27/9/2023: Final Offers for September | Champagne . Napa Valley . Bordeaux . Italy

And so it ends for September, a last list of assortments to bring us to the end of this short and fulfilling month. There are some "hidden" gems in today's offers, so don't miss it.

New Champagne listings: these back vintages, provenance guaranteed and impeccable. Some older vintages which you should not miss.

Next from the Cali collection, even though there are only five listings, but all these wines are amazing cuvees to own.

For Bordeaux: Spot the difference....you will know what I mean after scrolling down to the Bordeaux section.

And finally, from Italy, the only pair of Masseto's featured this year, a rare listing nowadays.

Thank you everyone, whom supported Wine Bond marketplace in September, whether you are a seller or a buyer. See you in October.......RS

26/9/2023: The Fine Burgundy Collection of A Few Wine Connoisseurs

Today's Marketplace offers will showcase the biggest Burgundy list, the main feature will be the list of 2010 and 2011s Etienne Sauzet whites, a gallery of the popular Domaine's top Premier and Grand Crus. Other wines in today's offer will also include a few popular Domaines like Leflaive, Bouchard Comte Liger Belair, Armand Rousseau, etc. In the assortments sections, you will also see names like Prieure Roch, Emmanuel Rouget, Arlaud and more. If there is one definitive Burgundy list/offer you need to see this year, THIS IS THE ONE!

While consolidating all the Burgundy offers of these few collectors here, I thought to myself: This Sep should end on the highest note. In fact, most of these bottles had been stored at Wine Bond for more than a decade, and I had also inspected these bottles myself. The condition are all impeccable and flawless. A word of advice: it is going to be a long list, so pay attention to those that you really want, and book the bottles early. Tomorrow, we will end September with another assortment from different regions.......RS

 

25/9/2023: The Complete Bordeaux Collection | First Growths and More

Three more mailers for this week/month (including today's offers) and we will end September...bear with me. Today is a huge Bordeaux list, perhaps the biggest one for this month. Then in the coming days, we will have another enormous Burgundy list, followed by an assortment of wines from other regions like Italy and Napa Valley. It is a mad rush for September as it is a short month, but some of these listings will remain till mid October, so plenty of time to go through marketplace in your free time. A quick tip to pay attention, and zero in on a couple of 2015s that are awesomely priced. I would certainly pick up some, especially the more popular Chateaus may be gone faster than others. Book them as soon as you see them. Have a great start to the week.....RS

 

22/9/2023: Be Early to Catch These Vintage Champagnes | Cristal . Salon . Taittinger . Dom . Krug

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack says catch these Champagne or you will regret it! As we run our third offer this week, not sure if anyone realise that Champagne offers are getting rarer these days, and it is easy to see why. Just look at the prices for the most recent (or last two vintage) releases of : Doms, Cristal, Krug, Taittinger, Bollinger, etc. In the last 6 months, prices did not really soften for Champagnes, and towards the last quarter of 2023, you can bet prices will start to rise again. Time to pick up some bottles today.

A short tasting note: recently I had a 2002 Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Rare, compliments of a generous collector here @ Wine Bond....and I must say, it was a bottle with perfect provenance and exceeding my expectations of a 2002: notes of nuts and white flowers, along with a good balance of acidity that teases the palate constantly. The finishing is long and alluring. Can't get enough of this! Along with the Cuvee Rare, was a bottle of 2004 Dom Perignon that was drunk side by side. This bottle was also from another member whom was also at dinner and is always generous. Pre-dinner, the 2004 Dom is not letting the 2002 Cuvée Rare catch all the limelight. The 2004 Dom has tons of minerals (with stone fruits), citrus, some flowery notes and a slight smoky finish. Again, 2004 may not have the intensity of the 2002, but it is a class of its own. Having both my favourite vintages side by side is plain heavenly. I really understood these two vintages again, on how they are performing now, and their future ahead.

Back to today's offers. The quantities in our offers today may be minuscule for some, but we have some really enticing prices. Again, lot of love and thank yous to all our supportive sellers, and hope we have some supportive buyers as well. Majority of these Champagnes have perfect ratings and as usual, will not stay long on marketplace. Catch them early, listen to Jack. Have a great Friday!.......RS

 

21/9/2023: Sep Burgundy Offer Part 2: Red Grand Cru . Here and Now

The one thing I learnt from marketplace are definitely about "Here and Now". Once in a while, I look back and compare the wines by different merchants, and compare the prices over the years. This usually happens when I am doing a valuation for sellers. It is surprising how some wines had gained in astronomical value while some actually depreciate. In fact, wines that I have an affinity to, may not command the same price, let's say one year down the road. Same for some of the recent vintage releases. One of my regrets was I never get to buy enough 2015 Burgundy, or Bordeaux. This is such an interesting vintage, I think most connoisseurs will find it rewarding after a decade of cellaring. If you had bought any 2015 Burgundy (white and red) or Bordeaux, hold on to them.

