Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 sets record at Seoul Auction wine sale

A bottle of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973, the flagship wine from Napa Valley's Chateau Montelena, fetched the highest price ever recorded for an American wine at a Seoul Auction sale.

Shinsegae L&B offered the 1973 vintage through Seoul Auction on Monday, where it sold for 19.73 million won ($12,800). All proceeds will be donated to charity.

The auction was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the "Judgment of Paris," a blind tasting held in Paris in 1976 that is widely regarded as a turning point in wine history. The Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 took top honors at that event.

The wine beat out top-tier white Burgundies from France to claim first place — a result that announced to the world that American wines could stand alongside their French counterparts.

Only about 10 bottles of the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973 are believed to remain in the winery's library cellar. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, Chateau Montelena owner Bo Barrett set aside one of those bottles for the Korean market.

"All proceeds from this auction will be donated, and we hope it conveys both the wine's historic significance and the spirit of giving," a Shinsegae L&B official said.