Sterling Wine Auctions Australia

Barbarians at the Gate

Wine world reviewed from Popes to big men finding their inner child

The end of F2008 is on us and there is so many big wheels spinning, one must take the high ground and pontificate.

Yes, The Pontiff was in the United States reading the riot act and spreading German style love. The poor old Yanks are starting to think that George W. a’nt so bad.

Wonder what Cardinal Ratzinger mixed his holy water with before he got the call to become Benedict XVI?

For more, try http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com

The Presidential candidate race and freak show has been going for almost two years of Mis-spoking, Mis-poking and New Beginnings.

Back at home we are still getting over being sorry and 20/ 20 summits that have put some glam back in Canberra.

Thank God heavy taxes have been put on Vodka Cruisers. The serious issues of Binge drinking aside, there is enough sugar in each pre-mix to threaten the Bio-Fuel market.

No wonder the international wine obsession has hit new highs. Quiet contemplation assisted by an extremely expensive drop of Baccus’s best seems to provide the rest and peace so many crave.

Extremely expensive knows now particular level of nuttiness new heights of excess and mega buck madness are being constantly trammeled.

On Christmas Hols over Christmas we were knocked out by “Bling” mineral water for $300 a bottle (it was in Milan. Do the Google if you don’t believe) It does have nice diamantes’ on the label.

Roderer has just released a new Champagne shamelessly promoted as the worlds rarest and most expensive.

We are all sick and tired of hearing about mental prices paid for Domaine Romanee Conti Burgundy. It seems that buying a mixed box of the 2005 current release involves the sort of money that will drive home a luxury car. All cool $50,00-60,000 a case of twelve bottles.

The new release 2003 Penfolds Grange will again focus on loopy $500+ a bottle prices and the punters willingness to part with a weeks wage to take home a little Aussie Icon.

Where ever there is great extravagance evil doers are lurking in the shadows. Ever ready to relieve the foolish of their bloated purses.

Some international events of late focus new and ominous interest on our Aussie Icon Penfolds Grange Hermitage.

Some High rollers blowing dough in Las Vagas celebrated a big night out with a bottle of 1982 Petrus at the Casino Restaurant.

$US10,000 later and still thirsty there ordered another.

To their dismay, the second 1982 Petrus was very different and was sent back as suspect.

A third bottle was produced and satisfied the big boys. A later investigation got down to the problem. The first and third bottles were indeed the same. The second, the rejected bottle was authentic, the first and third were fakes!

A certain American Billionaire (I fear to mention him by name his hobby is suing for deformation / damages etc) recently discovered that pricey antique wines he collected were fakes.

The “Jefferson Lafites” have received much attention. If you want a good read Google; “Koch Broadbent Rodenstock.” La Carre couldn’t have done better; the story even has retired CIA and FBI on the job!

Re-focus on Australia: As a Wine Auctioneer I have always known that many more 1945 Mouton Rothchilds have graced Auction catalogues than were ever made.

Sterling Has never sold a 1945 Mouton but last auction we did sell a 1943 Mouton with a great level and capsule. A little doctoring, maybe an authentic label from an empty bottle and bingo you have a $10,000 bottle of wine.

How would you know? How would any auctioneer or wine expert know? You could pull the cork and look for the vintage number. After 60 years I don’t think the difference between 1943 and 1945 stamped on a cork would be that clear.

How many bottles of 1951 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, sold for over $US40,000 would pass a serious test of verification? Who would do it? The lawyers would love it!

If you own 1951 Grange it might be time to check your records and research providence / verifiable authenticity before an unfortunate accident forces an insurance claim. Insurance companies love the hard questions and they love to question valuations.

Let’s not panic just yet. It makes sense that low value wines are not worth copying. Vintages made in the past 20-30 years are so well known that many experts can absolutely ID them from the smell alone. The good folk at Penfolds have anticipated the problems and have put in place sophisticated ID and anti-fake measures on all their top wines from the past decade.