Majority of the Burgundy offers today include some amazing 2015 Grand Crus, at really hard-to-beat prices. Other back vintages on offer include a couple of 2009 and 2010. It is ironic how these three vintages appear together, as I always thought 2015 Red Burgs had both traits of 2009 and 2010 vintages. You can spot them quite evidently especially when young. They are extracted like 2009 (not overly) and yet they maintain the intensity similar to this vintage, and they have the composure, harmony and balance of 2010. Only a green vintage can hold me back. Fruit forward vintages on the other hand, are easy to drink when young, and there is always the probability that a fruit forward vintage can over achieve after some aging. As vintages grow with us over the years, it is always good to revisit some of the these past vintages, just to assess how some "grow up" to maybe become the next big thing. The surprise look from friends in Wine Group is always priceless. Today, don't miss the chance to revisit these wines...Here and Now.......RS

 

19/9/2023: Sep Burgundy Offer Part 1: White Grand Crus

We start a two part Burgundy offer this week. Part 1 lands today with an assortment of White Burgundies, then part 2 (most probably will be launched earlier on Wednesday evening if I can finalize everything by today, if not then it will be Thursday morning as usual) will feature an amazing collection of Red Burgundies. All the producers featured in these two part Burgundy offers are by prominent Domaines whom Burgundy aficionados are familiar with, and it has been a while since we feature offers like these (great producers, amazing communes, attractive prices) so don't miss. Also coming soon in September, will be a much anticipated Champagne offer (featuring Salon, Cristal, Taittinger and more), followed by a HUGE Bordeaux offer (all Classified growths with a sizable First Growth offers), all these will run from now till end September.

While these offers are up and coming on marketplace, now is the best time to consider loading up on wines for the year end parties. We are actually seeing fine wine prices coming down since May this year, and stabilizing since last month. This is in fact good news for many of us (as buyers and wine collectors), and my guess is prices are going to be stable from now till end of the year. Without any further delay, it is time to scroll down to view the offers for today, and stay tuned for more........RS

 

15/9/2023: Spot Offer: Screaming Eagles | 1999 Box with 2 bots | 2020 OWC 3 bots | 2016 single bottle

Screaming Eagle is indeed one of the best Cabernets one can experience. I always get the question from collectors "Is Screaming Eagle worth its price?". IMHO, definitely yes. If anyone has a chance to drink a bottle of the 1992 (first vintage) of Screaming Eagle, it is still one of the most elegant SE today, just like a First Growth. Subsequent vintages also proved their tour de force in viticulture and wine-making.

My experiences with Screaming Eagle has always been good, and every encounter etches a memory with me. I remember the first encounter was back in 2010, trying for the first time, a 1997 (that perfect SE), alongside the 1996. Both are beautiful wines like "brothers in arms" and it was hard to pick one outstanding cuvee. Ratings aside, the 1996 was approachable, elegant and finishes complete, while the 1997 will leave you with a craving palate. Subsequently, other vintages that cross paths include the 1999, 2001, 04, 05, 08, 10, 12, 13, 15.

(A small note on 1997 Californian wines: in a tasting back in mid 2010s, attended by a renowned overseas MW, and hosted by a discerning California wine collector whom I am acquainted with. We had twelve cuvees lined up in a 1997 horizontal tasting for some King and Cult wines of Californian, and most of them required a lot of preparation time. Actions include double-decanting which proved futile for some of the cuvees)

In today's offer for these three vintages of Screaming Eagle, these are as rare as it gets. Today, the 1999 (2 bots in a SE box) is a matured and seamless wine. The collector (seller) had this OWC for the longest time in Wine Bond, and provenance is impeccable. Then the 2020 SE (original 3 bots in OWC box) came direct from the winery to a collector here. Again, perfect provenance and this certainly need a lot of time but will go a long way from today. Both the 1999 (2 bots) and 2020 (3 bots) are to be sold as their own vintage sets (as per both seller's request), and they come with the original SE wooden box. A couple of photos (below) are taken with the labels and level for the 1999. Last but not least, a single bottle of the perfect 2016 vintage. We will be taking all orders for this spot offer via email only, so don't miss them......RS

 

13/9/2023: More Italian Wine Offers | Brunello and more

September slows down for a while, but I had been procuring from a few sellers recently and waiting for positive news. Fingers crossed for this month. Let's hope I get confirmation to list these gems for sale soon. Some of the seller's list I went through the last two weeks, are quite extensive, and interestingly, the lists consist of mainly Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. We will also see young vintages, like those from the 2010s, which I enjoy drinking. Depending on the region/commune of these French wines, the string of vintages like 2012, 13,14,15,16 are fun to explore, when you pick the right wine with its sturdy vintage.

Today will be another small offer of Italian wines, mainly Brunellos and IGTs. Then, a rare case of Burgundy St Aubin 1er Cru Les Perrieres by Domaine de Villaine, available for loose purchase.

Btw, for collectors of fine wines, and regular patrons of wine auctions in the Asia region, the initials of R.K will not sound alien to you, more so if you had been following news of him appearing in Asia. Maybe it is high time someone set up an anti-fraud team of wine specialist..... 

 

7/9/2023: Small Assortments start September | Rhone . Bordeaux . Italy

It is a slow start to September marketplace, but we begin with these assortments from Italy, Rhone, Bordeaux and Champagne. These new listings are awesome gems to own, with lowered prices. For those who were browsing through marketplace early this week for awesome deals, had probably spot some of these already. Don't miss the rest of these new offers. Not forgetting there are some reposts of listings (Barolos) that are here again after 6 months, this time with better prices. Quantities are limited for all the listings, so don't miss. We will be back with more offers next week.

 

24/8/2023: 2005 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg | Single USA Importer bottle

Today we have an interesting offer, and it is not everyday that we get to see a bottle of DRC available on marketplace. By DRC, I mean it could be the Romanee-st-Vivant / Echezeaux / Grands-Echezeaux or others, and today, it is one bottle of the Richebourg on offer. Upon inspecting this bottle by the seller, I found that this is a USA bottling with the official Californian Importer back label (Wilson Daniels from St Helena).

