A man sitting comfortably in a living room, holding a glass of red wine while contemplating different bottles of wine with auction lot numbers, inside a cozy room with a fireplace, flowers, and framed photos.

Buying wine with Steinfels

EXPLORE OUR CURRENT AUCTION
Watercolor illustration of four fish surrounding a bottle of Montrachet wine and a box labeled 'Steinfels' with the text 'Combining food with fine wine'. The fish are depicted with playful, humorous expressions. The caption reads, 'Aha!! That'll do the trick!'

The first step in bidding for wines at our auctions is to register as a bidder.

REGISTER AS A BIDDER

You will then be granted a credit line for your bids. We reserve the right to refuse bidders without giving a reason. Minors may not register as bidders.

Bidding online is the most convenient way of bidding. You may either participate in an auction as soon as it has started, or you may hand-in an absentee bid indicating the maximum price you are willing to pay.

The auction for a specific lot starts with the second-highest absentee bid. If no absentee bid has been received the starting price is usually 10% to 20% less than the lower estimate. The bids are then increased as follows:

  • Price Range                    Bidding Increment

    0 – 99 CHF                                          5 CHF

    100 – 199 CHF                                     10 CHF

    200 – 999 CHF                                     20 CHF

    1’000 – 1’999 CHF                              50 CHF

    2’000 – 9’999 CHF                            100 CHF

    10’000 – 20’000 CHF                       200 CHF

    Over 20’000 CHF                              500 CHF

  • Price Range                    Bidding Increment

    0 – 99 CHF                                         2 CHF

    100 – 199 CHF                                        5 CHF

    200 – 499 CHF                                     10 CHF

    Over 500 CHF                               500 CHF

  • This procedure means, that if you have for example handed in an absentee bid for CHF 1’500 and the second highest bid is at CHF 1’200, the latter will be incremented by CHF 50 to CHF 1’250 and if no higher bids come in, the wine is yours at this price (the “hammer price”) and not at your initial absentee bid of CHF 1’500.

    Absentee bids may also be submitted by Email or by fax to reach us at least twenty-four hours before the start of the auction.

  • May be purchased until noon of the next working day following the auction at a defined minimum price (one bidding increment above the auction starting price) Such purchases are subject to the same terms as those applying to wines sold at auction.

  • In addition to the hammer price, the buyer has to pay a premium of 12%, an insurance fee of 1% and a fixed fee per lot of CHF 10. Shipping costs will be charged if the buyer has expressed his wish to have the wines shipped. Shipping can be arranged world-wide. Premium, fees as well as shipping costs are always subject to Swiss VAT at the rate of 8.1%.

  • Lots subject to VAT are marked with an asterisk (*) in the catalogue. All other lots are exempt from VAT. Lots shipped abroad are also exempt from VAT.

  • The invoices are sent the next working day after the auction. If you wish to collect your wines in person at our premises in Zürich please contact us for an appointment. You may do so from the day after the auction onwards and after we have received your payment. We prefer bank transfers, but you may also pay in cash or by credit card. For the latter a handling fee applies.

We are happy to answer your questions, especially regarding specific lots you are interested in. This explanation is for informational purposes only. The general terms and conditions apply.