I noticed something interesting on Winebid, but I’m sure it happens on other auction sites as well. When following identical listings, the listing without the “light label condition issue” tag will occasionally have competitive bidding while the listing with the non-perfect label may not receive any bids at all. I honestly don’t understand that. Isn’t it what’s inside the bottle that counts, or am I doing this wrong?
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I agree. Though I also admit to looking for an undamaged box on a grocery shelf when the one in front has a smashed corner.
What’s in the bottle counts the most for me, cork and capsule indicative of that. I enjoy the aesthetics of wine labels, so it rates but it’s not a deal breaker.
Maybe just from a fraud perspective on higher end rare bottles, it’s easier to catch fakes when you can see flaws clearly. Might be reaching there but I think of Don’s analysis that takes in the most minute details.
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If you might sell the bottles then it matters.
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Why would a bottle with a scuffed, marred, or water-damaged, label be any less authentic than one with a perfect label?
Personally, I’d be a lot more suspect of the bottle with the pristine label.
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Only for resale reasons. Drinkers could care less as long as they can read the vintage.
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Some issues point towards concern about storage, especially light damage, whilst ironically some of the worst can point to ideal storage including the humidity that can damage labels. Indeed an ITB friend used to joke about getting some spray-on cellar dust, as that was also a reassuring sign.
In certain circles, a pristine label is part of the prestige sought after when sharing a bottle with others they wish to impress.
I’d choose a very slightly higher fill (with a scuffed label) over a very slightly lower one with a pristine label … 100% of the time.
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because it could hide a problem the seller was aware of, including where they’d been duped and were trying to pass the bottle on, hiding the evidence they were aware of.
At a more mundane level, ‘vintage label partially missing, believed to be …’ is something that has been abused e.g. scratching a 1984 label so it reads 198 , and then saying believed to be 1982. In such instances one might look to see if that damage looked consistent with other label wear, or perhaps sowed some doubt about its convenience.
Pristine labels on something very old can indeed be worthy of a closer look. It’s feasible, but unusual enough to justify closer inspection.
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That makes sense for older bottles, but what about relatively new bottles?
Like something from the last 10 years or so. Seems a bit obsessive to me. Coins, comic books, and baseball cards, sure. Wine bottles, no way.
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That’s kinda where I was heading. Pristine bottles, easier to see things on a label that should not be there to a trained eye. Folks on here were able to look at catalog pictures and pick out the fakes. On the other hand, beat them up a little, water damage things that should not be there, nic a letter that’s"off", harder to pick up.
Like I said, might be reaching. Just thinking out loud based on reading a lot of fraud threads here,convenient to hide things your know are jacked up.
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could just be an arbitrary barometer of overall handling.
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I mean, I buy a lot of bottles from benchmark that are nicked and they are like 15-20% off
There are buyers who want pristine trophies, don’t care so much about the wine.
Restaurants in particular usually want v good condition labels.
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Some people are collectors rather than wine drinkers and condition matters just like with antiques
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Normally, yes it’s a stretch, but as far as the auction market goes, buyer beware remains a vital principle. Do not go into that environment with blind trust.
For me to drink, I could care less, and I’ll absolutely save a few bucks.
However, buying a soiled label means my wife won’t let me gift the bottle to a friend, and I honestly can’t argue with her on that (“hello, we care so much about you we decided to gift you this soiled label wine!”).
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<carefully sneaks into the cellar to mark every single bottle> 
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I see it all the time on Winebid and bottles with label defects usually sell for less than the identical wine without label issues. You can use it to your advantage if you do not intend to sell later.
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Seems to me, if you have “collector” money, and don’t drink wine, wine should be the last thing you collect. There are so many other options out there. Just my humble, though.
This is the answer that makes the most sense to me (for newer bottles). 