Recent Posts

• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:20/06/2017

Left Bank Bordeaux Cup: EMLyon Business School secures its title

As the excitement began to climb throughout the Bordeaux region in preparation for Vinexpo, the Commanderie du Bontemps organized on 16th June, in the den of Lafite-Rothschild, the final of its prestigious Left Bank Bordeaux Cup. The best tasting clubs from America, Europe and Asia were present. The EMLyon Business School won for the second time in a row, an historical performance!   Since 2002, the Commanderie du Bontemps organizes an important student wine tasting contest around classified growths from the Médoc, Sauternes, Barsac and Graves. Several schools from around the world were…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:15/06/2017

When Brexit becomes a wine issue or an opportunity  

The UK has always been one of the major players for world wine imports. Indeed wine consumption accounts for more than one-third of UK alcohol consumption in volume. French wine exportations to England go back a long time ago. During the XIIth century, Bordeaux region was British and thanks to maritime paths many barrels were exported to England. Brits have always enjoyed drinking fine wine and especially French. Brexit may have consequences on this historical pleasure.     The impact of Brexit on wine trade From a macroeconomic point of view, Brexit will…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:13/06/2017

Private collection: 100% lots sold, +30% on prices

The auction on iDealwine of the private collection of a young Luxembourg wine enthusiast ended on a successful note: 100% of the lots sold and 30% increase compared to the reserve price, equivalent to the low estimate. The quality and rarity of the wines featured have attracted amateurs’ lust from all over the world. Zoom on an exceptional collection. On 31st May ended the auction of the exceptional and atypical cellar of a young amateur, who started his collection when he was only 17 years old. Guided by his passion and intuition, he…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:07/06/2017

First iDealwine Masterclass in Hong Kong

Taking advantage of our presence in Asia for the first edition of ProWine Hong Kong, we organized a series of dinners, tastings and iDealwine first masterclass in the region. In the wake of the success of previous masterclasses in Paris and London, we organized this one in partnership with The Drinks Business, world’s leading wine trade publication and a long term partner of iDealwine. We are already planning more of them towards the end of this year in Brussels and Singapore.   Hong Kong, a sophisticated market and a great opportunity for iDealwine…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:06/06/2017

Jayer, Mouton, Côte-Rôtie and Sancerre at the top | Auction report

The auction closed on 24th May offered once again a variety of appellations, domains and vintages that only iDealwine can propose with such regularity (at least twice a month). Amateurs have flushed out treasures from all over the vineyard and whatever the region, due notably to the large diversity of buyers originating from more than 50 countries around the world. This sale demonstrates the renewed interest for lesser vintages of Mouton Rothschild, probably supported by a few wine collectors who are completing their vertical collections. Indeed, verticals of this first classified growth from…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:25/05/2017

The “Pope of Condrieu” dies

The wine industry was  recently saddened to learn of the death of Georges Vernay. Fondly known as the “Pope of Condrieu” he was a tireless advocate of the Viognier grape and fought throughout his life to promote wines from a village abandoned by producers after the war. “I preferred the wines from the slopes to those from the plains which I thought were mediocre” Georges Vernay stated last November. It wasn’t that long ago in fact that wine from the Rhône Valley was sold in bulk, and producers in the Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:24/05/2017

Maison Albert Bichot: United in Diversity

Maison Albert Bichot was founded in 1831. Over the years the company has developed and expanded considerably to become one of Burgundy's most prestigious winemakers. Much of its success can be attributed to the philosophy of Albéric Bichot. Somewhat echoing the motto of the European Union, he firmly believes that that each of his wine estates should keep to a human scale and have autonomy: in varietate concordia!   On Monday, 15th May, the whole iDealwine team enjoyed a day trip to Burgundy. Maison Albert Bichot kindly welcomed us to show us around…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:18/05/2017

