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Andre the Giant drank 12 bottles of Pouilly-Fuissé in three hours
French wrestler Andre the Giant, who grew to 7 ft 4 inches tall, was quite literally the world’s ‘biggest’ wine fan, and once downed an entire case of Burgundy during a bus ride.
André René Roussimoff, also known as Andre the Giant, towered over most adults. Standing at 7ft 4 and weighing 520lbs, the media took to calling him the ‘Eighth wonder of the world”, and his surprising feats were not only limited to the wrestling ring.
Known for having an extremely high tolerance to alcohol, the French wrestler’s beer binges have been fairly well documented, with Andre reportedly getting through as many as 106 beers in one night. But what many don’t know is that he also loved white Burgundy.
According to wrestling peer Hulk Hogan, Andre had a penchant for Pouilly-Fuissé and would drink it in shockingly large volumes.
“I went down to this little karaoke bar right down the street from the hotel and I bought a case of Pouilly-Fuissé wine—12 bottles of this very powerful, powerful, strong white French wine,” Hogan said.
“We left the hotel about eight in the morning for an eight-hour bus ride. About three hours later he shakes the seat. He says, ‘Boss. Boss. I need a pit stop.’ Three hours on a bus and he drank 12 bottles of wine.”
Full-bodied and Chardonnay-based Pouilly-Fuissé hails from one of the most distinguished wine appellations in the Mâconnais subregion of Burgundy. Not to be confused with Pouilly-Fumé, made from Sauvignon Blanc, the best expressions of Fuissé can often age for up to 20 years.
Andre was born in Coulommiers, Seine-et-Marne, approximately four hours north of the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré, which make up the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation.
Numerous observers regularly saw Andre taking delivery of a case of wine before a wrestling match, and he was said to have consumed four bottles “easily” before stepping into the ring to face his opponent.
Andre allegedly also ran up a US$40,000 bar tab during a one-month stay at the Hyatt in London while filming The Princess Bride, and once ordered 40 vodka and tonics in one go at the Marriott Hotel in Kansas City, when told by the bartender that ‘last orders’ was coming up.
He died from a suspected heart attack in a hotel room in Paris at the age of 46.
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