Ancient wines dating back thousands of years come to us either in the form of a dry residue or in the form of vinegar. That is, it is not possible to taste such wine.

Connoisseurs say that wines made no earlier than 1700 can be considered suitable for consumption. And then, provided that the alcohol was stored in ideal conditions. It is these drinks that have entered our today's Top 5 oldest wines in the world.

5. Muscat pink Magarach, 1836

This wine is listed in the Guinness book as the oldest of all produced in Russia. In total, 3 bottles of this wine have been preserved, which are stored in the VNII Magarach wine cellar near Yalta.

For the production of wine "Magarach" and 200 years ago, and today they use only grapes growing near the village of Otradnoye, Yalta region.

4. Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1787

This bottle of wine was obtained by employees of the British company The Antique Wine Company, selling.

Once the bottle belonged to the first US President Thomas Jefferson, and then became the property of the Rothschild family. The price of a bottle, according to experts, is about $156,000. However, it is not easy to buy a historical bottle - it was included in a whole collection of 48 vintage wines. Naturally, a considerable amount will be requested for such a set.

3. Ch?teau d'Yquem, 1787

A bottle of this Ch?teau d'Yquem was sold in 2006 for $90,000, making it the most expensive sweet white wine in the world. The bottle was bought by an anonymous collector from America, who said that he was not going to drink the drink, which means that the wine could still find a new owner.

Prior to the auction, the bottle had graced Antique's collection of rare spirits for many years.

2. Jerez de la Fronteira, 1775

Spanish wine is stored in the Crimean Museum "Massandra". Five bottles of sherry make up the crown jewel of the museum's wine collection, which includes just under a million bottles. One of the bottles was sold to an anonymous person at Sotheby's in 1990 for $50,000.

After the wine was exhibited twice more at auctions and sold at a comparable price, permission to export wine outside Ukraine was given on behalf of the President of the country.

Chronicles testify that in 1964 one of the collection bottles was opened for tasting by order of N. Khrushchev. Everyone who had a chance to try sherry said that the wine is in excellent condition.

1. Rödesheimer Apostelwein, 1727

In the basement of a restaurant in Bremen, there are 12 wine barrels, each of which bears the name of a biblical apostle. The world's oldest usable wine is stored in the Judas Barrel, which has a volume of nearly 3,000 liters.

Periodically, several bottles are decanted from the barrel, which are not sold, but presented as a gift to monarchs and politicians. The last time bottling was done in 1950.

Several times, young wine from the wine-growing city of Rüdesheim of the best harvests was added to the barrel - feeding young wine with sugar allows the old wine to retain its freshness.

Winemaking is a fairly ancient technology for processing grapes and turning them into one of the most popular and beloved drinks. It is known that wine was made in ancient Egypt about 3 thousand years BC. But which wine is considered the oldest in the world, as well as the most famous and expensive today?

In the article:

The oldest wines in the world that have not turned into vinegar

Today there is the concept of "elite wine". These include varieties produced from the best grapes in farms that have honed their skills over the centuries in growing the sunny berry and processing it into the “drink of the gods”. These types of wines are usually selected from a large number of wines presented for tasting, as they have an unearthly taste and aroma.

Aged wines are also highly valued, that is, those that have a long aging period. Thanks to this, under the right storage conditions, the wine improves its characteristics. In order to create a masterpiece, today it is not enough just to implement some kind of wine processing technology, but you need to approach the matter creatively and from a scientific point of view.

According to experts, wines made before 1700 are not suitable for consumption today, since they are most often turned into wine vinegar. But still, there are worthy old drinks, from which connoisseurs get real pleasure, tasting an unusual taste and discovering a wonderful aroma.

Jerez de la Fronteira 1775: $50,000

Jerez de la Fronteira 1775 in the wine museum in Crimea

"Jerez de la Fronteira" is the pearl of the collection of the Crimean Wine Museum in Massandra. Made from 1775 grapes, it has several interesting historical moments. So, it is known that Khrushchev, the leader of the USSR, in 1964 was allowed to open one of the bottles for tasting. Those who were lucky enough to try the drink spoke about its excellent taste. It is also a historical fact that a bottle of "Jerez de la Fronteira" in the early nineties was put up at Sotheby's auction, and it was purchased by an anonymous buyer for $ 50 thousand. This is not the last time, since the drink was exported 2 more times outside the country, but already from permission of the President of Ukraine.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1784: $160,000

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1784 and 1787

It is impossible not to mention the "Chateau Lafite Rothschild". A bottle of this wine once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, who was the third President of the United States. And today it is in the Rothschild collection, consisting of vintage wines in the amount of up to fifty bottles. This wine was made in 1787, and the entire set would be very expensive if only this bottle of wine is valued at almost $160,000.

