Cellar Doors

A Thief Stole Some of the World’s Best Wine From the French Laundry [Updated]

Be on the lookout.
Be on the lookout. Photo: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

In all, a staggering 76 bottles were taken. The price points for the Californian and French wines are among the highest on the restaurant’s voluminous list, translating easily to a loss that has been estimated at $300,000. Sixty-three of the bottles were from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, including several vintages that sell at auctions for several thousand dollars apiece and up to $15,000. Five jumbo bottles of Moët & Chandon are also gone, and while some of the missing alcohol retails for prices as low as $70, most of it is essentially priceless because overall inventory is so low and out of reach to the casual drinker. A bottle of 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, like the one that was stolen from the French Laundry, can sell for as much as $7,700.

Unlike, say, the still-unsolved Pappy Van Winkle theft, the red wines are not as likely to be floated onto the collector’s resale market without drawing significant attention. “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,” Keller wrote on Instagram. He’s asking anyone with tips to contact media@tkrg.com, and while there’s no mention of a reward, we’re guessing the restaurant may be able to help you out with reservations if any intel ends up paying off.

[Inside Scoop SF]

* This post has been updated throughout.

A Thief Stole Some of the World’s Best Wine From the French Laundry