A MONTH-LONG auction from renowned Australian wine writer James Halliday's personal wine collection, that includes French Domaine de la Romanee Conti Burgundy wines valued more than $1 million, begins online on Saturday.
The auction in single-bottle lots with an expected average bottle price of $4000, is being conducted by Langton's fine wine auction and private brokerage house and will continue until 7 pm on Sunday, June 28.
Mr Halliday said as he approached his 82nd birthday he had decided to sell a selection from the wine collection he had amassed over more than 60 years. Langton's head of auctions Tamara Grischy said Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) was widely considered the world's greatest wine producer.
The Halliday collection of 250 bottles helped make the auction the biggest of its kind in Australian history.
The pinnacle of the collection was a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche from 1999, valued to go under the hammer for $10,000. Also in the sale were other outstanding Burgundy and Australian wines.
Each wine will come with a certificate of authenticity from Langton's, signed by James Halliday.
The news coincides with cellar doors across the state preparing to reopen to guests from Monday.
The NSW Wine Industry Association on Friday welcomed the changes that will allow wineries to host up to 50 guests at seated wine tastings without serving food.
Social distancing restrictions will apply, including limits of one person per four square metres inside venues.
