Johannesburg Auction Week

Live Virtual Auction, 6 November 2022

Coats Family Cellar | Iconic Bordeaux
About the Session

The Coats Family Cellar is arguably the most prestigious fine wine collection ever offered in South Africa. It contains a deep collection of the worlds finest, most sought-after wines, spanning over 150 years. Collected over many decades, the cellar was imported from Ireland to South Africa via reefer. Each bottle within the Coats Family Cellar was authenticated by Michael Egan in August 2022 and given an ID number for tracking.


Sold for

ZAR 36 416
Lot 155
  • Montrose; Saint-Estèphe; 1989; 3 (1 x 3); 750ml


Lot Estimate
ZAR 35 000 - 45 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 36 416

About this Item

1989 Saint-Estèphe
3 (1 x 3) 750ml

The name ‘Montrose’ means ‘pink hill’ and refers to the pink-purple bloom that once grew where the château stands today. The second growth Château Montrose was bought in 2006 by the billionaire Bouygues brothers. Thereafter, the château underwent major renovations and was transformed at a huge cost. With the changes, Montrose now obtains their energy through the use of solar, wind and water and sophisticated geothermal energy systems. This 95-hectare property is known for its powerful, full-bodied Bordeaux wines.

Provenance

The Coats Family Cellar is arguably the most prestigious fine wine collection ever offered in South Africa. It contains a deep collection of the worlds finest, most sought-after wines, spanning over 150 years. Collected over many decades, the cellar was imported from Ireland to South Africa via reefer. Each bottle within the Coats Family Cellar was authenticated by Michael Egan in August 2022 and given an ID number for tracking.

Michael Egan is a world-expert in fine and rare wines with more than thirty five years of experience. He was the principal expert for the plaintiff in the two major wine counterfeiting trials in Koch v. Eric Greenberg and United States v. Rudy Kurniawan, both of which occurred in 2013.

Along with Michael Egan, the Strauss & Co Fine Wine team have tasted extensively through the cellar and are confident of the wine storage and hence quality. The entire collection is currently stored at Wine Cellar. 

Critics Ratings

The 1989 Montrose is a magnificent wine and this represents one of the best bottles I have encountered - one that was purchased on release and not moved from Berry Brothers’ cellar since. I have encountered perfect bottles of the 1989, and this flirts with that magic figure. It is blessed with a captivating bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and black truffle, the veins of blue fruit just toned down a little compared to previous bottles. The palate is supremely well balanced with those filigreed tannins that in some ways are atypical of Montrose. It delivers silky-smooth texture and an intense finish that glides across the senses. I cannot give a perfect score on this occasion, but without question, this is one of the great Montrose releases.’ - Neal Martin, Vinous, 98/100 (Sept 2019)

‘Rich, round, almost treacle. Pretty impressive. And by no means fading.’ - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Feb 2019)

View all Montrose lots for sale in this auction