Buyer premiums are typically 20% with some as high as 24%. Iron Gate’s buyer premium is 17.5%, the lowest in Canada.

We transfer title of the product in Alberta, which has the lowest tax rate in Canada at 5%. We suggest that you check your own country or province’s tax rate to see if anything additional is payable. Iron Gate Auctions sells to collectors from all over the world and it’s not feasible for us to know what might be applicable in your jurisdiction.

When we do larger collections from the same consignor, we’ll often add a write up in the “Provenance” section of each wine. In some cases there’s only a couple bottles per consignor so we don’t go to that length. Each and every bottle however has been screened to come from the proper storage conditions, often from clients we have known in our 18 years in the wine storage business. We go to great lengths to make sure the collection has been properly taken care of before we accept it.

Iron Gate Auctions does not ship but has contracted the responsibility of that to a separate shipping company for shipments within Canada. You will be advised of the simple steps to have them ship at your direction immediately following each auction. If you live outside of Canada, it is your responsibility to arrange to have your items shipped from Calgary and to know of any restrictions, taxes or duties that might be applicable in your country, state or province and manage those directly. Iron Gate Auctions Inc. is an Alberta corporation, licensed in Alberta, and we transfer title of wine you purchase, to you, in Alberta. Please know your local restrictions prior to bidding.

Shipping is only $30 per order to your door to the cities of Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary (Commercial auctions only, not available for benefit auctions). Please note: Iron Gate does not ship. You must contact our partners at Calgary Shipping to arrange shipping. They will bill you directly.

Staggered bidding is employed to make it easier for people who have numerous lots on which they are bidding. Historically, 30%-40% of bidding can happen within the last 3 hours of an auction, and often there is a flurry of bidding in the last 15 minutes. If everything closes at the same time, and you’re bidding on multiple lots, this would be very difficult to manage.

Condition details are often necessary when the auction houses use generic photos of wine or no photo at all. We go to great lengths to provide high-definition photos of each and every bottle so you can zoom in and see exact label conditions and ullage. If you want further information on any bottle, please ask us.

We accept all types of wine, provided the provenance is sound, the quality is good, the drinkability is solid and the value is worthy of resale. Please contact us with a list of wine you’re considering putting up for auction and we’ll provide you with our assistance.

Iron Gate occasionally works with charities and other organizations to raise money by having them solicit their base for donations of wine, which we then list on our platform and sell on their behalf. Depending on the province, these may or may not be subject to sales tax but we will always advise on the homepage during the auction. Benefit auctions do not have a buyer premium attached, which is a 17.5% saving for the buyer. However, it’s important to note that while Iron Gate spends a great deal of time and effort ensuring the provenance of wine we sell in our commercial (non-benefit) auctions, we do not do this for benefit auctions. Any recourse for lots that are substandard should be addressed to each charity directly.