Henry Tang: Fake wine allegations are 'unsubstantiated and false'
Former chief secretary and Christie’s say the Burgundy domaine has confirmed that it has no concerns over the lots’ authenticity
Henry Tang Ying-yen, some of whose wines auctioned by Christie's were alleged to be inauthentic, hit back strongly yesterday.
He said all the lots are authentic and he reserves his legal right against "unfounded allegations".
Don Cornwell, an attorney based in Los Angeles, earlier wrote to the auctioneer and the FBI that three lots in Tang's collection - a Methuselah of 1971 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) La Tâche, a three-bottle lot of 1959 Romanée-Conti and a 12-bottle case of 1978 Montrachet - to go under the hammer last week were problematic.
The La Tâche was withdrawn as "a precautionary measure" and the other two lots were sold.
Both Tang and Christie's responded yesterday, saying they have confirmation from the world famous Burgundy domaine that it has no concerns over the three lots' authenticity. Tang added that he reserves his legal right against any unfounded allegations.
"It has come to my attention that there were some allegations against a tiny part of my wine collection which were put to Christie's for auction recently. These allegations are totally unsubstantiated and false," Tang said in a statement.