The drama for the Aussie wine auction business is the American Billionaire (who must remain nameless) in his suing frenzy has taken a shot at the American Wine Auction house who sold the wines now considered to be fakes. The Auction house was supposed to positively identify all bottles sold.

As we are surveying all from the high ground we must observe the twists and turns facing the Aussie wine industry. The Barbarians are at the gate and sadly; no one bothered to shut it!

War time analogies are always tempting. The boys are off covered in glory conquering foreign markets and leaving home poorly defended.

The biggest selling White wine in Australia is /was The NZ Oyster Bay Sauv Blanc. (NB not a cheap wine either)

Well; batten the hatches. If being bashed up by the All Blacks wasn’t enough a monster, record size 2008 NZ Sauv Blanc vintage is about to flood over the Tasman with plenty of room for discounts.

The truth behind the REAL popularity of weird foreign wines in Australia can only be sorted by stats that are still coming together. Common sense will tell you that variety being the spice of life we all love to experiment. How many are experimenting with cheap Chilean or South African factory wines? How many dedicated Chardonnay drinkers are about to turn over for Alborinho?

Lately the Sterling database of catalogued wines has been given a good shake up. For over ten year we have been growing our list of 15-20,000 catalogued wines in an orderly fashion with Australia, then France, then Italy taking on 99.99% of the entries.

This year all that changed. Weird and wonderful from Argentina, Chile, Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary and Greece are rolling in with gathering speed and numbers.

Most dramatic; Many of these wines are from marriages of big name French and American producers who went out to the new world and started something new. New; NOT cheap and NOT without reputation. Google “Achaval” for a start.

For the stat lover. Parker has reviewed only 500 Argentine wines as opposed to 6,000 Aussies. There are currently 15 Argie wines with Parker scores 96 and over. One 98-100, one 96-99 and five 98 pointers. Amazing; these wines are really expensive, between $US100 and $US150 a bottle. The king hit; they are all from vintages 2003 to 2006. What’s yet to come?

If you have the time and interest, look for the same stats from the other “new” producers. Two years ago I had never heard of Numanthia Termanthia.

The wine world can move very fast. This wine gets the perfect Parker score of 100, sells for $US400 a bottle and LVMH buys the farm. All in 18 months! WOW

Better still Spain has a whopping, seven 100 pointers. Again all vintages from 2003 on. No fluke, there are also eleven 99 pointers.

Looks a little late to keep the Barbarians form the gate. Heck we all love a quality Barbarian. And how would we tell them from our own?

For those amongst us who don’t speak a Latin tongue, get lessons.

We won’t get started on the wonders and horrors of the Chinese and Indian wine world. Huge dollars and a colossal appetite for the best of the west will see results that will demand attention. Stay tuned.

The Wine Auction world does its thing and keeps a low profile.

Collectors are still bending over backwards for the best of Burgundy.

Flash Charlies are still drowning in Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace.

Smarties are snaffling stunning back vintages of Penfolds Bin 407 or St Hallets Blackwell for most prices compared to their giant killer performance.

Various wine scribes are singing the praises of WA Cabernet with Voyager taking the cake for best & fairest, pushing a massive work rate.

Moss Wood is still being elevated to lofty heights with many a sweet song dedicated to the fair and lovely 1995 Cabernet and her lovely and accomplished sister the 1996.

The wine men all seem to be headed for a late re-union with their inner child and embracing the Pinot Noir chalice.

Bright and mobile sassy Chic just want it big and muscular with an un-ending love of the wine world himbo’s, The girls don’t seem to be able to get enough of the ever willing block buster Shiraz from down Barossa and McLaren way.

Spare a thought for Mount Mary and the unforgettable man who brought us the iconic and irrepressible Cabernet Quintet. I wonder how dear Doctor M would react to his splendid wine, being featured larger than life, in a national retail liquor chains catalogue?

That’s Progress!

May 2008