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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:3 February 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 January 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 January 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 December 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…

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

• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:9 December 2016

Auction Report: focus on Bordeaux first growths

The trend seems indisputable - prices for recent vintages of Bordeaux grands crus have remained stable for many months. At the end of November, the indice iDealwine iDealwine Bordeaux index rose by 4.24%. This is slightly lower than the general index for grand cru wines, the indice iDealwine 100 (up by 5.57 %). However, some results from the auctions suggest contrasting developments. What exactly is going on? Let's take a closer look. Bordeaux bashing has not really had much impact at iDealwine. Our auctions are overflowing with grand cru wines from this region…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:6 December 2016

Auction Report: November, all top domains on the rise

Of the 3,000 lots offered at the auction closed 16 November, each region offered up some genuine treasures; rare wines originating from ultra-sophisticated domains, or produced by legendary winegrowers who are no longer with us. It was a real paradise for wine lovers, who took part in what amounted to a vineyard treasure hunt... and it was a hunt which led to some pitched auction battles. Here's a detailed, region-by-region breakdown. There were few surprises or steep price rises from Bordeaux, whose wines nonetheless accounted for the largest share of the transactions recorded…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:29 November 2016

Auction report: Jura wines make a breakthrough

Of all France's wine regions, the Jura has changed most in recent years. Some vintages fetched record prices at our last auction,  but for wine lovers fed up with soaring prices it as an ever more popular alternative to other regions.   Fasten your seat belts. A bottle of 2000 vin jaune from Domaine Overnoy sold for €1,032 at iDealwine's auction on November 16. This is a record! But however well a few savvy wine lovers may know and appreciate this estate, we are still a little surprised. Most people think of vin…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:27 November 2016

The Barton family celebrates 190 years in the Médoc

A few days ago, the Barton family celebrated a remarkable anniversary in their own elegant way: the acquisition, 190 years ago, of 50 hectares of land in the Médoc that now forms the Léoville Barton vineyards. A few days ago – first in Paris and then in London – the Barton-Sartorius family gathered to celebrate 190 years of its founding in the Médoc.  In the region, that sort of continuity is almost unheard of! The Bartons' Médoc association actually goes back a little further than even that, to 1722, when Irish-born Thomas Barton…

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mouton-2014

• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:25 November 2016

David Hockney illustrates Mouton 2014

The label for the 2014 vintage of Mouton Rothschild has just been unveiled. In the year of the death of the figurehead owner, Philippine de Rothschild, it was a personal friend of the family, David Hockney, who designed the 69th Mouton-Rothschild label, bearing this message: "in tribute to Philippine". The Mouton labels In 1924, the year in which Baron Philippe de Rothschild bottled his first vintage at the château, he decided to call upon the graphic designer Jean Carlu to create a special label. It met with a mixed reception, and so it…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:24 November 2016

Top wines up for auction in aid of the charity “Restos du Coeur”

French vintners and wine merchants united, for the second year running, in an act of solidarity.  Around a hundred magnificent lots are currently being offered for sale in aid of the charitable organisation “Restos du Coeur” in the iDealwine online auction running until 30 November. This is the result of an initiative by a group of major French producers who have joined forces under the auspices of the “12 de cœur” association. With the season of giving approaching, now is a good time to hail the generosity of the large producers who met…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:13 November 2016

Auction Report: October led by Haut Brion 1989, Bonneau, Château-Chalon, Overnoy and top champagnes

Here, we take a look at the highest selling wines at iDealwine's auction closed on 28th October. Bordeaux grands crus classés saw great success, with Haut-Brion 1989 leading the way. Rarer wines from the Rhône Valley (Bonneau), Jura (Perron and Overnoy) and Champagne also performed well. Bordeaux premiers crus classés did remarkably well at iDealwine's online auction on October 28. Château Latour, buoyed by the scarcity of its wines, achieved an increase of 7% to €416 for its 1995 vintage. Château Margaux was also highly sought after, including in traditionally less popular years…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:25 October 2016

Montrachet 2016… no production?

Following a harsh frost this spring, six of the most prestigious estates for the Montrachet appellation will only be producing a single wine between them this year, in micro quantities, which will probably never be marketed. Vineyards were hard hit by bad weather and in particular a frost at the end of April this year, so harvests are likely to be very small in some areas. Unfortunately Montrachet is one of them. Aubert de Villaine hinted to us in September that this was the case, and Le Point has recently confirmed it. Six…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:25 October 2016

Invest into wine: a few tips

Evidently, visitors to iDealwine are first and foremost devoted connoisseurs who have come to find some really great wines. Even so – and this is entirely understandable – they'd like some reassurance when buying that they can at least resell their wines, should they fall upon straightened circumstances... or need to make room for other wines! This article, therefore, will deal with some common questions we often hear from our customers. Although it isn't iDealwine's usual philosophy to encourage our customers to invest in wine, we are nonetheless in a privileged position from…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:23 October 2016

Auction Report: Top Sauternes are back!

