Sotheby’s and Bucherer are successful companies with tradition. With the new Sotheby’s salon at Bucherer on Bahnhofstrasse, they have now created a valuable space together.
«True values are not the ones you see, but the ones you feel» – an anonymous quote sums it up perfectly. Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is one of the oldest and most renowned auction houses in the world. Today, Sotheby’s is the world’s first address for art and luxury because certain things are worth a lot to certain people. In cooperation with the Swiss watch and jewellery retailer Bucherer, the first Sotheby’s Salon has now been opened, where customers can not only view the valuable products, but also purchase them directly on site. In addition to watches, there is also an exclusive selection of handbags and accessories, jewellery, sneakers and high-quality streetwear, works of art as well as sports memorabilia and wines.
To mark the launch, we spoke to Vanessa Conlin. She is Global Head of Wine Retail and one of the few female Masters of Wine.
What does valuable mean to you, Ms Conlin?
Valuable goes far beyond the «price». It is about what is meaningful to you as a person. Memories we create. Time we spend with dear and beloved people. For me, that is precisely what is of ultimate value. Shared moments with people, and wine brings people together. Wine is made to be shared. Being together with friends and enjoying an evening together is a shared and always unique experience. I myself have a musical background. And music also brings people together. The exciting thing about both things is that everyone personally describes this experience differently, because everyone feels it quite individually.
Values have a lot to do with emotions …
That’s true, and they influence how valuable we find something. Which then in turn determines how much we are willing to give for it. Here is an example: The «Screaming Eagle» is expensive. It is the most expensive wine from the United States. For a 0.75 litre bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from 2019, you pay around 4,500 Swiss francs. I am often asked whether a wine can cost so much, can be so valuable. I then want to know from my counterpart whether they think that the Screaming Eagle is worth so much to them personally. Because that’s all that matters. For some people, it is the greatest thing to own such a rarity and such an excellent wine. Value is relative and, as you say, something very emotional.
While we are on the subject of emotions – what makes your job, your task, your mission at Sotheby’s worthwhile?
It is this very special composition of exclusivity and craftsmanship that makes wine unique. After all, producing something means craft and agriculture. I myself
often like to be directly on site with the producers. I love it when we walk through their vineyards and they explain their philosophy of cultivation to me. Going back to the roots, that’s how I feel about it. To experience the beginning and then enjoy the result even more. However, I also share the common experience with the clients. I am delighted when someone tells me how much they enjoyed the wine they bought from us. How they enjoyed it and with whom. Finding out what became of the fine wines that we, as Sotheby’s, have curated for our customers.
Which brings us back to the connecting element. Who are you most closely connected with in your life?
Definitely with my family, and with my three cats. (laughs) My husband and I named them after old film stars. Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner and Vivien Leigh. My family is this very personal space where I experience pleasure, connection and value. Where I get the chance to gather strength and share my favourite moments together.
You addressed it: How much may a wine cost? Are expensive wines really always the better ones? A sommelier once told me: It the end, it just has to taste good to you …
That sums it up wonderfully. I myself am a real explorer and always open to new impressions and experiences. There are new wines, new producers every year. A new vintage. That’s why I never buy the same wines myself. I want to learn, discover and above all expand my knowledge about wines over and over again. That’s why I’m trying my way through the world.
What does that look like?
I travel a lot. As I said, I enjoy being at the wineries, on site. In the vineyards. Next on my list is Croatia. I really want to go there. The country makes wonderful wines. More and more wine and better wines by the year. But these wines don’t make it to the USA. So I have to go to Croatia myself to experience the pleasure on the spot.
Experiencing is an important part of your life, as I may interpret it from what you just said before. Before your wine career, you were a singer on Broadway. It’s close to impossible to find anything that sums up «experiencing» up more quintessentially. Why the change?
I grew up in a family full of music. My parents are both classical musicians. My father is a conductor and my mother was an opera singer. Therefore, music has been a part of my life since I was born and it comes naturally. So, my path was clear at the beginning of my career. I went to New York at that time, pursued a Master’s degree in music and performed on stage as a professional. But since I am an open-hearted person and love enjoyment and togetherness, I eventually came to the subject of wine. And when I do something, I do it completely or not at all. And so I focused completely on this new theme. I put a lot of money into courses, training, further education. And finally, I acquired «The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)». It was the door opener to a new chapter in my life and a valuable one for me. Especially today and in the present, togetherness, exchange, being together is so important for all of us. And this is why I am so pleased that we have now been able to create this meeting place together with Bucherer.
Photos Copyrights: Bucherer / Sotheby’s
