NO OTHER WINE HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF THE CHINESE WINE CONNOISSEUR LIKE CHATEAU LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD. FROM THE HIGH-END RESTAURANTS THAT LINE BEIJING'S DONGCHENG DISTRICT TO SHANGHAI'S THREE ON THE BUND COMPLEX, LAFITE IS A NAME THAT INSPIRES A HUSHED REVERENCE. SO IT IS FITTING THAT ON 29.OCTOBER, SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG IS DEDICATING AN ENTIRE EVENING TO WINES PROCURED DIRECTLY FROM LAFITE. NEARLY 2,000 BOTTLES, DATING FROM 1869 TO 2008, AND WHICH HAVE NEVER LEFT THE CHATEAU UNTIL NOW, WILL BE OFFERED FOR SALE. IT IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF FOR LAFITE TO RELEASE LIBRARY VINTAGES FROM THEIR PRIVATE CELLAR, BUT THE ESTATE WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR SOME OF THEIR BIGGEST FANS. LAFITE'S NOW LEGENDARY STATUS IN ASIA IS UNDERSTANDABLE. ONE OF ONLY FIVE FIRST GROWTH PRODUCERS IN BORDEAUX, LAFITE CAN TRACE ITS HERITAGE TO THE MID 1500s, AND THE UNIQUE QUALITY OF ITS LAND TO A TIME BEFORE DINOSAURS INHABITED PREHISTORIC FRANCE. THE NEAR MYTHICAL SOIL OF LAFITE IS LINKED TO THE PALEOZOIC ERA, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE WHITE, GRAY AND RUST COLOURED STONES THAT GIVE LAFITE'S WINES THEIR UNPARALLELED POWER AND FINESSE. THE CHANCE TO BUY A BOTTLE OF LAFITE AT AUCTION IS ALREADY A THING OF BEAUTY, BUT TO HAVE ACCESS TO SO MANY VINTAGES, CELLARED AT THE ESTATE, IS SURE TO DRAW ITS MOST DEVOTED FOLLOWERS. THE SALE IS EXPECTED TO FETCH BETWEEN $1.5 AND $2.5 MILLION. (ALL BOTTLES WILL HAVE A LABEL WITH THE SOTHEBY'S DESIGNATION AND ALL BOTTLES ARE LASER ENGRAVED AT THE BOTTOM "HONG KONG 2010")
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