I am sure many of us have come across fine and blue chip Old World wines from USA. Somewhere, in our wine journey, USA bottling's of old world wines, inevitably cross paths, whether in USA or Asia. Some connoisseurs may not think highly of USA bottling in Asia, and like how I was taught by my predecessors, the bottles had traveled past the Atlantic, then Pacific Ocean to get to this side of the world. With a bottle that had traveled around the world, the consensus of collector's concern is mainly on the provenance. Honestly, over the years, my experience with most USA bottling's of French or Italian wines (here in Asia) are good. In fact, when I started collecting wines, I had bought some Old World Wines from a few wine merchants across USA. In Napa Valley, it was pretty easy to call up a wine merchant to check the availability of a particular bottle you are interested, and if available, it will be with your hotel concierge the next day. I remember clearly, this reliable Chicago wine merchant whom I bought some Italian and Burgundies more than a decade ago. Two years ago when I opened the 1976 Gaja San Lorenzo, it was delicious. Probably one of the best bottle I had (of an old Gaja). In the late 2000s, this bottle was a fraction of its price today, and it is $1000 for this bottle today. But price aside, I think with the right and reliable merchant, and if you are a drinker (not a wine investor), some times there are some good "Old World Wine" + AUTHENTIC bottles (always ask for more photos from the merchant), floating around by some USA wine merchants. Put it this way, there are also bottles of bad provenance or fake bottles in Europe, don't you agree?

This bottle of 2005 DRC Richebourg has been clearly inspected at Wine Bond prior to this listing on marketplace, the single bottle comes from a single collector. I have taken the actual photos of the bottle (see below on the offer) but if you need a higher resolution photo, feel free to whatsapp me directly. August will be closing soon for marketplace, do browse through some older listings as they are expiring end of next week. Have a great Thursday ahead........RS

 

22/8/2023: New Bernard-Bonnin Whites + new and re-lists for August to September

Bernard-Bonin is doing everything right. Their wines are highly sought after, and if there is only one specialist in both communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, it has to be Nicolas and Veronique from Bernard-Bonin. When we mention names like: Ramonet (Chassagne), the Gagnards (Chassagne), Roulot (Meursault), Coche Dury (Meursault), Leflaive (Puligny)...I think Bernard-Bonin stands side by side in prestige with this "Club of Chardonnay Specialists". Their wines boast a true sense of place, offering terroir-driven, artisanal examples from some of the Côte de Beaune’s finest vineyard sites. 

The Domaine's vines are old, and are cultivated organically and biodynamically. On the vinification, it is minimum intervention and natural. There are no yeasting, enzyming and chaptalization. The white wines are aged on the lees for 18 months in oak barrels and are neither fined nor filtered before bottling. The wines are real treasures representative of the appellation and the vintage, pure wines with great freshness and will also express their full potential with time.

Today, we have a pair of Bernard-Bonin's whites on offer, from the splendid 2019 vintage: A Bourgogne Blanc Initial B.B and Meursault Vieilles Vigne. Both wines come from a single collector whom had these direct from the Domaine.

Along with the pair of white Burgs, are some new and re-lists. A couple of interesting Bordeaux, First Growths, and a single Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Blanco Reserva. All the new listings will run from August to September.......RS

 

18/8/2023: Spot Offer: A Pair of Highland Park | 25 Year and 15 Year Loki Valhalla Collection

Highland Park whisky is a renowned and respected single malt Scotch whisky brand that originates from the Orkney Islands in Scotland. The brand's history dates back to 1798, making it one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. What sets Highland Park apart is its unique combination of tradition, craftsmanship, and a distinct Orcadian character that is deeply rooted in its Viking heritage.

One of the defining aspects of Highland Park whisky is its location. The Orkney Islands, with their rugged landscapes, ancient history, and Norse connections, play a significant role in shaping the character of the whisky. The distillery's location, which is subject to the island's maritime climate and the use of locally sourced peat, adds a distinctive flavor profile to the whisky.

Highland Park is known for its balanced and complex flavor profile. It often features a harmonious blend of sweet, smoky, and floral notes. The whisky is often characterized by flavors of honey, heather, dried fruit, and a subtle smokiness that comes from the use of peat during the malting process. The distillery takes pride in its commitment to traditional production methods. They use traditional floor maltings and a combination of Spanish sherry-seasoned casks, with bourbon casks for aging. This careful craftsmanship contributes to the depth and complexity of their whisky.

Highland Park releases a variety of expressions, beginning from their core range of 12, 18, and 25-year-old whiskies. There are also limited edition releases and special cask finishes, like some 10, 14 and 16 years. Each expression offers a unique experience, often with a narrative inspired by the brand's Viking heritage, further adding to the allure of Highland Park.

Highland Park whisky stands as a testament to the intersection of history, tradition, and innovation in the world of Scotch whisky. Its commitment to quality, unique flavor profile, and deep ties to its island origins make it a beloved choice among whisky aficionados worldwide.

Today, we have a pair of Highland Park age statements on offer. The first is the award winning 2006 release of their 25 Year old, and then the 15 Year old Loki Valhalla Collection. Only 1 bottle each available so don't miss.......RS

 

17/8/2023: The Collection Continues with Bordeaux and other Assortments

The world of fine wines is changing. Not only do we need to deal with scam and fraud, we also need to deal with counterfeit wines, which is having a bigger market share today. This is not just for wines, but for some Whiskies as well. Counterfeiters are becoming more blatant these days. Some labels that we assume, are not worthy to counterfeit, are in fact made in mass quantities. I will give some examples on some of the fakes I had come across:

 

-> Hudelot Noellat Romanee St Vivant and Richebourg: the label's coat of arms crest was too vague, and the wordings "Romanee St Vivant" or "Richebourg" did not look correct.

