Wine bottle fetches record price at auction

A private collector paid just over 300,000 dollars for an imperial of a rare Bordeaux at an auction in Geneva on Tuesday, setting a new world record for a bottle of wine.

“We are absolutely delighted at the result obtained for this bottle of the legendary 1947 Château Cheval Blanc, sold for $304,375 (SFr 300,996),” said wine expert Michael Ganne, from the Christie’s auction house, which made the sale.

Before the sale, Christie’s had put an estimated price of between $150,000 and 200,000 on the imperial – a very rare size of bottle containing six litres.

It was the only imperial known for the sought-after Saint-Emilion, Ganne told the AFP news agency. He described the particular vintage as “one of the greatest Bordeaux of all time”, and said it would keep easily for another 50 years.

The bottle was sold by a Swiss collector, who wanted to remain anonymous.