Dibao Wine Case: A Central Executive Parts with the Mouton 2000 Millennium Golden Ram

Behind every bottle from a leading estate lies a distinctive story. The Dibao Wine assessment team sees these bottles pass from one custodian to the next every day. This is a recent acquisition case involving a carefully preserved group of leading Bordeaux wines.

Who was the seller?

• Seller: Mr Cheung, 48, the chief financial officer of a listed company.
• Reason for sale: Mr Cheung is an experienced wine enthusiast with a professional temperature- and humidity-controlled cellar at home. His annual medical examination last month showed a seriously elevated uric-acid level, and his doctor instructed him to stop drinking. Looking at a room full of wine he could no longer enjoy was difficult. He decided that, rather than leaving the bottles alone in the cellar, he would find new owners who could open and appreciate them, while making a decisive change for his health.

On-site inspection: the Millennium Golden Ram appears

Last Tuesday afternoon, Mr Cheung contacted us by WhatsApp and sent several photographs of the cellar. After an initial discussion, our chief assessor Sam visited his home in Repulse Bay for a physical evaluation.

Mr Cheung carefully placed five leading wines on the tasting table in the temperature-controlled room. The group formed a concise survey of the Bordeaux Left Bank: Château Lafite Rothschild (Lafite), Château Latour (Latour) and three vintages of Château Mouton Rothschild (Mouton Rothschild).

The most striking was the 2000 Château Mouton Rothschild “Millennium Golden Ram”.

For the millennium, Château Mouton Rothschild departed from its traditional paper label and rendered the “Augsburg Ram” in gilded enamel directly on the black glass. Mr Cheung's bottle was exceptionally well preserved: the gold showed no oxidation or fading and caught the light vividly. Sam used a professional high-intensity torch to examine the ullage, cork and foil seal of every bottle. Thanks to the professional cellar, these mature wines remained at Into Neck or Base Neck levels, with no evidence of seepage.

Wines acquired

After comparing the back labels and checking the security features, we prepared this assessment record:

Completion and the continuation of value

Given the condition of the wines and the scarcity of Mouton Rothschild 2000, Dibao Wine made a competitive quotation. Mr Cheung was satisfied with the assessment and the transparent explanation of the price. The parties agreed terms and settled the transaction by bank transfer.

“I feel comfortable entrusting them to Dibao Wine,” Mr Cheung said with a smile as we left. “I hope the next person to open them will taste them at their best.”

For Dibao Wine, the handover was not merely a transaction but a continuation in the life of each bottle. Fine wine that has been carefully preserved deserves a professional approach.

Questions sellers often ask

For other owners considering the sale of wines they no longer need, we have answered several common questions:

Q1: What are the main criteria in Dibao Wine's purchase-price assessment? A: We consider four broad factors: the standing of the producer, such as Bordeaux First Growths or recognised Burgundy villages; the quality of the vintage, including acclaimed years such as 1982, 1990 and 2000; current market supply and demand; and, most importantly, physical condition, including the fill level, label wear or yellowing, capsule integrity, seepage and raised corks.

Q2: Can the wine still be assessed if I have lost the original receipt or invoice? A: Yes. A missing paper receipt does not automatically exclude a bottle. Our physical review examines features such as bottle codes, label paper and printing, and cork material. Any conclusion and quotation still depend on the evidence available and the bottle's condition.

Q3: What is the transaction and payment process, and is it secure? A: The process is designed to be straightforward and private:

1. Send clear photographs of the front and back labels by WhatsApp or WeChat for a preliminary assessment.
2. If the indicated range is acceptable, arrange an appointment in Hong Kong for a physical inspection, either at your address or at our premises.
3. After the bottle condition is confirmed and final terms are agreed, settlement can be made by cash, FPS or bank transfer.

Contact Dibao Wine

If you have fine wines to assess or sell, contact us to discuss a professional private service.

To apply the Château Lafite Rothschild considerations from “Parting with the Millennium Golden Ram” to an actual collection, prepare the vintages, quantities, fill levels and label photographs, then contact WhatsApp 96737259 for a preliminary assessment.

• WhatsApp: 96737259
• Tel: 852 96737259
• WeChat: Sam96737259