Georgia uncorks the value of Josef Stalin’s 40,000 wine bottle collection

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Photo via Wikipedia Commons | Author: Oliver Rivas

An impressive trove of wine hopes to put Georgia on the map of wine collectors.

Josef Stalin, who led the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953, was a wine collector and drinker. His stash includes wine from estates that were previously owned by Russia’s Tsar Alexander III. According to AP News, the Soviets sized the collection in 1917, and Stalin became the sole owner, adding to his favorite Georgian varieties.

Now, the Georgian government is unsealing the vault for the first time this week. The collection includes about 40,000 Georgian and French bottles. The collection will be auctioned off, with the funds going to open a school for wine education.

Story via Lucy Papachristou with AP News

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