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!
Wine auctions are considered by the British wine trade as being a way of sparking interest in wines and looks to it to increase sales for everyone. In Australia, wine auctions are plentiful especially online wine sales and auctions. There are a number of online wine communities devoted to sharing tasting notes and critiques about various wines they have encountered. Biggest amongst those communities is Auswine Discussion Forum, where you can search critiques and get advice on various wines from the comfort of your own living room. From your armchair, you can enjoy the benefits of buying fine wines at an online wine sale or auction.
Bidding and Tasting Tips for Wine Auctions
Before you set out in the real world or online, plan out the items you want to bid on and the amount you are willing to pay. Research previous wine auctions to get a good idea of prices so your maximum bids will be fair and stand you in stead to win. Always try and attend the pre-auction tasting, sometimes end of line mixed cases can be a superb buy, keep an eye open for that. The trade bidders are not so interested in those.
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.
With online wine auctions, it is best to work out your preferences on paper first, so that you can get acquainted with the procedure. If you are going after California wines or just any wine sales you can get at a bargain, you will want to know that going in. Write down you bids for your preferred lots and the maximum amount you are willing to pay. Avoid bidding until you are sure what is going on and when you feel confident. If you are attending a wine tasting session, make sure that you have a designated driver to avoid any untimely accidents.
So you can see wine auctions are not about perceived social standing, they are the places to go to get bargains! A representative for a well-known international auction house recently said "I think online wine auctions are still in their infancy." A good opportunity not to be missed, make sure you research well and just do it!
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