway, decided it was time for a palate refresher and ordered a 1975 Pol Roger Reserve. Yeasty and meaty, there were lots of vitamins in this gamy and still vibrant Champagne. Rich, round and complex, the Pol Roger was excellent as usual (93).

Eddie had since been long gone, yet his magnum of 1928 Vieux Chateau Certan remained. It was a beautiful glass of wine, possessing some gamy and figgy Pomerol fruit kissed by traces of old oak. Tender, elegant and balanced, this wine was starting to enter its twilight in a most distinguished way (92M).

The Big Ticket was back with a 1989 Clinet. The Clinet showed why it is considered one of the greatest Pomerols of the last 20 years. Deep, dark and brooding, it had a core of massive purple fruit. Traces of chocolate were around its edges, but the fruit was so fat and plump (in a reserved and brooding way), that one could barely pick up on its t n a. The mouth revealed a chunky, rich and fat wine, stylishly long and deceptively big since it was so elegant (96).

Bernard Magrez satisfied some curiosity with a 1990 Ornellaia. Mr. Magrez owns 34 vineyards worldwide at the moment, and Italy is on his radar. The Ornellaia was excellent, with a touch of that Italian designer leather to go with its earthy fruit (93).

It was time to go back to Burgundy and the other side of the room where The Don was holding court. 1969 Clair-Dau Bonnes Mares? Yessir. The Clair Dau was spectacular, showing that a 1969 Burgundy could actually be ripe. While autumnal in its flavor profile, there was still a wealth of minty (more menthol actually) freshness and brickhouse fruit. Fleshy, long and stylish, this was a great bottle of wine (95).

I had the pleasure of having my second recent bottle of 1969 Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques. from Cru’s stash, and it was spectacular again. There is no doubt that Rousseau made the wines of the vintage in 69 and hit the proverbial bullseye. This wine was decadently good, tender, sweet and rich, brimming with cherry fruit and touched with tobacco. It was perfectly round in the mouth, textured and satiny, just absolutely delicious (96).

The Big Ticket wasn.t done yet, and ordered a 1989 La Mission Haut Brion. I matched his generosity with a second bottle, so it could make its way around the room. The La Miss was spectacular as always, encased in its buttery popcorn kernel, this time with more butter. Its smoky, gravelly style was there yet buried underneath an avalanche of buttery fruit. Buckets of cassis and grape poured out of the glass. Its long, stylish and gravelly finish somehow managed to balance out its wealth of fruit. This is a true vin de garde (97).

Before we headed south for the evening, we headed south to the Rhone and a pair of magnums. A magnum of 1989 Chave Hermitage was one of my better experiences with this wine. I have had much variation out of bottle and more disappointments than heights. Perhaps it was the magnum. The Chave was big and robust, full of roasted fruit and that Hermitage beef, blood, iron and menthol. Big yet balanced, long yet fine, the 89 was talking loud and saying something (95M).

King Angry got me one last time and a magnum of 1989 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape was our final chapter, another spectacular bottle. The profit margin was definitely affected for the sale on this night. I have to say that every bottle that came from Cru’s cellar was spectacular and in outstanding condition. That’s one of the reasons it is the greatest restaurant on earth, and one of the reasons why I rarely dine anywhere else. The Rayas was rich and sweet in that Grenache/C du P way, full of sweet strawberry fruit, game, Provencal herbs, stones and spice. Peppery, spicy and full of t.n a, it was a nice way to end the evening&with a bang. Isn.t that a great way to end every evening (96)?

In the words of Montell Jordan, This is how we do it.. It was not just another auction, but as far as the Vintage Tastings. go, it was just another day at an Acker Auction.