Chateau d'Yquem 1787: $90,000

Chateau d'Yquem 1787

The most expensive wine from the sweet white variety is also known. This is "Chateau d'Yquem", which for many years was the decoration of the collection of the company "Antique", as the most rare copy. But then, at the beginning of the 21st century, it was sold for $90,000 to an anonymous collector from the United States. According to him, the wine of 1787 will remain intact, which means that there is a chance that someday it will again appear at auction.

Muscat pink Magarach 1836

Muscat pink Magarach

It is these qualities that the Crimean wine "Muscat pink Magarach" possesses, stored in the cellars of the VNII "Magarach" wine cellar, which is located near Yalta. This wine from the 1836 vintage is in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest wine made in Russia. To date, there are three bottles of this drink.

Rudesheimer Apostelwein (barrel)

Rudesheimer Apostelwein

Rudesheimer Apostelwein can be considered the oldest barrel wine in the world, the production of which dates back to 1727. It is preserved in the wine cellar of one of the Bremen restaurants. Twelve barrels of drink are stored here - in honor of the apostles of Jesus Christ. And it is very interesting that Rudesheimer Apostelwein is stored in a vessel that holds 3,000 liters and is called the Judas Barrel. This wine is not for sale, it is presented as a gift to prominent political figures and representatives of royal dynasties. But the fence is produced very rarely - the last one was in 1950. To prevent the wine from spoiling, young wine is added instead of the taken one, but only from the best harvest of recent years. Thus, the unsurpassed taste of the drink is preserved.

The most expensive wines in the world

It is believed that the aging process of wine is one of the stages that improve its quality, so expensive wines, the names of which will be presented below, also have a rather long shelf life. Although there are exceptions to the rule.

Screaming Eagle 1992: $500,000

The most expensive wine to sell for half a million dollars at auction is Screaming Eagle. Made from the best grapes harvested in the early 90s of the XX century, it surprises with its taste, where the taste of grapes is set off by fruity notes. A very elegant purple color of the wine makes it more noble.

Château Cheval Blanc 1947: $300,000

Chateau Cheval Blanc

In second place is Château Cheval Blanc. A bottle of this was sold at a Geneva auction. We can safely say that this is the best wine in the world, because not only the age, but the berries of 1947 are based on it, but also the reputation is at the highest level. Considered by many to be the finest wine ever produced in the Bordeaux region of France. It was purchased for more than $300,000. Its shelf life can reach 100 years, but the wine will still be chic. It's so prepared.

Château Lafite 1980: $300,000

The wine "Château Lafite" owned by Jefferson, which we have already mentioned, is not only one of the oldest, but also in the top five in value. Back in the 80s of the twentieth century, M. Forbes bought it. And although it is no longer worth drinking today, it is unique, with the initials of the third president of the United States on the bottle. And the amount spent for it at the current rate is more than 300,000.

Heidsieck 1907: $275,000

The history of the Heidsieck drink, which belonged to the collection of the last Russian tsar, is amazing. But it was lost because the ship that was carrying the drink was sunk. And only at the end of the last century, wine was found under the wreckage of a sunken ship. This collection sold for $275,000 a bottle, although there was no certainty about the quality of the wine from the vintage harvested in 1907.

Château Lafite 1869: $230,000

In fourth place in terms of cost is Château Lafite. The wine, made from grapes harvested in 1869, was planned to be sold for $8,000, but it was bought at an auction by an Asian collector for more than $230,000, since this drink is considered a luxury item in Asian countries and has a corresponding price there.

Romanée Conti 1945: $124,000

Romanée Conti is an expensive red wine made from grapes that were harvested in 1945 from the best vineyards in France. In total, for certain reasons, only 600 bottles were produced. The euphoria of the end of the war, the high quality of the drink, which has an excellent reputation, as well as a small amount of the product, allowed the collection to be sold at a price of almost $124,000 per bottle.

Chateau d'Yquem 1811: $117,000

Chateau d'Yquem

According to experts, thanks to the amazing harvest of 1811, the best white wines in history were produced. This explains their fabulous value. So, sommelier K. Vannek bought Chateau d’Yquem of this crop for $117,000.

Château d'Yquem 1787: $100,000

Chateau d'Yquem

The honorable eighth place in terms of value is, again, "Château d'Yquem", prepared from the harvest of 1787. This white wine was sold for $100,000 to a private collection in America. This bottle was carefully transported across the ocean to the happy owner.

