Hong Kong –  Christie’s is delighted to present the sale of  Fine and Rare Wines from the Melina & NK Yong’s Cellar and the Esteemed Connoisseur Mr Yap Chee Meng’s Private Collection Part II, on 8 & 9 September respectively.

Dr NK and Melina Yong from Singapore are renowned collectors and philanthropists in the world of wine. In this sale they generously offer an impressive assortment of wines coming directly from the Chateaux, Domaines, Bodegas, Tenutas, Weinguts and Quintas. The wines come from the finest producers of fable names, many of whom are the couple’s lifelong friends. A noteworthy point is that, while most professional cellarage hovers at around 12°C-14°C, the couple sets the cellar temperature at a constant 10°C, to ensure their wines develop better under the warm climate of Singapore.

Dr NK Yong commented “I advocate 10°C because Singapore climate is usually on the high side at around 32°C. I find that the bottles warm up very quickly once they are brought out to the dining room. Not only in Singapore, but I think restaurants in Europe also tend to serve wine too warm, which does not do justice to wine growers. At 10°C, the wines may take longer to develop but they age better.”

Another prominent Single Owner Collection comes from Mr Yap Chee Meng, retired Chartered Accountant and former KPMG Asia Pacific Chief Operating Officer, has been an avid collector of fine wines for the past thirty years. He is going to share some of the most desirable Burgundy and Bordeaux from well-known producers in the sale, including those which are made in very limited quantities such as DRC’s Grand Crus, Chambertins from Rousseau, Musigny from Roumier, Faiveley,  Jadot and J.F. Mugnier, Liger-Belair, Montrachet from Lafon, Le Pin, Ausone, and Haut Brion. All the Bordeaux First Growths are represented. There are also cult wines from the Rhône, Australia, Spain and USA as well as highly sought-after bottles from Champagne and Italy.

The majority of the wines from Mr Yap were acquired directly from the producers or their respective wine agents. Many of the wines are released on miniscule allocations and over his years of collecting, Mr Yap has managed to amass an impressively large collection that is incredibly hard to find in the world of Finest & Rarest wines. The wines were all stored either in professional storage in the UK or Singapore’s world class storage facility. The provenance of this single-owner collection is unparalleled and the conditions are generally excellent.

Simon Tam, Head of Wine, Christie’s Asia, commented “It is our honor and privilege to present the exceptional wines from Melina & NK Yong’s Cellar and Mr Yap Chee Meng. I have known them for many years, their passion and discerning eye for the best wines are always overwhelming. Their diverse collections provide a rare opportunity for ardent wine enthusiasts to acquire treasures catered for all occasions.”