The Luxist Awards - The Pinnacle of Fine Living

Jamie Ritchie

Senior Vice President, Sotheby's
Head of Wine Department, North America

Jamie Ritchie joined Sotheby's London in 1990. In 1995, Mr. Ritchie moved to New York and was appointed Head of US Wine Department. Mr. Ritchie has been a leading auctioneer for many extraordinary and record breaking auctions such as The Andrew Lloyd Webber Wine Collection (1997, US$6 million), The Millennium Wine Cellar (1999, US$14 million), The Magnificent Cellar of Russel H. Frye (2006, US$8 million), Magnificent Wines from The Park B. Smith Collection (2006, US$5 million), Chateau Mouton Rothschild: Treasures from the Private Cellar of Baroness Philippine (2007, US$2.2 million), Magnificent Wines from the Warren A. Stephens Collection (2007, US$3.8 million) and The Cellar of Thomas O. Ryder (2007, US$1.7 million).

Many exciting lots went under the hammer of Mr. Ritchie, including a Jeroboam of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1945 in February 2007 which sold for US$310,700, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction, 50 cases of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1982, which brought US$1.05 million in November 2006 and is the highest value lot of wine ever sold at auction; as well as the world's largest bottle of wine, 130 litres of 2001 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which sold for US$55,000 in November 2004. Mr. Ritchie continues to conduct Sotheby's wine auctions, donate his services to many benefit auctions, as well as leading tastings around the United States. He is also a respected authority in the wine market and has been regularly feartured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Forbes and Wine Spectator Magazine.