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. At the highest level of private dining, billionaires don't simply pour wine — they curate experiences. Every bottle is chosen with intention, every pour tells a story, and every glass is a shared moment worth remembering.
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. Here's exactly what was on the table.
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 order to maximize impact at the table
During the dinners, I shared the story behind each bottle — like how Arnaud Ente has become nearly impossible to source, producing such tiny quantities that even well-connected collectors struggle to find allocations. 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: The Lineup
2013 Salon Cuvée 'S' Le Mesnil Because billionaires don't pop Prosecco. Salon is produced only in the finest vintages, and 2013 is among the greatest of the modern era — precise, mineral, and built for the very long haul.
2018 Roulot Meursault Les Poruzots Razor-sharp white Burgundy from a rising heir to the throne. Domaine Roulot has become one of the most coveted addresses in Meursault — precise, textured, and impossible to find at retail. (link 2)
2018 Coche-Dury Meursault The master. White wine royalty. Coche-Dury is the most sought-after white Burgundy producer alive, full stop.
2015 Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St Jacques A benchmark Premier Cru designed to wake up the palate for what came next.
2001 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Bèze Silky power. Grand Cru greatness from one of Burgundy's most revered addresses. Domaine Armand Rousseau produces wines of extraordinary elegance and longevity — and the 2001 Clos de Bèze is among the finest expressions of the domaine.
1989 Haut-Brion & 1989 La Mission Haut-Brion Bordeaux's ultimate sibling rivalry. Two of the greatest wines ever produced from Pessac-Léognan, tasted side by side. The 1989 vintage in Bordeaux is one of the century's finest — for more on that, our Best Bordeaux Vintages collector's guide puts it in full context.
Night 2: The Lineup
2013 Salon Cuvée 'S' Le Mesnil (again — because once isn't enough)
2018 Arnaud Ente Meursault Clos des Ambres Unicorn-level scarcity. Ente produces so little wine that most collectors never see a bottle outside of auction.
2018 Coche-Dury Meursault (because yes, again)
2005 Dujac Clos de la Roche Whole-cluster muscle and charm in equal measure. Domaine Dujac is one of Burgundy's most distinctive voices — perfumed, structured, and deeply age-worthy.
2001 DRC Richebourg The showstopper. Quietly commanding. Deeply emotional. One of those wines that stops conversation mid-sentence.
1982 Mouton Rothschild The benchmark Left Bank Bordeaux of the last half-century. Still magnificent at over 40 years old.
1990 Cheval Blanc So silky, aromatic, and elegant it should be illegal. Drinks more like a hauntingly beautiful Grand Cru Burgundy than anything you'd expect from Saint-Émilion.
What These Dinners Teach Us About Collecting
A few things became clear across both evenings:
Provenance is everything. Every bottle at these dinners came with an unimpeachable chain of custody. At this level, there's no room for doubt about storage or handling. A wine's story matters as much as what's in the glass.
Sequencing is an art. The order of pours — from Champagne through white Burgundy to Premier Cru to Grand Cru to Bordeaux — was deliberate. Each wine set up the next. Getting the arc right is what separates a great wine dinner from a great wine list.
The best bottles create moments, not just impressions. The 2001 DRC Richebourg didn't just taste extraordinary — it stopped the table. That's what serious collecting is ultimately about.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What wine do billionaires drink?
At the highest level, the focus is on Grand Cru Burgundy, First Growth Bordeaux, cult white Burgundy producers like Coche-Dury and Arnaud Ente, and prestige Champagne from houses like Salon and Krug. The common thread is scarcity, provenance, and age-worthiness — not price tags for their own sake.
What Champagne do billionaires drink?
Salon, Krug Clos du Mesnil, Dom Pérignon P2, and Jacques Selosse are the names that appear most often at private high-end dinners. Salon in particular — produced only in the finest vintages — is considered by many collectors to be the pinnacle of blanc de blancs Champagne.
What is the most prestigious wine in the world?
Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is widely considered the most prestigious single wine in the world, followed closely by other DRC cuvées, Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne, and Salon 'S'. At auction, these bottles consistently set price records.
How do you curate a private wine dinner?
Start with a clear arc — typically Champagne, then white, then lighter reds building to the most powerful, then a mature Bordeaux or dessert wine to close. Decanting decisions, serving temperature, and glassware all matter significantly at this level. And provenance verification before the dinner is non-negotiable.
Is it worth buying rare wine for private dinners?
For collectors who entertain seriously, yes. The experience of opening a great bottle at the right moment — with the right people — is irreplaceable. The key is sourcing from trusted dealers with verified storage.
Want to Host a Wine Dinner Worth Remembering?
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. Join our VIP List to access rare bottles and curated selections trusted by the world's most discerning collectors.