Rare Chateau d’Yquem Wines Restored After Decades Hidden Under Czech Castle

On June 1, 2026, eight bottles of Chateau d’Yquem, a renowned French sweet white wine, were presented at Becov nad Teplou castle in the Czech Republic. These bottles, produced 130 years ago, had been hidden under the castle floor during World War II and survived decades of communist rule.

Discovered in the 1980s, the collection of 136 bottles originally belonged to the Beaufort-Spontin family. The family fled Czechoslovakia at the end of the war amidst suspicions of Nazi collaboration. The wine remained hidden alongside the Reliquary of St. Maurus until uncovered by communist secret police.

In 1984, the family enlisted the help of an American businessman, Danny Douglas, to recover the wine. However, the collection was discovered during the permit process. Ten years ago, a rescue operation began, led by Chateau d’Yquem to restore their wines produced in 1892 and 1896.

“We tasted a very small quantity to ensure the wine matched the aromatic and balanced profile of a Chateau d’Yquem from that era,” said cellar master Toni El Khawand.

Laboratory tests confirmed the wine’s authenticity, allowing the winery to replace corks and use capsules to protect the bottles. As oxygen impacted the wine, only five full bottles were returned to Becov. El Khawand described tasting the wine as “a magical experience,” noting its freshness and complex aromas like cedar, dried fruit, and spices.

The Czech National Heritage Institute estimates the collection could be worth $5 million at auction, though El Khawand emphasized the historical and moral significance of the wine.

No auction is planned; instead, plans are underway to exhibit the wines and cognacs, including an 1899 Pedro Ximenez sherry and an 1892 port. The castle launched a fundraising campaign for the exhibition, aiming to conduct more thorough wine analyses and further recondition the collection.

Conversely, a separate discovery was recently made in Georgia, revealing 20,000 rare bottles linked to historical figures Napoleon Bonaparte and Joseph Stalin.