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Stalin's Secret Wine Cellar Unveiled!
29 May
Summary
- Georgia unsealed Stalin's wine vault containing 40,000 rare French and Georgian wines.
- The collection, with some dating to the 19th century, will be auctioned.
- Proceeds will fund a new wine education school in Georgia.
A remarkable collection of approximately 40,000 rare French and Georgian wines, once belonging to Soviet leader Josef Stalin, has been unearthed in Tbilisi, Georgia. This historic wine vault was unsealed by the Georgian government for the first time this week. The collection features bottles dating back to the early 19th century, including vintages from prestigious French estates previously owned by Russian Tsars.
Georgia, which touts an 8,000-year winemaking tradition, plans to auction this significant collection. The proceeds from the sale are earmarked for establishing a wine education school in the country. This initiative aims to elevate Georgia's status on the international wine collectors' map.
Stalin, a native Georgian and an avid wine enthusiast, became the guardian of this trove after the 1917 Russian Revolution, supplementing the Imperial Romanov collection with his preferred Georgian varieties. The unsealing of the vault has generated excitement among collectors, who see it as a rare opportunity to acquire historical artifacts.
