French Laundry robbed - wine heist
YOUNTVILLE, Calif.—The list of suspects could number in the dozens—or more. The places where the stolen loot could be sold: almost anywhere on earth.
Yet sheriff’s investigators in Napa County still hope to solve one of the most sensational crimes ever in this famed wine region: the Christmas Day theft of rare vintages worth as much as $300,000 from the French Laundry, a restaurant rated among the best in the world.
Taken in the heist were 76 bottles, including many from the legendary French winemaking estate of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Napa Valley cult favorite Screaming Eagle. The vintages are so rare that some bottles are valued at more than $15,000 each, according to the online database Wine-Searcher.
The theft itself was less exotic: Someone pried open a door just hours after the restaurant had closed to begin a monthslong renovation, then forced open a cellar where the bottles were stored, Napa County Sheriff’s Office investigators say. A burglar alarm at the restaurant hadn’t been set, they said.
As of Friday, the crime remained unsolved. Investigators said they could get a break if the thief or thieves attempt to sell the high-end wines, because many can be tracked by serial numbers on the bottles.
“The quality of these wines is such there aren’t large numbers readily available, so if they actually surface in a legitimate market, they will be seen,” said sheriff’s Capt. Doug Pike. His agency has alerted wine buyers and sellers nationwide about the theft.
However, no database exists of wine serial numbers for a vendor to readily check if a bottle is stolen, said Maureen Downey, a wine-fraud expert from San Francisco. In addition, stolen fine wine often is traded on the black market, including to buyers overseas, said Chuck Hanson, a wine buyer for Hi-Time Cellar, a wholesale wine retailer in Costa Mesa, Calif. Mr. Hanson said whoever committed the crime likely planned it carefully, and may sell it directly to a collector or a small store that may not be concerned about where the bottles come from.
“If the guy is fairly smart, no way you will track him down,” Mr. Hanson said. “They know they can’t sell that wine, except to someone they know.”
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Industry observers said restaurant break-ins for wine are relatively rare, with more wine thefts taking place at storage warehouses. “It is a wake-up call for other retailers and restaurateurs who are sitting on a gold mine of hundreds of thousands of dollars of wine to upgrade their security,” said Jon Fredrikson, a wine-industry consultant in Woodside, Calif.
The French Laundry, owned by celebrated chef Thomas Keller, has been awarded a coveted three stars from the Michelin restaurant guide each year since 2007. Known for a French menu that changes daily and features vegetables from its own garden, the restaurant sees its tables booked months in advance.
Mr. Keller declined to comment beyond a statement on Dec. 29, when he made the theft public. “We are confident that if and when any of the stolen bottles appear in public, they will immediately raise questions and red flags among the wine knowledgeable,” Mr. Keller said. The restaurant is insured for the loss, a spokeswoman said.
More: http://www.wsj.com/articles/napa-wine-heist-is-tough-case-to-solve-1420838429?google_editors_picks=true&autologin=y
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