Massandra 1775: $44,000

Massandra

For many Crimeans, Massandra wine is the best wine in the world. And it's hard not to agree with this, because the very nature of the Crimea contributes to the amazing quality of the sunny berry, and the winemaking tradition goes back many centuries. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that relatively recently a bottle of this drink from the 1775 vintage was sold for almost $44,000. Since the wine is already more than 200 years old, nothing can be said about the taste of the drink., but the fact that the wine is rare is beyond doubt.

Royal DeMaria 2000: $30,000

In the early 2000s, Royal DeMaria wine was purchased for $30,000, which is why it ranked tenth on this list. An interesting drink is the technology of its manufacture - the grapes are frozen on the vine before fermentation. Therefore, the drink is also called "ice wine".
Wine is a drink that has a history going back centuries, a wide variety of tastes, aromas, varieties, types, and so on. And, as you can see, its price depends on many factors, the most important of which is its age. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that too much of it can bring harm to the body, so you need to know the measure in everything.

1. Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne- the most expensive wine in the world. It was intended for the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. But during transportation in 1917, the ship was sunk by a German submarine. Only in 1998, the surviving bottles were raised from the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. Now they are selling for $275,000 each.

2 Chateau Lafite 1787– this wine has already gone bad, but it is still very expensive ($160,000 per bottle) and prestigious. It's all about the initials "Th.J." belonging to Thomas Jefferson. The US independence fighter acquired Chateau Lafite while traveling to France, where his initials were applied to the labels.

3 Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945- the cost of one bottle is $ 114,614. The high price is explained by the preparation in the most successful millesime (the grape ripening year) of the 20th century, which fell on 1941. It is this wine that is taken as the standard; it can be called the most delicious in the world.

4 Screaming Eagle 1992– Price $80,000 per bottle. Wine from the Napa Valley of California is famous for its rich fruity taste, rich texture and long aftertaste.

5. A bottle of Massandra sherry from 1775- The legendary wine of the Russian Empire was sold at Sotheby's at a price of $43,500 per bottle. The labels bear the imperial seal. This is the oldest wine that has survived to this day.

6 Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951 The wine was produced by the Australian winemaker Max Schubert. There are only 160 bottles in the world selling for $38,000. The drink was created as a competitor to Bordeaux wines.

7 Cheval Blanc 1947- for the first time the general public learned about this wine from the cartoon "Ratatouille". Experts call it the most festive drink of the 20th century. One bottle costs $33,781.

8. Montrachet Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1978- the most expensive French wine. Seven of his bottles were sold for $23,929 apiece.

9 Burgundy DRC Romanée Conti 1934- This $20,145 wine wowed tasters with its aromatic bouquet. It is considered the best wine for romantic meetings.

Connoisseurs say that the high price of good wine is justified. A magnificent bouquet will bring a lot of pleasure, make you enjoy every drop of the drink. But a bottle of wine can cost hundreds of thousands - crazy money. And after all, someone's hand is raised to uncork it. We offer an overview of the most expensive wines sold at auctions in the world.

1 Cabernet Sauvignon Screaming Eagle 1992: $500,000

Cabernet Screaming Eagle holds the position of the most expensive wine ever sold in the world. In 2000, at a Napa Valley wine auction, the price of a 6-liter bottle rose to an unprecedented $500,000, with the proceeds going to charity.
Screaming Eagle is an amazing drink that can be safely called a prime example of Californian wines. It appeared for the first time in 1992, and two years later it was on the list of the best. The drink is balanced with a soft and pleasant fruity taste, a unique character and a velvety rich texture.

2 Chateau Margaux 1787: $225,000

Of all the expensive wines, Chateau Margaux has perhaps the most interesting and perhaps saddest story. At least because it no longer exists. The bottle was originally in the collection of Thomas Jefferson, who sold it to William Sokolin for $500,000, but there is no confirmation of the price. One day, the new owner brought wine to the Four Seasons restaurant for a dinner at the Château Margaux club, where a slow-moving waiter smashed the bottle to smithereens. The insurance company paid Sokolin $225,000.

3. Chateau Cheval Blanc 1947: $135,125

In 2006, an amazing three-liter bottle of wine was sold in San Francisco for $135,125. According to the Saint-Emilion classification, Château Cheval Blanc belongs to class A. And of all Merlot brands, only two have received this status.

