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The Exceptional Private Cellar of a Silicon Valley Pioneer

Sale Overview

Offered in a live auction during New York Luxury Week on 5 June at Rockefeller Center, The Exceptional Private Cellar of a Silicon Valley Pioneer is a remarkable single‑owner collection assembled over more than five decades.

Formed by a pioneering Silicon Valley engineer who began collecting in the mid‑1960s, the cellar reflects a lifetime of connoisseurship.

The collection spans the world’s great wine regions and includes full cases of all the First Growths from the celebrated 1990 vintage, rare Right Bank Bordeaux from Petrus and Château Lafleur, and outstanding Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanée‑Conti, Domaine Georges Roumier, Domaine Armand Rousseau and Domaine Méo‑Camuzet and many other great producers.

Further highlights include a full, unopened case of 1989 Gentaz‑Dervieux Côte‑Rôtie Côte Brune Cuvée Réservée, Italian masterpieces from Bruno Giacosa and Giuseppe Rinaldi, and an extraordinary selection of mature Californian icons, including Heitz Wine Cellars, Ridge Vineyards, Inglenook, Mayacamas Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Freemark Abbey.

The sale concludes with rare bottles of Van Winkle Special Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey 19‑Years‑Old, bottled for Corti Brothers.

Auction times

05 Jun 10:00 AM (EDT) Lots 1-723

Brought to you by

Chris Munro

Vice President, Head of Department | Wine & Spirits

Returning to Christie’s in 2004 Chris Munro led the London team until his recent move to Head of Wine Department for the Americas in May 2018. Under his watch in London, the department hosted a number of winery direct sales from many major Bordeaux Chateaux and highly regarded Burgundian Domaines. Major highlights from his tenure in London included the historic cellar of John Avery, The Superb Private Collection of Sir Alex Ferguson and London’s largest ever multi-vendor sale ( 4.5 million GBP ) held in December 2013. Chris’s knowledge of the auction market and his experience of the fine wine market will enable him to strengthen Christie’s service to its wine buyers and sellers across America.

Paul Tortora

VP, International Director, Wine | Wine & Spirits

Paul Tortora joined Christie’s in 2023 as International Director in the Wine & Spirits Department, based in New York, bringing nearly two decades of experience working in the fine wine trade. At Christie’s, Paul advises major collectors and spearheads a number of strategic initiatives and special projects alongside the global head and regional leadership to drive sales and business across venues. Before joining Christie’s, Paul worked at another international auction house, where he led the Wine Department in North America, overseeing sales and key clients. Prior to auction, Paul worked closely with the founder of a leading American importer and retailer of classic European wines. Paul received a B.A. from Wesleyan University, where he majored in letters.

Peter Rusinak

Associate Vice President, Specialist | Wine & Spirits

Mr. Rusinak joined Christie’s New York Wine Department in 2018. Prior to Christie's, Mr. Rusinak worked in the Hospitality industry after graduating Summa Cum Laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Masters degree in Hospitality Management. Mr. Rusinak then pursued his thesis and passion for the study of wine and spent the last seven years working in the wine industry. Mr. Rusinak specializes in wine inventory and inspection; his professional interests include fine Champagnes and wines of Tuscany.

Christopher Weed

Associate Vice President, Specialist | Wine & Spirits

Christopher A. Weed joined Christie’s in 2024. In the wine trade since 2010, Christopher had previously served as Director of Operations at a leading fine and rare wine auction house in California for over 10 years. Over the course of his auction career, Christopher has overseen the sale of numerous noteworthy collections, including those of The Doctor’s Vertical Cellar, The Cellar of Teresa Norton & Tom Paine, The Marin Cellar, the Bijou Cellar, The Zenith Cellar, The Cellar of an Acclaimed Winemaker, and many more. With additional experience in fine dining, wine storage, and retail and en primeur, Christopher excels in building lasting relationships with collectors as well as in sharing his passion for extraordinary wines. Christopher holds a degree in International Relations and International Economics from Franklin University Switzerland, is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, and is recognized as a French Wine Scholar by the Wine Scholar Guild.

Kyle Henry

Junior Wine Specialist | Wine & Spirits

Beginning in 2026, Kyle Henry comes from a background in custom-crush winemaking, inventory management, and purchasing, for both small fine-dining establishments and large retail operations. Working with sommeliers and winemakers alike, he has leveraged data-driven approaches to build his practical skills both on the floor assisting sommeliers, and in the back office, selecting wines for restaurant and retail listings. An SWE Certified Wine Specialist, Kyle graduated from Rutgers with a B.S. in Economics.