Domaine Leroy shines in Asia | Auction report

The sale on 10 May offered a collection of truly exceptional grands crus from Domaine Leroy and its white wine counterpart, Domaine Auvenay. It came as no surprise that prices for the wines, which were mostly acquired by Asian buyers, scaled new heights. Domaine Leroy has long been renowned for the larger-than-life personality of its owner Lalou Bize-Leroy, a passionate exponent of biodynamic winemaking. Her scarce wines are already commanding premium ex-domaine prices and are virtually unobtainable on the secondary market, hence the exceptional nature of this sale with a group of approximately…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:16/05/2017

iDealwine user guide: paying for orders and storage

iDealwine is now outsourcing wine storage and sales logistics and so payment terms and conditions will therefore be changing. See below for further details about payment deadlines, storage and grouped orders. It will not have escaped your attention that business is booming at iDealwine: with new cellars coming up for auction, themed fixed-price sales (foreign wines, regional sales, sparkling wines) and mature fixed-price sales (bought from private cellars), volumes are soaring! Buyers from over 50 countries are logging on and bidding against each other daily on the site. Sales increased by more than 20%…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:15/05/2017

Bordeaux in the spotlight | Auction report

Wine lovers have been quick to acknowledge and praise the diversity of the Bordeaux wines offered for auction at our sale on 10th May. Let's take a look at some of the main trends we've been seeing in this region. No fewer than 800 lots of Bordeaux grands crus changed hands at iDealwine's online auction on 10th May. And there was some fascinating bidding for wines from both sides of the river: naturally, Petrus was the focus of everyone's attention, particularly in an ultra-rare smaller bottle size which – as far as iDealwine…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:14/05/2017

April WineDex® indices boosted by the Rhône and Burgundy

Despite a slight slow-down in April, the Rhône Valley has been boosting performance on the iDealwine iDealwine indiceindex for the last year. However, Burgundy has been coming up on the inside track since early 2017. Let’s take a look at the facts. While the CAC 40 has bounced back after the highs and lows of early 2016, prices on iDealwine indices have risen by 6.93% over the last 12 months. This rise has primarily been boosted by the recovery staged by Rhône Valley wines. Spurned for a long time by wine enthusiasts in…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:10/05/2017

Jura booming | Auction report

iDealwine's online auction ending on 26th April featured something special: an entire catalogue devoted to wines from France's Jura region. It was a first for a region whose wines had previously attracted the interest of a well-informed but select clientèle. Let's take a closer look at what happened. Jura has been enjoying a boost in connoisseurs' interest for a few months now. Having long been enjoyed by a clientèle of discerning wine lovers, its target market has gradually expanded thanks to the effects of globalisation and the speed at which news now travels.…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:05/05/2017

New ways to manage the sale of your wines

As you know, iDealwine is THE place to sell your wines. As well as helping you throughout this process, we have introduced some tools to make tracking and accessing the results of your sales easier. To find out more about the new features our web team has introduced, read on. To sell your wines as efficiently as possible, and for the best price, iDealwine has already introduced wine listings to help you estimate the value of a bottle, a free estimates service and tools for creating and managing a virtual wine cellar. As…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:02/05/2017

2017 vintage: French vineyard severely hit by frost

    The spring frosts wreaked havoc across a large portion of the vineyards of eastern France, in Champagne, Burgundy, the Loire valley, Alsace, Jura... and even Languedoc-Roussillon and the South-West. Last week – during the night of Wednesday-Thursday 20 April, to be precise – a number of French wine regions were hit by frost. This event caused even more damage because of the precociously advanced state of the vines' vegetation cycle, as a result of the fine weather and high temperatures of previous weeks. Many regions affected by frost; some growers better…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:20/04/2017

En Primeurs 2016: An Outstanding Vintage!

Every year, the iDealwine team goes to Bordeaux for En Primeur Week. And we can tell you straight away that 2016 has all the signs of a top vintage! Here's a general overview.   2016, temperamental weather turning out ideal in the end Overall, the weather has been kind to the 2016 vintage even though the year started rather badly. As Stéphane Derenoncourt reported on the Figaro Vin website "2016 is like a miracle -the sad film with a happy ending. The beginning of the year was impossible and extremely rainy. It was…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:20/04/2017

Château Latour goes completely organic

Other estates have already done it. After Fonroque, Pontet-Canet and also Smith-Haut-Lafitte, it’s now Château Latour’s turn to announce its complete conversion to organic farming methods. This is headlining news in Bordeaux and it confirms that organic production is gradually making inroads.   You may remember that back in 2015 Château Latour, an 1855 classification Premier Grand Cru, announced its intention to completely switch over to organic farming methods. François Pinault, who owns this iconic Pauillac estate, can pride himself on being the first among the Grands Crus to embark upon this adventure…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:19/04/2017

