At the prestigious charity auction that’s an annual highlight of the wine trade, Peter Richards MW gets the inside track on how wines bought here are helping one UK retailer to tap into a growing premium sector
The bidding moves onto a meursault premier cru. The bidder has had sotto voce instructions from the buyer sitting directly behind: get this wine. in the context, it looks to be a rare bargain. The buyer is excited – yet increasingly jittery at the bidder’s inscrutable, unmoving demeanour. Had he heard the instructions? Barrel after barrel is sold. soon it will be all gone. The buyer can’t remonstrate – it risks undermining the bidder’s strategy – and this powerlessness only adds to the tension. memories of 2015’s ‘dramatic’ and ‘stressful’ auction resurface, when the plan ‘had to be torn up halfway through’.
Finally, the paddle is raised on one of the very last lots: the deal is done, the game expertly played, the wine secured at 40% less than the price of last year’s vintage. The tension diffuses; the auction proceeds. it’s a good buy. A bonus to complement the Beaune and the volnay already in the bag.
Such was one of the many scenes at the 2016 Hospices de Beaune auction in Burgundy. it’s a moment whose basic emotional and tactical plays will have reoccurred many times since 1859 at what is probably the world’s most iconic wine auction.
What wasn’t so usual was the identity of both bidder and buyer on this occasion. The bidder was mounir saouma of micro-négociant lucien le moine, the buyer Emma Dawson mW from British retailer marks & spencer.
Trading up
この記事は Decanter の December 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Decanter の December 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Wine wisdom
Our regular learning section helps you get more from your glass
Around ABRUZZO
A stunning, under-explored, year-round destination with an extraordinary natural setting, Abruzzo’s appeal lies in its rustic villages and a sunny-natured, hospitable local character
UMBRIA A wine lover's guide
In the heart of Italy lies an undulating landscape dotted with hilltop villages and draped with olive groves, where winemakers are breathing new life into long-neglected indigenous grape varieties
Lessons in LAMBRUSCO
Coming from the same region of northern Italy as some of the world’s most famous names in food, the wide range of Lambrusco wines provide ample scope for complementing meals both local and international, while refreshing the palate, too
Sustainable cocktails THE FUTURE?
In every industry, it's pretty much the hottest topic right now, but what does the S-word mean when it comes to cocktail-making? Leading experts give us their take and share eco-conscious recipes to replicate at home
VENTOUX AOC The rising star of the Rhône
The Southern Rhone appellation is emerging as a community-led force of innovation and sustainability.
Polkadraai Hills
This lesser-known corner of South Africa’s Stellenbosch region is starting to turn heads, thanks to its special soils and a close-knit community of talented young winemakers
BY FARR
The enigmatic Nick Farr, of Australia's celebrated By Farr winery, is famously reluctant to entertain the wine media or submit samples for tasting. So we jumped at an opportunity to visit the family estate in Geelong to taste some of the country's most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Brunello di Montalcino 2019: 30 picks from a 5-star vintage
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess
Brunello di Montalcino 2019
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess
