Liquid assets
This week, wealthy wine connoisseurs will have the chance to get the vintage of their dreams... providing they don't lose their bottle at the last moment.
The auctioneer Sotheby's will be selling three collections of the finest wines in London. The wines come from exclusive vineyards in well-known areas such as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne.
Because of their quality and rarity, each collection is expected to fetch a high price. But the price isn't just determined by the quality of the grape; the age of the wine can also make it a high-end product.
The most expensive bottle of white wine not bought at an auction was sold last July for 75,000 pounds (752,000 yuan). This premium wine had reached the ripe old age of 200 - proof that the best things come to those who wait.
But the most expensive standard-sized bottle of wine ever - a Chateau Lafite 1869 - went for 151,000 pounds (1.5 million yuan). That was truly a wine to be sipped, not quaffed!
For some members of the super-rich, the real joy of opening a top wine like that doesn't come from the bouquet, the complex flavours or that lingering finish - but from seeing the impressed look on your rivals' faces.
But other owners wouldn't dream of uncorking their liquid assets - they are kept, treasured in wine cellars and occasionally shown off like works of art, but when their value increases they sell them on.
But then, most of us simply can't afford to splash out on fine wines. It's irritating... but what's the best remedy for dealing with those sour grapes? A cheap bottle of plonk from the supermarket, of course!
