Oh, the rich and famous. They get to do it all, from building mansions on private islands to sipping on the most expensive Scotch in the land. If the rest of us our lucky, we get a peak at these lifestyles now and again.
In Palm Beach, where wealth is quite fashionable, there are some out-of-this-world wine cellars. One, belonging to William Koch, is valued at $15 million. And a lot of the prizes within are about to go to auction.
“I have often wondered what deeply attracts me to outstanding wine, gourmet food, incredible art, music, and camaraderie,” says Koch. “Wine brings it all together. Winemaking is both farming and art. To me, it is simple prairie philosophy, you can taste the love, passion, hard work, dedication, teamwork, and pride that went into the making of a great wine.”
Naturally, we could not resist a peak at this library of fine wine in south Florida. It’s home to some 750 large-format bottles and some remarkable vintages dating back decades. Koch has spent nearly a lifetime amassing the collection and it’s quite impressive.
Koch must have made some serious inroads over the years as so many of these stories producers are essentially off-limits. There are waiting lists, middle men, and the like, all protecting these rare, rare releases. But once you get the keys, you can access some stuff worthy of the history books on wine.
The auction is to take place in mid-June over three days. Here are some of the most intriguing finds, to be dusted off and auctioned for large sums of money.
Chateau Lefleur 1982
A pair of bottles from his esteemed producer will go to auction, worth an estimated $26,000-$38,000. This is a perfect storm, combining one of the iconic Bordeaux labels with an outstanding vintage. The great growing season of 1982 is what launched Robert Parker’s career. The wine ought to be beautiful at the moment.
Domaine Georges Roumier, Bonnes Mares, Vieilles Vignes 1988
Valued at around $9,000-$14,000, this wine comes from a century-old Burgundy producer in Chambolle-Musigny. Many regard the vintner as the very best in the appellation and the 1988 vintage is regarded as excellent. That bodes well for the wine, as the style tends to take a bit longer to evolve but can be absolutely magical when peaking. What I’d give for a sip of this exquisite Pinot Noir.
Pétrus 1990
This is a showy lot, indeed. Most people know the Pétrus name, a small Bordeaux producer in the Pomerol appellation. The label is nothing short of iconic and this collection is all the cooler as it’s six magnums in total (or, a case of wine). The value? It’s likely to sell for around $50,000.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet 1986
Likely really coming into its own as a now 39-year-old wine, this bottle is likely worth $20,000-$30,000. It’s from one of the most expensive producers in the land, set in Burgundy and known to be extremely exclusive. Part of the cool factor here is the fact that it’s an age-worthy white wine, made from Chardonnay. The vintage was not one for the ages but largely considered quite solid.
Penfolds Grange 1971
This is an intriguing lot, made up of six standard-sized bottles. Penfolds is one of the most sought-after Australian labels and, having tasted very old Aussie Shiraz, this writer knows just how beautifully it can age. The vintage was considered fantastic Down Under and all that tannic structure in the wine has likely allowed it to evolve gracefully over its now 54-years.
Turns out, Koch has cellars in properties beyond Palm Beach, including Aspen and Cape Cod. Christie’s is hosting the auction in New York City and it will feature some 1,500 lots from Koch’s collection. In addition to the above, there are wines from top names like Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Leroy, Henri Jayer, Armand Rousseau, Margaux, Château Cheval Blanc, and more.
What’s the most expensive wine ever sold at auction? Back in 2018, a 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sold for a whopping $558,000. That went down in NYC as well and the bottle itself is largely considered a unicorn wine in that it’s extremely limited and from a near-perfect vintage. The most expensive white wine ever sold at auction happened in 2011. A Chateau d’Yquem from all the way back in 1811 sold for $117,000. Sauternes is believed to age gloriously so there’s a decent chance this bottle is still drinkable to boot, beyond just having an incredible collector value.
This is all fine and dandy but we’re not above the lower brow stuff. There are great wines to be found all over, sometimes even on the lowest shelf of the grocery store. Check out our top picks for inexpensive red wine and the best barbecue wines for the forthcoming grilling season. Great wine isn’t just for the rich, it’s for the masses. Here’s to something classy in your glass.
