Final Treasures From the Wine Cellar of Andrew Lloyd Webber

“A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.”

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

FINAL TREASURES FROM THE WINE CELLAR OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

REFLECTIONS FROM THE CELLAR AT SYDMONTON I suppose this is the end of an era. These bottles are the last great wines from my cellars at Sydmonton Court. Some of them have been there over fifty years. The reason that I’m selling them is because a year ago I gave up drinking. Frankly I needed to, but more of this anon.

I vividly remember my first glass of wine.

I was fourteen. My aunt took me out to dinner to celebrate something I’d done at school.

We went to an Italian restaurant in Camden Passage in Islington called Portofino. At the bottom of the menu was a homily that I took to heart, maybe sometimes a bit too much.

It read ‘A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.’

All of the wine in this sale comes from Sydmonton so it’s VAT and duty paid. The proceeds will go to the Music in Secondary Schools Trust. Music in schools is a subject dear to my heart. It is disgraceful that successive British Governments have denied too many state school children what should be their right, the chance to participate and experience great music. I am proud that I have supported nearly 30,000 children’s musical education and given them their first musical instruments, but there’s so much more to be done. Your support at this auction will educate many more.

I hope these very personally chosen wines will give as much pleasure to you as they have to me and my friends over more than half a century.

So I started collecting wine when I was still at school. I was fortunate that my interest began just as the great 1961 clarets were ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER hitting the wine merchants. In those days many of them were still bottling Bordeaux themselves, so one could buy superb British bottled claret quite cheaply. Thinking of British bottled wine, in the 1970s British Rail decided to sell all their fabulous Burgundys.

I remember staying in the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool, in those days a railway hotel.

There was a list in the bedroom of the contents of the hotel cellar. I phoned the manager who asked me what I’d like to order. I replied, ‘all of it.’ Those were the days.

I loved my wine. Abetted by perfect cellar conditions at Sydmonton I have over the years been able to offer my guests some pretty choice bottles. But that love of wine overtook me too much and I decided a year ago that it was time to stop.

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THE MUSIC IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS TRUST The Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST) is dedicated to transforming the lives of disadvantaged students through music. MiSST aims to close the achievement gap in both music and the wider curriculum by providing pupils in 37 secondary schools — all located in areas of significant deprivation — with musical instruments, weekly tuition, and a classical music curriculum.

In addition to its core curriculum — the Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme — MiSST offers Programmes of Excellence to further support student development, including the MiSST Music Academy, Play Days, an annual concert, and intensive residential music courses. To date, MiSST has reached nearly 30,000 students, and its goal is to reach 50,000 by 2028.

MiSST has proven, through robust evaluation, that learning music powerfully empowers young people, leading to significant improvements in academic attainment, wellbeing, and behaviour. The programme is working, and its impact is clear and measurable. Using the Social Value Engine (SVE), we have quantified that for every £1 invested in the Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme, MiSST generates £9.87 in social value, demonstrating both its effectiveness and its far‑reaching societal benefits.

FINAL TREASURES FROM THE WINE CELLAR OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

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INTRODUCTION TO THE SALE Christie’s Wine Department are delighted to present ‘Final Treasures from the Wine Cellar of Andrew Lloyd Webber’.

Andrew is a titan of the stage and screen, famous for his ground-breaking and memorable musicals, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and more. He is also one of the most prolific modern-day collectors, from artworks to antiques and wine. His cellars have housed bottles, magnums and large formats of the most famous wines and vintages from the last century and beyond.

Rarities from these cellars are now on offer, with all proceeds being generously donated to support the important work of a charity close to Andrew’s heart, The Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST).

MiSST is dedicated to transforming the lives of disadvantaged students through music.

It aims to close the achievement gap in both music and the wider curriculum by providing pupils in 37 secondary schools — all located in areas of significant deprivation — with musical instruments, weekly tuition, and a classical music curriculum known as The Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme. MiSST is part-funded by The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and has reached nearly 30,000 students to date. This sale will help reach over 2,000 more.

The curated sale features an array of spectacular Bordeaux, from famous wines such as Château Margaux 1900 and 1945, Château Mouton-Rothschild 1959 and Château Haut-Brion 1961 in magnum, Château Cheval Blanc 1947, Petrus 1989 and 1990 and Château d’Yquem 1949 and 1990.

