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Re: Restaurant wine gouging.

Posted by Enophile on January 30, 2006 at 12:20:13:
I got this follow-up email today. And they say audiophiles are crazy! :)
"Dear Client,
This past weekend's single cellar sale was one for the record books with approximately $11 million sold, 47% above the pre-sale low estimate and with over 95% of all lots sold. Bidding was very deep with many of the largest collectors in the world vying for wines of exceptional provenance from one of the world's greatest collections. Some pre-sale festivities featuring wines from the collection stimulated the auction fever, as the collectors got a true sense for the magnificence of the wines being sold. The festivities continued with a mind boggling array of world class wines being opened at CRU and various locations around NYC. I feel the need for some Tylenol after the weekend! Nonetheless, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and brought everyone out to the dance, cementing Acker Merrall as the pre-eminent auction house for fine and rare wine in America today.
Many records were obliterated, including the largest auction ever by a U.S. Collector and dozens of world-record prices for individual wines, cases and large formats, including largest price ever paid for a case of wine and a record price for a magnum of 20th century wine as well. In addition, this sale confirmed the depth of the auction market for world class wines, as never before has there been such a breadth of high dollar volume lots offered and sold. The Acker Merrall team worked for months on THE Cellar, and the results demonstrated the value of good, old-fashioned hard work, as well as the 'quality over quantity' mission statement to which we hold ourselves.
More than 25 lots hammered down for $50,000 or more (not including premiums), including five lots for over $100,000 all-in. Some of the highlights include:
6 magnums 1971 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $136,275.00
12 bottles 1962 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $118,500.00
12 bottles 1961 Chateau Latour a Pomerol Pomerol $118,500.00
6 magnums 1978 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $112,575.00
12 bottles 1971 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $106,650.00
6 magnums 1961 Chateau Latour a Pomerol Pomerol $106,650.00
6 magnums 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc St. Emilion $94,800.00
12 bottles 1962 La Tache Domaine de la Romanee Conti $88,875.00
12 bottles 1978 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $88,875.00
6 magnums 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac $82,950.00
12 bottles 1961 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol $77,025.00
12 bottles 1961 Chateau Petrus Pomerol $77,025.00
12 bottles 1962 Musigny Vieilles Vignes, Comte de Vogue $73,470.00
12 bottles 1962 Chambertin A. Rousseau $71,100.00
12 bottles 1947 Chateau Petrus Pomerol $71,100.00
12 bottles 1961 Chateau Petrus Pomerol $71,100.00
6 magnums 1961 Chateau Petrus Pomerol $71,100.00
2 magnums 1962 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $65,175.00
1 Methuselah 1971 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $65,175.00
12 bottles 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac $65,175.00
12 bottles 1947 Chateau Lafleur Pomerol $65,175.00
6 bottles 1923 La Tache Liger-Belair $59,250.00
3 magnums 1962 La Tache Domaine de la Romanee Conti $59,250.00
1 magnum 1929 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $59,250.00
1 Methuselah 1985 Romanee Conti Domaine de la Romanee Conti $59,250.00"
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None of those were mine.
I bid one on lot, a case of '83 Lynch Bages, at 50 per bottle, and I didn't get a winner's notice.
Those numbers are mind boggling. It makes me wonder who could even think about paying those prices. I obviously picked the wrong career path and/or parentage.