from Zachy`s
All for a piece of wood which really indicated nothing.
Good chart/info though.
Interesting that Lafite buyers value the wood so highly.
I tend to over value branded cardboard cases, old habits die hard.
I imagine the Lafite owc premium has something to do with its status as a benchmark premium brand in China and the prevalence of fakes. I could be wrong but the owc may in some way give another piece of evidence as to its legitimacy in an ocean of illegitimate bottles.
It could also be used as a signal to buyers that they are buying something from someone who had the means to purchase larger quantities, and probably store them better too.
i wonder how 10-11 btls lots but in OWC fare? I remember a wine consultant telling me that those tend to suffer since bidders think the quality/storage are suspect if the seller decided to dump something after trying it. But realistically it seems like a lot of people just have too much wine, and as cellars/tastes evolve, there are lots like that for sale that weren’t cooked etc.
It also gives some people the impression that the wine probably has better provenance that a collection of individual bottles, which may have come from
different sources.
The other aspect, to be direct, is that some collectors with fancy home cellars feel that a wall of high-end wines in OWC looks more impressive than simply various
bottles placed into wine racks.
Bruce
This was my thought, too. Not unlike how when selling an iPhone, having the original box helps realize maximum value. I doubt it’s the box itself, but the signal that the owner takes care of his stuff.
I doubt it’s the box itself, but the signal that the owner takes care of his stuff.
I’m not sure it has to do with care so much as the hope that the stuff has had only one owner.
But the OWCs for wine are a different issue entirely. People value them for some reason. They think they look impressive and I’ve even heard someone say that they’re a kind of art! WTF kind of taste that indicates is a whole different issue. But when I put them out on the stoop to get rid of them, they disappear instantly. I hope they’re being taken by people who want to use them for some craft or to store things, but who knows - they may be taken by people who simply want them for their own sakes.
Generally speaking, collectors that purchase full cases of wine, have the money and the ability to also store the wines correctly. Consumers with single bottles, or mixed cases might not have the same ability to store the wines correctly. While this is not always the case, more often than not, it’s a safe bet, especially with older vintages, when home cellars were not as common as they are today.
OWC does not guarantee that all the bottles were purchased at the same time, and thus, experienced the same level of storage, but if all the bottles show the same shipper, or were purchased at the same time and stored in a cold, London cellar, the buyer has a better chance of getting better wine, making it worth the extra 10% or so.
Went to Rhys today. Beautiful magnum boxes.
Crates is cool, you dig?
Im inclined to agree. For me, when I bidding in auction, Im cognisant of OWC inclusion as it suggests one purchase on the part of the seller and a more well taken care of one at that although I realise that may not be the case in this world of fraud.