Iron Gate Auctions
Timed Auction

Iron Gate Fine Wine Auction

Tue, Jun 17, 2025 10:00AM EDT - Tue, Jun 24, 2025 08:00PM EDT
  2025-06-17 10:00:00 2025-06-24 20:00:00 America/New_York Iron Gate Iron Gate : Iron Gate Fine Wine Auction https://bid.irongateauctions.com/auctions/iron-gate-wine/iron-gate-fine-wine-auction-17827
Iron Gate is pleased to present the final auction of the first half of 2025, a selection of 983 lots from Canadian consignors. June’s catalogue offers an impressive range of bottles, including nearly 100 large formats—perfect for summer celebrations. Whether you're looking to expand your collection with iconic Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Tuscans, this is the perfect opportunity to top up your cellar. **Please note: A Buyer's premium of 17.5% is applicable to this sale. ** Operated under license by Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis and Alberta Auction license # #815046.
Iron Gate Auctions info@irongate.wine
  • 750ml
  • France
  • Bordeaux
  • Medoc
  • Margaux
  • Bordeaux Red Blend
  • Red
  • Verticals, Mixed Lots, First Growth
Timed Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot
Lot 90

Vertical Chateau Margaux 1988-1990 - 3 bottle(s)-750ml

Estimate: CAD$2,500 - CAD$3,600
Current Bid
CAD$1,800
$1,313.87

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
CAD$0 CAD$20
CAD$500 CAD$50
CAD$1,000 CAD$100
CAD$2,000 CAD$200
CAD$3,000 CAD$250
CAD$5,000 CAD$500
CAD$10,000 CAD$1,000
CAD$20,000 CAD$2,000
CAD$50,000 CAD$5,000
CAD$100,000 CAD$10,000
This lot is comprised of 3 bottle(s) of Vertical Chateau Margaux 1988-1990 - 750ml. Estimate for this lot is between $2500 - $3600 with a reserve of $1800. The wine in this lot belongs to collection 11640. In this lot 1 bottle of 1988 Chateau Margaux (750ml), 1 bottle of 1989 Chateau Margaux (750ml), 1 bottle of 1990 Chateau Margaux (750ml).

Condition

Please note the following bottle conditions in this lot - Base Of Neck on 1989 Chateau Margaux, Base Of Neck on 1990 Chateau Margaux.

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All lots are located in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Confirmation of pickup or delivery of Iron Gate Commercial Auction winnings must be made within 60 days of auction close. Thereafter, your winnings will be subject to storage fees, including a $75 setup, subsequent $5.00/case/month and $1.25 per bottle fee for inventory services. If no contact has been made within two years, auction winnings will be considered abandoned.

 

It is the responsibility of the buyer to make all arrangements for insuring, packing and removing the property purchased and any assistance by the Auctioneer, or the employees of, agents or contractors in packing and removal shall be rendered as a courtesy and without any liability to them. The Auctioneer shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or damage caused by packers and shippers, notwithstanding the fact that the Auctioneer may have recommended such shippers or packers to the purchaser.

His interest in wine was first sparked by his older brother’s passion for French wines, leading him to join the Opimian Society and begin expanding his own knowledge. While working full-time in Vancouver, he took a weekend job at a retail wine store, where his understanding of wine deepened. A defining moment came with the release of the 1990 Château Margaux—an extraordinary wine that left a lasting impression and solidified his love for Bordeaux. After relocating to Calgary, he invested in a 400-bottle wine fridge and began thoughtfully building his collection through purchases from local retailers, LCBO, and the SAQ, with one exception via a Bordeaux futures offering. With shifting priorities, a declining palate, and a desire to see his wines enjoyed by fellow enthusiasts, he has decided to offer a portion of his collection for sale.
1988 Chateau Margaux has following scores - Wine Spectator 95. 1988 Chateau Margaux has the score of 93 from Robert Parker and the tasting note -The 1988 Chateau Margaux is a wine that was always overshadowed by the succeeding pair of vintages and like many 1988s, appeared rather conservative and lacked flair. However, I was gobsmacked by the performance of this wine at 28 years of age. Deep and clean in color, the bouquet is quintessentially Chateau Margaux with blackberry, potpourri, cedar and violets. It has wonderful clarity. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh as a daisy on the entry with a killer line of acidity that offsets those vibrant black and red fruits. There is energy here, vivacity, as if this Château Margaux suddenly realized its true potential after all these years. While it does not possess the length of the 1989 or 1990, there is such pleasure bound into this wine that you care little about that. Maybe I underestimated this wine for many years or perhaps it is a simple case of a late bloomer. While the 1988 might not belong in the top echelons of releases from this First Growth, it might be considered the undiscovered gem of that prosperous decade for the chateau. 1989 Chateau Margaux has following scores - Wine Spectator 97, Decanter 97. 1989 Chateau Margaux has the score of 90 from Robert Parker and the tasting note -Dwarfed by its younger sibling, the 1990, the 1989 Chateau Margaux has a dark plum/garnet color and a big, sweet nose of new saddle leather, toasty oak, and weedy black cherry and cassis fruit. The wine is medium-bodied, with relatively elevated tannins, outstanding concentration and purity, but a somewhat clipped as well as compressed finish. This certainly outstanding wine has put on a bit of weight in its evolution in the bottle, but it is hardly one of the most profound efforts from Chateau Margaux. 1990 Chateau Margaux has following scores - The Wine Advocate 100, Falstaff Magazine 100. 1990 Chateau Margaux has the score of 100 from Robert Parker and the tasting note -The 1990 Château Margaux is really beginning to hit its stride at age 31, soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries and cassis mingled with notions of licorice, cedar and violets, framed by subtle hints of vanilla and spice. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it's seamless and complete, its velvety tannins and ripe acids entirely cloaked in a lavish but vibrant core of fruit. This is an especially dramatic, fleshy rendition of Margaux, yet it remains impeccably balanced and has decades of longevity ahead of it.