4. Chateau d'Yquem 1811: $117,000

Chateau d "Yquem 1811

Usually white wines are cheaper than red ones, but one managed to bypass many "red rivals". Chateau d'Yquem is Sauternes, a white French wine. Winemakers believe that wines produced in the year of the comet are unusually tasty, and 1811 was just such a year. So Christian Vannek, a collector and bar owner in Indonesia, could not resist the temptation and bought a bottle for 117 thousand dollars.

5. Chateau Mouton-Rothschild: $47,000

At the Sotheby's auction in New York, a batch of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild wine was sold for $310,700, each 0.75-liter bottle cost $47,000. The wine is known for its amazing and unusual aroma, it has a subtle smell of eucalyptus.

6. Sherry De La Fronter, Massandra, 1775: $43,500

Massandra is known all over the world for its collection of local and European wines. The high price of a bottle of sherry, the most expensive in the world, is due to age. This is the oldest wine in Europe. A bottle of De La Fronter sherry was sold in 2001 at Sotheby's in London.

7. Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951: $38,420

Penfolds Grange is one of the most expensive Australian wines. To date, only 20 bottles are known to exist in the world. In 2004, the Australian Wine Auction put up one bottle for sale, for which an Adelaide collector paid A$50,200.

8 Royal De Maria: $30,000

Royal De Maria belongs to the category of ice wines, which are made using frozen berries right on the vine. Due to the complex cooking process, the price turned out to be so high. The wine has an amazing bouquet, it goes well with desserts.

9 Romanet-Conti 1945: $28,112

One bottle of Romanée-Conti costs more than $28,000, and a batch of eight was valued at $224,900. The process of making wine is unusually complex, which is why the price is so high. To make just one bottle of white wine, you need the entire harvest from three bushes of the Pinot Noir variety.

10 Château Lafitte 1865: $27,000

Wine, which is almost 150 years old, was estimated at 27 thousand dollars for one bottle of 0.75 liters. The price for the entire shipment, owned by a Florida businessman, was $111,625. Bidding at the auction took place over the phone, so the new owner is known only that it is a European collector. Fine wines must be accompanied by the best dishes, so tasting expensive drinks should be done during lunch.

Old wines, whose age is calculated for centuries, rarely reach modern man in the form of a good, pleasant-tasting drink. Tasting such an ancient wine is almost impossible.

It is believed that you can use wines made no earlier than a certain time - 1700.

If the alcohol was stored under ideal conditions, then the taste will be acceptable. But which wines are considered the oldest, and possibly the most expensive?

Top 5 oldest wines in the world

• 1. "Rüdesheimer Apostelwein", 1727

In the cellars of one of Bremen's famous restaurants, there are wine barrels bearing the names of the apostles from the Bible. In total, there are 12 barrels in the basement "dungeon".

The world's oldest palatable wine from this collection of barrels is in a 3,000-litre Judas barrel. Occasionally, wine is decanted from this barrel into bottles, which are “offerings” to politicians or presidents. The last time such a gift was received by an eminent person in 1950.

To preserve the freshness of the wine drink, young wine of the best harvest, delivered from the town of Rüdesheim, is added to the barrel.

• 2. "Jerez de la Fronteira", 1775*

This Spanish drink is kept in the Massandra Museum in Crimea. The pearl of his wine collection, which consists of a million bottles, is five bottles of old sherry.

One of them was sold at Sotheby's in 1990 for $50,000. After that, the wine was put up for auction twice more at a high price, the permission to export expensive wine outside Ukraine was issued by the president personally.

Historians testify that one of the sherry bottles was opened by order of N. Khrushchev in 1964. And everyone who managed to taste the drink then confirmed that the wine is excellent!

• 3. "Chateau d'Yquem", 1787*

One bottle of the world's most expensive sweet white wine, Chateau, 1987, which previously served as an adornment of a rare collection of drinks in Antique, was sold for $90,000 in 2006. An American collector who did not want to give his name bought an expensive drink.

• 4.Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1787*

The wine, as a result of difficult research, went to the employees of the British company "The Antique Wine Company", specializing in the sale in the category "the best wines in the world."

In the past, a bottle of collection wine belonged to the first president of America - Thomas Jefferson, and then passed into the possession of the Rothschild family.

Experts value one bottle of Chateau L. Rothschild at $156,000. Not every wealthy person will be able to buy it, since the bottle has become part of a whole collection, consisting of 48 old wines. Such an alcoholic set will cost a pretty penny!

• 5. “Pink Muscat Magarach”, 1836*

The drink is found on the pages of the "record" Guinness book, as the oldest wine in Russia. Today, only three bottles of wine have been preserved in the Yalta wine cellar of the VNII Magarach.