Bonhams Fine & Rare Wine sale early next month in London is set to make the highest sale total in their wine department's history and features an exceptional range of quality wines including a magnificent Continental Collection.

This collection, which has been handpicked by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic connoisseur is remarkable for its depth and range, notably 140 lots of claret, vintages 1982 to 2007, including a jeroboam of Lafite Rothschild 1986 (£5,000-6,000, or up to $9,600) and a particularly attractive array of Chateaux from the 2000 and 2005 vintages.

Also featured are fine wines from renowned estates in Germany and Austria such as JJ Prum, Egon Muller, Hermann Donnhoff, Franz Hirtzberger & Emmerich Knoll; as well as red and white Burgundy (de Vogue, Perrot Minot, de Courcel, Armand Rousseau, Lafon & Sauzet) and the Rhone (JL Chave, Beaucastel, Clos des Papes & Guigal).

In addition there are highly sought-after wines from Italy (Giacosa, Gaja, Antinori & Bolgheri), Spain (Artardi, Finca Allende) and the USA (Shafer, Ridge, Phelps & Sine Qua Non).

 The sale kicks off with a wide selection of fabulous champagne includes small & mixed lots of mature vintages of Dom Perignon, Krug and Bollinger as well as more recent vintages such as Dom Perignon 1998 (£720-820 per dozen).

Fine Champagne is also offered as part of an important private cellar mainly comprising classed-growth Bordeaux, including the outstanding magnums of La Mission Haut Brion 1945 one of which is illustrated on the front cover of the catalogue (£2,000-2,400 per magnum) & Chateau d'Yquem 1967 (£2000-2400 per 3 bottles).

Mature clarets include a rare magnum of the fabled Cheval Blanc 1947 (£1800-2400) and single bottles of 1861 Petrus (£2,000-3,000) and Lafite (£1,200-1,500) as well as Figeac 1989 (£700-800 per dozen) and La Conseillante 1989 (£1800-2200 per dozen).

Highlights from the later vintages are 1990 Pichon, Baron (£1,500-1,700 per dozen) and Tertre Roteboeuf (£1,800-2,200), 1996 Mouton Rothschild (£2,400-2,800 per dozen) and Carruades de Lafite (£2,200-2,800 per dozen), 2000 Latour (£7,500-8,500 per dozen) and 3 cases of La Fleur Petrus (£1400-1800 per dozen); 3 dozen Pavillon Rouge 2001 (650-720 per dozen), Langoa Barton and Leoville Barton 2007 (£240-300 & £340-400 per dozen respectively).

Amongst other lots included in the morning are attractive Sauternes featuring Yquem 1986 (£300-360 per magnum) and 1989 (£2,200-2,800 per 11 bottles), excellent Burgundy including a rare bottle of Musigny Vieilles Vignes 1945 (£1,000-1,200), DRC 1995 Richebourg (£400-460 per bottle), 1996 Romanee St Vivant (£1,000-1300 per 3 bottles) & La Tache 2000 (£650-750 per bottle as well as a private cellar from Belgian comprising rare Burgundies from DRC and Leroy.

In addition to these fine and rare wines many inexpensive lots are also available in this auction, these include Cote Rotie, Cuvee du Plessy 2001 (£200-260 per dozen), Crozes Hermitage 2008 (£220-280 per 2 dozen), Chambert Marbuzet 2000 (£320-380 per 2 dozen) and Forcas Hosten 2003 (£400-500 per 5 dozen).

Affordable wines are also to be found in the early afternoon of the sale including lots from Spain, Italy & Australia, the latter featuring wines from Torbreck, Fox Creek, Craneford & d'Arenberg .

Vintage Port and rare Cognac for the Festive Season included 5 cases of the delicious Graham 1970 from a country house cellar (£600-700 per dozen), Taylor 1977 (£600-700 per dozen), Gould Campbell 1983 (£360-420 per dozen) as well as attractive single case lots of the 1985 vintage and tasting cases of Taylor and Graham.

Cognacs range from 1811 to 1988 and also include prestige bottling from Remy Martell, Martell & Couvoisier. The sale takes place on December 2.

• Learn how you can get pleasure and profit from the fine wine markets
• Click here for all the latest Wine, Whisky and Spirits news

Join our readers in over 200 countries around the world - sign up for your free weekly Collectibles Newsletter today