The Tragedy of a Mouton '45 & a Rare Persian Carpet
Sent in by Reginald Suttering from Canterbury, UK
In this week's edition of "Wine Stain of the Week," this week, we delve into a catastrophe that could make even the most stoic of wine lovers weep into their teardrop decanter. Our tale comes from Reginald Suttering, a 78-year-old wine aficionado and collector of fine art rugs, hailing from the outskirts of Canterbury in rustic England or as we say, Ang-Land, because it’s not a gland.
1945 Château Mouton Rothschild on a Rare Persian Carpet
The Wine: 1945 Château Mouton Rothschild
The star of our tragic spill is none other than a bottle of 1945 Château Mouton Rothschild, a vintage that whispers tales of history, luxury, and the art of winemaking at its peak. This particular year marks not just the end of World War II but also the beginning of a legend, as the vineyard's yield produced a wine so sublime, it's been heralded as the ‘victory vintage.’ With only a few bottles left in the world, each sip is like drinking liquid history itself, valued at an eye-watering $20,000 per bottle. Reginald’s father had bought it on release.
The Carpet: The Persian Masterpiece
Underneath this liquid treasure lay another: a rare Persian carpet from the Qajar dynasty. Woven with threads of gold and the finest silk, it depicted the epic tales of Persian heroes and heroines, interlaced with motifs of paradise gardens—a masterpiece valued at over $100,000. It was not merely a rug; it was a narrative fabric of ancient lore and luxury.
The Spill
On a fateful evening in early October, as Reginald decided to uncork the monumental 1945 Château Mouton Rothschild to celebrate his 78th birthday, disaster struck.
As he carefully stepped from his kitchen to living room, unbeknownst to him, a handful of decanter ball bearings, tiny spheres designed to aid in the cleaning of his wine decanters, had escaped their container and found their way onto the wooden floor.
The bottle slipped from his grasp, time slowed as the precious liquid arced through the air, landing not in the eager glasses of his guests but upon the historic fibers of the Persian rug.
The Wine Stain
“An aromatic symphony with top notes of freshly picked blackberries and plum. Complex layers, revealing themselves in waves. Velvet mouthfeel, hints of tobacco reminding us of Churchill’s Yalta Cigar. Smooth tannins worthy of a jazz solo, Coltraning on the mid-palate. Some rug fluff on the tongue as licks of the wine reveal sensation that only time can show.”
Reginald's tale is not just a story of a spill; it's a toast to the fragility of perfection, the beauty in imperfection, and the indelible marks our passions leave on the tapestry of our lives.
