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If I'd won the £161 million, I probably would just for the hell of it.

That said, it probably tastes like cat's p*ss :D
 
If I'd won the £161 million, I probably would just for the hell of it.

That said, it probably tastes like cat's p*ss :D

I've always found that a strange saying even though I do use it myself. Who the hell has tried Cat's P*ss and is it really bad or have we been lied to all these years and it is in fact "like nectar from the Gods":dk::D
 
The BBC report is wrong. The most expensive white wine was a 1787 Ch d'Yquem engraved with what was held to be the name of Thomas Jefferson, US President and wine collector when ambassador to Paris in the 18th Century, which sold at auction for £107,000.

The vendor, a german music producer Hardy Rodenstock, is alleged to have faked the thing.

Wine fraud on older wines of significant worth is now enormous. One Indonesian 'collector' put large batches of rare red Burgundy to auction in the US, which were authenticated by the auctioneer, the only problem being the domaine that was supposed to have produced them didn't actually own or produce from the vineyards in question at the time the wine for sale was labelled for. Rudi - the collector in question, once almost failed to pay me for a lunch with Robert Parker, the US wine critic, that I had won in a charity auction. I couldn't attend, but as he had failed to pay me, I told him I would fly out especially and tell the party why I was coming - he paid straightaway.

Two big areas for the uninitiated to avoid are investment wine and old wine.
 
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I've always found that a strange saying even though I do use it myself. Who the hell has tried Cat's P*ss and is it really bad or have we been lied to all these years and it is in fact "like nectar from the Gods":dk::D

Sauvignon Blanc does smell strongly of cat pee. As I don't like it, I can only assume if cat pee tastes like SB, I would recommend avoiding it....

Anybody who watched the famous South Park 'Cheesing' episode, might want to try cat pee for other reasons....
 
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Incidentally, Yquem is renowned for its ability to age, and while I expect this would be past it, I have had wines from the mid-nineteenth century that have been very much alive - to be fair, they are ones made in an oxidative style like Madeira and Chateau Chalon, but a friend has had a late 17th century Tokay (a similar style to Yquem now) from the court of the Elector of Saxony, and he certainly thought it alive (which given I josh him for being a necrophiliac when it comes to wine, must have been a bit of a disappointment...).
 
how can one justify this absurd amount for a drink...I dont drink so wont really know the the taste of cats piss lol
 
There is never any great rationality at this pricing, it is a combination of extreme rarity, age, greatness and a desire to make a splash, but 1811 was a legendary vintage for d'Yquem, a so-called Comet Vintage and having read Robert Parker's review (too lengthy to type) in 1995 it was clearly an extraordinary wine.

It does look as though the label and capsule have been renewed at some point and the level looks extraordinary for that age, so it might have been re-corked and topped up in the past.
 
Charles I thought you might contribute, this being one of your favourite subjects. Your insight and knowledge on wine is greatly appreciated, a good wine in my wallets price range or my tight Yorkshire mind is Kumala Cabernet Sauvignon. Have you any suggestions for good rich reds?:)

I do find that there are some better, lighter on the wallet wines in France every year though. I'm looking forward to my next foray over the water in September. When I shall try to drink the European red wine lake dry whilst eating a cheese mountain.:D:D
 
Snoop - I wouldn't represent myself as an authority, let alone on generally available reds, as I tend to lay down wines for years and these tend not to be ones that would automatically appeal to the broadest range of tastes. However, I tried a superb Cairanne from the Southern Rhone recently, and I heartily enjoyed it.

This is one available from the Wine Society (you have to join but their service is frankly excellent, their selection of wines just way better than a supermarket) Cairanne - a super, balanced but very rich, lusty Southern French red. (my only connection with the Wine Society is that I am a member, and a happy one too. You can visit them in Stevenage).

Enjoy your trip - where are you going?
 
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Charles,

I reckon you should have a monthly "column" on here with your selection of good value (i.e. affordable for us mere mortals) examples of readily available, better than average wines.

Perhaps we could compare tasting notes at month end even?
 
The BBC report is wrong. The most expensive white wine was a 1787 Ch d'Yquem engraved with what was held to be the name of Thomas Jefferson, US President and wine collector when ambassador to Paris in the 18th Century, which sold at auction for £107,000.

I hate to be picky, but the first line of the report does say that this is the most expensive white wine not bought at auction. However, the headline is a bit misleading.

Of more interest is what's going to happen to it. I heard an interview with the guy who bought it this evening - he's going to open it in 5 years time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his becoming a sommelier. I like his style.
 
I would hate to mix driving with drinking - I come here to avoid vinous temptation!

Joking apart, Palfrem, I have pretty much given up wine of late to keep my waist in hem hem trim, and my tastes on the whole tend toward the more tannic, acid and food friendly wines, which I suspect would be a bit of a shock to most non-wine geeks. If I come across anything good, likely to appeal at a reasonable price which is freely available, I would happily post on it.

I always disclose commercial connections too and I am not a wine merchant in any way shape or form, but do trade the occasional wine.
 
However, the headline is a bit misleading.

The headline is plain wrong, and the first sentence thereafter is unprovable as numerous non-auction sales are private, so they have no means of knowing. It is a pure puff piece for the wine merchant who is renowned for self-publicity.
 
Snoop - I wouldn't represent myself as an authority, let alone on generally available reds, as I tend to lay down wines for years and these tend not to be ones that would automatically appeal to the broadest range of tastes. However, I tried a superb Cairanne from the Southern Rhone recently, and I heartily enjoyed it.

This is one available from the Wine Society (you have to join but their service is frankly excellent, their selection of wines just way better than a supermarket) Cairanne - a super, balanced but very rich, lusty Southern French red. (my only connection with the Wine Society is that I am a member, and a happy one too. You can visit them in Stevenage).

Enjoy your trip - where are you going?

Thanks Charles we are going to Faymoreau in the Vendee so not really wine producing country but still plenty of caves to discover I'm sure. It's more about relaxing for the SWMBO and the in laws who all run their own business. Hence the drinking and eating fest.:D:D
 

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