wines

Napa and Sotbeby's Wine Auctions

Filed under: Wine

Sotheby's Finest and Rarest Wines Auction just concluded, netting a total of over $2.5 million, which averaged out to be about $2000 per bottle. At first glance, that sounds less impressive than the $8.4 million raised at the Napa Valley auction, which took place last week, until you take into consideration the fact that their total includes entry fees and that most of the wines were packaged in sets or with other goodies, including iPods and trips to Europe. The most expensive single lot sold for $1.05 million and included 5 large format bottles and a trip to France hosted by the Staglins of Staglin Family Vineyards.

The tickets at Sotheby's did not fit into the "gift basket" format, though there were several combined lots. The most expensive buys included bottles of Chateau Petrus 2000 ($16,132) and Heitz Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Martha's Vineyard 1974 ($13,145).

Don't expect to see these on any wine lists at your local restaurants - even if you live in Las Vegas or New York, where you are much more likely to see over-the-top wine lists. If the restaurant does have them, you can bet that it'll be on special request - and with a credit card - that they choose to part with them.

Tags: auction, napa, sothebys, wine, wines

John Daly Wines

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

My favorite golfer, John Daly, is launching a wine label. Now, I love wine and I love Daly but the two together don't make a lot of sense. After all, Daly has famously had a problem with alcohol and his aesthetic has never seemed to be that of the oenophile. Daly's wines were launched on May 25 in Memphis, Tennessee. There are three ranges thus far in the series, the Fairway Range, the Lion's Range and the Perfect Round. The Fairway Range and Lion's Range includes lighter wines such Chardonnay and Shiraz while the Perfect Round is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wines are made from South African grapes. Daly's name might induce me to buy golf balls or perhaps hamburgers but not wine.

[via The Star-Ledger]

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Tags: celebrity wine, john daly, JohnDaly, wines

Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

The Riedel Amadeo collection is one of the newest from the Austrian company, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. The Amadeo name commemorates the fact that this is also Mozart's 250th anniversary year. According to their website, founder Claus Riedel was the first glass-maker to create wine glasses that varied in shape according to the wine they were to contain. The Amadeo Lyra Crystal decanter takes its name from its unique shape. It holds 59 ounces of your favorite wine, young or old, allowing it to breathe and have the clarity of its flavor shine through. Price: $300.

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Tags: amadeo lyra, anniversary, crystal, decant, decanter, decenter, mozart, riedel, serving, wine, wines

Covenant Kosher Wine

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Covenant Wines are said to be some of the world's finest kosher wines and possibly the best made in the United States. The wines are all Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley, California. The 2003 vintage has received a rating of 92 points from Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate awarded it with 93 points and the 2004 vintage with a 90-92. The deep red wines boast a richly fruity array of flavors, with notes of black currant and blackberry, while scents of vanilla and hints of oak hit the nose. Price: $74.95.

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Tags: cabernet, cabernet sauvignon, california, grapes, kosher, napa valley, passover, wine, wine advocate, wine spectator, wines