  A great series of rare and mature wines from Château d’Yquem featured in the auction closed on the 12th October on iDealwine. A great opportunity to showcase the potential of fine Sauternes in the very long term… Wines of Château d’Yquem where indeed honoured in this sale with bids arising from many parts of the world, mainly from France, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, the US and Mexico. This international battles led to record prices for the most iconic vintages. The legendary 1945, sold for example for €4,080 a bottle, +57% compared…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:7 October 2016

Sparkling and spirits boost French wine exports in the first half of 2016

In the first half of 2016, exports of French wines and spirits grew by 1% to €5.3 billion - an historic level. However, these figures hide some major disparities. Spirits (+4% in value) and sparkling wines (+4% in value) drove sales, but falling production in recent years means still wines are in decline (-3% in volume, -2% in value). Sector boosted by spirits and sparkling wines Sales of sparkling wines overseas continued to grow both in value (4%) and volume (1.1 billion) in the first half of the year. These figures are down…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:4 October 2016

September Auction Report: Clos Rougeard breaks more world records

Wines from the most famous producer in Saumur-Champigny are on a roll. At the latest online auctions on 28th September, two magnums of Le Bourg and Les Poyeux fetched record prices. The bidding goes on and the records pile up for Clos Rougeard wines (read iDealwine's article on the Drinks Business). A few days ago, the estate's flagship vintages, Le Bourg and Les Poyeux, went up for sale in the much rarer magnum format. Fierce bidding for the most famous Saumur Champigny in the world pushed prices to unprecedented heights. A 2011 Le…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:26 September 2016

Buying tips: if I like this type of wine, which appellations should I choose?

This is an easy question for wine connoisseurs, but for beginners, the multitude of French wine regions can seem overwhelming. It's natural for novices to wonder which regions to focus on if, for example, they like fruity reds or slightly acidic whites. Here are a few pointers to help you navigate the country's vineyards. As our aim is to give a general overview of France's major winegrowing regions, this guide is a little simplistic. But although exceptions can be found in every region, there are also some broad themes. We should also point…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:22 September 2016

An exceptional event! A tasting of 33 Burgundy grands crus

Romanée-Conti, Clos des Lambrays, Clos de Tart, Chambertin, Montrachet, La Tâche – the mere mention of these names is sufficient to set the hearts of Burgundy aficionados fluttering. So just imagine for a moment that you could spend a weekend in the place where they are produced and taste 33 of these legendary wines. This is the premise behind the 33 Grands Crus Wine Experience. Feast your eyes! A single white or red grape variety and 1,463 climats (specific plots). It is this complexity which exerts such a fascination over Burgundy enthusiasts worldwide,…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:4 September 2016

Auction report: round-up of summer wine trends

Dear wine enthusiasts, although you have spent part of August on a beach towel/boat/plane, you have still been active at iDealwine auctions. Before the next round of auction sales, we look back at the trends which emerge from the bidding on 10 and 30 August. The joys of wine never fade! There was no respite for wine auctions over the summer and enthusiasts clearly continued to follow them closely on their mobile phones. For those of you who did actually go off-line, here are the key facts from this summer’s auctions to bring…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:25 August 2016

Auction report: collectable Côte de Nuits from Noëllat and Clair-Daü

The iDealwine auction which ended on 20 July was made up primarily of renowned Bordeaux and Burgundy wines from the cellar of one single keen wine enthusiast. This collector had acquired an exceptional selection of Burgundy grands crus from Noellat and Clair-Daü. These wines in vintages which are now almost impossible to find have become real treasures and enthusiasts were all too well aware of this! We review this fine auction sale. The collector whose cellar was divided up for auction on 20 July had acquired an impressive series of Côte de Nuits…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:22 July 2016

The stars at auction in the first half of 2016

After six months and 12 sales, it's time to take a look back at the wines fetching the highest prices at iDealwine's online auctions in the first half of 2016. A handful of contenders vie for all places in the rankings, but in a surprise turn, a legendary bottle from the Rhône has knocked Romanée-Conti from the top position. iDealwine's Winedex rose by 4.93% in the first six months of the year, but which labels sold for the highest bids?   Romanée Conti and Petrus at the top Two estates, Romanée-Conti in Burgundy…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:21 July 2016

Auction Report: top prices for Bordeaux 2005 and rare vintages from Rhône, Loire, Champagne and Alsace