Burgundy is a highlight with wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, including 2005 Romanée-Conti and 1990 La Tâche.

Domaine Rousseau, Trapet, Bouchard, Faiveley, Dujac, Clos de Tart and Domaine d’Eugénie lead a selection of delicious Pinot Noir.

White Burgundy is a special feature, with a glorious offering of Domaine Leflaive, including magnums of 2005 Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. Bottles of Guffens-Heynen’s contemporary wines show Andrew’s modern tastes.

Rhône features from Guigal, Henri Bonneau and Jamet. Dom Pérignon, Bollinger RD, Cristal and Deutz are highlights from the Champagne lots. Port, Sherry and luscious sweet wines conclude the sale.

This marquee auction offers collectors the opportunity to buy special wines from one of the most famous cellars of the modern era.

All bottles will be affixed with a commemorative sticker. Most importantly, the sale will be supporting musical education for thousands of disadvantaged young people, a cause that Andrew is deeply passionate about. The work that The Music in Secondary Schools Trust does has broad and far-reaching impacts. The Social Value Engine (SVE) has recently reported that for every £1 invested in the Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme — MiSST’s core curriculum — there is a social return on investment of £9.87. Buyers will be directly extending MiSST’s powerful and proven impact.

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FINAL TREASURES FROM THE CELLAR OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

FINAL TREASURES

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THE CELLAR The lots in this sale come from the famed cellars beneath Lord Lloyd Webber’s home, Sydmonton Court, where they have been carefully stored in labelled bins.

THE PACK-UP, INSPECTION AND SHIPPING In January, Noah May and Charles Foley oversaw a week of rigorous inspection and packing at Sydmonton. Every lot was checked, catalogued and photographed before being shipped to Christie’s temperature‑controlled warehouse in London.

THE COMMEMORATIVE BOTTLE LABEL AND CASES Each bottle bears a commemorative back label featuring The Phantom of the Opera mask, created exclusively by Christie’s in collaboration with Lord Lloyd Webber’s team.

THE OPPORTUNITY This sale offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire exceptional wines direct from the Sydmonton Court cellars.

These are bottles with impeccable provenance, released from one of the world’s most celebrated private collections.

We hope they will be opened, shared and enjoyed at tables around the world.

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CHAMPAGNE Fabulous bottles of Champagne have been a consistent feature of dinners and shoots at Sydmonton Court. In this sale, Dom Pérignon, including the Lady Gaga Blanc 2010, leads the offering, with Bollinger RD 1996, Cristal vintages in bottles and magnums, and Deutz Jeroboams also on offer.

Dom Pérignon is named after the Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638–1715), who was cellarmaster of the Abbey of Hautvillers in Épernay. The legend states that he saw ‘stars’ in his bottled wine as secondary fermentation occurred and made the wine sparkling.

Vintages such as 1996 and 2009 have a famously creamy mousse and are full of peach, lemon zest, brioche, roasted macadamia and toasted almond notes.

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WHITE BURGUNDY White Burgundy is a special feature of this auction, with a glorious offering from Domaine Leflaive. Highlights include magnums of 2005 Bâtard‑Montrachet and Bienvenues‑Bâtard‑Montrachet, Chevalier‑Montrachet 2009 in bottle, and the famous 1er Crus Les Pucelles and Clavoillon.

Further treasures include Le Montrachet from Roche de Bellène, Corton‑Charlemagne from Domaine Louis Jadot, Dauvissat‑Camus Chablis 1er Cru, and Bachelet‑Monnot.

Newer wines from Guffens‑Heynen reflect Andrew’s appreciation of modern Burgundy, appearing alongside magnums of Andrew’s Hospices de Beaune purchases.

When it comes to scintillating white wines, Domaine Leflaive is recognised as one of the finest producers in the world.

They craft exceptional, mineral‑driven white Burgundies from their prime Chardonnay vineyards.

