33,600 DOLLARS FOR A 9 LITER BOTTLE (SALMANAZAR) OF ORNELLAIA… EARNINGS DONATED ENTIRELY TO THE RESTORATION PROJECT FOR THE BAPTISTERY DOORS OF FLORENCE

An exemplary bottle of Ornellaia 2005 (created to celebrate its twenty year anniversary) was auctioned off for 33,600 euros (all of which will be donated to the restoration of the Florence’s Baptistery doors) at the Christie’s auction held recently in New York. Lot 86 was announced as a, “Salmanazar of Ornellaia, 9 liters, unique exemplary. It is the only Italian lot out of the 230 wines and champagnes from all over the world”.

It is the first time that the Tenuta dell’Ornellaia has presented an “en primeur”, a wine that is sold before it is ready (it won’t be on the market until May 2008), and at such a high price. The wine, however, was auctioned off in record time (50 seconds) to Michael Corlinns (who came from Seattle with Lauri Darneille expressly for this bottle) at 28,000 dollars, and with Christie’s commission of 20%, reaching the impressive sum of 33,600 dollars.

The unique occasion has also merited a unique bottle: the Salmanazar has no label but, instead, a serigraph in gold that recalls the important anniversary. The donation to the American foundation “Friends of Florence” will be set aside for the “Progetto Battistero”, in particular, the restoration of the statues by Giovanni Francesco Rustici that are on Florence’s Baptistery doors, one of the most important monuments of Tuscany.
The couple from Seattle that acquired the Salmanazar will receive mention by the Major Domo and their names will be inserted onto a permanent plaque with all of the names of those who have contributed to the restoration at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Florence.

And the precious lot also includes an exclusive three day sojourn at the Tenuta di Bolgheri, during which the Salmanazar will be given to its buyers. There will be a day trip to Florence with the “Friends of Florence” and a visit to the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia, and a look at the works in the “Progetto Battistero” restoration project.