I am sure it’s worth a lot more than that.
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Why? Why buy what you will never use or enjoy? A glittering tomb of wine.
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Unless a large portion of his cellar is not shown, I don’t believe he’s the biggest private collector in the world. As part of my preparation for opening a wine storage facility, I visited several that were willing to host me, let me be a fly on the wall, ask questions, etc. I’ve seen collections that exceed 100 pallets – virtually all of them unbroken OWCs of 1st/2nd growth chateaux and top Burgundy. I suspect larger collections are out there as well.
The video looks like it’s of Michel-Jack Chasseuil’s collection.
No idea re whether he’s the largest private collector or not, no doubt there are institutions or restaurants with bigger collections.
For those of us without a Facebook account (yes, really!), could someone post a screen grab or another link?
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Yeah this has been posted here before. The whole idea is appalling. I generally don’t take issue with what people do with their money or how they organize their lives, but I do have an issue with this. Just as great art needs to be seen, great wine needs to be drunk.
Preferably by me, but drunk by someone.
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Other than a few producers - in mostly Burgundy - the reality is the production of fine wine outstrips demand pretty substantially. No single collector is THAT important, but if volume buyers (people whose annual en primeur orders are multiple pallets) ALL disappeared tomorrow, a lot of producers would drown in oversupply.
But on the whole I agree – wine is for drinking. I just take more issue with speculators than collectors.
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10000%. Watching it made me said. Like Leon Leavitt’s jazz LP warehouse or all the art in the Geneva Freeport.
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Not a fan of either
I’ve been to the cellar of Michel Chasseuil. He is the owner of Chateau Feytit Clinet in Pomerol. His son Jeremy manages the winery today.
It is amazing to see. The bottles from the late 1700s, and 1800s are amazing to see. Chasseuil doesn’t view it as a collection, he sees it as a wine museum. He’s tried to donate it as a museum, but no takers.
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Guys like this are probably doing us all a favor by hiding away top Bordeaux/Burgs until they mature. Unless they are hoarding them until they are too old, which would actually be an unforgiveable crime.
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It just doesn’t make sense for perishable goods. It would be like having a museum of food where people walk around looking at plates of rotting food.
This seems to be exactly what he’s doing
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Here is my question: how many people like this are there?? Did they think they would unload it for huge profit?? What if some of these people die and the market gets crazy?? In a kind of vinous apocalypse I can see tons of older famous wines poured into the marketplace, so much that the price of newer wine tumbles.
I’ve always wondered how much of the great and rare wines of the world are bought by people who hoard them.
Mr. Chasseuil does not sell any of his bottles, ever. While wines from the past 75 years or so, are not amazing to see, wines from the 1800s are beautiful to look at. He has numerous ancient bottles that are embossed with the chateaux logos.
In his mind, he’s dedicated his life to creating a wine museum. You, or others might not agree, but it makes him happy . It’s his money, his life.
As for collecting, loads of people collect things never to be used, cars, tennis shoes, toys, clothes, stamps, posters, art, watches, sports cards, instruments, etc, the list is endless. One could argue any of those and more were meant to be used, seen, shared, enjoyed, etc., each collectible takes an item away from their initial purpose. Such is the life of a collector.
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C’mon Jeff, you know you’re comparing apples and oranges. Pre-war Bentleys and Pokemon cards don’t have a shelf life. Wine does. You could argue that 1st growths and a handful of Grand Crus from top vintages can go 75, 100, 150 years, but even in these collections that’s a minority of wines.
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That was a neat documentary to watch. It was like watching a Forrest Gump of wine. In any case, interesting to learn he owns Feytit Clinet. I only have two bottles left (both 2015) and I think I will open one tonight to check in. All the other bottles have been wonderful.
Cool documentary - thanks for sharing.
It seems to be an extraordinary labor of love for him as he seems to everything by hand, himself.
Even driving a goofy Peugeot Kanga!