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Two rare 1966 Dom Perignon magnums come to market

14 February 2023 By Arabella Mileham

Berkshire auction house Dreweatts is to sell two very rare 1966 magnums of Dom Perignon from a private collection.

The two rare magnums are presented in their original gift boxes and are being separately (estimate: £600-800 + fees), having been stored in excellent cellar conditions for many years, the auction house said.

Dreweatts senior wine consultant Mark Robertson said the two “exciting” magnums caught his eye when viewing the private collection in Oxfordshire.

“One is so used to seeing that mature hue on wines of this age, but the clarity, mousse and sparkle is quite sensational,” he said. “These must be one of the last of these magnums in the world and it is a privilege to offer them in such condition and give someone the opportunity to enjoy them. I would even suggest storing them well for another 3 years to be opened for that 60-year anniversary.”

The auction house is offering the two bottles separately in order “to give more than one person the opportunity to drink them”, it said.

Dom Perignon, with its distinctive eighteenth-century flask-shaped bottle, is only produced in the best years, with 45 vintages produced so far. The number of bottles tends to be a closely kept secret jealously by the brand owner Moët & Chandon, which is part of the LVMH group.

Other wines being offered in the Fine and Rare Wine Sale on 23 February include a case of 1982 Chateau Gruaud Larose 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien, which were stored in the original cardboard case, although these were removed for transport (estimate: £3,200 – 4,200); six bottles of 2020 Domaine Francois Raveneau, Chablis Premier Cru, Butteaux (estimate: £3,200 – 3,800); and six bottles of 2018 Opus One, Napa Valley (estimate: £1,200 – 1,500).

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