Domaine du Roi DRC Buyback Record

Having handled many DRC buybacks, we've encountered numerous situations – some people are emigrating and need to clear out their cellars, some find an old bottle at home and don't know what to do with it, and others simply feel the market is good and want to cash in. Below, we've selected ten representative cases to illustrate how we actually operate.

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1. Emigration Cellar Clearance: 1990 Romanée-Conti

A collector living in Mid-Levels was preparing to emigrate. In his cellar was a 1990 Romanée-Conti, kept for over twenty years in a temperature-controlled wine fridge. The fill level was within 2cm, and the label was clean.

1990 is widely recognized as a great vintage for Burgundy, and with such good condition and high risk of counterfeits, we arranged for our chief appraiser to visit. After verifying the hidden markings on the bottle base and the condition of the cork, it was confirmed to be authentic. The final offer was 8% higher than the Liv-ex daily average, and the transfer was completed on the same day.

2. Unopened Original Case: 2009 DRC 12-bottle Assortment

A client in the financial industry had purchased a 2009 DRC Assortment early on for asset allocation. The original wooden case (OWC) had never been opened. The case contained the full set of Grand Crus, including Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, etc.

An unopened original case signifies the highest level of preservation integrity, but we can't just "take a look inside." We carefully opened the case in the client's presence, verifying each seal and serial number to confirm originality and consistency. For this type of complete investment-grade set, we offer a bulk premium.

3. Old Bottle Found Under the Cabinet: 1988 Romanée-Conti

While clearing out her deceased father's old residence, a lady found a bottle of 1988 Romanée-Conti under a cabinet. She knew nothing about wine and was unsure of its authenticity.

After inspecting the bottle, the fill level was actually quite good, but the label had some mold spots and damage due to Hong Kong's humid weather. Many buyers drastically reduce prices for bottles with label issues, but natural oxidation marks on labels of older vintages are normal. As long as the wine itself is fine, its value remains. We made an offer based on the principle of "wine condition superior to appearance," and the client said it far exceeded her expectations.

4. Company Stock: 2014 Montrachet (DRC)

Remaining stock from a business dinner of a listed group included several bottles of DRC Montrachet – a white wine with only about three thousand bottles produced globally each year.

White wine is more susceptible to light and heat than red wine, so we focused on checking for excessive oxidation in the wine's color (it should be golden yellow normally) and clarity. After confirming no issues, we purchased it via corporate bank transfer and signed a non-disclosure agreement to protect the client's business privacy.

5. Large Format Bottle: 2015 La Tâche 1.5L Magnum

A Macau client urgently needed funds and had a 2015 La Tâche large format bottle (1.5L Magnum), a very rare size.

Large format bottles have low liquidity in the auction market, and generally, small-scale buyers are hesitant to take them. However, we have a global network of buyers and understand the potential of large format bottles in top auctions. We arranged for cash within two hours and sent personnel to Macau for collection, helping the client resolve their urgent needs.

6. Suspected Leaking 2004 Romanée-Conti

Due to an air conditioning malfunction, some stock in a Causeway Bay wine shop was affected. One bottle of 2004 Romanée-Conti had a rotatable capsule and dried wine stains on the neck, suspected to be leakage due to high temperature.

This situation truly tests judgment. We honestly told the client that leakage would affect the aging potential and the price would have to be discounted, but it didn't mean it was worthless. After confirming the remaining wine was clear by transillumination, we offered a price based on "drinkable quality," helping the client recover most of their loss.

7. 1978 Richebourg in a Bank Safety Deposit Box

An elder industrialist had a bottle of 1978 Richebourg stored in a bank safety deposit box in Central for over thirty years. The fill level was slightly low (Low Shoulder), but vintages like 1978 are inherently rare.

The client didn't want to take the wine out of the bank, so we arranged for our appraisal team to bring all necessary equipment to the bank vault for on-site inspection. After confirming the wine's color was normal, we issued a cashier's check to complete the transaction on the spot.

8. Cashing in New Vintages: Full Set of 2020 DRC Loose Bottles

A young collector won a DRC allocation through a lottery but wanted to use the funds for other investments. His full set of 2020 DRC was in pristine condition and came with original purchase invoices.

Although new vintages are not yet at their peak drinking window, their investment value is evident. After verifying the purchase receipts to confirm provenance, we offered a buyback price close to the market retail price, allowing the client to quickly recover their capital.

9. Broken Cork 1999 Échézeaux

A client tried to open a 1999 Échézeaux for a family gathering, but the corkscrew broke the cork halfway in. The capsule was torn, but the cork had not fallen into the bottle, and the wine was not contaminated.

This bottle could no longer be sold as a "collectible" and was only defined as "drinkable." After assessing that the seal was still reasonably intact, we purchased it at a drinkable price – for the client, it was at least better than drinking it themselves or pouring it away.

10. Fifty Bottles Packed Up: Couple Emigrating to the UK

A couple preparing to emigrate to the UK did not want to bear the high cost and risk of international cold chain transport. Their cellar contained about fifty bottles, including Romanée-St-Vivant, Grands Échézeaux, plus Lafite, Petrus, etc.

We offered a "full cellar pack-up" service – our team spent three hours meticulously counting, authenticating, and recording fill levels for each bottle, then issued a detailed Excel quotation. After confirming the total price, we arranged for professional logistics to clear the cellar in one go, allowing the clients to leave Hong Kong with peace of mind.

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Summary

From single bottles of grand cru to entire cellar clearances, from perfect condition to flawed old wines, Domaine du Roi is capable of handling it all. Our advantages are simple: ample cash for immediate transactions, deep knowledge of wine for fair pricing, and strict confidentiality of client information.

To learn more about DRC's Grand Crus, please visit Introduction to Romanée-Conti. To view buyback prices for various vintages, please go to the DRC Buyback Page. For other inquiries, please refer to Red Wine Buyback FAQ or Contact Us.