Wine: The Spectrum “Aubrey McClendon Collection” Wine Auction

In the mood for a little Chateau Lafite Rothschild, circa 1959? How about a six-liter bottle of 1989 Haut Brion? Or maybe an assortment of Harlan Estate Cabernets from 1994, 1997, 2001, and 2002? Then get thee to the St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel in Dana Point, CA, on November 21, 2009 at 5 p.m. PST, to join in the wine auction of a lifetime.

Or head to the Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong on November 22 at 9 a.m., where the Spectrum Wine Auction featuring the “Aubrey McClendon Collection” and other choice bottles, making up a total of 5,500 wines, will be simultaneously running. Logging on to www.spectrumwine.com puts you into the catalog and the bidding right now. On the site there are 360-degree photographs of 200 of the most-sought-after bottles, like the case of La Tache 1962, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, valued at $78,000 and currently bid at $47,000.

Aubrey McClendon is one of America’s wealthiest businessmen, but he suffered some well-documented losses in the recent stock market crash. That’s reportedly why he is selling off a chunk of his massive wine collection. Putting 3,800 bottles up for sale is apparently just a drop in the spittoon for the head of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, as word is that McClendon’s stash of vino numbers near the 100,000 mark.

So there’s plenty of Chateau Lafite Rothschild to be had, along with Mouton Rothschild, Latour, Cheval Blanc, Haut Brion, Margaux, Chateauneuf du Pape; champagnes like a Tattinger 1979, Louis Roederer Cristal 1990; and many more worldwide favorites including Gaja, Bryant Family, Colgin, and Opus One.

Let the bidding wars begin, and the party will soon follow!