May it be an engagement or a wedding, a quiet dinner or a dazzling party, celebration on the racecourse or on the racetrack, this light; fizzy wine is a staple for every rich man’s celebration.
Champagne is a sparkling wine that comes from the Champagne region of north-eastern France. It was first bottled by the French monks and from thereon there was no looking back. In fact, Frère Jean Oudart and Dom Pierre Pérignon are the two Benedictine monks who invented the method of making “mousse” (bubble) in a bottle.While many use the general term champagne for “sparkling wine”, the French have maintained a legal right to call their wines champagne for well over a century now. So in case you are sipping on a bubbly wine from another region, then its sparkling wine and not champagne.
This celebratory drink also happens to be steeply priced. Apart from the fact that the Champagne region boasts of some of the most expensive real estate in the world, it also is the coolest wine growing region in the world due to which the ripening of grapes is a difficult task. To aid the ripening of grapes advanced technology and equipments are used which costs big bucks. Here is an eye-popping list of the most expensive champagnes in the world.
10. Blanc de noirs Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francaises 1997
(US $ 650)
This is the cheapest that you can get. Pinot noir is the red wine grape of Burgundy. This rare champagne is made with Pinot noir grapes. Blanc de noir literally means “white of black” and denotes the white wine made exclusively made from black-skinned grapes. A little darker than the usual golden colour, this champagne is only made with grapes that come from the old vines (Vieilles Vignes means grapes come from very old vines).
9. Dom Perignon 1966
(US $1,965)
From the masters of champagne maker, it was produced in the year that was an important milestone in English history. With its concentrated flavour it is perfectly balanced with lovely texture and flavour. Wine lover love this mature champagne for its oh-so-perfectness.
8. Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995
(US $ 3,500)
With a unique blend of tradition and quality, Johann-Joseph Krug aimed to create single champagne. Thus, he created the House of Krug in 1843. 6 generations followed after him and today Krug is the Champagne of Prestige. Made with red grapes, its charm and taste draws back wine lovers now and again.
7. Perrier-Jouët Champagne
(US $ 6.485)
A house established on the foundation of love is definitely got to be a grand experience. Pierre Nicolas-Marie Perrier and his wife Adèle Jouët through their remarkable partnership crafted magic which still lasts (and is appreciated, as well). The champagne is produced in the Épernay region of Champagne.
6. Cristal Brut 1990 “Methuselah”
(US $17,625)
In 2005, an unknown buyer purchased this vintage at $17,625 at the Sotheby Auction. A well known champagne brand in the world, it has quite a history with pop world. The trademark design of the Cristal bottles (Methuselah being a 6 litre one) includes a flat bottom, clear crystal, UV-resistant cellophane wrapping, and a gold label. Together, they render the high price to the bottles.
5. 1928 Krug
(US $ 21,000)
Believed to be bottled in the year 1938, the 1928 Krug was acquired at a whopping price of US $ 21,000 in March 2008 at Acker Merral & Condit auction in Hong Kong. Made from the finest grapes in the whole country of France this is self-proclaimed “greatest champagne”. In fact, the name Krug boasts of cellar-full of impeccable wine.
4. Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam
(US $ 40,000)
Officially launched in May 2008, Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam is one of the most expensive champagne in the world today. Bottled in a 3 litre bottle, it comes with “the most expensive” tag explicitly tied to the vintage bottle. Encased in a fancy white gold plated bottle cover, this bottle exudes elegance and pure indulgence, which makes it an exceptional collector’s item or keepsake for a special occasion. This champagne itself was drawn from an exceptional vintage, and combined with the undisputed renown of the house of Dom Perignon, it is sure to please even the most discerning connoisseur. A bottle of this jeroboam costs $40,000, and with only 100 bottles of the champagne in existence this vintage is favoured by wealthy wine collectors the world over.
3. Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet
(US $ 50,000)
Seventy feet deep within Perrier- Jouët’s cellars resides a collection of champagne second to none on planet Earth. The house is known to preserve a wide array of wine bottles since the earlier part of the 19th Century, making it great vintages. This champagne has an almost cult status with wine collectors. The two interesting facts about this champagne are: 1) the $50,000 dollar tag includes a place for storing up the wine for 8 months and 2) in case you want to get your hands on this vintage, you have to fly all the way to France, as it is available nowhere else.
2. Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck
(US $ 275,000)
To enjoy a sip from this bottle one has to part with 275,000 dollars, this by far was world’s most expensive champagne until a year ago. The intriguing history of this vintage plays an important role in this master piece’s steep price. A Swedish freighter was charted to deliver 200 bottles of the drink to Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, during the First World War. The freighter was however torpedoed by a German submarine and sank just off the coast of Finland. The wine was preserved in the ship wreck by the frigid sea water until it was discovered by divers in 1998. They eventually sold it to wealthy guests at an event at the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow. This became expensive champagne for two reasons, the story of extraordinary and extra old age.
1. Taste of Diamonds
(£1.2 million)
What if you were asked to pay £1.2 million just to drink off a diamond encrusted bottle? Goût de Diamants, a luxury champagne brand, has just announced their latest range of indulgence, thereby making it the most expensive champagne in the world. Aptly named as “Taste of Diamonds” and guess what? (No prizes for guessing) It features an actual 19-carat diamond, right on the face of the bottle. The review reads,” This would make for a great wedding, birthday or anniversary gift”. My take on it,” THIS CAN PAY FOR MORE THAN 10 WEDDINGS”. Designed by luxury designer Alexander Amosu, one pays for the diamond and packaging rather than the actual beverage. It’s catered with the buyers name engraved on a handmade 18ct solid gold. In 2009 the designer from the UK set a Guinness World Record for creating the most valuable suit. Meanwhile inside the Goût de Diamants Brut Diamond bottle is a blend of Grand Cru Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that offers a floral, refreshing and creamy texture and ends with a light and elegant finish, says the champagne maker.
Get ready to beg, borrow and steal to take a sip from one of these most coveted vintage bottles.
à la vôtre.