What Do Billionaires Drink at a Private Wine Dinner?

May 26, 2025by David Bachus

TL;DR:

At high-end private dinners, billionaires don’t pour wine, they curate experiences. From rare Champagne to legendary Burgundy and Bordeaux, every bottle is a story and a shared moment worth remembering.

🍷 So, What Do Billionaires Drink at a Private Wine Dinner?

When you have a cellar that makes sommeliers sweat and collectors jealous, average wine just won’t do.

Recently, I was asked to curate not one, but two private wine dinners for a client whose standards are as high as the bottles he collects. Think: Grand Cru Burgundy, first-growth Bordeaux, cult Meursault - the kind of lineup that would make a wine influencer cry happy tears.

🕰️ Behind the Scenes: How It Went Down

I arrived hours ahead of time to:

  • Inspect every bottle for label condition, ullage, and provenance
  • Open and decant specific wines for optimal expression
  • Guide the pacing and pour to maximize impact

During the dinners, I shared stories behind each bottle - like how Arnaud Ente has become nearly impossible to find, or why the 1990 Cheval Blanc drinks more like a Grand Cru Burgundy than a typical Bordeaux, with its silky texture, haunting aromatics, and finesse over force.

🍾 Night 1

  • 2013 Salon Cuvee 'S' Le Mesnil – Because billionaires usually don’t pop Prosecco.
  • 2018 Roulot Meursault Les Poruzots – Razor-sharp white Burgundy from a rising student of the master…see next.
  • 2018 Coche-Dury Meursault – The master, white wine royalty.
  • 2015 Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St Jacques – A benchmark Premier Cru, to wake up the palate for the next one…
  • 2001 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Bèze – Silky power. Grand Cru greatness.
  • 1989 Haut-Brion & 1989 La Mission Haut-Brion – Bordeaux’s ultimate sibling rivalry.

🍷 Night 2

  • 2013 Salon Cuvee 'S' Le Mesnil (again—because once isn’t enough)
  • 2018 Arnaud Ente Meursault Clos des Ambres – Unicorn-level scarcity.
  • 2018 Coche Dury Meursault – Because yes, again.
  • 2005 Dujac Clos de la Roche – Whole-cluster muscle and charm.
  • 2001 DRC Richebourg – The showstopper. Quietly commanding. Deeply emotional.
  • 1982 Mouton Rothschild –  The benchmark Left Bank Bordeaux of the last half-century.
  • 1990 Cheval Blanc – So silky, aromatic, and elegant it should be illegal.

🧾 Final Sip

So what do billionaires open at wine dinners?

The answer:
Only the best. But not just for show. These are for drinking, sharing, savoring, and storytelling.

At Weekend Wine, we help collectors build these moments - with legendary bottles, rock-solid provenance, and white-glove service tailored to people who know the difference.

Want to host a wine dinner that gets remembered?

👉 Join our VIP List to access rare bottles, curated selections, and white-glove wine support trusted by the world’s most discerning collectors.

 
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