Most expensive wine tasted?

I would not buy Ausone 2002 at any price, but I certainly have other bottles in that realm.

A lot of answering your question depends on how the wine is valued too.

I have had a few bottles of 1970 Petrus, which goes for $1,000+ these days, but my Dad bought them on release back in the early 1970s for about $25 each. So kind of hard for me to claim that as an extravagant purchase :)

In terms of cash spent, my records would probably be for 1991 DRC Montrachet and then a 1937 Chambertin.

Both were stunning and worth the money. But both were also bargains at the time. I would probably not pay the full $1,500+ price for a top vintage DRC Montrachet (far more for a mature bottle), but $700 for the 1991 when it was mature was a good price.

It is beyond my means to buy DRC Montrachet on release in a 3 pack case each year, so I just keep my eyes open for the rare chance when an older bottle is a good value. And if I have the $$ at the time, I may buy it.

As the previous poster said, at a certain point you are paying a lot more for a much slighter increase in quality, but at the top levels those incremental quality increases are quite noticeable.

Take care,

Tom.

'82 Latour, at an excellent dinner at Chez Fred in Quarry Bay. Brought by the host. Dunno the price. It's a lot.

Heavens yes, but I didn't write the check.

Dana

Bill Spohn wrote: [snipped OP]

Really? I wouldn't, not every day. I think there a lots of interesting wines at all price ranges, and I hope that I'd continue to explore them even if money weren't an object. Anyway Bill, knowing your range of tastes I suspect you're being flippant, a little.

The Forbes chateau is pretty near here, and I know a few folks who've worked there. The story is that Malcomb (now gone to the big exchange in the sky) used to drink Ch. Margaux for Bordeaux, DRC for burgundy. Every other day, for lunch, one glass and the rest down the bog. Because he could. I always thought it a rather sad story... ;)

In answer to the OP's question, I think my most expensive was probably around US$200 also. Finances permitting, I'd probably repeat the excersize.

-E

Well, yes, but the question said if money were not an issue. In which case I would probably drink interesting wines at every opportunity.

But I also do enjoy all sorts of wines at all sorts of prices, so you are right too.

Someone once said that if you drank Lafite Rothschild with a hamburger, what would you have with filet mignon? Before we start the whole "good wine with a hamburger" thread again, I enjoy good wine with a good hamburger. I think what he was saying, and I agree, is that if you have great wines on non-special occasions, special occasion wines won't be so special.

Back to the thread, In 1998 I attended a tasting that had 82&70 Latour,

83&70 Palmer, 90&70 Montrose, and 82&70 Trotanoy. Other than the fact that the 70 Palmer was corked, all of the other wines were wonderful. Following the tasting was a Champagne reception followed by a fantastic dinner. I would love to taste the 1990 Montrose again in 10-15 years. It was a monster 5 years ago at this tasting.

Fred.

Emery Davis wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@adelka.com:

You sure he did not mean if you drink Lafite Rothchild with a HamBurger the Hamburder will taste like a Filet Mignon?

Why bother cellaring everyday wines? You can get those at the store anytime. Drink up all of that stuff and replace it with _better_, but not outrageously expensive, wines.

A nice dinner should

Hmmm, I don't know about that. Vegetables are cheap; meat is more expensive, but unless you're getting into something exotic, e.g. rack of lamb, lobster or Chilean sea bass, it isn't terribly expensive either. Frankly, I find that the wine is usually the most expensive part of dinner - by _far_!

I figure that I, and my occasional guests, are worth it, though. :^)

Tom S

1995 & 1993 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio All'Oro Riserva -- both about USD130 -- at tastings and a restaurant -- and I have a '95 in my cellar. 1995 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneto Bellavista (USD130) 1999 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases (somewhere over USD100, I think -- again, at a tasting.) 2000 Chateau La Gaffeliere (at a tasting where it was listed at USD130, but that sounds awfully high).

I only paid for three of the above wines but I have many more expensive bottles in my cellar. It's hard to say whether or not these wines are worth that kind of money. Once I get over about USD40, there seems to be a diminishing return objectively. Clearly I can think of lots of important things to do with this money but very few of those things will give me the pleasure I get out of drinking wine. Even as the objective return diminishes, I still have the subjective pleasure of enjoying the wine -- especially when it is enjoyed with a great meal and shared with great friends. Also, even if the wine isn't as good as a USD40 bottle, I always feel like I learned something. So, my answer is yes -- I think it's worth the money. I'll tell you for sure as the contents of my cellar matures.

I'd love to try Chateau Ausone. Hopefully I'll buy a bottle eventually, and hold it for a long time and drink it when it is mature. It won't be a 2000 vintage, though. I buy mostly inexpensive wines and decent value wines (at many prices) but I also buy very expensive wines occasionally. If money wasn't an issue I would buy even more expensive wines. But I'd always look for good value and interesting wines at any price.

Rob Adelson

Hi Tom,

Eh? Who says that everyday wines can't (or shouldn't be) inexpensive but benefitting from a little bottle age?

We get a Bordeaux Superior called Ch. Cornemps, which can be very decent in a good year. It runs about 5 eu, IIRC. First, it's not available at any store I know of, and second, it _really_ improves with about 5 years in the cellar.

Even in the US "everyday" wines sell out, so there is some incentive to buy several bottles and keep them at home.

With all due respect of course! :)

-E

Emery Davis wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@adelka.com:

Absolutely - and even 'inexpensive' wines can quite vintage-sensitive (and change markedly for the better with a couple of years age). Anyone read "Rewards of Patience" published/given away by Penfolds of Australia? They have tasting notes for 20+ year old wines which cost less than US$10. As an example, Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet 1984 (2001 sells for $7.49 - $7.99) shows a drinking window through to 2005 but I'd bet that most of these wines are drunk within a month (even a week) of purchase

So those 'everyday' wines will not deteriorate with a few months / couple of years age on them (as long as we're not talking super-bargain blended brand wines).

The Lotto is a self-administered tax on morons, who are willing to pay money to bet on something with a lot less probability of happening than them being struck by lightning.

The governments love them, but the most money is spent by the people least able to afford it.

Or, as has oft been said, it's a tax on those who can't do math. ;-)

Mark Lipton

And you might be killed by a runaway stagecoach - the odds are about the same. Would you also be willing to bet on the latter?....;-)

"He who hebetates is lost..."

If you wanted to be hit by lightening would you stand in an open field holding a lightening rod during a thunderstorm, to increase the odds?

(had to look that one up) OK, I said I was good at math!

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush :-)

I dunno Myron

Vintage? Storage? Corked? If it was young then it might have been in a shutted-down phase Andrs