Spring Online Auction
Opens Wed 5 November · Closes Mon 10 November, 8pm - (Any Lot bid on in the last couple of minutes of the auction will extend a further 2 minutes.)
Spring is sending out invitations; long tables, easy menus, friends who linger. This auction is built to help you host beautifully: a table-ready mix of affordable drinking (plenty under $50), a few blue-chip icons for the show-pony slot, and Riedel glassware to make everything taste better. Christmas is peeking over the horizon too, so think gifts (and if you’re unsure, our gift vouchers let that hard-to-buy-for person choose their own adventure).
Again, one of our generous vendors has chosen to donate the proceeds from their Felton Road (plus a few friends) to the Be Heard Foundation, supporting those whose voices need to be amplified. So please, bid generously and let your bids be heard. The total Hammer will be going to Be Heard Foundation.
New Zealand
A generous local spread, from bright aromatics to serious Hawke’s Bay classics. Sauvignon Blanc fans can set-and-forget with recent vintages from Astrolabe and Dog Point, while Gewürztraminer from Westbrook and Misha’s Vineyard brings spice to the spring table. Pinot lovers will find value aplenty with Roaring Meg 2023, Aitken’s Folly 2019, Cloudy Bay 2021 all sitting comfortably in the starting under-$50 zone.
For Riesling devotees, there’s a treasure trove from Felton Road (Block 1 verticals and Dry Riesling across two decades) plus Pegasus Bay, perfect with seafood season. Syrah’s covered too: Church Road Grand Reserve and Man O’ War Dreadnought add peppery poise, with more serious gear from Vidal Legacy and Smith & Sheth Cru.
Collectors, your heartbeat is Hawke’s Bay: Te Mata Coleraine across multiple vintages (1997 through 2020), Awatea back to 2000, Bullnose 2008, and from Waiheke Stonyridge Larose (including early 2000s), Destiny Bay from Mystae to Magna Praemia. Big bottles? Yes: Matariki Quintology magnum, Coopers Creek Reserve 6L, and 2023 Coleraine magnum.
Australia
From “pass the tongs” reds to cellar royalty. Hosting heroes under $50 include Krondorf Moculta Single Site Shiraz, St Hugo Shiraz, Orlando Printz Shed Shiraz, Pepperjack Shiraz/Viognier, John Duval Entity Shiraz, Little Giant Grenache, and Rosemount GSM.
Step up a gear with Cape Mentelle Cabernet (2012, 2017), Xanadu Reserve Cabernet and Coonawarra charm from St Hugo and Riddoch. Icons abound: Penfolds Grange (a swathe of vintages including magnums), RWT, St Henri, Torbreck RunRig, and the unicorn Penfolds Bin 60A. For old-vine magic, Henschke Hill of Grace appears across landmark vintages.
Other New World
A rare piece of Napa history in Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace 1984 will turn heads. This is a true conversation-starter for any festive table.
Germany
Spring into Riesling: from Kerpen and Selbach-Oster to Dr. Loosen and Willi Schaefer, with sweetness levels to suit every course. At the pinnacle, Egon Müller appears in Kabinett and Auslese guise; these are collectibles that still pour joy. (There is also a petite 375ml Beerenauslesen for the dessert trolley.)
Italy
La Dolce Vita for every purse. Bubbles for the crowd with Bandini and Quadri Prosecco (both under $50), vibrant southern reds like Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello, and Valpolicella Ripasso for Sunday roasts. Tuscany brings muscle and silk with Siepi, Oreno, Fontalloro, Testamatta/Colore, Ornellaia (red and white); alongside Piedmont nobility (Fratelli Alessandria Monvigliero, Chiara Boschis Via Nuova, Cigliuti). From Etna, Passopisciaro parcels add volcanic perfume.
Spain
From party-friendly Corpinnat bubbles to the aristocracy of Rioja. Highlights include Contino Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta 890, and modern classics Macán and Amaren Reserva. For the cellar, Vega-Sicilia Único appears in fine company; for curiosity, sweet Olivares Dulce Monastrell adds a decadent note.
France
Bordeaux
Weeknight claret through first-growth royalty. Value hunters: Château Lanessan and Pied d’Argent Bellevue are easy wins. Depth and pedigree arrive with Pauillac de Latour, Joanin Bécot, Malescot-St-Exupéry, and a spread of serious oldies — Cheval Blanc (multiple vintages), Latour, Mouton, and La Mission Haut-Brion.
Champagne
Party starters from Veuve Rozier and Louis Auger (under $50 window) to celebration heavyweights Dom Pérignon (1998, 2000, 2002, 2008), Cristal (2000, 2008), Krug Grande Cuvée, and Bollinger La Grande Année 2014.
Loire & Rhône
Crisp spring whites and smart Sancerre from Henri Bourgeois; cult Chenin and Brezé from Guiberteau and Bellivière. Rhône lovers can range from Chapoutier La Bernardine to Tardieu-Laurent selections and, for the crown, Guigal La Mouline.
Fortifieds
A handsome flight of Vintage Port — Quinta do Vesuvio (1998, 2001), Noval 1982, Warre’s 1980, Niepoort 2015, Bom Retiro 2018 — plus classic Australian tawny (De Bortoli Old Boys 21YO) and a fine Madeira Verdelho for cheese-board finales.
Whisky & Spirits
Gifts made easy: Midleton Very Rare, Glenfiddich 21 Wedgwood decanter, Springbank 10 (2024), Highland Park 16, and local interest from Cardrona. Cocktail hour is covered with Boodles, Bombay, Gordon’s, and a suite of liqueurs (Briottet Crème de Cassis, Jägermeister, Galliano).
Glassware & Hosting Kit
Set the scene with Riedel Performance stems (Champagne, Chardonnay, Riesling), Grand Cru Burgundy bowls for Pinot nights, and Nick & Nora for martinis. Service pieces include Riedel Beer glasses, Schott Zwiesel DIVA Burgundy options, and a table-mounted cork puller for smooth theatre.
So whether you’re laying in mid-week drinkers, choosing centre-piece bottles, or getting Christmas sorted, this sale is built for seasonal entertaining. If choice paralysis strikes, remember: gift vouchers let your special someone enjoy the hunt. Simply contact us at info@wineauctionroom.co.nz and we'll get the voucher sorted for you.
This was a joy of an auction to curate for your enjoyment - happy scrolling, best of luck, and remember, all bids are binding.
