#1: They were small lots, but look at their prices! At RMG Auctions in Melbourne on 20th of September, three vertical sets of eight single bottles of Giaconda Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from 1990-1997 sold for $139, $160 and $214 per bottle respectively. Sure, the chardonnays were indeed signed by maker Rick Kinzbrunner, but those prices are simply insane. But as someone who has been recommending Giaconda since 1987, I guess I take some of the blame! #2: Then came the Great Wine Estates of WA auction at Cape Mentelle, which saw bottles of Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon from 1973 and 1975 fetching $440 per bottle, Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay 1995 collecting $121 and Cape Mentelle’s 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon scoring $105. A barrel of Cullens’ 1998 Cabernet Merlot fetched an astonishing $33,211, which equates to around $110 per bottle!! #3: Finally, at Oddbins in Adelaide a complete set of Grange, most of which were signed by Max Schubert, collected $123,200, which includes a buyer’s premium of 10%. So another set of Australia’s most prestigious wine will never be drunk. Why else did Max Schubert make them??
