A federal judge in New York has cleared the way for millionaire wine collector William I Koch to sue German wine dealer Hardy Rodenstock for fraud in the Thomas Jefferson bottles case. Judge Barbara S Jones ruled on 22 Sept that the US District Court had legal jurisdiction to hear the lawsuit. Rodenstock had previously contended that the US court lacked jurisdiction. Jones' ruling came in response to Koch filing a list of what he claims are new facts supporting his allegations that the Jefferson bottles he acquired were counterfeits. Koch says he bought 4 bottles, believed to have belonged to former US president Thomas Jefferson. 3 came from Farr Vintners in London & 1 from the Chicago Wine Co. To read this story in full, please goto: www.decanter.com/news/268494.html Referring to Farr Vintners in London, Jones wrote that Koch 'sufficiently' alleges that Farr was Rodenstock's 'agent for jurisdictional purposes' when it provided Koch with the Jefferson bottles in New York. However, Jones sent Koch's lawyers back to the drawing board to redo part of his lawsuit. She is allowing the Florida collector to file new papers seeking to strengthen part of his suit.
