Wine theft at Mongeard-Mugneret

Brutal stuff. I guess there's no reason wine would be sacred, as professional criminals go after lots of valuable items. But it just seems so wrong.

But then where do these bottles show up. Surely not directly to auction. Restaurants in a foreign country? I'm guessing the criminals don't want them for drinking...

https://avis-vin.lefigaro.fr/vins-bourg ... s-20240918

[David M. Bueker]

They knew what they wanted. So yeah, where the bottles eventually show up will be more than a little interesting. My guess is that they will end up with some Russian oligarch and never see the light of day except aboard their yacht.

My guess is that they will end up with some Russian oligarch and never see the light of day except aboard their yacht.

Wow. Theft on order. I'm sure it happens. An interesting combination of someone who loves the wines enough to specify them, but not enough to care about the future health of the domaine!

(Although presumably the very rich oligarch-type folks would have enough money not to worry about saving a few rubles on the black market?)

[David M. Bueker]

When you are an oligarch only one person matters.

Theft on order is very common in the art world. On my various wine tasting visits to Burgundy I couldn't help thinking about how something as valuable as the Romanee-Conti vineyard was left completely unguarded and unprotected.

-Paul W.

Theft on order is very common in the art world.

I can imagine. But there's probably a difference in stealing from a gallery or museum (especially when the artist is dead) and stealing directly from the producer, whom you presumably want to be able to make more of the product you're stealing.

[Jenise]

And a piece of art is one-of-a-kind. Most wine isn't.