19 May 1997

A bottle of Madeira Wine dating back to the year 1800 was sold for about 22 000$ US Dollars at an auction at Sotheby’s, New York, on the weekend of 10 May. The bottle belonged then to the ex-President of the United Staes, Thomas Jefferson.

The bottle of wine was bought by Barrie Larvin, the owner of the Hotel Casino Rio de Las Vegas.

“It is quite rare that a bottle of such historical significance goes to an auction”, commented Serena Sutcliffe, Director of Sotheby’s department for wines. According to one of the staff members present at the auction the new owner made it clear that he was to celebrate either the day of independence, on the 4th of July, or the change into the new millenium with the rare bottle of wine.