Interested in Maximizing Your Wine Cellar’s Potential? Start Here.
For those of you who are wine collectors, whether serious or brand new to the art of collecting, we are here to help you make the most of your cellar. K&L Auctions is one of the most user-friendly and dynamic places to sell, reshape, and add to your collection. We offer market-low fees, up-to-the-minute online inventory, motivated customers from around the world, and a team of passionate experts to assist you in achieving maximum success. While we have our teams at the ready to talk you through current trends ([email protected]), we also wanted to share a snapshot of where the auction market stands this summer.
The past few years have brought us one economic variable after another that have sent the wine markets in every direction. Thankfully, we’re continuing to see encouraging trends that indicate that auction demand is as robust as ever, and the K&L Auction website continues to outperform its competitors. As inflation cools, we’re starting to see things regulating in the post-pandemic years. That said, many wines continue to sell at the same prices as they did at their highest point in 2022, indicating that there’s still a deep pool of buyers who are engaging at a high level with our lots.
Typically, most auction lots on K&L’s site draw six bidders each and sell for 20-25% above the reserve price. Auction starting prices are carefully considered by our experienced team members, and set at a level to entice bidders and create a competitive bidding atmosphere, which ultimately decides the final price. When you provide us with a list of wines you wish to sell, the K&L Old & Rare team reviews recent auction and historical pricing data to set an expected sale price for your wine. We then share this estimate with you, giving you a real-time understanding of your wine's potential market performance.
At the heart of it, we’re all invested in trying to see your lots succeed at the highest level. For some, that means tuning in to the categories with the most demand. While our average lots sell for more than 25% above reserve, many land higher when demand for the wine exceeds initial projections. It helps to have an expert by your side who understands the market.
For example: one significant category that's surpassing expectations is Champagne. These lots have been selling for 25-30% over reserve or even more, with an average of eight to ten people watching or bidding on the lots. Wines from the Rhône Valley are following a similar trend, attracting more attention than usual. While small-production Rhône and Burgundy wines experienced notable price inflation in the past three years, we're not seeing the same intense price pressure recently as trends have leveled off. This is excellent news for both collectors and sellers of these wines, who can now trade these rare bottles at reasonable and stable prices.
Interested in learning more about your wine and its potential at K&L? We're glad to offer free estimates and consultations. Plus, if you choose to sell your wine at auction and use the proceeds to purchase wines from our retail listings, we won't charge any commission. You'll only need to pay an $8 listing fee per lot. Email us at [email protected] today with your inventory, and we'll gladly provide a personalized analysis at no cost to you. We’ve been in the wine business for nearly 50 years, and are passionate collectors ourselves. We look forward to helping you thrive on your journey to maximize your collection’s potential.