BEVERLY HILLS, CA.- The fall wine season kicks off at Heritage Auctions, Sept. 12-13, with a focused sale of high value wines expected to realize in the range of $1.7 million. Twenty four lots of DRC anchor the auction, including Assortment cases of 1996 (estimate: $24,000+) and 1998 (estimate: $20,000+) and six bottles of the rare 1985 La Tâche (estimate: $11,000+).

The auction will be conducted live at Heritage Auctions in Beverly Hills and simulcast live to Hong Kong.

A highlight among highlights is five consecutively numbered bottles of 1985 Romanée-Conti, part of an original wooden case (estimate: $47,500+). Purchased on release, these bottles have never traveled or moved from their very cold storage in Los Angeles.

"We are continuing to see the top cellars open up for us, and top bottles emerge," said Frank Martell, Director of Rare Wines at Heritage. "All of the great names in French wine are represented in our September offering and we trust that collectors are going to respond appreciatively to the selections."

Original wood case offerings of Bordeaux, many of them unopened prior to specialist inspection, include 1996 Chateau Petrus (estimate: $16,000+), 2000 Chateau Lafite Rothschild (estimate: $14,000+), 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild (estimate: $9,500+) and 1996 Latour (estimate: $6,500+). For lovers of old wine, the auction features a bottle of the coveted 1921 d'Yquem (estimate: $7,000+) and top first growth examples from the benchmark vintages of 1945, 1959 and 1961.

A special offering in the auction comes in the form of six bottles of the inaugural 2010 vintage from the launch of King of Clubs, a new luxury wine, which chose Heritage to put forth its initial offering, as described in the current edition of Forbes. The wines from King of Clubs were produced with care under the auspices of restaurateur Justin Anthony (10° South/YEBO), visionary entrepreneur Christopher King and renowned winemaker Robert Mondavi, Jr.

Further highlights of the auction include, but are not limited to:

• Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vielles Vignes 1985, two Magnums: Estimate $16,000+

• J.L. Chave Ermitage Cuvee Cathelin 1990, four bottles: Estimate $12,000+.

• Chateau Ausone 2005, three double magnums: Estimate $16,000+

• Sassicaia 1985, seven bottles: Estimate $8,000+.

• Rousseau Chambertin 1991, three bottles: Estimate $6,500+