I have had occasional good luck picking up odd lots at auctions where most people are looking to snatch up the big name bottles. When I say “odd lot,” I’m referring to a mixed lot of several different vintages or labels that have been thrown together from the same consignor. Usually there are one or two bottles there to attract the buyers’ attention, but then a few “duds.”
Here are some of the odd lots I’m thinking about in an upcoming auction. I’l spare you the bottle descriptions - suffice it to say there don’t appear to be problems with the bottles:
First Lot
1987 Beringer Private Reserve Cab x 3
2006 Beringer PR Cab x 1
1985 Niebaum Coppola Rubicon x 1
1990 Mount Veeder Cab x 2
1992 Dunn Napa x 1
1993 Mayacamas Cab x 1
1979 Clos du Val Cab x 1
Estimate 450-650. I’ve had that 1985 Rubicon, and it was great, but I think I last tasted it in 1997 or so. I also think the 1979 Mayacamas might be a throw-away.
Second Lot
1998 Ch. Quinault l’Enclos x 7
1999 Ch. Quinault l’Enclos x 3
2000 Ch. Quinault l’Enclos x 2
Estimate $500-700 Familiar with this wine - I’ve had the 2003 and the 2000, but can’t find much reliable information the lesser vintages.
Third Lot
1998 -Ch. Larrivet Haut Brion x 1
1994 Ch. Leoville-Barton x 1
1994 Ch. Lynch-Bages x 2
2003 Ch. Petrus Gaia x 2
2005 Ch. Petrus Gaia x 1
2000 Ch. Yon-Figeac x 1
1996 Les Forts de Latour x 1
420-550 I confess this just seems like an interesting combination of wines - might be suitable for a dinner party. Anyone have thoughts on the Yon-Figeac or the 1994s?
Fourth Lot
1992 La Jota Cab 11th Anniv. x 1
1993 La Jota Cab 12th Anniv. x 2
1994 La Jota Cab 13th Anniv. x. 2
1996 La Jota Cab 15th Anniv. x 1
1997 La Jota Cab 16th Anniv. x 3
1999 La Jota Cab 18th Anniv. x 2
$550-750 Use dto love this wine, but it fell out of the Georgia market for a while, and I never started drinking it again when it came back. I think the last vintage I tried was the 1994. This seems like a pretty good price point for a cab that ages pretty well.
Fifth Lot
1983 Ch. Clerc-Milon x 12
$480-600 Okay - not really an “odd lot,” but can some of you long-time Bdx folks give me your thoughts on whether this wine is likely to have held up?
Sixth Lot
1984 Ch. LLC x 12
$500-700 Again - not really and odd lot, but should I be nervous about this vintage?
Seventh Lot
1988 Ch. Le Tertre-Roteboeuf x 6
1986 Ch. Canon x 4
$380-480 I know virtually nothing about the former and am nervous about the vintage on the latter
Eight Lot
1990 Ch. Larmande x 12
$450-550 Okay - yet another lot that’s not really odd. Any insight?
Ninth Lot
1981 Ch. Batailley x 1
1974 Ch. Bouscaut x 1
1979 Ch. Greysac x 1
1985 Ch. Lenessan x 2
1986 Ch. Pape-Clement x 1
1982 Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte x 1
$280-380 I’m guessing this is mostly over-the-hill crap, but it could be fun. Any specific insight would be greatly appreciated.
Let me close by telling you that the whole point of even considering these lots is to broaden my horizons and try some wines that I would never be exposed to otherwise. I appreciate the "gambling: nature of buying many of these lots, and at the end of the day, I’ll probably put in a few low ball bids and see what happens. If any of you think I should steer toward or away from any of these bottles, I’d love to hear your thoughts.