Stolen French Laundry Wines Found In North Carolina

Napa County sheriff’s detectives have recovered the majority of wines stolen from the famous French Laundry restaurant in Yountville on Christmas Day in North Carolina, a sheriff’s captain said today.

The detectives traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina, on Monday after weeks of investigation, analysis of forensic evidence and interviews, Capt. Doug Pike said.

No arrests were made, Pike said.

Pike said 72 bottles of wine were recovered Wednesday from a wine buyer who was not aware the wine had been stolen.

The sheriff’s office said the wine was worth more than $50,000. Staff of the French Laundry restaurant said in December that 76 bottles of wine worth about $300,000 were stolen.

In December, the sheriff’s office said thieves who forced their way into the wine cellar of the restaurant at 6640 Washington St. sometime after 2 p.m. on Dec. 25 stole 40-50 bottles of wine worth more than $50,000.

Restaurant employees discovered the theft when they returned to work on Dec. 26.

Pike said the thieves targeted high-value wines for potential resale to restaurants and individuals.

The sheriff’s office and the winery released a list of the stolen wines in the hope that anyone approached by someone offering to sell the wines will alert investigators.

The restaurant owner, famed chef Thomas Keller, said wine from specific makers and vintages were stolen, including from French estate Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Napa winery Screaming Eagle.

The Napa County Sheriff’s Office is working with state and federal investigators on leads developed in the case, Pike said today.

Previous: Famed Yountville Restaurant Says Stolen Wine Estimated At $300K

--Bay City News

--Image courtesy of The French Laundry on Facebook

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