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The oldest bottle of the distinctly yellow-labelled Veuve Cliquot champagne has gone on display for the first time at the Veuve Cliquot visitor centre in Reims, France  following a 785 mile trip from it’s hiding place at Torosay Castle and Gardens on the Isle of Mull.

This unique piece of champagne history  was unearthed by Torosay’s owner Chris James after his curiosity over the contents of a family heirloom finally got the better of him.

Chris had always been intrigued by the contents of a solid wooden dining room side board as the key never been in his family’s possession. In the back of the side board there are four small doors, one foot square with deep drawers inside. As long as Chris can remember, three of these have always been used to store spare cutlery. The fourth had always been locked. Several years ago, his curiosity finally got the better of him and employed a specialist locksmith to have a key cut in an attempt to bring a family mystery to a conclusion. On opening the door, it was clear that this was the first time that the cupboard had sent the light of day since 1897 – Chris had unearthed the original Castle owner’s personal drinks cabinet!

Inside were a bottle of brandy, a port decanter and a bottle of claret. But Chris saved the best till last when from the very back of the dark and dusty cupboard he came across a single bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne. The bottle, complete with label were in mint condition having been kept in the dark throughout.

Intrigued by his find, Chris contacted Veuve Cliquot in France to enquire whether the bottle was of interest. ‘Probalement non’ they said, but a j-peg was sent just in case.

It transpires that Veuve Cliquot had no idea when they first used their trademark yellow labels, but the ‘Torosay bottle’ was the oldest by a long margin.

This unique piece of champagne history now takes pride of place at the Veuve Cliquot visitor centre, Reims, France.  Fabienne Huttaux, Head of Communications, Veuve Cliquot said: ‘It was amazing to find this bottle and it’s really an extraordinary story all in all. We are now very proud to display it in our visitor centre. It is such an important part of the history of Veuve Cliquot. We are very grateful to Chris James for letting us have the oldest bottle with our famous yellow label’.  

Chris James commented: ‘I really had no idea what to expect when the cupboard door was finally opened. I’m genuinely delighted that part of Torosay’s 150 year old history has turned out to be so important and is the bottle is now on display in it’s rightful home’.

-ends-

Press Inquiries:

Peter McKay or Colin McGregor, Tartan Silk PR

01463 243721or 0131 557 5558

peter@tartansilk.co.uk colin@tartansilk.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

·     The stunning Torosay Castle on the Isle of Mull was built in 1858 for John Campbell of Possil, a wealthy Glasgow merchant it is thought as a ‘gentleman’s retreat’. He promptly sold it in 1865.  Why he built such a fine home and then sold so quickly is unclear.  The oral tradition passed down within the current owner Chris James’ family is that he may have spent too much on it, grossly exceeding his original budget. But as the Castle’s 150th anniversary approached, Chris James research suggested that his business was suffering as a result of the American Civil War, or even, a possibility that intrigues Chris, that he was sickened by the activities of his factor, Middleton, who burnt the roofs at nearby Gulahoulish, and then took over that farm himself.

·     Whatever the reasoning, Torosay was promptly sold; the purchaser being Arbuthnot Guthrie, a wealthy but apparently reclusive merchant banker, who lived at Torosay until his death in 1897.  He was married but had no children, so upon his death he left the Castle to his favourite nephew, with the entire contents, including furniture to his widow. Somewhat upset at losing her home, the oral tradition has it, she removed all the contents except the solid wooden dining room side board, a substantial piece which proved simply impossible to move. It was in this sideboard that Chris James made the discovery of the historic bottle.

·    Torosay Castle was completed in 1858 by the eminent Architect David Bryce in the Scottish Baronial style. It is one of the finer examples of his work and possibly one of the few still used as a family home and is open to the public. 

·        Torosay Castle & Gardens lies 1.5 miles from Craignure pier on the Craignure/Iona road. (Iona is 35 miles and Tobermory 23 miles).

·        Caledonian MacBrayne ferries sail daily between Oban and Craignure.

·        Torosay Castle is a Grade A listed house set in spectacular gardens with the principal floor open to the public.

·        Visitors are welcome to browse through all the scrap books on show in the archive room, which catalogue local and national life over the last 100 years. This includes the exploits of Chris James father David Guthrie James who’s adventurous life includes sailing one of the last windjammers, successful escape from P.O.W camp and polar exploration. The books also include detailed history of the Royal family for the past 100 years.  

·        The estate is also comprised of 2 self catering cottages, which are available to let all year round.

·        Gardener’s Cottage is within Torosay Castle gardens, overlooking the Oriental Garden, and has beautiful views over the bay to Duart Castle

Images of both Chris James with a Veuve Cliquot bottle and a separate image of the original bottle are available.

Chris James is available for comment.