Buying at Auction

Wine lovers have bought at auction for centuries and it can be an excellent way to build up a collection. Many auction houses organise pre-sale tastings for catalogue holders, where you can sample some of the wines.

It is important to bear in mind why wines are being sent to auction, however. In some circumstances a restaurant, wine merchant or private collector may want to unload surplus stock, or the contents of a substantial cellar may be sold by executors; in these instances you are likely to encounter some interesting wines at good prices. Occasionally, however, wines are sold because the previous owner dislikes them or has found them faulty. Be wary of 11-bottle lots - one bottle has clearly been tried and found wanting.