Cape Fine & Rare Wine sold one of the bottles of wine intended for the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, at an auction in South Africa. It was sold for 420 thousand rands.
The Grand Constance wine bottle belongs to the 1821 vintage. The grapes were grown in modern-day South Africa.
This wine was very popular in the early 19th century. Most of the harvest of 1821 was used for the wine intended for Napoleon, although the emperor did not taste it. He died when the bottles were on the way. A total of 12 such bottles have been preserved so far.
The auction was held in collaboration with Christie’s. It was purchased by a British client of the auction house.
