A massive collection of Chateau Lafite dating back to 1869 comes under the hammer at Sotheby’s Hong Kong next month. The collection comes straight from Lafite’s cellars – which Sotheby’s says is a a rare occurrence – and consists of some 2000 bottles spanning vintages from 1869 to 2008. ‘It is almost unheard of for Lafite to release library vintages from their private cellar, but the estate wanted to take the opportunity to honour some of their biggest fans’, the auction house said in a press release. Among the lots being sold are one bottle of 1869, with a high estimate of US$8,000, an 1870 (high estimate US$20,000), and five lots from 1982 (estimate US$70,000). Other vintages include jeroboams of 1959 (estimated at US$50,000) bottles of 1989, 1996, 2000 and 2005. There are lots from Lafite’s sister properties: Chateau Duhart Milon, Chateau Rieussec in Sauternes and Chateau l’Evangile in Pomerol.