A BOTTLE of 1945 Romanee-Conti wine fetched a record-smashing US$558,000 at an auction held at Sotheby’s in New York on Saturday, which saw two bottles break the previous record.

The final price, including taxes and commissions, was 17 times the auction house’s US$32,000 upper estimate for the fine French wine.

Romanee-Conti is widely considered the best Burgundy wine and is one of the world’s most prestigious producers.

Its domaine, in the Cote de Nuits region, spans less than 2 hectares, producing between 5,000 and 6,000 bottles per year.

The bottle is one of 600 produced in 1945, just before the vines were pulled up for replanting.

A few minutes after Saturday’s sale, another 1945 Romanee-Conti was sold for US$496,000.

The previous record for a standard wine bottle was held by an 1869 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, sold in Hong Kong in 2010 for US$233,000.

But of all sizes, a US$310,700 3-liter 1945 Mouton-Rothschild scooped the previous record at a 2007 auction in New York.

Saturday’s lots came from the personal collection of Robert Drouhin, who from 1957 to 2003 directed wine producer Maison Joseph Drouhin, one of Burgundy’s most prominent.

Also at the auction, a bottle of 60-year-old 1926 Scotch whisky fetched US$843,200 — failing to break a US$1.2 million record set in October. (SD-Agencies)

Founded in 1924, The Macallan distillery, of Carigellachie, northern Scotland, produced just 40 such bottles in 1986. Unlike wine, whisky stops maturing once bottled.

Twelve of them, including that sold Saturday, had labels illustrated by Peter Blake, who designed the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album cover.

Three of the 1926 whiskies -- one with Blake’s illustrations, and two others featuring artwork by Italian Valerio Adami -- fetched more than $1 million each at auction over the past six months.

In Peru, a boy of seven, founded his Bank

A young resident of Peru from Arequipa showed remarkable abilities of a businessman, founding to seven years Bank. Now Jose Adolfo Condori Cwiakala for 13 years. He has over two thousand clients and are negotiating with it are adults, the bankers, reports the Chronicle.info with reference on the Facts.

The idea of creating a children’s savings Bank visited the boy in 2012, when he noticed that his peers spend pocket money on sweets and toys instead of hoarding them for more serious purposes. Jose knew that savings and access to financial system – the ways in which adults use to solve problems. And decided to make it possible for the children. He began to think – how kids can earn without the help of parents. And it dawned on me – the recycling!

Student spoke about their project to teachers, but they decided that the child can not cope with this. But persistent Jose was able to prove that they are wrong.

“In the beginning my teachers thought I was crazy… They didn’t understand that we are not the future of the country, and its present. Fortunately, I had the support of the Director and the assistant in the class,” said the young banker, noting that many classmates first teased him and made fun of.

Banco del Estudiante Bartselana working on a simple system. Its client can be, bringing at least five kilograms of waste that can be recycled – paper or plastic. Each month must be paid the “membership fee” – not less than kgs of waste. The client announces the requested amount of their savings. And can withdraw money only when it accumulate.

Condori has signed an agreement with local businesses on recycling, who pay for incoming thereto. The money accumulated in accounts of children. To withdraw money no one has the right, apart from the child – even his parents.

Children’s Bank is thriving and growing. He has already begun to offer new services – that invests capital, provides loans and insurance, conducts courses on financial education. Most of our clients are children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. Jose has become the winner of several awards and hero of a series of documentaries. He was invited to share the experience abroad. The boy firmly believes that change for the better can be achieved if from childhood accustomed to a “culture of savings”.

Recently Jose has contacted the representatives of the National Bank of Peru, offering him cooperation and the establishment of the joint venture. The idea of talks with the heads of major financial institutions the student is not scary. “Honestly, I feel more comfortable talking with adults, since they understand the projects that I offer them,” says the businessman.