In auction language, a lot is the unit of sale — and one of the small pleasures of browsing a LANGTONS catalogue is the variety of forms a lot may take.
What a lot may contain
A lot may be:
- a single bottle — often the case for older or rarer wines
- multiple bottles of the same wine — for example, six bottles of a single vintage, sold together
- a mixed grouping — several different wines presented as a single lot, often where they share a common theme: a vertical of one producer, a horizontal of one vintage, or a curated selection from a single cellar
- a larger format, such as a magnum or jeroboam — generally offered as a single piece
Each lot is sold as listed and cannot be divided after sale. If you bid on a six-bottle lot, you are bidding on all six.
Bidding per bottle, or per lot
At LANGTONS, bids on multi-bottle lots are generally placed per bottle, with the total payable calculated by multiplying the bid by the number of bottles in the lot. Where a lot is offered on a different basis — for example, certain mixed lots, sets or non-standard formats — this will be made clear in the listing.
The lot page will always confirm:
- the number of bottles or units in the lot
- the basis on which bids are being placed (per bottle, per lot or otherwise)
- the estimate range
- the total payable at the current leading bid
A worked example
Consider a lot of six bottles of a single wine, with bids placed per bottle.
| Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bottles in the lot | 6 |
| Current leading bid (per bottle) | $80 |
| Hammer Price (if you win at $80) | $480 |
| Buyer's Premium (18% inc. GST) | $86.40 |
| Total purchase price | $566.40 |
Mixed lots
Mixed lots can be a particular pleasure — a chance to acquire several wines in a single purchase, often at considered value. Read each mixed lot description with care, as the bottles within may vary in vintage, condition and fill level. Where the lot description notes a condition concern for one bottle, it applies to that bottle within the lot.