Cognac Fine Champagne, Grande Armée, Napoléon 1811 (3 HB)

Cognac Fine Champagne, Grande Armée, Napoléon 1811

u. 2x6cm, 1x6.5cm, labels soiled and intact, bottles and capsules heavily covered with a hard layer typical of this era, wax capsules, no detail visible under the crust, handblown bottles with asymmetrical punts and shape, believed therefore to have been produced in the mid to late 19th century, Etiquettes salies et intactes, bouteilles et capsules fortement recouvertes d'une couche dure typique de cette époque, capsules en cire, aucun détail visible sous la croûte, bouteilles soufflées à la main avec une forme et une base asymétriques, produites vraisemblablement vers la moitié ou la fin du 19ème siècle

3 hbs (cn)

Rare Napoleon Fine Champagne 1811. All these bottles were carefully authenticated. The property of a passionate Spirits Collector. 1811 was a legendary year for winemaking in Western Europe. After a succession of poor vintages in the opening years of the century, perfect growing conditions provided by a long hot summer and warm dry autumn produced a spectacular harvest and reputedly the best vintage of the 19th century. The almost mythical status of the 1811 vintage was cemented by the appearance of ‘The Great Comet’. Comets have long been associated with excellent vintages; for centuries winemakers ascribed perfect conditions to their appearance in the skies. ‘Comet Vintages’ of wine and the cognacs made from them have long been held in high esteem, none more so than that of 1811.

Furthermore, in 1811 Napoleon visited the town of Cognac, where he was presented with a barrel of the spirit for his newborn son, who would go on to become Napoleon II. Many cognac’s made from the 1811 vintage were labelled as ‘Napoleon Cognac’ when they were bottled, often decades later, signifying their legendary status.

LYING AT HILLEBRAND BEAUNE, Offered Duty Paid