A bottle of wine dating from when Queen Victoria was on the throne and the Boer War was raging is to go on sale.
The 1900 Ch teau d’Yquem, a sweet white wine ages particularly well and an 1811 vintage sold in 2011 for £75,000 making it the most valuable bottle of white in the world.
Fans of the vine include American statesman and Founding Father Thomas Jefferson when he was Minister Plenipotentiary to France, a diplomat one rank below an ambassador.
On tasting it Jefferson ordered 250 bottles of the 1784 vintage for himself and additional bottles for George Washington.
According to auctioneers Dreweatts, the full-bodied Bordeaux bottle is coveted across the globe for its complexity, concentration, and sweetness balanced perfectly with acidity.
High sugar content alongside these characteristics allow it to age well and a produce aromas that include fresh brioche, cr me brul e and salted caramel.
Mark Robertson, Wine Consultant at Dreweatts, said: “Having been re-corked at the Chateau in 1996 and stored beautifully by a collector and restaurateur ever since, this 1900 Ch teau d’Yquem is a compelling combination of a mouth-watering colour, provenance and historical importance.
“Ch teau d’Yquem’s enchantment is her ability to age and I often tell my clients to buy Ch teau Climens for themselves, but Ch teau d’Yquem for their descendants. Dreweatts is privileged to be able to offer the opportunity to own this great bottle and create unique memories.
“At 123 years of age, I believe this is one of the finest and most important bottles of mature Chateau d’Yquem on the market today.”
Renowned U.S wine critic Robert Parker described the wine as having “exceptional longevity” and graded the 1811 Ch teau d’Yquem a perfect 100 points when he tried it in 1996, 15 years before a bottle from the same year sold for £75,000 to private collector and French sommelier Christian Vannequ .
The wine fetched a high price in its day, dictated by its vines growing in top quality earth that shot up production costs, earning it the label Premier Cru Sup rieur, translated as ‘Superior First Growth.’
In 1855 the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification declared its Premier Cru Sup rieur status, making it the only sauterne to be given the title - and sauternes are already considered the best sweet wine in the world.
The 1900 bottle will go under the hammer on July 4 this year with an estimated guide price of £3,200 to £4,200, but experts warned their estimate is a very conservative one.
Notes for the 1900 Ch teau d’Yquem in wine catalogue Tasting Book state: “Poor weather in April foretold a late start to the growth cycle, but the weather improved, becoming warm and dry.
“There was every indication of great potential, both in terms of quality and quantity. The first pass was on the 20th of September, before 68 mm of rain arrived and produced widespread botrytisation.
“This was followed by four weeks (26 days) of uninterrupted picking of extremely sweet grapes. The average yield was greater than 20 hl/ha. A vintage reminiscent of 1893, which was very great indeed.”
Dtreweatts anticipate competitive international bidding.