Major Winegrowing Regions in Europe: France on the Podium

Eurostat, the European Union statistics office, has just published its latest figures, based on the most recent EU survey on the structure of the winegrowing sector (carried out every five years). The figures are interesting, and sometimes even rather surprising! 2.4 million holdings cultivating 3.2 million hectares (ha) in the EU: In 2015, the European Union recorded 2.4 million holdings cultivating 3.2 million hectares (ha) of vineyards. The average area per holding was 1.3 hectares, with significant discrepancies between different countries. The overwhelming majority of land, 2.5 million hectares (78%), was dedicated to…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:12/04/2017

Stunning new cellars at Beychevelle and Kirwan

One by one, Bordeaux grands crus are updating their technical facilities... and their first step has been to make a call to the big names in the world of architecture. The latest to join this trend are Châteaux Beychevelle and Kirwan.   Some of the finest Bordeaux Grands Crus have been undergoing something of a metamorphosis over the last decade. Their doors, previously firmly shut to visitors, are now being prised open in response to the wave of wine tourism sweeping across the vineyards. And the cellar makeover is a key pillar of…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:08/04/2017

Bordeaux, a renewed interest | Auction report

The auction that ended on 29 March on iDealwine demonstrated the recent success of several grands crus from Bordeaux. A sign of a renewed interest for the region just as the 2016 En Primeur campaign starts. Bordeaux, in its diversity, finds the favors of amateurs at auction again. The sale that ended on 29 March on iDealwine has proved it once again. Good results have been found in mature vintages, such as Smith Haut Lafitte 2000 (€114, +34%) or Pontet Canet 2003 (€105, +17%). On the right bank, Angélus stands out in the…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:04/04/2017

Musigny Blanc becomes a Grand Cru again

The exceptional Côte de Nuits, Musigny Blanc from Comte Georges de Voguë has been declassified for 22 years from the 1993 to the 2015 vintage as the vines were considered too young for the quality of the iconic appellation. Musigny is an exception in the world of the grands crus from the Côte de Nuits. Totalling 10.77 hectares, it produces some of the most delicate wines of Burgundy. Its unique character can be notably explained by the higher content of red limestone in its sub-soil. The owners of Musigny include very iconic producers…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:27/03/2017

Bordeaux: Cos d’Estournel buys back Château Pomys in Saint-Estèphe

Château Cos d'Estournel’s owner has just acquired the neighbouring Château Pomys, once owned by Louis Gaspard d'Estournel. The acquisition is part of a vision to recreate the original complex. Businessman Michel Reybier, owner of Château Cos d'Estournel, a number of hotels and spas, and other vineyards in Champagne and Hungary (Tokaji), has just bought a new property- Château Pomys in Saint-Estèphe. The chateau lies a few hundred metres from the Cos d'Estournel estate and its acquisition is part of   "Cos d’Estournel’s heritage plans. The purchase of Château Pomys pays tribute to the…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:25/03/2017

Dujac & other Côte de Nuits domains | Auction report

Just over 6,000 bottles were offered for sale at the last online iDealwine auction which closed on 15 March. A third of the bottles were purchased by foreign enthusiasts, with bidding from some thirty countries. This sale put scarce grand crus from the Domaine Dujac under the spotlight. Although Domaine Dujac does not often feature at auction, thus keeping it out of the spotlight, it belongs to an exclusive circle of producers whose wines are sought after by enthusiasts worldwide. Established in 1967 by Jacques Seysses, the domaine is now run by the…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:14/03/2017

iDealwine Masterclass at 67 Pall Mall

To celebrate Shrove Tuesday with iDealwine this year, we decided to swap the traditional crepes and cider for a fine wine tasting with forty of our British customers and members of 67 Pall Mall. A format that our guests enjoyed and we’ll repeat it in other cities.   A WINE INSTITUTION   Pall Mall is one of the most prestigious venues in London, ideally located between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. It combines the most prestigious Members Clubs: Royal Automobile Club, Travellers, Athenaeum… very traditional, men only and with a population whose birth years…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:13/03/2017