At the auction closed 29 June, Bordeaux and Burgundy made steady progress while prices for rarer vintages from the Rhône, Loire and Alsace rose dramatically. Buyers from overseas, especially Asia, were particularly active at this latest auction. A number of Bordeaux grands crus classés achieved slightly higher prices this time. A 2005 Prestige crate (Petrus, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Cheval Blanc and Margaux) sold very well at €6300 - an increase of 11% on iDealwine's accumulated price for the different wines in this crate. The 2005 vintage also continued to make progress…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:12 July 2016

iDealwine WineDex® indices rise by 4.93% in the first quarter of 2016

iDealwine wine indices have shown remarkable stability in the first quarter despite strong pressure on the CAC 40. Since January 2016, they have recorded a 4.93% rise, even peaking at 9.06% over the last twelve months. iDealwine indices, which are much less volatile than Bourse (French Stock Exchange) indices, have stabilised in recent months. In June, the iDealwine indice100 rose by a modest +0.32%, pushed up by the slight increase in the price of Bordeaux grands crus (+0,47% on the Bordeaux indice iDealwine). The latter experienced a slight upward movement, but by contrast…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:10 July 2016

Wine auction market: iDealwine reaffirms its #1 ranking

Catherine Chadelat, president of the Conseil des ventes volontaires (French Council of Auctioneers) released the annual activity report for 2015 to the press end of June. The wine auction market increased slightly and iDealwine was once again designated as the leading French player by a considerable margin.   A niche market which has grown slightly in 2015 Wine remains a niche market in the public auction arena in France with only 2.5% shares in the total “Art and Collectables” sector. Grands crus from Bordeaux and Burgundy account for the majority of the sales…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:7 July 2016

Auction report: mature vintages from the top Burgundy on the rise

  The sale that closed on 15 June saw a let-up in prices for several regions, notably Champagne, Bordeaux, and in Languedoc the Grange des Pères.  Burgundy, by contrast, had a strong showing, particularly for whites. In Bordeaux, one of the main market indicators is Château Lafite Rothschild, which has long served as a barometer of Asian demand. At present we are seeing a stabilisation or even a slight fall in the prices of wines from this Pauillac premier cru. Bottles from 1982 and 1996 sold for the same as their iDealwine estimate…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:6 July 2016

Brexit and its impact on the wine market

Following the announcement of Brexit, shock waves ran through the wine market too. Even if it is still too early to forecast with any accuracy what its medium or long term effects will be, we are already able to broadly outline how Brexit will impact on wine trading between the United Kingdom and Europe. The United Kingdom has always held a dominant position in the wine market, a position maintained in particular by the strengthen of leading merchants and long-established brokers who are able to call the shots when it comes to prices…

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Wine

• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:4 July 2016

Are expensive wines really better?

When it comes to selecting a wine we’ve never tasted before, we’ve all asked ourselves this question: can we be certain (or at least stand a greater chance) of getting a top quality wine if we pay a higher price? In theory this is a hard question to answer … However, it would seem that scientific experience from blind tastings can give us some valuable insight into this matter … François Lévêque (Professor of Economics at Mines-Paristech) has written a fascinating article on this topic for lesechos.fr and iDealwine, so we decided it…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:24 June 2016

Auction Report: marked success for the big names from the Rhône

In the auction closed on 1st June, the jewels of the Rhône valley – the bottle of Hermitage La Chapelle 1961, and others besides – made their mark. In Alsace, the Rieslings from the Trimbach stood out.  As usual, our connoisseurs were on the look-out for the kind of quality bottles they love. And in the auction that closed on 25th May, there were ample bargains to be had from every region. From Bordeaux, several cases of grands crus of the 2008 vintage (Latour, Petrus, Haut Brion, Cheval Blanc, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild) sold…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:24 June 2016

Slowdown in price for Burgundy grands crus?

iDealwine's iDealwine indices recorded a token increase of 0.11% in May, taking their performance since the beginning of 2016 to 4.60%. The month of May saw a slight fall in the prices of wines from Burgundy. It may well be a one-off, but in May wines from Burgundy experienced something of a quiet spell in terms of auction prices. Having long been the main driver of growth in the iDealwine wine indices, they fell back slightly during May. The fall may have been tiny (-0.02%), but it contrasts sharply with the trends noted…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:2 June 2016

How good is the 2013 vintage?

Our "Vintage Guide" section has been updated to include comments and scores for 2013. Find out more about a year that was marked by precarious climatic conditions. At iDealwine, we are not content just to share our finest wine discoveries with you. We also want to arm you with the information you need to navigate this complex world and to choose well. Every year, we carry out a region by region review of France's winegrowing areas and allocate a score to each vineyard and wine colour. A time lag is to be expected…

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• Post author:iDealwine
• Post published:2 June 2016

Auction report: Dagueneau grabs headlines

The auctions of 11th May included their share of treasures from all regions… not least in the Loire valley, where Dagueneau was particularly well represented. Let's take a closer look at the world of rare wines. Each of France's main wine regions has its own little hidden gems – a fact well known to eager connoisseurs, prompting a number of lively battles at the online auctions of 11 May. As wine lovers will tell you, the Loire valley is home to two superstars: Clos Rougeard in Saumur-Champigny, and Dagueneau in Pouilly-Fumé. And it was…

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