auction Tag

The Bordeaux Report

Mar 23 2018

As En Primeur begins, we look at how Bordeaux is maintaining its grip on the wine world. By Tom Hyland and Wine-Searcher Staff | Posted Friday, 23-Mar-2018 Bordeaux isn't getting any more affordable, nor is it likely to; but there are some bargains to be had by canny collectors, according to the people who make it and those who sell it. As Bordeaux prepares for the En Primeur season, it's a good time to take stock of where this pre-eminent region sits in relation to the wine industry and the future. Our contributor Tom Hyland interviewed some of the region's top producers, while Wine-Searcher staff spoke to merchants around the world to get a feel for how both sides see Bordeaux's prospects. At a tasting in Chicago, representatives from more than 90 different Bordeaux estates poured their wines – white, red and sweet – from the 2015 vintage. The tasting featured producers of the...

Boom Times for Austrian Wine

Mar 22 2018

aut1-10006531

An unheralded wine-producing region is enjoying the fruits of its labors – and the spotlight. By Natalie Sellers | Posted Friday, 16-Mar-2018 With a booming worldwide wine trade, it can be tough to pick the next big thing – but the central European country of Austria might just be it. Despite a small 2016 vintage, which reduced Austria's normal export volume by 3.3 percent to 46.8 million liters, the quality continued to be markedly high, leading to Austria's greatest export year for wine. A total increase of 7.4 percent was reported by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, translating to a record total of €158.6 million ($195m), the first time Austria has made it past €150m. Austrian wine exports rose rapidly from the end of the 1990s, but hit a plateau in 2004. Three years later, another steep rise saw exports almost double by 2013. Growth halted then for another three years, but looks to be...

Video: A unique feature on AFC Wimbledon’s remarkable story

Mar 07 2018

Take a look at a short film by international broadcasters about your club. Sports broadcasters DAZN spent time with AFC Wimbledon recently to produce a short film on the club and it's well worth seven minutes of your time! The mini-documentary about the rise of the club wasn't previously available to viewers in this country, so we're very grateful to the video-on-demand and streaming sports service for releasing the content for an exclusive look to viewers in the UK. You may even catch a glimpse of yourself in this fascinating snapshot of the Dons, with cameras taking in a typical match day around The Cherry Red Records Stadium. The feature includes interviews with Erik Samuelson, Barry Fuller and Harry Forrester. DAZN also talked to Mat Haylock, Kevin Rye and Rob Cornell. We would like to thank Marco Gundel and Martin Hanebeck from DAZN for their help in making the video available to AFC Wimbledon supporters. Click on the link below to...

Why Bother Rating the First Growths?

Mar 07 2018

Boredom_Image1-10006508

By Oliver Styles | Posted Monday, 05-Mar-2018 Even vintage variation can't sway critics from giving surprisingly consistent scores for big-name wines. If you find yourself regularly watching downhill skiing on the television you will, after a few races, understand that you are only watching it for two reasons. Firstly, like most sports, you want to see your country – or your hero – win. Secondly, and quite disturbingly, will come the inescapable realisation that you're waiting for someone to crash. Watching jumpsuit-clad men and women hurtle down a slope registering times that are only tenths and hundredths of a second apart, with no major errors on the way down, is athletically marvellous but, unfortunately, reasonably dull. Watching one or more of them lose an edge on a turn, or get their balance wrong on a jump, is exciting. It's exciting for the wrong reasons – like I imagine watching a gladiator fight would...

10 Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About La Mission Haut-Brion

Jan 18 2018

La-Mission-Haut-Brion-10002852-1372210039

This Bordeaux estate has been producing wines fit for royalty for nearly 475 years No. 1: A matter of destiny: In 1983, Château La Mission Haut-Brion became the property of Domaine Clarence Dillon – already the owners of neighboring estate Château Haut-Brion. The history of the properties shows that they were first linked right back in 1540, when Bordeaux merchant Arnaud de Lestonnac bought a parcel of land in Pessac – known as the Arregedhuys plot – that would one day form the basis of La Mission Haut-Brion. In the same year, de Lestonnac married Marie, sister of Jean de Pontac, the first significant owner of Château Haut-Brion, who had arrived there just seven years earlier. The marriage meant that the two men became brothers-in-law, and the estates became friendly rivals – although it would take almost 450 years for them to be officially joined. No. 2: Aristocratic buyout: For the formal signing of the 1983 purchase...

