The Family That Bottled Time

This September, Christie’s will offer something far more resonant than a rare wine lot.

It will offer a story: four decades of vision, resilience, and stewardship captured in 40 bottles of Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, each vintage a chapter in the Novak family’s generational pursuit of excellence and environmental consciousness.

For the first time ever, this full vertical, from 1982 to 2021, will be made available to collectors.

But its real value is not just in rarity. It's in the intimacy of provenance, the authenticity of intention, and the beauty of a legacy still unfolding.

This is not just wine; it is the arc of a family, and of a land.

Consigned directly from the Novak family’s private cellar, the lot reflects trust. Every bottle has been meticulously cellared since its release at the estate in St. Helena, California.

A place that, since 1972, has been shaped by the hands and vision of women, most notably Mary Novak, a quiet pioneer in a male-dominated industry who purchased the estate and transformed it into a symbol of sustainable winemaking long before it was fashionable.

Under Mary’s leadership and now her daughters', Beth and Lindy, Spottswoode has come to embody a different kind of luxury; one rooted not just in scarcity and taste, but in responsibility and integrity.

Certified organic since 1985 and, more recently, Regenerative Organic Certified in 2022, the estate represents a Napa that honours its heritage while shaping its future.

This offering, estimated between $10,000 and $20,000, is part of Christie’s Fine & Rare Wines Online: LA Edition (September 4–18).

And yet, the gesture extends beyond the auction block. All proceeds will benefit Napa Green, an organisation at the forefront of climate action in the wine industry. In a market often driven by excess, this is luxury with conscience.

Chris Munro, Christie’s Head of Wine and Spirits, captures the spirit of the sale succinctly: “This offering is as historic as it is heartfelt.” Indeed, it is as much about values as value.

The vertical’s significance is further enriched by what it invites the buyer into: an intimate seat at the table, literally.

The winning bidder will be welcomed to Spottswoode’s Annual Vertical Tasting on November 10, joining a traditionally private event that, for the first time, opens to a member of the public.

Hosted by Beth Novak and winemaker Aron Weinkauf, the morning will include a blind tasting of the past 20 vintages (2002–2023), offering an immersive experience in how a vineyard evolves and how those who care for it evolve, too.

“We taste with curiosity and speak candidly about each wine,” Beth says. “The insights we gain are shared each year in our newsletter, capturing the evolution of the estate.” It's this spirit of reflection, technical, emotional, and historical, that defines the tasting and, more broadly, Spottswoode’s approach.

In a world where luxury is too often conflated with spectacle, Spottswoode offers meaning.

This vertical is not just an archive of great wine; it is a document of deep care, of a family's ongoing relationship with land, craft, and community.

The bottles will age. The vines will grow. The story continues.