Bonhams completes first Bhutan wine auction

The sale of Bhutan Wine Company’s inaugural bottles came to a close yesterday (24 April). Terrence Tang, Bonhams’ head of wine and spirits, Asia, told Rebecca Lo why it is an historic moment for the auction house. It has been all hands on deck across the Bonhams offices this April. Spearheaded by Amayès Aouli, Bonhams' global head of wine, the auction house ran an online auction showcasing a total of 48 bottles from Bhutan Wine Company. “We are participating in a historical event,” Terrence Tang, Bonhams head of wine and spirits, Asia, told db Asia early in the sale. “It is a special auction and we expect to see a lot of interest from global collectors. Many have heard a lot about Bhutan but have never been there and are curious.” During the first several days of sale, bids on the Ser Kem 7.57l supersize bottle dubbed ‘The Himalayan’ had already reached US$10,000. Bonhams estimated that the bottle would sell for upwards of US$80,000. However, the final hammer price fell significantly short of this, at US$18,750. Evenso, the auction was a landmark event for a country which has never previously produced wine. What makes the no reserve auction unique are the number of firsts. Bhutan Wine Company co-founders Michael Juergens and Ann Cross are both new to wine; Juergens is a partner at Deloitte while Cross specialised in marketing for the likes of Disney. The Americans embarked upon an ambitious 10-year plan to build a sustainable new wine region in the Himalayan country after first visiting in 2017. Grapes from the inaugural 2023 harvest went into Ser Kem - which translates to “an alcoholic offering to the Gods” in Bhutanese - and are red and white blends of varietals planted in 2019 at altitudes up to 2,750 metres. Boston-based Aouli paved the way for the Bonhams collaboration with Bhutan Wine Company, and shares the enthusiasm of Juergens and Cross. “This marks an important moment in the history of wine,” Aouli said. “The uniqueness, rarity and story behind the Bhutan Wine Company wines make them undoubtedly the most exciting addition for wine collectors and connoisseurs alike.” The jewel in the Ser Kem crown is The Himalayan. Its unusual volume, at 7.57 litres, is a nod to the 7.57km summit of Gangkhar Puensum, the world’s highest unscaled mountain. Only two bottles of this wine were produced. With the other gifted to the King of Bhutan, Bonhams is the only way that collectors could bid on the one-of-a-kind blend. “It is a trophy,” acknowledged Tang. “The successful bid on The Himalayan includes a customised trip to Bhutan along with privileges such as exclusive events with the wine company’s leadership team.” The other formats under the hammer consisted of standard, magnum, double magnum and jeroboam bottles. In addition, the Ser Kem 2-Pack Red & White Box Set contains Ser Kem Barrel Red and Ser Kem White bottles. Bhutan Wine Company’s red comprises every red and white grape varietal from each vineyard harvested during in 2023 with just one barrel produced. The white is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng and Riesling from five different vineyards also harvested from the first season, with only six bottles released. As climate change continues to impact traditional wine growing regions, it is inevitable that production will continue moving to higher and more northern terroirs in the Northern Hemisphere. What makes Bhutan different is its negative carbon output that yields extremely pure air and water. The pristine conditions of the country are bound to be reflected in its wine. On the flip side, being the first to make wine in a country that has historically practised subsistence farming has its challenges. The producer’s story echoes that of LVMH’s Chinese label Ao Yun, produced from vineyards along the slopes of Yunnan on the other side of the Himalayas, for which set up and production costs were high. “Being a completely new wine region, Bhutan lacked the talent to make wine,” explained Tang. “The country did not have any native varieties, and nine reds alongside seven whites were planted to experiment with what worked there. Logistics was also an issue: how do you harvest or move equipment up and down steep slopes in the Himalayas? Yet challenges are part of the fun of winemaking.” Winemakers across Asia are rising to the challenge. Tang sees Japan as an emerging contender despite the country being known for whisky. “Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in Hokkaido are worth watching,” he noted. “Also, Chinese wines continue to make their mark on the global auction stage, with Yunnan gaining traction as a wine region. Shandong wines are maturing nicely with big names such as Lafite’s Long Dai gaining in reputation.” Tang welcomes Bonhams’ first live wine auction in its new Hong Kong premises this May, following the house’s relocation last year into the recently unveiled Six Pacific Place. Spanning three storeys with a flexible auction floor adjacent to a function area, it is ideally suited for tastings and other gatherings related to the action next door. “Post-pandemic, online wine auctions are here to stay,” Tang admitted. “But nothing beats the excitement of a live event.” The Ser Kem online auction closed on Thursday 24 April 2025.