The UK’s most expensive bottle of English Sparkling Wine, and one of the most exclusive bottles of English wine ever produced, has been launched by Camel Valley vineyard to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this year.
The Lindo Family at Camel Valley has launched the giant Methuselah which holds six litres – the equivalent of eight regular bottles – with a £299 price tag. Customers will be offered a £40 refund for returning the empty bottle.
Camel Valley owner Bob Lindo said: “We are planning to produce just six of these special bottles and two have been sold already as news leaked out. We expect them to become a collectors’ item.”
His son, current 2011 UK Wine maker of the year and Camel Valley winemaker, Sam Lindo, says: “They will be filled with our 2010 Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé which came first in the largest blind tasting of English Sparkling Wines in March 2012, organised by Stephen Skelton MW, and judged by other Masters of Wine including Jancis Robinson, and prominent wine traders and writers.
“Our next challenge will be to produce a Nebuchadnezzar which holds 15 litres, and the empty bottle alone will cost us £400. With a capacity of 20 regular bottles, that will have to be for one heck of a party!”
Whopping drinks bill
The term Methuselah for a bottle of wine comes from a name in the Bible – as such are all the names of large Champagne-size bottles – where Methuselah was the son of Enoch and the grandfather of Noah.
Naturally, given the large volume of high-end bubblies in a Methuselah, many such bottles attract eye-watering price tags.
Form drinksdirect.co.uk, an Armand de Brignac Brut Gold NV Methuselah would set you back £5,455.00, More modest pockets could visit thechampagnecompnay.com for a Methuselah of Veuve Clicquot Methuselah Yellow Label Brut Champagne NV for £380.00; Pol Roger Methuselah Brut Reserve Champagne NV £435.00; or Perrier Jouet Methuselah Grand Brut Champagne NV for £675.00.
