The wager was struck last New Year’s Eve in California, when restaurateur Ted Balestreri pledged to uncork the oldest bottle in his collection if Panetta, then the CIA director, found the al Qaeda mastermind.
Four months later, Panetta’s wife, Sylvia, called their longtime friend and said: “’Ted, get the wine opener ready,’” Balestreri told the Monterey County Herald. “When I asked why, she said, ‘Go turn on your TV.’”
As head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Panetta argued for and presided over the May 1 raid that killed bin Laden at his compound in Pakistan.
Balestreri, co-owner of the Sardine Factory restaurant in Panetta’s hometown of Monterey, said the bet came during a New Year’s gathering in his establishment’s wine cellar.
Some guests asked about his collection and he said he had no plans to open his oldest bottle, worth at least $10,000.
“But I said, ‘If Leon catches Osama bin Laden, we’ll open that bottle,’” Balestreri said, adding that Panetta quickly replied, “You’re on!”
US government officials are subject to strict rules about accepting gifts, but Pentagon officials were quick to point out that the bottle of wine was not a present and would be served to guests at a private New Year’s party.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2011.
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This is really typical of cowboy mentality. A celebration of a bloodiest genocide that lasted for more than a decade. What about innocent civillians and children who also died in the war zone? What about the future? You like to rub it in and boast about killings. This is lack of foresight as it aggravates the situation. While sipping that cheap wine and getting drunk your soldiers are roasted alive by their dozens. Bon apetit!
Pakistanis, who are supposed to abstain from alcohol know all the good things about it. Common guys start enjoying alcoholic beverages and come out of closets.
It's too macabre to drink a $10.000 bottle of wine and brag about the killing of a person at the same time.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild is not that much cheap ... 10,000 US$ duh. It usually is around 13,000 US$ now a days as it's a personal collection that's why it explains the 10K figure. Last time I checked Chateau Lafite (Rothschild) was more expensive than Montrachet. Lafite has many controversies behind it. Although the wine looses it's appeal but it in taste really brings out the body of it, gives your pallet a weird but unique experience. Same happens with aged Olive Oil but with wine it's totally different.
Lafite is one of the five of the grand cru of Bordeaux! Should be amazing ;)
and tribune decided to publish this story because Pakistani citizens care so much about what Panetta is drinking or not..lol..
@Nadir its worth atleast 10 grand, its preety drinkable
@Nadir, the older the better
Errrrrrr.....wine that old is pugnant and undrinkable.