Oenophile

How to Bid $50 on a ‘66 Mondavi

Mondavi bottles
Mondavi bottles Photo: NaoTakem via Flickr

Spectrum, a new kid to the auction house block, will debut on November 21st with a huge sale of great wines from the collection of Aubrey McClendon. McClendon, one of the country’s highest paid CEOs (of Chesapeake Energy), is also considered one of its biggest collectors of fine wines. 5,500 bottles will go on sale at the event in 686 lots —3900 of those from McClendon’s collection which is heavy on Bordeaux, Burgundy, and California wines—valued at $3 million.

To make the pursuit of rare vintage bargains easier, Spectrum has introduced a single estimate on each lot, rather than the typical wide range of prices. A 1966 Mondavi, their first vintage, is estimated at an enticing $50, while twelve bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild 2005 will start at $9,500. They are also touting 360-degree photos of the lots, which is great for anyone who wants to use Spectrum’s site for learning about rare and treasured vintages but only has couch change for a bottle of Night Train. Spectrum’s wine auction begins this Saturday at 5:00PM at the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point. Full details are on Spectrum’s website.

How to Bid $50 on a ‘66 Mondavi