A 237-year-old bottle of vin jaune from France's Jura region fetched a record price of €57,000 at a wine festival auction in the town of Arbois.
Photo: AFP
But the amateur wine group which bought the 1773 wine is not planning to sit on its investment or sell the bottle on – they’re going to drink it.
Swiss wine lover Pierre Chevrier, who bought the wine on behalf of the group, told AFP: ‘My passion is to open bottles and I am delighted to have bought this bottle of vin jaune, which I will drink.’
Bernard Badoz, founder of the annual festival, added: ‘Finally, vin jaune has hit the big league. To sell a bottle for €57,000 is not crazy.’
The grapes for the historic wine were harvested during the reign of Louis XV, in the same year as the Boston Tea Party and Captain Cook’s voyage into the Antarctic.
Jura’s vin jaune is famed for its ability to age for extended periods, thanks to its Sherry-like maturation in barrel underneath a voile or layer of yeast.
Produced exclusively from Savagnin grapes, it is aged for at least six years before release, with this year’s festival showcasing wines from the 2004 vintage.
Written by Richard Woodard