-> Chateau Lafite and Haut Brion, are quite common to find, regardless of vintages.

-> Old Chateau Margaux, from the 60s-70s are always floating around in the open market.

-> Screaming Eagle, which they did a bad job on the front label (even though it is a simple logo).

-> Tignanello surprisingly, there are some fake older vintages as well. I am guessing they were re-bottled using other wines.

-> Older bottles of J Coudray Bizot, which I was quite sure were re-bottled. They taste like cheap Bourgogne and tasted odd (even though the labels bear village or 1er Cru).

-> Chateau Rayas, yes believe it or not, older vintages from the 80s-90s, and some recent vintages.

-> Paul Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle (the older vintages before they changed to a new label from 2007/8). Especially the 80s bottlngs.

-> Older 70s DRCs, some La Tache, Echezeaux, Romanee-st-Vivant. You could see the serial number on the bottles are freshly stamped.

-> Hibiki Harmony: it is common to find fake bottles and the transparent seal on the top has "tear lines" that look different from the original

-> Ballantine 21 Year: Which I drank, not in Singapore, but somewhere in SEA. I really wonder why anyone will fake a Ballantine 21. Then again, I was told this is faked in big volume.

-> Yamazaki 18 Year: I've only had 1 bottle of fake Yama 18 before, and someone actually brought this back from overseas (knowing it is a fake) so that we can taste this alongside with an authentic bottle. 

 

Put it this way, counterfeit wines are here to stay and sometimes, the merchant whom are selling them may not even know they are fakes as they had never seen the bottles. They could just be brokers. If every merchant do their due diligence in checking, maybe that will greatly minimize the possibility of these bottles floating to collectors. Again, it will take a lot of experience, a sharp eye, and maybe a database of "fake wines" in order to spot these fakes. Like a Facebook status profile...."Its Complicated".....

Back to today's offers as we complete this collector's listings with wines from other regions, including New Zealand, Bordeaux and Champagne. Again, I just want to reiterate that most of the prices are really reasonable, and the star today is the 1996 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay, a bottle I had personally checked (condition is impeccable). Have fun browsing, as there are also other interesting wines listed on marketplace, some may be expiring soon. Have a great Thursday ahead..........RS

 

15/8/2023: A Minuscule Burgundy Offer by A Single Collector

Scams, frauds, whichever we would like to call it, let's talk about this sensitive topic. Whether intentional or not, it is common not to get the wines you want, when buying from unknown merchants. This was the talking point when I was sharing with a fine wine collector over the weekend. Let's face it, scams and frauds involving wines are all around and if some of us remember, Premier Cru's Ponzi wine scheme back in 2016 was big news we were not expecting. The owner was eventually jailed but released in 2021. The repercussions stayed with some of us till today.

With everyone well traveled, it is easy to walk into a wine shop in Europe, USA or any part of the world, find some rare bottles and start committing in acquiring them. Not wanting hassle, we usually allow the merchant to "settle the rest" by having them shipped to Singapore. Sounds familiar? There are thousands of Wine merchants listed in Europe and USA, hundreds listed in Hong Kong, and let's not even count the shops in the suburbs which are not listed on Wine Searcher. Is it really that easy to buy rare bottles and ship them? It is really not as easy as it seem. Let us go through some scenarios:

 

1)    If the price is too good to be true, it probably is: Some retail shops in Europe always have a separate list of wine collection for selling, especially rare back vintages. First, you walk into a wine shop and start buying some young vintages of let's say, a Grand Cru Burgundy. When you approach the staff and ask for other interesting stuff, here comes a separate list of rare back vintage bottles, their prices are too good to be true. Most of them will probably say the stocks are in the warehouse so you do not see the physical bottles upon committing. You start buying these bottles (as they are really hard to find) and pay for it. When the merchant finally ship them, the bottles reach you with certain conditions like low ullage, bad labels, etc. The worst scenario is when the bottles are fake, which I had personally encountered.

 

2)    If the merchant's portfolio is too good to be true, it probably is: So you bought two cases of wines after walking into a wine retail shop (overseas), and realise it is near impossible to lug them into your check-in luggages. The merchant offer to use DHL to send them to Singapore and charges you a reasonable shipping fee per bottle. As soon as you pay for everything and step out of the shop, two weeks pass and the wines are still not shipped. You wonder why and send couple of emails. The fact is, these shops are just selling a portfolio of wines, which they may or may not possess. By the time they try and consolidate the bottles for you (by giving excuses that they are trying to find that particular bottle in their warehouse), two moons had passed. When the bottles are finally shipped to Singapore, and you open your parcel of wines, some bottles are replaced with other wine or vintages. It will be lucky if you are getting bottles of the same value but it hardly happens.

 

3)    You found an online retailer selling some rare bottles: And it is easy to buy from this online retailer using your credit card. The check-out process is fast and easy. It could be some rare whisky or wine. After you pay, the shipment is always "in process". Two weeks past, and you are still thinking if you should start filing a refund with your credit card company. Start filing the refund claim immediately! This online wine shop probably never existed and is a scam. It is easy to put in logos of Apply Pay / Paypal / Visa / Mastercard in the website to make a website look legit. Always do more homework on online wine shops before buying. If the website is too new and there are not much information or contact details (like a company email, contact number or registered business address), it makes sense to give it a miss.

