Wine has long been a source of fascination, its allure stemming from factors like vintage, region, and rarity. Some wines have become legendary, fetching staggering prices at auctions and becoming the objects of desire for the world's elite. Here is a list of what we would consider some of the rarest wines currently in our collection:
1. Lafite Rothschild 1874 750ml (Rebouche au Chateau)
Edmund Penning-Roswell indicates that 1874 was a prolific and high-quality vintage. Lafite on release sold for 5000 francs per tonneaux (barrel.) That’s equivalent to $104,000 today, quite a steal.
2. Giacomo Conterno Barolo Extra Stravecchio Monfortino 1941 750ml
Barolo when Barolo wasn’t cool. Monfortino is a selection of the best parcels made just before harvest. Stravecchio and Extra refer to the long ageing of this wine. Current tradition is an ageing of seven or more years for this wine.
With WWII coming to an end and the world celebrating Bordeaux had an amazing vintage! Some 1945’s have no doubt faded from glory but this Jeroboam is certainly not one of them. 1945’s are hard to find but certainly large formats are the most difficult to locate.
One of the finest vintages of Chateau d’Yquem ever produced. A legend and still drinking amazingly well.
5. Nieeport VIntage Port 1945 750ml
The final wine in this trio of 1945’s is this vintage port. The import tags are still attached to these bottles indicating they were brought to the US in 1972.
6. Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard [Anniversary Label] 1974 750ml
A legendary wine! One of the greatest wines ever produced in the world. Certainly, deserving of its status and difficult to find.
7. Gentaz-Dervieux Cote Rotie Cote Brune 1988 750ml\
Marius Gentaz is thought of as the G.O.A.T. of Cote Rotie his wines were made in the traditional style. Since 1993 his vines are now cultivated by his nephew Rene Rostaing.
8. Egon Muller Riesling Sharzhofberger Auslese 1983 750ml
Not the hyped TBA from this Grand Cru rated vineyard but a solid wine with some amazing age. Egon Muller cultivates over one-third of one of the greatest Rielsing vineyards in the world.
9. Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992 750ml
Considered to be Napa’s first cult wine, this inaugural vintage set the wine world abuzz when a 6-liter bottle fetched $500,000 at auction in 2000. Bottles regularly sell for $25,000.
10. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1985 750ml
One of the greatest burgundy vineyards, from one of the greatest producers , from one of the greatest vintages of all time! This is a storied classic.
Price isn’t the only measure of a wine’s rarity or importance. The stories, historical context, and the sheer age of some bottles add layers of value beyond their market price. But what's clear is that rare wines capture imaginations, weaving tales of history, nature, and craftsmanship into every sip.