Club News: Neal proud of his team and the support from ‘incredible’ fans

Jan 08 2018

wembley crowd

Neal Ardley praised Wimbledon's battling performance after his side threatened to deny Premier League Spurs at Wembley today. It needed a double from Harry Kane to finally swing it Tottenham's way and the 7,700 Dons in the famous stadium clapped their team off at the end, despite a 3-0 defeat. Speaking during his post-match interview for iFollow, Neal said: "When you play against these teams it is very hard to get out and get some territorial advantage. We thought our best chances would be from set-pieces and we had to play quickly because they press so well. We did our best. They put out a strong team, but we frustrated them. We also had a good moment of our own through Jimmy Abdou. That was a great moment. It was always going to be hard to get into their box too often and Lyle was good when we did. It was a...

Château Haut-Bailly owner Bob Wilmers dies

Dec 19 2017

bob-wilmers-juppe

Robert G Wilmers, known widely as Bob Wilmers, died at his home in Buffalo, New York State, on Saturday night. He was aged 83. Owner of Château Haut-Bailly in Pessac-Léognan since 1998, and neighbouring Château le Pape since 2012, Wilmers was also the long-term CEO of M&T bank in Buffalo that he grew into one of the biggest financial institutions in the United States, all while retaining his image as a careful, risk-averse steward. Investor Warren Buffet said of him when learning of his death, ‘he was a remarkable banker, an even more remarkable citizen and wonderful friend’. In Bordeaux, he will be remembered for elevating Château Haut-Bailly into one of the very top estates of the region, investing in both vineyard and cellar and giving full trust to the considerable talents of director Véronique Sanders. ‘Bob arrived at Haut-Bailly extremely discreetly,’ Olivier Bernard, president of the union for Bordeaux grands crus (UGC), told...

Join us at the Wigan game for an extra special occasion

Dec 14 2017

afcwigan

Celebrate the fantastic news that Wimbledon are coming home by helping to create a cracking atmosphere for the match against Wigan this Saturday at 3 pm. We would love to hear the famous chant of 'Show me the way to Plough Lane' at full volume as the Dons aim to upset League One leaders Wigan Athletic. A key moment in AFC Wimbledon's history was written on Wednesday 13 December when the section 106 agreement was signed, paving the way for a move back to Plough Lane. The game will be a great opportunity for you to collect a very special match day programme, and more of your support would be really appreciated to cheer on Neal's boys. AFC Wimbledon's first ever captain Joe Sheerin and Leader of Merton Council, Stephen Alambritis, will join us as guests of honour at the match. They will be presented in the hospitality restaurant before the game, as well as at the...

Bitcoin in a Bottle – The Investment Wines

Dec 14 2017

Bitcoin_Image1-10006403

We look at which wines have provided the best returns over the past five years and find some surprises. By Don Kavanagh | Posted Saturday, 09-Dec-2017 It's a hoary old story, so often repeated that it has almost become an urban myth – if you had invested $100 in Bitcoin in 2011, you'd be a millionaire today. Of course, there would have been some fairly hair-raising ups and downs along the way, but if you had invested your $100 in the cryptocurrency you could have realised your investment on November 29 at a tidy $3,773,758.93. Of all the investment options, Bitcoin is the only one that has seriously challenged wine for returns in the past five years or so. Wine had better returns than real estate, gold and stocks last year and the top end appreciates at dizzying speed. Take a look at the big names of Burgundy – DRC, Leroy, Jayer and the rest...

Tickets: Buy now for Wimbledon’s Wembley return against Spurs

Dec 12 2017

wembleydons

Tickets are now available to buy online for our Emirates FA Cup third round tie against Tottenham Hotspur, to be played at Wembley stadium on Sunday 7 January (kick off 3.00 pm). We will make a further announcement when we receive the tickets, which will mean that supporters can buy them in person from the office. Prices are £10 for adults and £5 for fans aged 65 and over and for under 18s. We have been allocated 7,700 seats and Spurs are unable to increase this number however quickly we may sell out. We expect demand to be very high and so Season ticket holders, Dons Trust members and PLC shareholders may buy two tickets each. They will have priority until 10.00 am on Monday 18 December. After a brief break (explained below), any unsold tickets will go on general sale from 10.00 am on Tuesday 19 December. Purchases may be made online or by visiting...