International auction house to retail wine

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On September 20, the renowned auction house Sotheby's launched an online retail wine store.

SothebysWine.com promises "the same exacting standards that we have used in our traditional auction business, with a focus on sourcing excellent wines, in pristine condition and from impeccable sources."

The new site is a change in Sotheby's business model as they "can now sell them directly to you, at a fixed price, in whatever quantity you would like and for immediate delivery."

Similar to go-to wine sites like Decanter.com, WineCommune.com and Snooth.com, SothebysWine.com offers a range of search criteria including ratings, varietals, vintage plus a unique section 'type' that lets you browse through kosher or biodynamic bottles even select wines produced by women.

To date, Christies.com does not have a retail wine section but you can bid live with a click. To see upcoming auctions, go to: https://www.christies.com/livebidding/index.aspx

To search Sotheby's cellars and set up an account, go to: http://www.sothebyswine.com/ or visit the physical retail store in New York City that opened on September 15.