Chateau Lafite 1787

Château Lafite 1787: Owned by the Rothschild family, Chateau Lafite in France is famous for its Bordeaux wines. This outstanding vintage was another favorite wine of Thomas Jefferson. It is thought that Jefferson even visited the estate and that he owned this particular bottle of Bordeaux. The initials T.J. are etched onto the glass. Publisher Malcolm Forbes bought this Chateau Lafite wine. However, there has been some question of whether it is genuine or fake, and it’s nicknamed the Billionaire’s Vinegar! In December 1985 a dark green glass wine bottle sealed with thick black wax was sold at a Christie’s London auction. It was discovered in Paris among other wines from top vineyards, including Lafite. Etched into the unlabelled bottle was the year 1787, Lafitte’ and the initials ‘ThJ’. Despite the aged appearance of the vessel, the wine itself was reported of high quality, with the engravings from eighteenth-century France according to glass experts from Christie’s. It is believed that the bottle once belonged to Thomas Jefferson who developed a taste for French wine whilst serving as America’s Minister to France. Whether or not these rumors are true, Chateau Lafite 1787 represents the most expensive single wine bottle to be sold at an auction.
Oil & ink on canvas, 2023