I will start by confessing that the most expensive bottle of wine that I have ever bought in a restaurant, in my entire life, was a Château d’Yquem – but not the 1811 vintage I hasten to add. I’m afraid to say that it was one of those occassions where cost of the wine far outstripped the cost of the food, but at least I do have a very clear recollection of the lunch in question….

About a week ago a French collector bought a bottle of d’Yquem 1811 for £75,000 (USD122,600) in a private sale at the Ritz Hotel in London, and although it is claimed that this is the most expensive wine bought privately, this is not strictly true – unless you exclude wine auctions. At auction the most expensive bottle was a Château Cheval Blanc 1947 that was sold at Christie’s last year for £192,000 (USD314,000). So to say that the d’Yquem was the most expensive, it twisting the truth just a little.

The collector who bought this latest wine (bottled at the time of the Emperor Napoleon) intends to drink it in six years time at a dinner in Paris. In the meantime he plans to put it on display at his restaurant in Bali – I do hope that it travels well. From my own experience I have known bottles that did not travel well across the English Channel, never mind to the other side of the world!

Very old bottles like this are frequently re-corked by the producer, and I have to assume that on the last occassion the wine must have been tasted too. About 12 years ago it was described as being like liquid Crème Brulée.

I will start by confessing that the most expensive bottle of wine that I have ever bought in a restaurant, in my entire life, was a Château d’Yquem – but not the 1811 vintage I hasten to add. I’m afraid to say that it was one of those occassions where cost of the wine far outstripped the cost of the food, but at least I do have a very clear recollection of the lunch in question….

About a week ago a French collector bought a bottle of d’Yquem 1811 for £75,000 (USD122,600) in a private sale at the Ritz Hotel in London, and although it is claimed that this is the most expensive wine bought privately, this is not strictly true – unless you exclude wine auctions. At auction the most expensive bottle was a Château Cheval Blanc 1947 that was sold at Christie’s last year for £192,000 (USD314,000). So to say that the d’Yquem was the most expensive, it twisting the truth just a little.

The collector who bought this latest wine (bottled at the time of the Emperor Napoleon) intends to drink it in six years time at a dinner in Paris. In the meantime he plans to put it on display at his restaurant in Bali – I do hope that it travels well. From my own experience I have known bottles that did not travel well across the English Channel, never mind to the other side of the world!

Very old bottles like this are frequently re-corked by the producer, and I have to assume that on the last occassion the wine must have been tasted too. About 12 years ago it was described as being like liquid Crème Brulée.