A Sip Worth Savoring: The $37,000 Cognac

At an auction of more than 18,000 bottles of wine, Champagne, and spirits, French entrepreneur Raphael Zier took home the star of the show, a single bottle of Clos du Griffier cognac dating back to 1788, for a final bid of $37,000.

The two-day auction was the first held by the 427-year-old restaurant La Tour D’Argent in Paris and was put together to help fund their ambitious redevelopment project. It was well attended by cognac connoisseurs from the U.S., China, Russia, and other countries, but Zier outbid them all.

The opening price for the exceptional bottle was €2,500 but bidding quickly escalated and ended at €25,000, netting the restaurant €1.54 million.

Proceeds also went to the charity Association Petits Princes, which according to Zier, was an influential factor in his decision to pay 10 times the asking price.

The restaurant’s name means “The Silver Tower” in French and each bottle is stamped with a small tower insignia at the bottom.

And what does Zier plan to do with his extraordinary prize? He declared at the auction that he plans to drink the 221-year-old cognac with his friends. Cheers!