Colleges have nurtured prized wines in their cellars for centuries; buying and guarding them for future generations according to the size and wealth of the college. Oxford’s 45 colleges, all with their own wine cellar, held wine wealth under those dreaming spires estimated at millions of pounds. Wadham College was said to have had some of the priciest wines especially claret and port from the 60s and 70s, including 30 bottles of 1990 Cos d’Estournel Claret that has appreciated by over 400%. Christ Church College is noted for exceptional wines in its 15,000-bottle cellar. Occasionally some wine revenue is realised. In 2022, Kings College, Cambridge sold 44 lots through Christies raising £1 million. A dozen bottles of 1999 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru drew a bid of £100,000, with bidders certain about the genuine provenance of the bottles.
Wine buys are a little more prosaic today. Sherry, although still favoured, has slipped from dominance among the dons, and the buying of classic French wines has gone from Classified Growths to Bourgeois, although there is still a general bias towards French wines, port and sherry. Stocks are sourced from some 50 wine merchants.
Denne historien er fra Autumn 2023-utgaven av Sommelier India.
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Denne historien er fra Autumn 2023-utgaven av Sommelier India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Intimate and Welcoming
Reserve a table at AI Garamond in the centre of Turin for a taste of authentic Piedmonteset and Sicilian cuisine
Tribute to the Kerala Kitchen
Kappa Chakka Kandhari is a restaurant like no other. Chef Regi Mathew, the presiding genius, speaks to Kaveri Ponnapa about how the award-winning restaurant, specialising in the homecooking of Kerala, came into being
SWIRLING IN THE DIGITAL ERA - How social media is influencing wine culture
The ever-evolving world of wine is currently witnessing a significant shift towards social media. Devati Mallick steers us through the many ways one can navigate the digital landscape with a simple click, tap, or swipe
Bottling It - The times they are a-changing
Wine in glass bottles has been traditional for a very long time but now change is a-foot, says Carol Wright. The carbon foot print of the glass bottle is not planet friendly
BANDOL - The ruby in the Provence crown
If you thought Provence was only about rosés, you are wrong. Bandol, one of the more prestigious appellations of Provence, is renowned for its bold and structured red wines. Here's what Elizabeth Gabay MW has to say
A Splendid Septet of Wines
Raymond Blake tastes seven vintages of the Burgundy premier cru, Gevrey-Chambertin 'Aux Combottes', from Domaine Dujac, owned by the Seysses family
CYPRUS Dawn of a New Era
On a recent visit to Cyprus, Rosemary George MW is struck by the island's numerous indigenous grape varieties and high altitude vineyards
Madeira The world's longest living wine
Carol Wright on what makes Madeira the 'hottest' thing in wine
AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT ETNA
Altitude, fertile volcanic ash, and abundant sunlight create a unique environment for vineyards
Putting their best foot forward
Craig Wedge is bullish about the rising quality of Australian wines entering the Indian market