Originally published on April 19, 2009.
Even if it was a little less than exciting, the auction was a success.
Managed to pick up:
- Chateau Plince 2003 (Pomerol, Bordeaux): a replacement for my Bad Boy Bordeaux which is down to 4 bottles and counting.
- Chateau Lafon-Roche 1985 (St Estephe, Bordeaux): a replacement for my La Lagune 1998 which is down to almost 2 cases. The La Lagune was my go-to recommendation for classic Bordeaux with some age on it. This one will also be in the $50 – $60 range which seems the sweet spot for this wine of this age that’s showing nicely but not too “namey”.
- 1978 Dom Perignon, because, really why not. I got it for $150, which is practically wholesale for a bottle of the frighteningly young 2000. There was some 1998 and 1996 DP available as well, which wound up going for around wholesale cost, but it was at the end of the auction and I was feeling poor.
What I didn’t pick up that I wanted:
- A mixed case of FX Pichler Rieslings and Gruners
- A mixed case of Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape
- Various lots of Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin’s which I thought would just sit there for the savvy buyer to snatch. Not so much – this best kept secret doesn’t seem to be so secret anymore.
Now all of those wines that I wanted went for what I consider extremely reasonable prices. If I were buying for myself, or was watching cash and margins just a little less carefully, I would have snatched them up. But in the early days of a retail store, especially in this environment, knowing that I’ll sell it “someday” to “someone” isn’t good enough. Especially since I have to pay for the wines when I pick them up….no credit cards allowed!
But…if you’re interested in doing a little auction shopping, I’m very quick with a spreadsheet and would happy to engage in a little auction action on your behalf! (Seriously, very seriously. Contact me if you’re interested!)