A 214-Year-Old Bottle of Wine Is Heading to Auction for Up to €13,000

A bottle of wine that is more than 200 years old is about to find a new owner and it could be worth up to €13,000. The 1811 Riesling has survived wars, generations, and centuries of change – while remaining remarkably preserved in a historic German cellar. Now, this incredible piece of wine history is being offered to collectors for the first time.

In a press release, Catawiki, Europe’s leading online marketplace for special objects announced that it will offer what is believed to be the oldest German Riesling from a named single vineyard ever offered at auction in Europe: an 1811 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling from the renowned Pfalz winery Weingut Bassermann-Jordan.

More Than Two Centuries of History in a Single Bottle

Produced in 1811 — one of Europe’s most celebrated historic vintages — the wine has remained in the winery’s historic cellar for over 200 years. Earlier this year it was carefully re-corked, preserving the wine using only liquid from the same 1811 vintage, with no younger wine ever added.

Its provenance is equally exceptional. Following a tasting organised to celebrate the winery’s 300th anniversary, only eight bottles remained. Seven have been retained in the estate’s historic cellar, making this the only bottle currently available for purchase.

A Witness to One of Germany’s Greatest Wine Traditions

The bottle originates from Forster Ungeheuer, one of Germany’s most celebrated historic Riesling vineyards, whose wines have been admired for centuries for their longevity and complexity.

Although an 18th-century half bottle of Rüdesheimer Riesling has previously appeared at auction, this example stands apart. It is a full 0.7-litre bottle, originates from a documented single vineyard, comes directly from the winery’s historic cellar, and has been preserved exclusively with wine from the same 1811 vintage.

Its extraordinary condition surprised even wine experts. During the winery’s anniversary tasting, Decanter described the wine as “remarkably fresh and balanced” despite being more than two centuries old.

A Museum-Quality Highlight

The bottle will headline Catawiki’s exclusive wine auction until 3 August, featuring a curated selection of museum-quality wines and exceptional collector’s bottles from around the world.

About Catawiki

Catawiki is the leading online marketplace for special objects that fulfil people’s passions. Over 100,000 objects are offered in auction every week – each reviewed and selected by one of Catawiki’s hundreds of in-house experts specialised in Art, Design, Jewellery, Fashion, Classic Cars, Collectables and much more. Catawiki is headquartered in Amsterdam with over 750 employees across the world. Fulfil your passion on catawiki.com or download the app.