In a brazen heist that underscores the rise of wine thefts in France, a group of burglars with an obvious passion for fine vintages has pilfered an astonishing €60,000 (£50,000) worth of bottles from the cellar of an unnamed Parisian restaurant, sending shockwaves through the culinary and wine communities alike.
During the late hours of the night earlier this month, more than 750 bottles were taken from the discreet establishment, famous for its traditional French cuisine paired with an impressive wine list that appeals to connoisseurs, according to reports from local media outlets.
The restaurant’s cellar, conveniently situated in the bustling heart of Paris, teemed with a diverse array of prized vintages and grand crus, with some bottles fetching prices as high as €2,000 each, making it a prime target for thieves looking to cash in on the lucrative wine market.
An ‘increase in thefts’
According to Jérôme Baudouin, editor-in-chief at La Revue du vin de France, the current year has marked a significantly troubling trend in fine wine thefts, describing it as a “bad vintage” for the industry.
“For the last five or six years, there has been an alarming spike in thefts due to the skyrocketing prices of fine wine,” he told Le Parisien. “The recent surge in value, particularly for Burgundy wines, has increasingly attracted criminals.”
Citing the market dynamics, he explained that a bottle of Bourgogne Premier Cru, which was once valued at €50 a decade ago, can now reach €400, enticing thieves to “load 20 or 30 cases in the boot of the car…and off [they] go” without drawing attention.
80 bottles stolen
The elite Parisian wine community was rocked in January when robbers meticulously targeted the Michelin-starred establishment Tour d’Argent, perched elegantly above the Seine and recognized for housing the country’s most extensive wine collection.
In a calculated and stealthy operation, a band of burglars made off with 80 bottles of the restaurant’s most esteemed vintages, including the famed Romanée-Conti, a highly coveted Burgundy that can command prices reaching tens of thousands of euros.
The grand total of this alarming theft exceeded €1.5 million, obtained with such precision that the crime went unnoticed until staff conducted a routine inventory check.
A ‘parallel market’
In 2019, the upscale restaurant Maison Rostang, located in the prestigious 17th arrondissement of Paris, suffered a devastating blow when plunderers stole over 150 bottles valued at an approximate €400,000.
In that incident, thieves exploited renovation work taking place at the venue near the renowned Champs-Élysées, effectively disguising their break-in by drilling a 50cm-wide hole through a wall to access the valuable cellar.
Experts suggest that these culprits are often skilled specialists targeting a lucrative “parallel market,” while some thefts are suspected to involve inside information from within the establishments themselves.
‘Cannot be sold’
“Most often, thefts involve wines with a high speculative value that are individually numbered. A stolen Romanée-Conti or Petrus poses a unique challenge, as it cannot simply be sold through regular channels,” explained Aude Legrand, vice-president of a professional wine merchants’ union.
“In the realm of grand crus, it’s akin to the art market. Having a stolen Picasso means you still must navigate the complexities of finding a buyer,” she elaborated in a conversation with Le Parisien, emphasizing that wine merchants are exceptionally cautious when verifying the provenance of their bottles.
**Interview with Jérôme Baudouin, Editor-in-Chief of La Revue du vin de France**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Jérôme. We’re witnessing a worrying trend in wine thefts, particularly in Paris. Can you share what sparked this surge in criminal activities targeting fine wines?
**Jérôme Baudouin:** Absolutely. There’s no question that the sharp rise in fine wine prices has made it an attractive target for thieves. Over the last five or six years, we’ve seen an alarming spike in these incidents. It’s a combination of market dynamics and the heightened value of prized vintages, especially Burgundy wines, which have seen their prices soar.
**Interviewer:** Can you give us an example to illustrate just how much these prices have climbed?
**Jérôme Baudouin:** Certainly. A Bourgogne Premier Cru, for example, that was priced at €50 a decade ago can now command as much as €400. This significant increase incentivizes criminals to act quickly and discreetly—it’s not uncommon for them to load 20 or 30 cases into a vehicle without attracting much attention.
**Interviewer:** That’s fascinating yet alarming. Recently, a restaurant in Paris lost €60,000 worth of wine. How do you think establishments can better protect themselves against these types of heists?
**Jérôme Baudouin:** It’s a tough situation. Many restaurants are now investing in enhanced security measures, such as advanced alarm systems and surveillance cameras. However, given the expertise of these thieves, it’s becoming increasingly vital for establishments to be proactive. Regular inventory checks and maintaining unpredictable schedules for when and how wine is stored can potentially deter thieves.
**Interviewer:** Would you say that this rise in thefts is impacting the wine community’s reputation and operations?
**Jérôme Baudouin:** It certainly has a ripple effect. The culinary and wine communities are tightly interwoven, and when such brazen thefts occur, it not only disrupts the market but also instills a sense of fear among restaurateurs and collectors. There’s a collective concern about the security of valuable collections, and this is a “bad vintage” for the industry overall. The brewing fears could lead to stricter regulations and even higher prices, affecting everyone involved.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Jérôme. It seems that protecting these treasures requires a multifaceted approach, blending vigilance with community awareness.
**Jérôme Baudouin:** Exactly. We all need to remain vigilant and support each other in preserving this beautiful industry. Thank you for having me.
