June’s Wine Auction closed with a total hammer of $400K—driven by the highest number of unique bidders ever recorded in a single wine auction on Unicorn, making it Unicorn’s largest wine sale to date. 

Category Performance

• California Cabernet led with $83,215 in hammer sales, bolstered by iconic vintages of Screaming Eagle and Dominus Estate. 
• Left Bank Bordeaux followed at $58,005, led by First Growths Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, and Haut-Brion. 
• Red Burgundy rounded out the top three with $54,255 in sales, highlighting top domaines like Armand Rousseau and Comte Georges de Vogüé. 
• Italian wines, Champagne, and White Burgundy also performed remarkably well.

Producer Highlights

• Italian wines continue to be in high demand. Giacomo Conterno’s famed Barolo Riserva Monfortino 2005, 2008, and 2014 all received a flurry of bidding activity. 
• Tuscany also shined in June’s sale. A magnum of 2004 Soldera Brunello Riserva brought in $2,525 (est. $2,000-3,000), while 2015 Poggio di Sotto Brunello went for $1,270 (6btls, est. $600-$900), and a 3pk of 2012 Masseto fetched $2,050 (est. $1,500-$2,100). 
• Elsewhere, Dom Pérignon saw strong demand across 24 lots.

Bid Volume & Demand

• Impressive interest in Dom Pérignon, Giacomo Conterno, and Caymus Vineyards drove bidding activity across Champagne, Barolo, and Napa Cabernet. 
• Strong participation for Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé and Soldera Case Basse reflected continued collector interest in Burgundy and top-tier Tuscany. 
• Steady volumes for Opus One, Fontodi, and Tenuta San Guido rounded out a diverse showing across classic regions.

The chart below highlights the brands that drove the most competitive bidding activity, based on total number of bids by producer.

Standout Bottles

2014 Domaine Bruno Clair Chambertin-Clos de Bèze (3 Bottles) | Sold $1,000 (est. $700-900)

Bruno Clair’s vines in Clos de Bèze date back to 1912 and 1972. Always an exquisite and long-lived wine from this hallowed domaine, the 2014 is plush without giving up any focus or definition.  

2010 Château Lafite Rothschild (3 Bottles) | Sold $2,425 (est. $1,800-$2,200)

The 2010 Lafite Rothschild is perfect in its Pauillac character and widely acknowledged as one of the greatest vintages for the estate. There’s a reason this is a quadruple 100-pointer. 

2021 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Bottles) | Sold $6,850 (est. $4,800-5,400)

Many experts expect the 2021 vintage in Napa to be one for the ages. The 2021 Screaming Eagle resoundingly confirms this. The wine’s kaleidoscopic flavor profile is perfectly framed by intense minerality and an elegant but firm structure. After the challenges of 2020’s growing season, this “redemption bottle” is sure to appreciate as much in flavor as it will in the cellar.

The Leaderboards

This month’s top lots by hammer price:

1. $6,850: 2021 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Bottles) | 76 bids
2. $6,400: 2020 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Bottles) | 99 bids
3. $7,550: 2008 Château Lafite Rothschild (6 Bottles) | 77 bids
4. $6,200: 2003 Château Latour (6 Bottles) | 70 bids
5. $5,600: 2005 Château Mouton Rothschild (6 Bottles) | 67 bids

This month’s most competitive lots:

1. 121 bids:  2008 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 (6 Bottles) | $2,025
2. 114 bids:  1985 Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage (3 Bottles) | $1,250
3. 105 bids: 2004 Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage (3 Bottles) | $730
4. 99 bids:  2020 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Bottles) | 6,400
5. 99 bids: 2004 Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage (3 Bottles) | $700