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The United States only has commercial wine auctions in Illinois and California with New York attempting to get bills passed so that they can join the wine auction arena. As of yet, however, New York has seen little success. As a result, people come from all over, converging on Chicago to get in on the best bargains. In Britain, wine auctions are also quite popular and are held throughout the country during the fall and winter months. There are also retail wine chains that have flourished. In addition, one change has even expanded and bought up a wine retailer on the American West Coast.
The British wine Trade sees the wine auctions as a way of stimulating interest in wines generally and increases sales for everybody. Of course, in Australia, you will find plenty of wine auctions, especially online. There are large online wine communities who share tasting notes and critiques amongst themselves, such as the Auswine discussion forum. You do not even need to leave the comfort of your armchair to enjoy the benefits of an online wine auction.
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 good idea is to attend a wine warehouse tasting to get used to the brands available, then you will understand what you are bidding for instead of biding blindly. You can form a consortium with friends and or colleagues, so the costs are reduced, and you can afford to bid for more variety.
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.
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