 

While these are some examples of incidents I had encountered, not all wine merchants are bogus. Some wine merchants are legit and it is common practice for multiple wine merchants to be offered "portfolios" for selling. Most probably, these merchants had never seen the physical bottles. At times, it may take the wine merchant some time to get hold of the bottles before shipping it to you. Always ask more questions before committing. I hope some of these information become useful to you, wherever you are shopping for bottles around the world. Legit bottles may be important to ALL collectors, but let's not forget that if you own a legit bottle with bad provenance, it makes no sense to own them at all. Now, on to today's offer.

This minuscule collection by a single collector may not have huge quantities to offer, but on the bright side, these are all price-to-sell. It is always sad to see collectors giving up bottles (for any reasons). Let's hope you can be new owners to some of these rare back vintage bottles. More assortment bottles (from other regions) by this collector will come in the next offer.......RS

 

10/8/2023: 90s Burgundy You Should Not Miss | A Rousseau . C Dury . J Drouhin . L Jadot

Doing the offers and mailers for marketplace is like going back in time, reviving the old tasting notes or instances when I had the chance to drink some of these bottles (compliments of the generous customers whom are friends till today). It is like watching "Stranger Things" (a Netflix drama series set in the 80s). The music soundtrack in the series are awesome, as are the landscape, back-drop and props (VHS, Texas Instruments, etc...btw, I was BASIC trained).  Spotting He-Man toy figurines just bring back all the memories....

The collection of Armand Rousseau on offer today, specifically the Chambertin and Clos-de-Beze, is the finest collection we have on marketplace thus far. It is extremely rare to see bottles of perfect provenance for Rousseau's Grand Crus, and these back vintages have been in Wine Bond for more than a decade, by a single collector. Vintages like the 1999 and 2002 are of course, not easy vintages to read, but exceptional vintages to own. And what is a Rousseau offer without the 2002 Premier Cru Clos St Jacques, which completes the Rousseau collection, noting that there are only 2 bottles of each vintage/cuvee available today.

To make today's offer even more interesting, are a pair of Coche Dury Meursault from 1999 and 2000 vintages. If Rousseau is represented as the best producer from Gevrey-Chambertin, then Coche Dury is without a shadow of doubt, the best from Meursault.  A pair of 1999s Grand Crus by Drouhin, namely the Romanee-St-Vivant and Musigny makes their appearance today, followed by four 1997s by Louis Jadot (Clos-St-Jacques, Bonnes Mares, Musigny and Grands-Echezeaux). Now I wonder if anyone can create another offer that will surpass this? Maybe soon so stay tuned.........RS

 

8/8/2023: Californian Wine Assortments | Araujo . Peter Michael . Opus One and more

Have you ever wondered why wine counterfeiters do not target Top Californian (cult) wines? Other than Screaming Eagle of course, a wine which I had seen its fair share of counterfeits. I mean, there are a lot of other Californian wines which i think had appreciated (in value) over the years. For some of them, their value had leap in higher percentages as compared to some Italian or French wines. Why not Californian? Not that I am advocating for counterfeit wine, but just to give an example: I was selling Opus One in my early years in the trade, for $2XX a bottle. Today, new release easily starts at the price of $4XX, while older (and strong) vintages go for even higher prices! That is just one example. What about Harlan Estate, Chateau Montelena, Colgin, Hundred Acre, Phelps Insignia...I could go on 

My love for Californian wines go way back to 2006, and the few times (between 2008-2012) when I was visiting California spending time with a few winemakers during harvest. Californian wines somehow, give me a sense of satisfaction whenever I pop a bottle. I find it hard to get disappointed in a bottle of Californian, even though it may come from a "weak" vintage, for e.g: 2008. Try any 2008 Californian Cabernet today, I think it is a gem today. Like the 2008 Au Sommet (Atlas Peak) which I tried recently. Although this was the inaugural vintage of Au Sommet, I doubt anyone kept this first vintage of Au Sommet, as 2008 was tainted by wild forest fires. Heidi Barrett would be proud today. For me, it has fulfilled my expectations of a well-aged and drinking bottle after more than a decade of cellarage. Awesome stuff.

Today's offers will feature a neat parcel of Californian wines, some perfect (and near-perfect) cuvees like: 2016 Peter Michael Ma Belle Fille Chardonnay (WA98), 2013 Opus One (JS100), 2008 Peter Michael Les Pavots (WS98), 2005 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet (WA 99), 2007 Verite La Desir (WA 100). Along with these, there are also other impressive cuvees to look out for, like the pair of Araujos Altagracia and the Eisele Vineyard Cabernet. All the offer quantities are limited, and these are all priced to sell, vintages mostly well-drinking. Don't miss these today, and have a wonderful National Day holiday........RS

 

7/8/2023: Spot Offers: 2006 Chateau Lafleur and That Perfect 1998 Cheval Blanc

As Wednesday is National day, we are throwing out one spot offer today, the regular offers will continue on Tuesday and Thursday.  Being a fan of 2008 Bordeaux, this is a delicious vintage and never disappoints me. It is the same for vintage 2006 as the wines are accessible now, but can also be put into extended cellaring. In fact, I think 2006 is more versatile than 2008. Take for example the 2006 Lafleur in today's offer. It is a "drink or hold" kind of wine and vintage.

