1,090

The cost (in US dollars) for a bottle of the 2000 vintage of the First Growth Château Latour. The “library” vintage was re-released in mid-March. In 2012, Château Latour stunned the world by being the first top chateau to discontinue the practice of selling futures, saying it preferred to sell the wine directly to consumers and only when it was deemed ready to actually drink. The time is apparently now.

What is Constantia?

A. The name given to the wine districts north of Vienna during the Austro-Hungarian Empire

B. An ancient Greek settlement along the coast of Turkey which was an important center for the production of amphoras

C. A sweet South African wine that was once a favorite among European nobility

D. A place in historic Constantinople renowned as one of the ancient world’s top winegrowing districts

Constantia is a sweet, muscat-based South African wine that was at one time the most sought-after dessert wine in all of Europe. The small district of Constantia, situated just south of present-day Cape Town in South Africa, was settled by Dutch colonists in the 1600s. The wine district was so established that by the 1700s, Constantia wine had become renowned among the nobility throughout Europe. It was reportedly never absent from the table of King Frederick the Great of Germany, and even Napoleon Bonaparte ordered Constantia by the case.

Don’t-Taste

Here with a few items we’ve filed under the heading Don’t-Taste. (And, yes, the following all exist). Pinot Meow—Wine for your kitty. (You’d think cat-pissy sauvignon blanc would have been the first feline varietal but,… Continue reading

1,090

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