Staying Buyer's-Remorse-Free at Auction Tastings

Dare I give anyone advice after my very first wine auction? Hell yes! It's my blog after all...I"ll get to my tasting notes on the  ones I thought were special, but first...a little survival guide:

1. If you're going to bid, take it easy on the tasting. Especially at 10 a.m. The bidding is going to go fast, furiously, and mercilessly. Proceed with caution.
   
2. If possible, check the catalog on-line before the auction and mark your choices by lot number ahead of time so you can relax.
   
3. Print out and bring the whole catalog, or buy it. It's too easy to make a mistake and many lots have too many different bottles for the auctioneer to give a verbal description of each bottle in the lot.
4. Check to see how many bottles are in the lot. You wouldn't want to pay an amount that you maybe thought was for a case, but was really for a bottle. It happens. Ouch.
5. Check the years on the tasting carefully. Often, they have bottles at the tasting to make the tasting attractive on its own, as well as a preview for an upcoming auction.
6. Make sure you keep tabs on the commission. 17% on a big purchase really adds up.
7. Before you jump on that bargain (presuming you're not just going to resell it):
   1. You got someone to split that case of 750 ml Sauternes? That's a lot of stickies.
   2. Sure 9 magnums of good Oregon Pinot for $500 is a good deal. When are you going to use that many magnums unless you give a lot of really good parties?
   3. Remember what it tasted like at the pre-auction tasting. Do you want/need to have it again? Unless it was killer, probably not.
   4. Sure that 11 year old Vendage Tardives Gerwertz was tasty. What are you going to need more than a couple of those? Drink up! They're ready now. You really need 10? Trust me, it's a challenge to serve that with anything. Best to drink by itself.
   5. Sure, the one at the tasting was great. Does that mean another year is going to be just as good? Maybe. Maybe not. Especially in France, where they don't irrigate like we yanks do, every year wildly different.
   On to the Tasting Notes from the Edward Roberts International Fine and Rare Wine sale, Saturday 2/24, 2007.

The complete list of Wines at the tasting are here:

Download Complete_Roberts_Tasting.htm.html

This was a very quick tasting, only having about 45 minutes to taste everything before the bidding began, so here were my favorites.

1967 DRC Echezeaux: My notes say "It's alive!" and was it. Ever-changing and evolving over the course of the tasting, though clearly elderly, it was classy.

1949 Chateau Gruaud-Larose: It too was drinking very nicely. Not too much fruit left, but not all leftover tannis. After more than 50 years in the bottle, it was evolved, not dead.

1994 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild: Classic blueberry bright fruit with that unreal unctousness and richness of a good (but not great) Mouton.

1965 Inglenook Pinot Noir: This was just fun. How many of you have tried a California Pinot that old? It smelled SO French. I would never had guessed. The lot that included this one, went for $100 for 10 misc. bottles. A steal for an interesting tasting some night.

2003 William Selyem Pinot Noir Westside Road Neighbors: My favorite of all the "new" wines we had. It was a beautifully balanced wine, also very Burgunian in style.

1964 Chateau Latour: I kept going back for more. I'm not sure I want to have a whole lot of this in a sitting, but it was historic sipping. It was what the 67 Lafite was supposed to be - but wasn't.

1995 Chateau Calon-Segur: A little closed, but has potential

1999 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino: This one I really loved at first. Classic Nebbiolo flavors, great body. It kind of died as the tasting went on, and I passed on the lot that included it.

1997 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard: This is for drinking now. Delicious and probably not as age-worthy as the Bella Oaks, but is accessible immediately.

1976 Schloss Eltz Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Spatlese: This was one of those dusty Rieslings that you want to just sniff forever. Wild dusty honeysuckle and flowers. The wine has some life left in it too.

1996 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre Vendange Tardive: This late-pick is extremely well made and delicious. As I said before, a tough food pairing though. I'll be looking for more of this. (just not a whole Lot of it.)

2000 Fisher Chardonnay O'Conner Vineyard: I was unfamiliar with this winery, and am impressed with the very Burgundian style of their Charddonnay. It is aging fast though, so drink up. It's good now.

2000 Selene Merlot: Solid Merlot from Mia Klein.

2002 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon: This was the fruitiest thing on the table, next to the Kistler Pinot, though it had enough structure to hold it up.

2002 Piedra Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain: I liked this, and was shocked to see the lot didn't even sell for $20.00 a bottle.

Comments

[Carolyn]

Thank you for that, John! No buyers remorse this morning -- it turns out I purchased Lot 13, not Lot 12 so I got a bit more for my buck than I thought during the auction. I also had a fabulous lunch with one of the other bidders afterwards who offered to purchase part of my lot if I did have any remorse.

But I DID learn some valuable lessons and had a great time doing it. Can't wait for the next one!

[The Corkdork]

Hi Carolyn, your lot of Comte Georges de Vogüé stands to be the best Burgundy you've ever had. I look forward to the day when I get to taste wine of that stature. John

[Alex]

Great notes about the tasting! As someone who was there, I almost completely agree with them (especially about the DRC and the '49 Gruaud-Larose!) However, I think I must have gotten to the Brunello too late as I found it rather disappointing and I usually really like Brunellos.

Keep up the good work!

[Sara, The Wine Makers Wife]

Exceptional advise! I'm envious that you wer eable to attend a wine auction. How on earth does one find out about these sorts of things? Best! -S

[farley]

John,

What a small world that you work with someone from my southern past. Sounds like you had an interesting adventure of which I'm jealous. Hope to see you both up at the winery at some point.

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