The other offer, a 1998 Cheval Blanc is a perfect wine. Like the 1989 Cheval Blanc, this is a splendid vintage not to be missed. A good friend actually shared with me last week on his encounter recently with a 1989 Cheval Blanc. As the 89 Cheval Blanc was opened, it was very shy initially. Gradually, over the course of 3 hours, it developed beautifully and became more showy. By the end of the night, there were still one-thirds of the bottle left so he took it home and left it standing in his wine fridge. Subsequently, he tasted it over three days, and surprisingly, it was better than before. This is how the 1998 will be now and in the future. A Perfect St-Emilion not to be missed!

 

3/8/2023: The Biggest Burgundy List This August | Collectibles from Allocation | Part 2 of 2

Consolidating Part one and two of this Burgundy offer for August, I had the opportunity to inspect some really rare bottles. Most of these cuvees are hardly seen in the open market, and when they are made available for sale on marketplace, I cannot express how excited I am. By the way, many members may not know that preparation of an offer here at marketplace, involves more extensive work and it is not just based on a list of wines and valuation. Physical bottles are regularly inspected before listings go live on marketplace, and for good reasons. I had shared with many members here (over a few glasses of wine & dinner) about the bottles I come across, and the stories are all true: dubious looking bottles are everywhere. There were even instances when I had to reject a member's posting on marketplace after inspection. This is how serious we treat every bottle that is going for marketplace. The push for Genetic (DNA) identification of wines (as a kit) is being expedited as you are reading this and hopefully it will be realized soon.

Today's offers hail from some of the most prodigious collectors here at Wine Bond. The cuvees are all spectacular. A special mention for the two most exclusive offers by this single collector. The pair of Roumiers: a 1980 Ruchottes Chambertin and 1999 Chambolle Musigny, both comes direct from the Domaine's library release. The photos you see are the actual photos of the bottles (impeccable condition), and only 1 bottle of each wine are available today. Like the Roumiers, some of the bottles in today's offers are always "allocated", meaning buyers need to fulfill certain criteria in purchases in order to be allocated the bottle/s. Examples are: 2001 Jean Grivot Richebourg, 2001 F. Lamarche La Grande Rue, 2003 Drouhin Musigny, 2006 Comte Liger Belair Vosne Romanee Reignots and 2011 Thibault Liger Belair Richebourg.

Amongst these jewels, there are also other interesting cuvees to pick up at attractive prices. In summary, today's offers will see some of the best wines to complete Part two of this Burgundy offer. Next week will be an assortment of Californian wines, and some Bordeaux. By mid August, we will route back to Burgundy again for more rarities, so stay tuned for the next few offers. Btw, a great finish by Bayern yesterday at extra time...a great match. Have a wonderful Thursday ahead.......RS

 

1/8/2023: The Biggest Burgundy List this August | Remarkable with Time | Part 1 of 2

Welcome to the biggest Burgundy offer this year. What a way to kick-start this new beginning for marketplace. The last two weeks of July (if anyone noticed), were a tat quiet on marketplace offers. I guess this is because WineBond marketplace commission scheme for sellers is finally going for a change: starting this month it will be fix at 8% (regardless of sales value). I can relate to most sellers whom were waiting for this revised scheme. Heck, I would do the same. On a positive note, sellers don't have to worry about when to list the wines, because any day and time is the same. As long as there is a closed transaction, sales will still be tabulated end of the month, while commission is 8%. Hope to garner your support in listing some wines for marketplace if you are still considering.

While preparing the offers for August, I did a record 100+ valuations last month for a few members. Thankfully most of these valuations are converting to marketplace listings this month. And while the offers lessen last month, we manage to get a Rare Whisky offer towards end July. These Whiskies will stay till end August so don't miss.

Last month, I also had chances to catch couple of movie blockbusters (those whom knows me, knows I am a movie buff). Tom Cruise in "Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1" and Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny". Both the seasoned actors are like Fine Wines, whom perform better with age. When comparing the actors today with their younger self (if you recall watching both "Mission Impossible" and "Indiana Jones" series starting from the first move),  I give full credit to Tom Cruise. In every Tom Cruise's "M.I" movie, you can watch "The Making of" on Youtube, and you will be surprised at the research, commitment and high standards he sets for himself, doing that special stunt himself, in each M.I movie. When noticing Tom Cruise's transformation today (as compared to the 80s movie titles like "Cocktail" and "The Colour of Money"), he has certainly become remarkable with time. it is like drinking the progression of Burgundy Grand Crus over the years. When drank young, the nuances and taste profiles are primitive and raw. As they age, they tell a different story: balance and harmony overtake showiness. It is as though everything positive are bound together into perfection. It has a certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi".....

In today's offers, are a collection of well-drinking and remarkable Burgundy from famous producers and communes. I am consolidating two different offers (Part 1 and 2), and today's offers will include mostly Village and Premier Crus, plus a Faiveley collection. Also, today's offers include a combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while Part 2 will feature only Pinot Noir, made up of mostly Grand Crus. Even though the whole Burgundy two part collection, come from different sellers, they have one thing in common: All these bottles have been stored here at Wine Bond with traceable provenance, and provenance will be the last thing you need to worry about. Vintages span from the late 90s to 2000s, or if you like a "younger" presentation, there are some 2014 and 15s. Part 2 drops soon!........RS

 

28/7/2023: Friday Spot Offers: Rare Whisky | Karuizawa and Macallan

The rarest Whiskies can only be found, if you put your heart and mind into it. Just step into some obscure bottle shop in Scotland and you will know what I mean. When friends were buying back old scotch bottles from the 80s and 90s, direct from Scotland, I was hooked. This was back in late 2000s. Years later, I was sipping IB's with Andrew and Scott Laing (from Hunter Laing) in Singapore. Btw, Hunter Laing also bottle some mean "Kill Devil" rums.

