by Charles Metcalfe
British supermarkets are jostling each other to stock top-price wines in their premier outlets. Tesco was the first to shout about 'Britain's most expensive supermarket wine', a 1999 Penfolds Grange, selling for £99.99. But that's not
the most expensive, as Sainsbury's offer 2000 Penfolds Grange for £129.99 (and 1999 for £109.99). And Waitrose comfortably trumps both rivals with 1982 Chateau Cheval Blanc for £700. As Nathalie Heath of Waitrose said: 'At our Canary Wharf branch we have a specially chilled room where we stock lots of bottles over £100'.
Token icon wines aside, Tesco revealed that sales of wines over £10 per bottle have risen by 74% in the past two years. 'The majority of such sales are between £10 and £25,' said Graham Nash of Tesco. 'Customers are asking for better wines in-store. We're just giving them a wider choice.'
