When we've grown out of drinking cheapo reds and whites from dépanneurs and go looking for something a little more upscale—something "decent" or "nice"—we head over the SAQ, right?
But even then, we tend to focus on what would be the biggest bang for our buck. Unless it's being recommended and getting uncorked for us in a restaurant or bar, we'll typically look for something moderately priced, and save those $30 to $40 bottles for really special occasions. We're not looking to be douchebags that show up at house parties or potlucks with Dom Pérignon.
So with all that penny-pinching we tend to do, that got us thinking:
What's the most expensive bottle of wine the SAQ is selling?
The answer: A six-litre 2010 bottle of Château Cheval Blanc Premier Grand Cru Classé, a French red wine that goes for $19,000.
That makes the cost at roughly $100 per glass.
There are two bottles of this stuff available at a single SAQ in Quebec City.
That's enough for us to get a start on making a down payment on a house, so we reached out to Renée Deschenes, co-owner of the restaurant La Franquette in Westmount and their top-tier wine buyer, about the price tag. There's four reasons why:
1. The size of the bottle: "The first thing to mention is that this is a methuselah (6L) format (known as an 'imperial' in Bordeaux) which is 8 times larger than a regular bottle. By that logic, if it were a 750ml format it would bring the price down to $2,375, which is still considerably high but it explains part of the exorbitant cost," she writes.
2. The reputation: "The second is that the Chateau Cheval Blanc 1947 was deemed the best wine in the world at a certain point. This obviously brings a certain level of cachet to the chateau itself and therefore would play into the "market forces" that we learn about in wine classes," Deschenes explains. "A classification like that would allow for them to charge more for the wine because of their notoriety."
3. The year: "The third thing is that 2010 was a good year for them—very dry. Vines need to struggle in order to produce wine with a good concentration of flavour. From what I was reading, the 2010 vintage had similar conditions to 1947 so would possibly rival the quality of the revered vintage."
4. The distinction: "The last thing I would mention is that the St. Émillion classification of 'Grand Cru Classé' is an appellation in its own right that encompasses the best chateaus of St. Émillion. In other words, that designation on its own also explains why the price would be so high."
Deschenes also noted that there were only 173 imperials from that vintage—a very small number—and that the smaller the number of bottles produced, the more the rarity factor comes into play.
So... thirsty?
If you liked this, consider paying a visit to La Franquette in Westmount and trying out the wines Deschenes picks out for the restaurant. Check out the restaurant, its menu, and more here.