What Kinds of Wine Collections Appear in Hart Davis Hart Auctions?

Updated

Hart Davis Hart (HDH) auctions typically combine named single-owner cellars with themed selections and broad regional offerings, so a single sale can range from historic sweet wine verticals to record-setting Burgundy. Based on HDH's published auction details, recent sales have featured dedicated collections such as The Adventurer's Collection, An Historic Selection of D'Yquem, and the Cellar of Jeff Johnson, alongside wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and California.

Named Single-Owner Cellars

HDH regularly builds auctions around the cellars of individual collectors, which gives buyers a defined provenance and a concentrated set of lots to review.

  • The Cellar of Don Cornwell — offered as lots 2622–3293 in HDH's May auction, described as reflecting a love for the Côte (Burgundy).
  • The Cellar of Jeff Johnson — lots 1801–2225 in the September auction.
  • The Adventurer's Collection — lots 538–796 in the same September sale.
  • A Trove of Marvellous Burgundy — lots 177–646, described as the lineup of a significant and knowledgeable collector.

For buyers, these named sections function as a shortcut: the catalog groups a known collection together, so you can assess condition, fill gaps in a region, or bid across multiple lots from one source.

Themed and Historic Selections

Beyond single owners, HDH assembles thematic groups that cut across producers or vintages.

  • An Historic Selection of D'Yquem — lots 1563–1713, a dedicated run of the Sauternes estate.
  • HDH's Record-Breaking Celebration of Burgundy — reported at $14.6M, 100% sold, including what HDH describes as the most expensive bottle of Leroy ever auctioned, at $95,600.

These themed sections are useful if you collect a single producer or region and want depth rather than a scattered assortment.

Regional Coverage and Record Lots

HDH's own auction recaps point to consistent strength across three main regions:

Region Example from HDH reporting
Burgundy Celebration of Burgundy, $14.6M, 100% sold; Leroy bottle at $95,600
Bordeaux Included in September's $13.24M sale across Burgundy, Bordeaux, and California
California Same September sale, cited alongside Burgundy and Bordeaux
Rhône April auction included a record price for 2009 Rayas

Record results are a useful signal of what appears at the top end: HDH's August auction reached $3,892,330 and hammered at 142% of the low estimate, while the June Finest and Rarest sale hit $7M, exceeding its high estimate.

How to See What's in an Upcoming Sale

HDH publishes a catalog, index, and spreadsheet for each auction, plus results once a sale closes. For the September 24–25, 2026 auction, lots were split across two days (1–1337 and 1338–2674), with the featured collections listed by lot range. To check what a specific sale contains, open the catalog and use the lot ranges above to jump to a named collection, or scan the index for a producer or region.

If your interest is a particular estate or collector, the named sections and themed runs are the fastest way to find relevant lots before bidding opens.