If you are into old bottles, then you must have a copy of Emmanuel Dron's "Collecting Scotch Whisky Volume 1" (I can't wait to see his Volume 2). Those old bottling (in this pictorial book) are as rare as it gets. Trying to find, let's say, half of what you see in the book, is "Mission Impossible". It is the same for old Japanese Whisky, like the "Suntory Old Whisky Bird Bottles" from the eighties. I bet there are some bottles stored somewhere in someone's home in Japan, or in a bottle shop, in a small town somewhere in Hokkaido.

Whisky prices had been crazy over the last decade, let's not deny that. In fact, I bet if anyone were bidding on Whisky Auctioneer or Scotch Whisky Auctions from 2015 to 16, just look at all your archived emails to see the bids submitted before vs bid prices today. Shocking.....

It is amazing to see how more of our collectors here started collecting Whisky or other distilled spirits. It is the reason why Marketplace has a place for every bottle. Just take today's spot offers as example: these rare Karuizawa and Macallan from a single collector is one of the biggest Whisky offer we have to date. These bottles do not appear easily so don't miss them. Have a great Friday!......RS

 

20/7/2023: Kistler and Pahlmeyer Chardonnay | California Dreaming

I am always intrigued when someone blinds me a New-world wine that taste like an Old-world; Fact is there is no real way of identifying a blind bottle, to tell if it is new or old world. Grape varietals yes, based on the nose and palate characters, and/or colour, but even as wines age, they can present nuances differently. Sometimes, I do wish for a handbook that taught us ways to tell them apart. This handbook probably will need a large wine community of connoisseurs to contribute their experience for its content. Anyone wanna start a new project?

Talking about New-World wines, Kistler is the only wine which I was "curve-ball" not once, but twice. And as you guessed it, I wildly guessed Burgundy twice for both times (different vintages and vineyard though). The other wine which I made the same mistake was in fact the Evening Land La Source Pinot Noir (I owe Raj Parr an apology). Thankfully, the previous wine company that I worked for, were also the distributor for Kistler and I had chances to taste more Kistlers over the years. These included hosting of a couple of trade tastings and dinners with the late Mark Bixler (one of the founders with Steve Kistler). You see, there is a certain style to Kistler, distinct in the wines from the different vineyards. François Frères' barrels are used exclusively, and there is this dedication to an "old-school" style of Burgundian richness they wanted in a Kistler. From the vineyards, they worked only with the Wente Clones of Chardonnay brought to California from the 60s, and it is rumored that the clone is derived from cutting of Louis Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne. How can one understand the taste profile of Kistler? You will probably need to buy some bottles in today's offer to blind-taste it side by side with let's say: another  Corton Charlemagne.

Today's offers are all about Chardonnays, and the second producer featured today is none other than Pahlmeyer. This producer should be no stranger to many Californian wine collectors. I had the pleasure to meet and host Jayson Pahlmeyer a few times, and subsequently with Cleo (his daughter) twice. Pahlmeyer Chardonnays are all about consistency especially their Napa Valley Chardonnay. They work with old Wente and Dijon clones, studied and experimented from at least 10 to 15  different numbered clones. To read and learn about these clones, "read this article by Wine Enthusiast",  an informative article written by WE.

The previous winemakers of Pahlmeyer included: Randy Dunn, Bob Levy, Helen Turley, Erin Green, Kale Anderson, and I was fortunate to have experienced wines made by all of them. My last encounter was in fact, a 2004 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay that drank perfectly with honeyed notes. If we line up the Kistler Chardonnays side by side against Pahlmeyer's Chardonnay, I think this will be a very tough fight....like Ali v Tyson!

 

18/7/2023: David Leclapart x George Laval | Superstar Duo

Three hectares, twenty two parcels, one vintage from one vineyard. This is the work of David Léclapart, Aging his Champagnes in partial used oak and using very low to zero dosage, this Récoltant-Manipulant harnesses the chalky soil in Trépail to make elegant and expressive Champagnes. Only the real Champagne Connoisseurs whom had tasted his cuvees know how impressive and savory they are. Production is just slightly more than 10,000 bottles annually. If you are a Grower Champagne lover, follow the superstar Leclapart.

 

13/7/2023: A Small Assortment on Offer | Reposts for Italy and Spain Wines

We don't get overwhelming long list of wine postings by sellers every time. Sometimes just a few cuvees will suffice, while these are worthy of being owned by every serious collector.....

Wine is special, it has a lifespan that is unexpected; sometimes long, sometimes short (which can be due to various factors). I am sure we had been disappointed (some time) opening bottles that are past its prime. In fact, I think we expect a lot from our own wines. When was the last time we "tested the limit" of an old vintage bottle? That 64 Barolo Riserva, or the 74 Grands Echezeaux? Is it drinking well, still? How long did it last after it was opened? Questions like these are common. We read critics whom publish wines' drinking window...."5 to 8 years, 10 to 15 years, two decades and more"....but really, I think we are the ones whom try to determine the wine's drinkability. Needless to say, on good vintages, these wines go the extra mile. Give this a serious thought: Do you know how long more your bottles will drink? This is not a "Survivor Game" of outwit, outplay and certainly not Outlast!