The history of Domaine Leflaive goes right back to 1717, when Claude Leflaive settled in Puligny‑Montrachet, the area where the domaine still has its roots. Leflaive is most famous for their stunning and age‑worthy Grands Crus, and today they own 4.8 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards. These wines are carefully fermented in oak barrels to ensure the intensity of the wines is never overshadowed. The resulting wines are supremely well‑balanced, vibrant and bursting with energy, developing increasing complexity and richness with time in bottle.

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RED BURGUNDY Red Burgundy is another highlight, with wines from Domaine de la Romanée‑Conti, including 2005 Romanée‑Conti and 1990 La Tâche, featuring alongside Romanée‑Saint‑Vivant, Richebourg and Échézeaux.

Domaine Rousseau’s Chambertin and Clos de la Roche are offered in stellar vintages, alongside Rossignol‑Trapet, Trapet, Perrot‑Minot and Bouchard, with the rare La Romanée 2005 also appearing. Domaine Faiveley, Dujac, Clos de Tart, Domaine d’Eugénie and Méo‑Camuzet continue this selection of delicious Pinot Noir.

Often abbreviated to DRC, Domaine de la Romanée‑Conti is regarded worldwide as one of Burgundy’s greatest estates.

Its origins trace back to the 13th century, when many of the vineyards were owned by the Abbey of Saint‑Vivant in Vosne. In 1760, the vineyards were the subject of a bidding war between Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, and her bitter rival, the king’s cousin Louis‑François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti.

The prince’s deeper pockets eventually won out, and he handed over 8,000 livres for the estate, adding his title to the name of the best vineyard. Production remains tiny, at just 6,000– 8,000 cases per year, with two monopoles: Romanée‑Conti and La Tâche.

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BORDEAUX The heart of the auction is an array of spectacular Bordeaux, including Château Margaux 1900 and 1945, Château Mouton‑Rothschild 1959, Château Haut‑Brion 1961 in magnum, Château Cheval Blanc 1947, Petrus 1989 and 1990, and Château La Mission Haut‑Brion in strong vintages.

Unearthing such unicorn wines from a fabled cellar such as Sydmonton is a rare treat. Château Margaux 1900 is a five‑star Michael Broadbent wine, which he called the ‘finest Margaux of the century’, while praising its surging fragrance.

The 1945 victory vintage is equally celebrated, with Broadbent calling it a ‘magnificent wine, glorious with its ripe mulberry, crystallised violets, cedar cigar box and creamy style’.

Château Cheval Blanc 1947 is one of the most fabled Bordeaux wines of the last century. Sometimes called an accident of nature, the extreme heat that produced its extraordinary ripeness led the winemaker at the time, Gaston Vaissière, to compete with local fishmongers for ice cubes to cool his vats.

With only 3.5 grams per litre of residual sugar left per bottle, this wine is one of the longest‑lived bottles collectors are likely to find.

Bottles of Château Haut‑Brion 1961 are now very rare, but magnums are like hens’ teeth. So, we’re thrilled to offer this five‑star Broadbent wine in the larger format. The inaugural vintage for the esteemed winemaker of 40 years, Jean‑Bernard Delmas, Broadbent loved the ‘hot, pebbly, deep, earthy’ style.

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SAUTERNES Sauternes has often been served for pudding at Sydmonton Court, with guests fortunate to taste rare vintages of Château d’Yquem. With the 1949, 1955, 1988, 1989 and 1990 vintages available, this sale continues that tradition.

Broadbent noted the 1949 as a five‑star wine, full of ‘honey, orange blossom and apricot’. He also adored the 1990 vintage, noting its ‘full, fleshy, velvety’ style. Châteaux Climens and Rieussec also feature, including the 1953 Climens, a rare treat with its malted barley sugar, peaches‑and‑cream nose.

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FORTIFIED Rounding out the perfect dinner at Sydmonton Court with a bottle of Port or Sherry would be a remarkable experience.

Taylor’s 1994 and Warre’s 1985 feature, alongside a host of remarkable declared 2017 Vintage Ports. Bottles of Niepoort and Broadbent are offered, alongside a lovely rarity, Lustau ‘Landed‑Age’ Rare Dessert Oloroso Sherry.

It’s not often you find glorious old Sherries in cellars now, and the beautiful labels of these old bottles attest to the wine’s history — produced in Jerez before landing in England for bottling.

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