Bonhams to Auction 1945 La Tâche in Paris

A single bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 1945, estimated at €15,000 to €20,000, will headline Bonhams’ wine auction in Paris on November 7. The auction, taking place at Bonhams’ Avenue Hoche saleroom, centers on what the house describes as one of the most historically significant bottles from Burgundy’s postwar era.

The 1945 La Tâche comes from Burgundy’s first peacetime vintage after World War II, a year shaped by scarcity and transition. Bonhams said the vintage was marked by spring frost and summer storms, which sharply limited yields but produced grapes of remarkable ripeness and concentration. The resulting wines are known for their power and intensity, but only a small number were made.

La Tâche’s modern identity began in the 1930s when Domaine de la Romanée-Conti acquired the parcel in 1933. The vineyard received its own Grand Cru appellation as a monopole in 1936. That meant the entire site was under the estate’s control. The 1945 vintage stands out for both its rarity and its timing, as it was produced during a period of major change for the vineyard and the estate.

After the 1945 harvest, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti uprooted its last pre-phylloxera vines in the Romanée-Conti vineyard, which had survived the devastation that struck many European vineyards in the late 19th century. Bonhams said that vine material from La Tâche was used to replant Romanée-Conti in 1947 and 1948. Between 1946 and 1951, Romanée-Conti produced no wine, making La Tâche the estate’s flagship during those years. The first post-phylloxera vintage from Romanée-Conti didn’t appear until 1952.

Bonhams is emphasizing the provenance of the 1945 La Tâche, describing it as exceptional. The bottle has been in the collection of its current owner, a grand cru estate owner in Bordeaux, since 1974 and has remained undisturbed in the same cellar for over 50 years. Bonhams said its team and an outside expert checked the bottle’s background and condition to support its authenticity.

Amayès Aouli, Bonhams’ global head of wine and spirits, said, “One cannot help but reflect on this extraordinary vintage, which brings the history of an estate into dialogue with the broader history of humanity.” He added, “Everyone at Bonhams is honoured to have been entrusted by this distinguished owner and looks forward to offering this bottle, in remarkable condition and with outstanding provenance, to collectors around the world.”

The November 7 auction, titled Domaine de la Romanée-Conti & Domaine Leroy: Two Private Collections, featuring La Tâche 1945, will also include other notable bottles from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Domaine Leroy. The sale features further Burgundy from the cellars of Domaine Hubert Lignier, including a range of top-level and premier-level wines from vineyards such as Clos de la Roche, Clos de Vougeot, Charmes-Chambertin, and Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes. Some of these lots come with private visits to the estate or annual allocations of rare cuvées, according to Bonhams.

The auction’s second part brings a range of fine red and white Burgundy, classed growth Bordeaux, prestige cuvée Champagne, and a small selection of Gantenbein Pinot Noir from Switzerland. The third part returns to more wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Domaine Leroy, including the 1945 La Tâche as the centerpiece. In addition to the in-person auction, Bonhams will run an online sale with no reserve lots from October 29 to November 12.

Collectors are expected to pay close attention to the provenance and storage history of bottles such as this 1945 La Tâche, as concerns about counterfeits and relabeling remain high in the market for older Burgundy. The magazine has also looked at exclusive one-of-a-kind wines during Premiere Napa Valley release week.