It’s time to explore the world one bottle at a time.
Our August 5 Live Auction is a deep dive into seriously fine company: benchmark wines, rare gems, and collector spirits all ready for new homes and good stories.
The live sale streams from our Eden Terrace wine rooms, Tuesday 5 August at 6pm.
Absentee bidding is open now, and here’s the golden rule: the highest bid with the earliest timestamp will win the lot. That means early birds might just beat last-minute scramblers.
Now, pour a glass, settle in, and let us take you on a tour through the catalogue region by region.
We start close to home, with the wines that put us on the global map. Valli Pinot Noirs from Bannockburn and the Waitaki are standout examples earthy, elegant, and made by Central Otago royalty Grant Taylor.
Standouts include Pegasus Bay Riesling, some back-vintage Bell Hill, and beautiful library-stock Chardonnay from Sam Harrop and Kumeu River. The local red selection is equally charming with Felton Road favourites, Bordeaux-blends from Stonyridge, Te Mata and cult producer Destiny Bay. This is a moment to stock up on cellaring classics and drink-now charmers.
As we head to Australia, there’s real muscle on display here and some finesse to match.
Headlining is back-vintages of Wendouree from the Clare. Understated, age-worthy, and undeniably elegant. Alongside, you'll find Penfolds Grange Bin 95, and Torbreck RunRig.
The Hunter makes a graceful entrance with Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon, while Tasmania shows its class with Tolpuddle Chardonnay, cool and mineral with serious length. And of course not to overlook our Western Australian contemporaries with entries from Leeuwin Estate Art Series.
We’ve sourced standout wines from across the rest of the southern hemisphere and beyond. From the United States, don’t miss Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace 1984, a Napa cult classic with fine bones and great ageability. Argentina is represented with top Malbecs, and South Africa shines with a small parcel of Olerasay No.2; solera-aged Muscat that’s simply stunning.
Germany steps up with crystalline precision and enviable pedigree. Look for Willi Schaefer, Dönnhoff, and Muller Catoir; producers who craft Rieslings with electric acidity and beautiful sweetness balance. Ideal for cellaring or surprising your next dinner party.
This catalogue also brings a generous helping of Italian soul. From Piedmont, you’ll find Barolo and Barbaresco from respected houses, structured, floral, and built for the long haul. Tuscany is represented with elegant Brunello di Montalcino, and there’s some cracking Super Tuscans if you know where to look.
Spain brings the heat and the spice. We’ve got aged Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva wines with softened tannins and savoury depth. Names like La Rioja Alta, Muga, and Numanthia should catch your eye. These wines overdeliver for their price and prestige.
France: The Old World’s Greatest Hits. This is where the pulse quickens. We have a selection for all your favourite regions including Champagne, Loire, Alsace, Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux. 2010 Bordeaux highlights dominate the line-up, with wines from both Left and Right Bank including classified growths and cellar-ready gems.
Burgundy lovers, rejoice: we’ve got Domaine de Villaine’s Bouzeron (yes, that is de Villaine former co-director of DRC), along with Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, Volnay, Pommard, and Meursault.
The Beaujolais crus (Morgon, Fleurie) round out the lineup with joyful drinkability, while Champagne pops up in both vintage and NV form for celebrations of any size.
In the mood for something richer? Check out our Fortified Selection before falling into our boutique selection of whisky. Single malts from Auchentoshan, and Springbank, with age statements and distillery bottlings that will catch any collector’s eye. If you’re a peat-head, a sherry bomb lover, or a smooth-sipper, there’s something here for you.
Absentee bidding is open. The live stream kicks off Tuesday 5 August at 6pm. Every item in this auction is ready to find its next home - be it for drinking, investing, or showing off to the right kind of company.
And remember: the highest bid with the earliest timestamp wins. So if you’ve found your match, place your absentee bid early and avoid the heartbreak.
And as always, our final word on buying wine at auction. When buying any second-hand goods there can be risk. This risk can be mitigated through reviewing widely available vintage reports and critic reviews and imposing realistic expectations. You will also notice that our photographs of each new lot are very detailed, helping you to inspect the wine from the comfort of your seat. The reward however, of a fine wine at its absolute peak of maturity, offering its full range of primary, secondary and tertiary flavours should be significant enough for most to negate the occasional disappointment. So, if the risk-reward scales are deemed favourable, we have a lovely selection of wines at various stages of maturity available in our current auction.
Happy browsing and please bid responsibly.
All bids are binding.
