Hi I have a 1/2 bottle of the above wine. It says at the bottom Imported & bottled by Percy Fox ad Co London. Does this make it cheaper than if it was bottled in France? If so what would be an approx. price if I wanted to sell it.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
For many years, it was quite common for Bordeaux and other wines to be shipped to England for bottling. This practice left the final quality control - and perhaps the quality itself - in the hands of the importer. Today, wines such as this celebrated Sauternes, ranked as a Premier Grand Cru Classé, are bottled at the property. There is one auction sale (on Wine Auction Prices) from 2006 for a single full bottle (not a half) of the 1959, and the price was USD 127. If this seems astonishingly low, it is because very few Sauternes command a value commensurate with their intrinsic quality and longevity. There are also two listings on Wine Searcher in August 2018 in France and Hong Kong offering this vintage for USD 369 and 459, respectively. My best suggestion is to find the right occasion to open your bottle with friends who will appreciate one of the world's great sweet wine styles when fully mature. How has the wine been stored all these years, and how low is the liquid level (neck, shoulder, etc.)?
