Hawksmoor Manchester: Diners given £4,500 red wine by mistake Published duration 16 May 2019

media caption Wine drinkers toast cellar confusion after £4,500 bottle mix-up

Lucky diners were accidentally served a £4,500 bottle of red wine at a restaurant.

Hawksmoor Manchester said on Twitter it hoped the customers had enjoyed their evening after being given the pricey 2001 bottle of Chateau le Pin Pomerol.

The diners ordered a £260 Bordeaux but received the bottle "of the same vintage" which was 17 times the price.

A "mortified" staff member who made the error has been urged to keep their "chin up" as "one-off mistakes happen".

It was only afterwards that the restaurant's manager realised the mistake, a spokesman said.

Hawksmoor's original message sparked a flurry of amused responses, including "we need to go to Manchester" and "bet they wouldn't be able to tell the difference".

Others praised restaurant bosses for not "flying off the handle" at the staff member involved.

The customers ordered a bottle of the 2001 Chateau Pichon Longueville Contesse de Lalande, which costs £260.

Hawksmoor founder Will Beckett said a manager from another branch had been helping out and offered to find the wine for a waitress, but picked up the wrong bottle.

The restaurant has subsequently posted a picture on Twitter of the two offending bottles side by side, with the caption "they look pretty similar OK".

The diners, who were eating at the bar, were lucky enough to be served "something spectacular" and ordered a second bottle so clearly enjoyed it, according to Mr Beckett.

"At that kind of level you're into a rarity, a flavour profile you won't find anywhere else," he said.

They did not realise they had quaffed a £4,500 bottle, while the second bottle they asked for was unavailable.

'Mortified'

Mr Beckett said the staff member involved was "brilliant, and we know she is brilliant" so there was no point criticising her for a one-off mistake.

"I am going to tease her for this when she stops being so mortified," he added.

According to the Cult Wines online tasting guide, only 500 cases of the 2001 Chateau le Pin Pomerol were made.

It describes the vintage as a "tremendous effort", adding: "Its deep ruby/plum/purple colour is accompanied by an extraordinary perfume of creme de cassis, cherry liqueur, plums, liquorice, caramel, and sweet toast."

Reviews on the vivino.com website say the wine is "legendary" and "mythical".

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