Sir Alex Ferguson To Auction £3m Of His Vintage Wine Collection

Sir Alex Ferguson is set earn £3million through auctioning his vintage wine collection.

Auction house Christie's has revealed that the stock has a pre-sale estimated value of that figure which includes signed Ferguson memorabilia.

The former Manchester United boss owns 5,000 bottles, with the first auction starting in Hong Kong in May.


Ferguson's wines span every year of his career in the Old Trafford hot seat, from 1986 to his retirement in 2013.

The cellar consists of a lot bottles from the 72-year-old's greatest year in charge of the Red Devils - 1999, when the Scot achieved an unprecedented treble winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

Speaking in an interview with International Director of Wine David Elswood to promote the auction, Ferguson said: 'People keep saying, "What was the best moment of your life as a manager?" and '99 is without question.

'There was always this thing about my career that I never had won the Champions League, so to win it in the way we did win it was absolutely fantastically special. And it coincided with a vintage; you were talking about Romanee-Conti '99, a really special year. I think we deserved that.'

As well as the 1999 Romanee-Conti vintage, the former Aberdeen boss cellar consists of almost 75 per cent of this French Burgundy wine - a popular choice amongst connoisseurs according to Elswood:

'It is probably the wine in vogue, the wine of the moment in terms of demand.

'So hopefully that's going to draw the attention of not just Alex Ferguson fans but wine fans too,' he added.

During his 26 seasons in charge of United, Ferguson won 38 trophies including 13 Premier League titles.

It wasn't until 1991 that his passion for wine collected started following a trip to France - as a stress relief hobby away from the pressures of management.

'Taking an interest in wine allowed me to have an interest outside the game. You have to have outside interests to distract you from the intensity and the pressure you come under as a football manager,' Ferguson added.

'And all of a sudden, two or three years ago, when I'm going through the portfolio, we realise this has got to be an amazing amount of wine. I retired last year, and I thought this was a good time to, to sell it.'

Despite some infamous touchline disputes with opposing managers throughout his career, he said it became a ritual to treat visiting managers to a glass of his finest, and to accept gift bottles in return.

'Even though the rivalries are intense, you have to find that moment where you can say, "Look, the game's a game - let's carry on with our lives."'

Around 60 per cent of the collection will be on offer in Asia on May 24 with around a third to be offered in London in June with the remaining stock to be made available through internet sales later that month.

Despite his vast collection, Ferguson admitted he wouldn't call himself an expert. Speaking about his passion for wine in his autobiography, entitled Alex Ferguson - My Autobiography he wrote:

'I could never call myself an expert but I'm not bad. I know the good years and the good wines. I can taste a wine and recognise some of its properties.'

Just like his wine, the Scot has been famed for recognising and signing United legends that include Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo - who he once described as a 1961 bottle of Petrus.

The Bordeaux vineyard, is one Ferguson's favourites, and the comparison is unsurprising given Ronaldo's contribution to the club during his six-year spell.