Today, we have a small assortment, actually just four new wine offers, but each wine to me, is a special wine. Domaine Leflaive makes an impressive village Puligny Montrachet in 2011. In fact, as beautiful as the 2010 or the 2012. I think after a decade plus, this village is going to be an ACE. Same with the 2005 Drouhin Chambolle Les Baudes which is making a re-appearance. This is probably the most popular wine offer in the last three months and I guess, connoisseurs know a special one when they see (or taste) one. The 1996 La Miss is a wine that had created split opinions for La Miss collectors and wine critics. It is a love-hate relationship but don't overlook the 96 today, for what it has become. Last but not least, the 2007 Gauby Muntada is the only wine you need to bring to a blind tasting: Pre-phylloxera vines, that are 80-100 year old, what else can one ask for? Included in today's list are some reposts of Italian and Spanish wines. If you missed it the last time, don't miss them this month.......RS

 

11/7/2023: Rhones .. Champagnes .. and more | A Collection Re-emerges

Did you miss any of the Bordeaux or Burgundy from last week's repostings? Some are still available while a couple of wines are already sold out, so don't miss them if you are scrolling through marketplace. At the same time, don't miss these today.

These Rhones, Champagnes (and others) re-emerges this month. These will be staying on marketplace for a while. Some will be available in very limited quantities. For e.g: today's 2000 Dom Perignon P2, 2009 Cristal, 2003 Charvin CDP MAGNUM, are cuvees you should not miss.

Later this week, a reposted list of Italian and Spanish wines, will appear with new prices that many may find inviting.  While some of our members are still waiting for new postings, I expect most sellers will only post them next month (It could be due to the revision from variable to fixed commission starting August). Nevertheless, there will be a small parcel of new listings on Thursday's mailer, then I am also trying to procure some Champagnes and Californian for this month. Maybe it will need some magic for new wine listings to appear for July...or maybe I should just try and say "Beetlejuice" thrice......three weeks to go.......RS

 

6/7/2023: Burgundy and Bordeaux Offers | Don't miss them this time

Over the last three months, many collectors at Wine Bond, have been requesting for valuations of their fine wines that are in storage here.  While many are surprised to see their wine valuations lowered (as compared to valuations done early this year, for the same wine/s), this did not come as a surprise to me. Reasons like the exchange rate (SGD is strong) or the drop in demand for fine / blue-chip wines, I think globally, the market is adjusting its prices of fine wines. After all, that gain in price momentum started almost four years ago and it has to peak someday. Or maybe, it is time these prices stabilize for a while, at least until September this year, before prices decide to go up again towards the end of the year for the festives. These are the days which I term them as "Buyer's market", as there are some great deals to look into, whether from overseas or from Wine Bond marketplace.

I am thankful for the understanding of many collectors here, when I explained to them about the drop in prices, while doing the valuation of their fine wines. Many understand the global wine market's price adjustment now, while some whom accepted this price adjustment, are still willing to continue listing their wines for sale on our platform.

Today's offers are just some re-listings of fine wines from a single collector, whom had listed his Bordeaux and Burgundy collection back in December last year, and March this year. While some of the wines from previous months remained available today, the prices had been reasonable adjusted (lower) for our Wine Bond members. Prices are all nett and duty paid, great deals not to be missed. As usual, if you need help to book any of the bottles, I am always available via whatsapp. Remember, this "Buyer's Market" may not last long..........RS

 

4/7/2023: July Starts with White Burgundy | Leflaive . Coche Dury . PYCM

Wow, July already? Indeed and half of 2023 are behind us. With marketplace actively running for more than two years, we will be implementing new changes for marketplace. The first one being seller's commission starting August 2023. For our regular sellers whom are always in conversations with me, you'd probably heard about this new scheme, which will inevitably happen this year.

Yes, the new marketplace seller's commission scheme will fix at a standard 8% (regardless of your monthly sales amount), implementation will start 2023 August. What does this mean for the sellers? It means that all our sellers do not need to rush and put in the listing every beginning of the month (in order to get the full one month exposure). If you sell a $30 or $15000 bottle, commission will remain as 8% and not fluctuate according to the sold amount. Closing of marketplace sales remain end of every month, so that the commission and breakdown of sales, can flow into your monthly storage invoice monthly.

While this change affect sellers, for buyers there is no change and we are not implementing any buyer's commission yet. I do foresee that buyers will probably get more wines to choose from (starting August) as listings will remain longer on marketplace. Nevertheless, wines from sellers on marketplace has always remain anonymous, with proper checks on provenance by Wine Bond. If you hadn't notice, some of the prices are so competitive, it makes perfect sense to buy on marketplace, rather than buy from overseas; without knowing about the bottles' provenance or the conditions that accompany it. Also, you may end up paying more if you factor in the shipment, insurance, duties, gst, etc. Bear in mind that all our offers remain exclusive for members till today.

Onto our first July offers. A small Burgundy parcel to kick-start July, some highly sought-after Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc and Puligny Montrachet, then two Premier Crus from Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, followed by a Coche Dury Bourgogne Blanc. The same seller whom had listed these whites, also listed another two Pommards by Michel Gaunoux and Laurent Pillot (back vintages of 2006 and 2010). These two Pommard producers I know them personally and had visited them multiple times over the last decade, their wines are simply irresistible, so don't miss!

Have a great start to July..........RS