Historic French Wine Bottles Restored to Their Former Glory

The discovery of eight bottles of Chateau d’Yquem wine beneath a Czech castle floor has captivated wine enthusiasts worldwide. The bottles, which survived World War II and communist rule, have been lovingly restored by the chateau that originally produced them 130 years ago.

Chateau d’Yquem, a sweet white wine known for its high price and prestige, is part of a collection of 136 bottles located at Becov nad Teplou Castle in the west of Czechia. The collection belongs to the Beaufort-Spontin family. They fled Czechoslovakia at the end of the war due to suspicions of Nazi collaboration.

The wine lay hidden under the chapel floorboards next to the Reliquary of St. Maurus, which allegedly houses Saint John the Baptist’s bones. Although the reliquary was immediately sent to Prague for restoration, returning to Becov in 2002, the wine remained untouched.

In 1984, the family sought help from American businessman Danny Douglas for a secret retrieval mission, as reported by Reuters. During the permit process, Czech police uncovered Douglas’s objective, leading to the wine’s discovery.

“We tasted a small quantity to ensure the wine’s aroma and balance matched that of a Chateau d’Yquem from its era,” said cellar master Toni El Khawand.

Chateau d’Yquem verified the wine’s authenticity through laboratory tests. The winery then replaced the corks and fitted the original bottles with capsules for protection. Due to oxidation, only five bottles were returned to Becov intact.

During a presentation in Becov, El Khawand described tasting the wine as “a magical experience,” noting its freshness and complexity. He mentioned aromas of cedar, dried fruit, saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, alongside chocolate and coffee notes typical of Yquem wines.

The Czech National Heritage Institute estimated the collection’s auction value would be $5 million. However, El Khawand emphasized the wine’s moral and historical significance, stating, “It is a memory, ultimately—a liquid memory of those who came before us.”

An auction is not planned. Becov intends to display all wine and cognac bottles from the collection, including an 1899 Pedro Ximenez sherry and an 1892 port. The castle initiated a fundraising campaign to support the new exhibit.

“We want to conduct a more thorough analysis of the wines if we can raise the necessary funds,” said Katerina Nyvltova, collections manager at Becov. “And if reconditioning is possible, we will pursue it,” she added.

The unveiling coincides with a similar event in Georgia, where the government introduced a trove of 20,000 rare wine bottles, some with connections to Napoleon Bonaparte and Joseph Stalin.