An original unopened bottle of Grand Constance 1821 was reportedly sold for close to R1 million at an auction hosted by Strauss & Co on Tuesday, September 14.
According to Business Insider, the vintage bottle originally destined for Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte made headlines during the live auction event where around 90 bottles of other exclusive wines along with art by Pierneef, Hugo Naudé, and Irma Stern were also auctioned off.
News24 reported in May that the Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction saw a Grand Constance 1821 sold for a record-breaking R420 000 – nearly a fifth the value of the entire auction on a bid from a UK-based client. However, Strauss & Co has placed a hefty estimate of R300 000 to R500 000 on the bottle, and in the end, got more than they had expected.
This unopened bottle of Grand Constance 1821 is celebrated for its rarity, age, and deep history as bottles of these extremely rare wines were transported to the island of St Helena, where it was for the enjoyment of Napoleon during his time in exile before dying in 1821, News Wine mentions.
Meanwhile, one of South Africa’s oldest wine farms, the 329-year-old Morgenhof wine estate in Stellenbosch was recently auctioned for R52.25m to an overseas bidder. The 210-hectare lush winery attracted several potential investors with most of the interest stemming from an international audience.
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