Rare Bordeaux wine producer Liber Pater will hold its first ex-cellar auction in Hong Kong on Nov. 21, offering 20 lots sourced directly from the estate’s cellars.
Leading the sale is a 27-liter bottle of the 2019 vintage signed by Prince Albert II of Monaco, estimated at HK$6 million to HK$9 million (US$760,000 to US$1.15 million). An 18-liter bottle of the 2011 vintage carries an estimate of HK$3 million to HK$5 million (US$380,000 to US$640,000).
Organized by Bonhams, the auction also features seven groupings inspired by the Seven Virtues and Seven Deadly Sins. Each contains nine to 13 standard 750-milliliter bottles, primarily comprising Liber Pater red and white wines from vintages between 2006 and 2019, alongside other wines from the estate.
“For the first time in our history, we are opening our private cellars to release wines directly to collectors in celebration of the estate’s 20th anniversary,” said Loïc Pasquet, Liber Pater’s founder and winemaker.
“This milestone represents 20 years of tireless work to restore Bordeaux’s pre-phylloxera viticultural heritage, preserve ancient grape varieties and, ultimately, reawaken the terroir-driven flavors of Bordeaux.”
Collectors increasingly seek wines directly from the source
“We are delighted to partner with Bonhams to share our philosophy and these rare, historically significant fine wines with collectors around the world,” Pasquet said.
Founded in 1793, Bonhams operates across more than 60 specialist collecting categories, with a network spanning 24 countries and territories and flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris and Hong Kong.
Amayès Aouli, Bonhams’ global head of wine and spirits, told Vino Joy News that Liber Pater was seeking more than a sales channel. It wanted a partner that understood the estate’s philosophy and could tell its story. Both parties shared an interest in preserving ungrafted vines, known in French as franc de pied, and Bordeaux grape varieties grown before the phylloxera epidemic.
Aouli said a defining feature of the auction was that every lot came directly from the estate, giving buyers a clear record of provenance. For rare wines, provenance and storage history are important factors in determining collectible value.
Bonhams has continued to offer auctions drawn directly from estates and private cellars. In November 2025, its Hong Kong ex-cellar auction of wines from Burgundy producer Edouard Delaunay sold every lot. The auction house has also worked with Ornellaia and estates belonging to the Baron Philippe de Rothschild group on charity auctions.
Estate argues ungrafted native varieties offer resilience to climate change
Founded by Pasquet in 2005, Liber Pater is based in Bordeaux’s Graves region. The estate seeks to recreate the style of Bordeaux wines made before phylloxera, the vine-destroying pest that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century. It grows ungrafted vines and has reintroduced historic local grape varieties to explore the region’s traditional expression of terroir.
The estate produces about 500 bottles per vintage and has released only 10 vintages since 2006. Its wines are known for their scarcity and high prices, with some media outlets describing them as among Bordeaux’s most expensive.
In an interview with Vino Joy News, Pasquet argued that ungrafted native grape varieties may be better equipped than other vines to adapt to climate change.
“One of the most convincing proofs is that our harvest still always takes place in the first week of October, which is when the grapes reach just the right ripeness. Alcohol levels remain moderate, the balance comes close to perfection, and the texture impresses with the delicacy of its tannins.”
Pasquet said varieties such as Mancin, Saint-Macaire and Pardotte, which he described as no longer permitted for planting, were the result of roughly 2,000 years of human selection. Widely planted before phylloxera, they had underpinned Bordeaux’s success for centuries until the late 19th century, he said.
Hong Kong connects rare European wines with Asian collectors
Although Liber Pater is based in Bordeaux, it chose Hong Kong for the auction. Aouli cited the city’s concentration of collectors from Hong Kong, mainland China and other Asian markets, alongside duty-free wine imports, established storage facilities and efficient logistics.
Its proximity to the Greater Bay Area, the economic region linking Hong Kong, Macau and cities in neighboring Guangdong province, also provides access to a wider pool of buyers.
Aouli said Hong Kong’s wine auction market was recovering and Bonhams was seeing encouraging signs in its own business, with top-quality lots backed by strong provenance performing particularly well.
“For instance, we have set two world records for Japanese whiskies, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s premier auction hub, and have achieved frequent 100%-sold, white-glove wine auctions,” he said. “White-glove” is an auction industry term for a sale in which every lot sells.
In Aouli’s view, Hong Kong’s position rests on enduring strengths: its duty-free wine policy, efficient logistics, world-class storage facilities and proximity to the Greater Bay Area, where he said wine demand continued to grow.
“Hong Kong was a natural choice, even if our auctions are global by design. It is a unique place where the most engaged collectors of rare wines come together, from across Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, and the rest of Asia,” he said.
Discover more from Vino Joy News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
