Wednesday 19 March 2008

Balls!


I love it when stories hit the press about famous pianists or violinist having their hands and fingers insured for thousands of pounds – it is a reminder that everything has its price. Today’s Daily Mail however, has beaten all the other bizarre insurance policies I have come across.

Ilja Gort is a wine maker, and owner of Château De La Gardein Bordeaux. The vineyard produces 80,000 bottles of gold medal wine every year. So what is the most essential part of his business? His estate manager, the type of soil his vineyard grows in, the sun to ripen the grapes? You’ve guessed it, its none of these – it’s his nose!

While the tongue has only 5 areas of taste, the nose can distinguish millions of scents. Girt considers his own particular bugle to be essential in ensuring the quality of his wines, and has had it insured against loss of smell, and indeed in case loss of nose, for £3.8 million.

Now that’s one hell of a valuable nose, but not something criminals would want to kidnap for a ransom. As long as Mr Gort doesn’t stick his proboscis where it isn’t wanted, he should be ok.

It has occurred to me that David Beckham’s nickname was “Golden Balls”!

Wonder what he had insured?

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