The dusty, precious bottle of wine extracted from a centuries-old cellar by the careful hands of a winemaker (who often resembles an archaeologist) is part of our collective imagination. Similar scenes are featured, not surprisingly, in dozens of movies and TV series. The prized wine bottle as a symbol of historical traditions and modern wealth. A status that no millionaire worthy of the name can give up. A well-stocked wine cellar of rare and expensive wines is indeed one of those indispensable accessories that separates the authentically rich from the enriched. Because even among millionaires, it is known, there are social and moral hierarchies.
Let's see together what they are the bottles of wine with the highest purchase price in the world. Just to get a sense of the level.
#5: Pétrus of Pomerol - $68,000
The Pétrus winery in the Pomerol area produces a very select few bottles of highly prized Bordeaux each year, about 54,000. In 1991 there was not enough production, so that vintage does not exist. Harvesting is done strictly by hand and aging takes place for at least 21 months in oak barrels. The best vintages are 1929, 1945, 1947,1961, 1982, 1989, 1990, 2000 and 2005. Calling it a "Château" is a beginner's mistake because there is no château or noble palace in that part of France. The most valuable bottle of Petrus sold for $68,000.
#4: Chateau D'Yquem 1811 - $117,000
The only white in the ranking is a bottle of wine harvested in the year of the comet. Indeed, in the world of winemakers, it is believed that the years when comets appear in our skies are phenomenal years in terms of the organoleptic properties of wines.
That is why in 2010 a certain Christian Vanneque, owner of a wine shop in Bali, bought a bottle of Chateau D'Yquem at an auction, raising as high as $117,000. Note that in addition to the magic of the comet, this Château is famous for its predisposition to aging: after a century in the bottle it gains refined fruity notes and velvety body.
#3: Cheval Blanc 1947 - $135,000
Cheval Blanc is one of France's finest wines, produced in Saint-Emilion in the Bordeaux region. It is one of the fantastic four that can boast the Premier Grand Cru Classé A classification of Saint-Émilion wines. In 2006 a Jéroboam bottle (3 liters) of this wine was purchased in San Francisco for $135,000.
#2: Chateau Margaux 1787 - $225,000
Universally recognized as one of the world's most prestigious wines, bottles of this vintage hold a singular record: there are none left in the world. In fact, the last bottle was dropped on the floor in 1989 by a very unfortunate waiter at New York's Four Seasons Hotel. The price thus refers to the insurance reimbursement its owner received for the unfortunate incident.
#1: Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992 - $500,000
French wines dominate this list, but they do not win the most coveted place. In fact, the most expensive bottle of wine in the world is, surprisingly, Californian. In fact, the famous Napa Valley is where this cabernet sauvignon is produced, which in 2000, during a charity auction, was sold for the astronomical sum of $500,000. Okay, it was a 6-liter Mathusalem bottle, but this record remains staggering all the same.
Source: Telegraph.co.uk