Wine consumption in Hong Kong

Pierre from the iDealwine marketing team shares his views on the Hong Kong market following a visit with Alix, who recently came to the Hong Kong office looking after our growing number of Asian customers.   Hong Kong, the leading market in Asia By applying free-trade principles on wine in 2008, Hong Kong has rapidly become THE platform for trade in Asia. This all started in 2008 under the direction of the finance minister Henri Tang, who decided to cut all importation taxes on wine. The main objective was to become the leading…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:01/03/2017

Côte-Rôtie, the pride of the appellation | Auction report

The Côte-Rôtie appellation is a real treasure trove. Its top Syrah wines have captured the imagination of wine lovers, as the auctions on February 22 show. In the Côte-Rôtie appellation area, Maison Guigal’s top three cuvees, the infamous LA-LA-LA (La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque) were the stars of the show for many years. That was until interest from Asia caused the price of Bordeaux wines and then Burgundy grands crus to leap at the auctions. These three cuvees were overshadowed and more or less vanished from the sales. Without a doubt,…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:20/02/2017

Rising Appellations: wines to follow closely

  The vineyards of France are home to plenty of iconic appellations which bear names to conjure with, but are sadly becoming increasingly unaffordable. Fortunately, over the last few years, a number of appellations experiencing often spectacular growth have sprung up alongside these legends. And these names are destined to become essential knowledge for all "switched-on" wine lovers.   Over twenty years ago, back in the days when the prices of the great Bordeaux wines – just like their counterparts in Burgundy and the Rhône – were still some way off their current…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:19/02/2017

Pomerol: vinification outside the appellation authorised

  On Friday 27 January, the Conseil d’État (the highest French administrative court) overturned the 2014 decree stating that wines bearing the Pomerol PDO must be vinified within the appellation, thus ruling in favour of seven plaintiffs who own vines in Pomerol but have cellars outside the appellation. To recap, in August 2014, a decree ratifying an amendment to the Pomerol PDO specification stated that cellars used to vinify wines with this appellation must be located within the geographical boundaries of the production area and not in neighbouring appellations, as was sometimes the…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:03/02/2017

Rivesaltes, the perfect birthday gift!

Are you looking for gift ideas for a significant birthday this year? The start of a new decade perhaps? Have you thought about a vintage Rivesaltes? Why these fantastic sweet wines make excellent birthday presents. If someone you know is celebrating their 50th, 60th or 70th birthday this year, you can be sure that a Rivesaltes from their birth year will hit the spot. The big advantage is that no other vintage wine offers such value for money - you can buy a 70-year-old wine for under €100! This is especially good as although…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:24/01/2017

iDealwine’s Top 50 most expensive wines at auction in 2016

2016 ranking of the most expensive lots and bottles still shows the strong domination of Bordeaux and Burgundy, yet the record is held for the first time by a bottle from the Rhône. In 2016, iDealwine held 26 auctions and a charity sale, accounting for nearly 100,000 bottles (97,413 to be precise) changing hands during the year. The 2016 figures were very positive for the website, which consolidates its position as Europe's leading player in online wine auctions. Taking into account only business activity from auctions (i.e. excluding fixed-price sales), transaction volumes in 2016…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:18/01/2017

Bordeaux 1995 under the spotlight | Auction report

With their fine mature vintages, the spotlight was on Bordeaux Grands Crus for the final sale of 2016. Proving especially popular were the 1995 Premiers Crus Classés, some of which were available in 12 bottle wooden cases. Great wines from Bordeaux have that unique ability to withstand the test of time and as they age acquire a body and fullness which makes them quite incomparable. With great vintages it can sometimes take at least 20 years for a wine to reach its peak. This holds true for the 1995 vintage - despite being…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:23/12/2016

Auction Report: December, DRC 1991 sold for 10,320€ (+28%)

The latest iDealwine online auction, which closed on 14 December, put Burgundy grands crus in the spotlight.  A bottle of Romanée-Conti topped the €10,000 mark in this sale. Burgundy grands crus are unlikely to see a let-up in prices any time soon. For some years, rarity, prestige and global demand have combined to produce an explosive cocktail, and on the rare occasion a Côte de Nuits grand cru comes up for sale, the price invariably goes sky-high, regularly setting new records. That’s what happened in the auction on 14 December, when an Austrian…

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