Hello...I have been asked by a relative to sell a bottle of rare wine. It is a Chateau Rauzan-Gassies Margaux 1952. It has been stored in a cellar and rotated periodically. As far as I can see, there is no separation of color. The bottle and labels are in very good shape. Foil intact.
2000 bottles of the same wine is currently up for sale on EBAY where it has been fetching $35 to 49 (actual bid). A UK seller was selling a 1955 'bottle with contents' for $160. And I have seen online wine merchants (in Germany) with the 1952 for $300-400.
I am looking for at least $200. How does one go about selling this bottle?
Unfortunately 1952 is a poor year. (Unfortunately because it is my birth year.) You might get $50 from a gullible buyer. What do you mean by separation of colour?
Thanks for the two responses so far. Michael, you are a useless prig who does not deserve to be assaulting these pages with your boorish arrogant responses. In looking over this newsgroup, which I am on for my first time, I see that many people are here to provide help to others. Michael, you fall far short...typing in nonsense that is immature and non-helpful...do you like to hear yourself talk? You have added nothing, and I suspect you are similarly a waste of space in your personal and professional lives.
Ron, thanks for your more helpful comments. As my questions indicate, I do not know much about this wine, or fine wines in general, and was seeking help. I think you have answered my question.
"Mdd" wrote quite a bit of nonsense in stating.....
And then got upset when a respected contributor suggested that he didn't know much about the subject of wine.
Mdd, instead of insulting anyone who responds to your quite ludicrous statements, perhaps you should get off your high horse (all Americans ride horses, right) - and do a little research for yourself.
Google is you friend!
So, here is a little information for you.
Ch. Rauzan-Gassies was classified as a Second Growth in the Bordeaux Classification of 1855, however, it has been a regular underachiever through much of the last century; only in recent years rising to a level befitting its ranking.
Furthermore, the wines tend to reach maturity at a relatively early age, and are often near their peak just a decade after the vintage: only in the best years do these wines have any sort of longevity.
The 1952 vintage was good; not very good, and certainly not one of the best.
Thus, even the most optimistic pundit would advise that this wine is showing it age, and is more than likely, well past its best.
However, it will have a value, but only to a very small number of people - you have other problems: you have one bottle and you are in the US where you are subject to some pretty archaic laws in respect to selling alcoholic beverages, depending on which state you reside.
Further, I do believe that you have significantly overvalued this wine.
Then we have another problem - YOU!
Your statements that "the wine has been rotated periodically" [as if this is desirable or beneficial] - and the even more ludicrous "there is no separation of color" [what is this bullshit!] indicate that you know 2/5 of
5/8 of diddly squat about wine.
No-one in their right mind would purchase this, or any wine from you - you lack any sort of credibility.
I shall make one further observation.
I know that you are in the US - I am in New Zealand; Ron is in Australia and Michael is in Austria - and we are the only three to respond to your post thus far.
I have "known" Michael for many years [through this forum] and he is a most knowledgeable contributor: and like me, cannot abide fools.
You Sir have come barging in, rip, shit and bust, displaying nothing but a rudimentary knowledge of wine, then choose to insult someone who treat your statements with the contempt they deserve.
Get back on your high horse, head off into the sunset with your bottle of R-G in your saddlebag - and go find some bloody manners !!!!!
Rauzan-Gassies is a pretty decent 2nd growth Bordeaux. As I stated , '52 is a poor year and the wine is almost certainly well past it. As an indication the following link
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gives prices for other vintages. Note the price for the '61. This was an outstanding vintage. Old wines don't have "colour separation". They do tend towards browning, but this may be difficult to see through the bottle. Is this what you meant?
"As my questions indicate, I do not know much about this wine, or fine wines in general, and was seeking help. "
Agreed. Original poster did qualify that he knew less than 2/5 of 1/2 of .... about wines. Hope I don't get char broiled in the future if I ask a question that some seem to feel is troolish or ignorant in nature. Happy that Ron responded in a even- keeled manner.
"Larry" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...
... He didn't say that in the original post... ... Secondly, the original post said "It has been stored in a cellar and rotated periodically. As far as I can see, there is no separation of color. The bottle and labels are in very good shape. Foil intact."
The statement "rotated periodically" is bullshit according to those in the know
"separation of color" is a non standard term and thus meaningless unless explained.
Both were put forth with a seeming pretension of being knowledgeable. However, there is always the possibility that the O.P. merely passed on received descriptions and therefore the responses from our old hands Michael Pronay and lord St. Helier were a little bit on the harsh side, imho.
Actually Michael has given you good advice. This will not likely be an easy bottle to sell.
Is your name Mark? Then why is your mail "from" Annie Flogaus? It so happens that I am acquainted with Ms. Flogaus. I can't imagine she would be delighted at your using her name here or anywhere else.
Believe me, this group is a dream compared to others, such as rec.travel.cruises--
I was lurking there the other day when a lady posted a message that said that when she re-boarded the ship from a stop, her purchases that she made from the port of call was sent through the security scanner never to be seen again. She had purchased quite a few items for her new home, and "poof" they were gone. Security agents couldn't, wouldn't (whatever) locate her package, and she was asking the question of that newsgroup as to whether or not she could effectively make a claim against the cruise line.
Well, the thread quickly turned into a rant about how terrorists could get by security and how they could possibly board ships, etc.
I can't tell you how many newsgroups are filled with boneheads that just must not have any sort of life.
The lady, who was heartbroken about losing her belongings, never got her question answered, a very simple yes or no would have done, possibly with a small dose of advice to help her. When I made mention of how OT the thread had become (the thread had gone OT the third reply, and was over 30 threads long) I was quickly and summarily flamed. So, RTC, has been quickly killfiled.
le/on 2 Jan 2005 07:34:44 GMT, tu disais/you said:-
Thanks very much indeed. I have to say that it's a pleasure to be back, and even more of a pleasure to be able to resume my old posting methods.
By the way, you may be able to tell me.
I got some Brunello di Montalcino
Collemattoni 1998 Canalicchio di Sopra '99 Canalicchio di Sopra '97 Riserva and Talenti Pian de Conte '97 Riserva
for Christmas from a generous friend, and was wondering what you felt were the ideal ages for them to become really ready to drink. I know that the Sangiovese is as dense and tannic in B di M as it gets, but that the wines spend some time in wood before bottling. So any help you (or anyone else, for that matter) can give would be most welcome.
The only Brunello I have followed over the very long term is Lisini 1975
- I had a case of both the regular and riserva. The regular peaked a long time ago and was declined more than I like many years ago. The riserva was much more slow to develop, peaked many years ago, but was still holding well last year. a few of the old Biondi-Santi Brunelos from the mid 1940s back to the early 1900s have been reported to still drink very well, but cost a fortune in the unlikely event you can still find them at auction. Modern Biondi-Santi Brunellos have not impressed me much except for their price, and I have seen mention of that by others here also.
My mailbox is always full to avoid spam. To contact me, erase snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net from my email address. Then add snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com . I do not check this box every day, so post if you need a quick response.
Apart from 1888, 1891, and 1925 there haven't been much bottlings up to 1945 - only three or four more. I don't think that there is much left - except for what Biondi Santi have in their museum.
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