Eight bottles of legendary Chateau d'Yquem, produced in 1892 and 1896, have undergone a professional restoration by the French vineyard that originally crafted them. The bottles were recovered from the Becov nad Teplou castle in the western Czech Republic, where they had been concealed beneath floorboards for decades.
According to France 24, the wine was part of a larger cache of 136 bottles once held by the noble Beaufort-Spontin family. The family abandoned the castle at the end of World War II while fleeing accusations of collaboration with Nazi forces. The collection remained hidden alongside the shrine of St Maurus until communist secret police discovered the site in 1985.
While the shrine was promptly removed for restoration, the wine was left behind. It was only rediscovered ten years ago during a routine inventory, sparking a multi-year rescue effort. Chateau d'Yquem cellar master Toni El Khawand oversaw the delicate process of verifying the bottles, which included laboratory testing to confirm their authenticity.
A time capsule in liquid form
Because the wine had been exposed to gradual oxygen ingress, the restoration team had to re-bottle the contents to ensure longevity. This process resulted in a final yield of five full bottles from the original eight. El Khawand noted that the high sugar content inherent in the Sauternes wine was the primary factor in its survival over the last 130 years.
"What we're really doing when we open it is unveiling a time capsule," El Khawand told the outlet. "We pull out this cork that has sealed the liquid off from its surroundings and, in a way, from the passage of time."
During the restoration, the team identified complex aromatic profiles, including notes of saffron, nutmeg, dried fruit, cedar, and mocha. El Khawand described the experience of tasting the century-old vintage as "magical," highlighting that the wine retained a surprising level of acidic freshness.
While the Czech National Heritage Institute estimates the total value of the 136-bottle collection at approximately $5 million, El Khawand emphasized that the primary significance of the find is historical. The restored bottles are slated to be displayed at the castle alongside the rest of the collection in the future.
