We have been asked this question several times: does it happen that wine growers get their grapes stolen before harvest? The vineyards are after all rather unprotected. We usually say that this is not a big problem. But apparently thefts do happen.
Recently, someone did a clandestine midnight harvest at Château Suau, a grand cru classé-château in Sauternes. They took grapes from about 15 rows of vines. This represents approximately 15 hectolitres of wine and in money in means that the chateau was robbed of around 15,000 euros.
The owner Corinne Biarnès thinks this was the work of another producer who needed some more grapes for his own wine. It is hard to believe but who else could have done it?
Any suggestions? Write a comment! Use your imagination…
Read more on sudouest.fr
NB: The above chateau appears just as an arbitrary illustration of a Sauternes estate. It has nothing to do with the sotry.