Pieter Colpaert

And he spent a lot of his time visiting the vineyards of Bordeaux, of Burgundy, buying up wine for his collection.

And he spent a lot of his time visiting the vineyards of Bordeaux, of Burgundy, buying up wine for his collection.

And he spent a lot of his time visiting the vineyards of Bordeaux, of Burgundy, buying up wine for his collection.

I think he kind of finagled a dream job for himself. But then in 1985, supposedly, someone discovers this like bricked up cellar wall in Paris and they find a wine cellar that's more than 150 years old. Several bottles in there have Thomas Jefferson's initials, TH and J. So those bottles, they end up in the hands of this famous German guy, wine collector, music producer, Hardy Rodenstock.

I think he kind of finagled a dream job for himself. But then in 1985, supposedly, someone discovers this like bricked up cellar wall in Paris and they find a wine cellar that's more than 150 years old. Several bottles in there have Thomas Jefferson's initials, TH and J. So those bottles, they end up in the hands of this famous German guy, wine collector, music producer, Hardy Rodenstock.

I think he kind of finagled a dream job for himself. But then in 1985, supposedly, someone discovers this like bricked up cellar wall in Paris and they find a wine cellar that's more than 150 years old. Several bottles in there have Thomas Jefferson's initials, TH and J. So those bottles, they end up in the hands of this famous German guy, wine collector, music producer, Hardy Rodenstock.

He works together with Christie's, the auction house. They authenticate the bottles, they auction off several of them, and then in 1989, a bottle of 1869 Chateau Lafite, supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson, sold for more than $150,000. So this is 35 years ago at the time, the most expensive wine ever sold. Now, guess what?

He works together with Christie's, the auction house. They authenticate the bottles, they auction off several of them, and then in 1989, a bottle of 1869 Chateau Lafite, supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson, sold for more than $150,000. So this is 35 years ago at the time, the most expensive wine ever sold. Now, guess what?

He works together with Christie's, the auction house. They authenticate the bottles, they auction off several of them, and then in 1989, a bottle of 1869 Chateau Lafite, supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson, sold for more than $150,000. So this is 35 years ago at the time, the most expensive wine ever sold. Now, guess what?

Yep. I mean, listen, there had always been suspicions around the authenticity of these wines. So in 2005, billionaire wine collector Bill Koch, he had some of his so-called Jefferson bottles tested by a team of experts. And these experts, they found that the bottles contained wine from the 1960s, not from the 18th century.

Yep. I mean, listen, there had always been suspicions around the authenticity of these wines. So in 2005, billionaire wine collector Bill Koch, he had some of his so-called Jefferson bottles tested by a team of experts. And these experts, they found that the bottles contained wine from the 1960s, not from the 18th century.

Yep. I mean, listen, there had always been suspicions around the authenticity of these wines. So in 2005, billionaire wine collector Bill Koch, he had some of his so-called Jefferson bottles tested by a team of experts. And these experts, they found that the bottles contained wine from the 1960s, not from the 18th century.

So Jefferson, he kept really good records of his wine purchases, but very few of his bottles are still around. And even fewer can be proven to have belonged to him. Though one of those fake bottles actually ended up being one of the most expensive bottles never sold. What do you mean never sold? Okay, this is another one of my favorite stories.

So Jefferson, he kept really good records of his wine purchases, but very few of his bottles are still around. And even fewer can be proven to have belonged to him. Though one of those fake bottles actually ended up being one of the most expensive bottles never sold. What do you mean never sold? Okay, this is another one of my favorite stories.

So Jefferson, he kept really good records of his wine purchases, but very few of his bottles are still around. And even fewer can be proven to have belonged to him. Though one of those fake bottles actually ended up being one of the most expensive bottles never sold. What do you mean never sold? Okay, this is another one of my favorite stories.

William Socolan, he's this famous New York wine merchant. He had a bottle of Chateau Margaux from 1787. It had Jefferson's initials. Slash 1965, but okay, yep. And he had this bottle on consignment from its English owner. So he was going around New York trying to sell it for half a million dollars. People were kind of laughing at him.

William Socolan, he's this famous New York wine merchant. He had a bottle of Chateau Margaux from 1787. It had Jefferson's initials. Slash 1965, but okay, yep. And he had this bottle on consignment from its English owner. So he was going around New York trying to sell it for half a million dollars. People were kind of laughing at him.

William Socolan, he's this famous New York wine merchant. He had a bottle of Chateau Margaux from 1787. It had Jefferson's initials. Slash 1965, but okay, yep. And he had this bottle on consignment from its English owner. So he was going around New York trying to sell it for half a million dollars. People were kind of laughing at him.

No one thought that he would actually be able to sell a bottle of wine for half a million dollars. But as part of his whole PR blitz, he went to this very fancy Chateau Margaux dinner at this very fancy Four Seasons restaurant in New York. And then at the end of that night, I don't know how many glasses of wine deep, he walks into a metal tray table carrying that wine and he breaks the bottle.

No one thought that he would actually be able to sell a bottle of wine for half a million dollars. But as part of his whole PR blitz, he went to this very fancy Chateau Margaux dinner at this very fancy Four Seasons restaurant in New York. And then at the end of that night, I don't know how many glasses of wine deep, he walks into a metal tray table carrying that wine and he breaks the bottle.