For The Love Of Port

Not just for the elite:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20 ... /101119661

I don't know. The article seemed a bit empty to me given the title. It described a little bit about how the auctions are more accessible, but not how they aren't just for the elite. I agree with the title, but explain why with more than just a passing sentence or two.

I don't know Dan Berger, but I found the article a bit pointless. I wasn't really sure what he was trying to achieve inhis 3 pages.

The article isn't published on a wine website so needs to be what it is, a high-level description of how the auction market has evolved. If this had been published exclusively for a serious wine-buying audience I would agree with the above criticism. But it wasn't, so I don't

The very simple message that I take from the article {directed at novice wine-buyers} is "don't rule out buying from an auction, but be wary about what you buy from the charity type and be prepared to lose out to the big boys at the old established auctions". Not bad advice really.

Well put Derek. Although Dan has (or had ... haven't judged with him in recent years) a pretty fine palate, his audience is the mainstream masses who are buying box wine on occasion and a v. special bottle is $20-25 at best. We think nothing of dropping $30+ on bottles of wine and Port but I'd bet less than 10% of wine sold in the USA (by volume) in a given year is over that price point and it is more likely even less than 5%.