Despite the elegant label and the aristocratic simplicity of the name, it just seems kind of cheap for Sotheby’s to slap its name on a $30 bottle of Champagne. No, it’s not beer (yet), but it does feel like a maneuver to compensate for a few lackluster years in art and auctioneering (applause-worthy recent “Scream” sale ($119.9 million) notwithstanding).
You can’t buy anything for thirty bucks at Sotheby’s. Even a couple of old stamps and a Victorian mahogany toilet mirror went for twice as much.
Yes. The champagne is the real deal. Made from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay, the non-vintage Champagne is produced by R&L Legras and sourced from Chouilly in Champagne’s Côte de Blancs region. But is it any better just because it has the Sotheby’s tag on it? Some say, “yes.” Some say, “no.” You decide. It’s Available online at sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Champagne is priced at $29.99 a 750-ml. and $69.95 a 1.5-liter.