In the USA, surprisingly only Illinois and naturally California are the states that allow commercial wine auctions. In New York (the ideal place!) Bills to permit wine auctions are introduced regularly but they die just as often! In Chicago, people travel from all over just to get some bargains. In Britain where wine auctions are held anywhere throughout the country in the fall and winter, retail wine chains have flourished and one chain in particular has even taken over a wine retailer on the American West Coast!
British wine trading sees wine auctions as a method of stimulating interest in a diverse assortment of wines. In Australia, of course, there have always been plenty of wine auctions and online wine sales have been very popular. Australia has no problem opening up their wine cellars to the public. As well, there are large online wine sales being made through communities of people sharing notes and critiques of various wines amongst themselves. One very popular online wine sales community is the Auswine Discussion Forum. In this scenario, you do not even need to leave the comfort of your home to partake in the benefits of an online wine auction where wine sales take center stage.
Bidding and Tasting Tips for Wine Auctions
Setting out into the virtual or real world of wine auctions should be handled about the same. Do your research and figure out what you are willing to pay for the wines you are looking to bid on in the auction. It is a good idea to get maximum and minimum prices paid for a comparable bottle of wine prior to the commencement of the wine auction. That way you will have a good idea of what should be charged for the wines. Try to attend a pre-auction tasting session so that you can get the wine you like. Sometimes there will also be end of line mixed cases available at hugely discounted prices that you will want to keep an eye out for. The trade bidders are not that interested in those, so there will be bargains galore.
Another idea that is very good includes attending a wine warehouse tasting to see what brands are out there. Then you will gain a better appreciation for what you are bidding for instead of simply taking a wine at label value. You can also form a collective of your colleagues and friends to buy in groups further reducing your per bottle costs and increase the variety you can purchase.
My preference is to do the online auctions on a paper basis first to get acquainted with the procedure. Just write down your bid for your preferred lots, write down the final selling price, and judge your own effort. Do not bid until you are confident. If you are going to a tasting, please ensure you get someone else to do the driving!
As you can see, wine auctions are about having fun and the bargains you can make, not the perceived social status achieved from attending an event. Represented for well-known, international venues, most auctions are good for everyday people. A representative from a renowned auction house recently commented on the state of wine auctions today. “I think online wine auctions are still in their infancy.” Wine sales and auctions are an excellent opportunity not to be missed.