Legendary 130-year-old French wine restored after decades under Czech castle floor
Summary
Eight bottles of rare French Chateau d'Yquem wine, over 130 years old, were found hidden under the floor of a Czech castle. The winery restored the wine after testing confirmed its authenticity, and the bottles will be part of a planned public exhibition alongside other old wines.Key Facts
- The wine is Chateau d'Yquem, a famous and expensive sweet white wine from Bordeaux, France.
- The bottles date from 1892 and 1896 and were hidden under the floorboards of Becov nad Teplou castle in western Czechia.
- The wine collection was discovered in the 1980s and belonged to the Beaufort-Spontin noble family, who fled Czechoslovakia after World War II.
- The wine was rediscovered ten years ago during an inventory check, leading to a careful restoration by Chateau d'Yquem experts.
- Laboratory tests confirmed the wine's authenticity, and the winery replaced corks and sealed the bottles to protect them.
- Only five full bottles remained after re-bottling due to the wine’s exposure to oxygen over time.
- Chateau d'Yquem's cellar master described the wine as fresh and aromatic despite its age, calling it a "liquid memory."
- The Czech castle plans to display the 136-bottle collection publicly if funds are raised, including other vintage wines like sherry and port.
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