LONDON BAR SELLS VINTAGE DOM PERIGNON FOR £50,000

A VINTAGE BOTTLE OF DOM PERIGNON HAS BROKEN THE RECORD FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF WINE EVER SOLD AT A BRITISH BAR, FOR £35,000. THE METHUSELAH OF 1996 ROSE GOLD, DUBBED THE 'KING OF CHAMPAGNES', WAS SOLD AT A TOP LONDON HOTEL. A TILL RECEIPT SHOWS THE BUYER LEFT A £10,625 TIP, IN ADDITION TO THE £4,375 SERVICE CHARGE. THE GRATUITY RAISED THE TOTAL TO £50,000, OR THE EQUIVALENT OF £1,562.50 PER GLASS. THE BUYER, THOUGHT TO BE A RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, IS SAID TO HAVE SPILLED 'AT LEAST THREE GLASSES' WITHIN MINUTES OF THE PURCHASE AT THE WESTBURY HOTEL ON TUESDAY. WHILE OTHER CHAMPAGNES HAVE SOLD MORE AT AUCTION, THE ROSE GOLD IS BELIEVED TO BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE SINGLE BOTTLE EVER BOUGHT FROM A BAR. IT WAS SOLD ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT A VIP AFTER-SHOW PARTY FOLLOWING THE GALA SCREENING OF THE NEW BRITISH COMEDY, 'BOOGIE WOOGIE'. TEH BAR MANAGER REFUSED TO REVEAL THE BUYER'S IDENTITY. THE 1996 VINTAGE IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE FINEST IN THE 20th CENTURY AND WITH ONLY 35 BOTTLES PRODUCED PER YEAR, ITS INCREDIBLY RARE AND SOUGHT AFTER. THE ROSE METHUSELAH, THE EQUIVALENT TO EIGHT STANDARD SIZED BOTTLES, IS PRODUCED BY THE FRENCH WINERY MOET ET CHANDON AND IS PRIZED FOR ITS 'EXCELLENCE AND ELEGANCE'. THE BOTTLE ITSELF HAS A METAL CASING DIPPED IN ROSE GOLD, AND IS WORTH ALMOST £20,000 ALONE. IT IS SO EASILY SCRATCHED THAT SOMMELIERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO WEAR WHITE SILK GLOVES WHEN OPENING OR POURING. ACCORDING TO ITS MAKERS, THE BLEND IS 'CHARACTERIZED BY THE VIVACIOUS INTERPLAY BETWEEN PINOT NOIR AND CHARDONNAY GRAPES' AND IS 'COPPER PINK WITH SHADES OF AMBER AND GOLD' IN COLOUR.