By Ronald Rens, M. Sc., Wine Master, President of The Bordeaux Wine Experience

Why do people buy wine at auction?

Somebody recently asked me this question. Let me give you an inside view. I am a Bordeaux and Port wine collector (and drinker…). And I organise high end wine tours to the Bordeaux region in France. ( http://www.bxwinex.com/ ). So I know a little bit about what I am talking about.Why do people buy at auctions? For me there are three reasons.
1. You can find wines that are hard to find on the market. Usually from cellars of people who moved to smaller homes or cellars from people who had to sell for another reason.2. Price. If you are lucky one can pick up wines on auction for interesting prices.3. The thrill of the chase. You don’t if you are going to get your wines and at which prices.

I recently bought 15 cases of wine at auction. The rules of the game are important. Of course you have to work with a reliable auctioneer who can vouch for the provenance of the wine. The second thing is don’t buy the absolute impossible wine at an auction. Buying a Rembrandt on auction for a few thousand bucks is very unlikely. Mouton Rothschild 1945 or Petrus 1961 for a few hundred bucks is asking for problems as well.

Of course there are risks involved, but what would life be without risks? From my point of view it is great fun as long as you know what you are doing.

You can read my confessions of an other wine splurge here: http://www.bxwinex.com/2009_Newsletters/Newsletter_March_2009/newsletter_bxwinex_March_2009.htm

Cheers from Bordeaux!

Ronald

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