Best bottle you’ve ever received as a present?

I hosted a family BBQ/Pool Party yesterday and received a bottle of 2007 Cardinale as a present from a cousin. I was shocked and floored when I opened the gift bag. There were no expectations to open the bottle with him, since he didn’t actually come to the party. His wife gave it to me and said “your cousin thought you’d really enjoy this.” :astonished: :slight_smile:

Got me thinking, what’s the best or (most expensive) bottle you’ve recieved as a present?

Best was a 1959 Ch. Montrose from my wife.

1903 Lafite Rothschild good friends purchased at my birthday celebration at Bern’s. Originally selected 1898 but it was dead unfortunately, all clear liquid with an inch of sediment at the bottom.

Ah darn…

Well I will play in this sand box. A bottle of Petrus 1996

1970 Monfortino. And you got to share it with me in exchange for that insipid Burgundy you had. neener

2 bottles of 77 Yquem from my in-laws for my 50th birthday. I’m 72 now so both bottles gone.

1980 Montebello from a friend to backfill the ones we drank up. He gave me 2 of them last year.

Ditto, but a 1998 Petrus. From a great friend, business partner and client.

A 1990 Margaux from a grateful patient.
A 2002 Bollinger RD from a CEO for Board service.
A Riedel Amedeo decanter from another CEO for Board service.

Same friend gave me this as well:

2000 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny

Popped with MarcF

A bottle of 1988 Krug form an attorney named Krug. I took him fishing on the Kenai River. This may have been the best Champagne I have ever had.

A magnum of 1970 Latour from a client. A different client gave me a bottle of 1989 Le Pin from another client. The Latour was stunning, the Le Pin monolithic and kind of boring, but still a very generous gift.

As I said in the other thread, a 1969 la Tache as a Christmas present from a partner in the my first law firm when I was a junior associate. More recently, a large gift certificate at a wine store when I retired from my last law firm.

A work colleague and friend gave me a bottle of 2002 Opus One for my birthday a few years back, he’s also been a great wine mentor throughout the last five years.

About 5 years ago, the parents of an ex-student of mine whom I helped get a postgraduate studentship at a prestigious university gave me a bottle of Kweichow Moutai from the late 1960s/early 1970s. I graciously accepted, having no idea of it’s potential pecuniary value, or indeed what it would be like to drink. When I finally realised what it was worth a few years later, I immediately opened it; I feared that I might end up caving in and selling it, and was crucially aware of the awkward position that would have put me in. It was transcendental…

1966 La Tache and 1945 Taylor Port, both from Don Piestrup, composer, friend, and wine lover.

My brother gave me a bottle of 1995 Chateau Margaux for my 50th birthday.

2014 Maya Red Wine