A recent video posted online showcasing patrons at a bar on the Côte d’Azur mixing one of the world’s most expensive wines, Petrus, into sangria has sparked outrage among wine connoisseurs and social media users. The patrons at La Guérite restaurant on Sainte-Marguerite island carelessly poured several bottles of vintage Petrus, costing up to €120,000, into a bowl to make the extravagant sangria.
Petrus, a red Bordeaux wine, is highly regarded as one of the finest wines globally, with only 30,000 bottles produced annually. The footage of the patrons mixing Petrus with fruit and ice cubes has been widely condemned, with comments online ranging from labeling the act as “stupidity at its worst” to expressing a lack of respect for the winemakers who crafted the wine.
Renowned sommelier Philippe Faure-Brac likened using Petrus in a sangria to “using a Picasso or a van Gogh to make a fire,” emphasizing the wine’s gastronomic significance. Wine merchant Xavier Dinet echoed similar sentiments, stating that it was disrespectful to the hard work put in by winemakers.
While the video has sparked debate and criticism, it is not illegal to mix expensive wines into cocktails. Some have suggested that it may have been a deliberate act to create online buzz or a nod to a comedic scene from a movie.
In light of this incident, wine enthusiasts are advised to stick to more traditional recipes when making sangria and steer clear of mixing high-end wines into cocktails. The extravagant use of Petrus in sangria serves as a cautionary tale about the boundaries between luxury and excess in the world of fine wines.
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