spectrum wine auction: corney & barrow respond…

Update 8.2.2012(7.2.2012)billn

It’s worth pointing out that Corney & Barrow – the UK agents for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – have taken the unusual step of publishing a press release this evening with regard to the Spectrum Wine Auction that happens tomorrow – you remember, the one with the dodgy label(s) on theoretically blue-chip DRC.

http://www.corneyandbarrow.com/images/assets/document/Vanquish-Spectrum%20Auction.pdf
[Archived]

It seems they can do nothing other than register their concern – but have taken the unusual step of fully crediting (and linking) the wineberserkers forum, in particular the critique (analysis) of Don Cornwell that I linked to on Sunday. It seems a shame that many of the (anticipated) Asian buyers might not get this message, though perhaps C&B are hoping to shame the company into retracting lots…

Also, I really have to ask, what are the ‘traditional media’ doing here? Their silence is deafening. Decanter usually lead on ‘news’ but their coverage has been an anodyne afterthought with no critique, indeed I should be critical and say it is actually puffing the dubious denials of the auctioneers. That wineberserkers (you can also read Don Cornwell into that) has been credited in a press release by wine-merchants to the Queen is actually one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in a long time; not amazing that C&B would issue a press release to distance themselves from this, but rather C&B actually crediting and linking to a web-forum in a PR that will overwhelmingly be distributed to ‘old media’ where it will (in large-part) not be read until after the sale (sigh…)

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There is one response to “spectrum wine auction: corney & barrow respond…”

  1. Roelof Ligtmans8th February 2012 at 11:25 amPermalinkReply

    Hi Bill, please explain: when looking at the picture of the DRC bottle, what exactly is dodgy about it? Wouldn’t want to buy the false stuff (once I’ve won the lottery).

    • billn8th February 2012 at 11:33 amPermalinkReply

      Hi Roelof – you may note the slip-label for Percy Fox – who were at the time agents for DRC in the UK. Their address was Sackville Street, not Sackvilee as spelled on this particular label…
      [Here…]

      • Roelof Ligtmans8th February 2012 at 5:21 pmPermalinkReply

        Thanks Bill,if you know that, it is obvious. I would never have thought that “the knowledge” is important to others than taxi drivers!

        • billn8th February 2012 at 7:28 pmPermalink

          You wouldn’t need the ‘knowledge’ Roelof – not if you were English; Sackvilee is no English word… 🙂

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