A 1774 bottle of Vin Jaune was among the stars of Christie's wine auction in Geneva on May 15.
Originating from Arbois in the Jura region of eastern France, the 238-year-old vintage sold for $49,343, comfortably within the $43727-$54,659 estimate.
It had remained in an underground cellar in Arbois under the careful gaze of eight generations of the Vercel family. 87 centilitres remained.
 A 1774 Vin Jaune made $49,343 |
Christie's Michael Ganne commented: "One of the bottles from the same batch was tasted in 1994 by 24 professionals at Château Pécauld in Arbois, and was declared as 'excellent'.
"Made to last centuries when of good quality, and nicknamed 'the wine of kings and the king of wines', this extraordinary bottle of Vin Jaune is probably the oldest unfortified example of what is to be still an astounding wine and another true rarity for wine lovers and connoisseurs."
Debates rage among experts regarding how old is too old when it comes to the drinkability of a wine, but regarding this bottle, the debate probably ended in around 1900.
But that is not the point for the many wine investors who buy with a view to rewarding their bank balance rather than their taste buds.
The most valuable lot of the day was 12 bottles of Mouton Rothschild 1945, which made $172,699.
A 12 bottle lot of La Tâche 1959 achieved $61,678, while six magnums of Château Latour from the same year sold for $55,511.
Paul Fraser Collectibles will continue to bring you all the big news from the world's fine wine auctions throughout the year.
