Vinfamous: Wine Crimes & Scandals

When the French Laundry closed its doors for renovations on Christmas Day in the quiet town of Yountville, thieves saw an opportunity to break in. However, these criminals didn't go for the cash register at the three Michelin starred restaurant: they pried open the wine cellar, stealing $550,000 worth of the world's most expensive wines. The investigation revealed a crime ring that spread coast to coast.

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In 2012, news rocketed around the world about the destruction of Gianfranco Soldera's wine. More than 16 thousand gallons—or the equivalent of 80,000 bottles—of his world class Brunello di Montalcino was found in puddles at the Case Basse cellar in Montalcino, Italy. Days later, police would make a surprising arrest.

Follow the podcast and join us every other week as we delve into the twists and turns behind the all-time most shocking wine crimes.

For many years, the California Central Warehouse was considered a safe place for winemakers and collectors to store wine. With its sturdy three-foot concrete walls, it was thought to be safe from earthquakes, forest fires, and other natural disasters. Until, one day, it all went up in smoke. A fire destroyed 250 million dollars worth of wine, including entire wine libraries, vintages in transit to restaurants, and bottles filled with California history. What sparked this fire? That's a story of fraud, embezzlement, and deception… with a convicted criminal going to his grave saying he was innocent.

Follow the podcast and join us every other week as we delve into the twists and turns behind the all-time most shocking wine crimes.

In the mid-1980s, misguided choices from a select few Austrian wine producers turned an industry upside down. We explore the reasons why someone would be compelled to make such risky decisions and what it has to do with ancient Rome.

In this week's episode, we uncork what's potentially the most famous wine scandal of all. Rudy Kurniawan, purported to be a wine broker of fine and rare wines. Rudy was once known for having "The Greatest Cellar on Earth." However, his millions in sales turned into years in prison after law enforcement caught him manufacturing labels and creating fraudulent wines. As many as 10,000 counterfeit bottles created by Kurniawan may still be in private collections.