L’Auberge Provençale in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley was the scene of recent crime caper straight out of a movie. The inn and fine-dining destination near the town of Boyce says thieves stole several bottles of a rare wine from its cellar.
The Wine Caper
According to L’Auberge Provençale, the pair of suspects wore wigs and posed as event planners. They claimed they were planning a high-end event and requested a tour of the restaurant and its wine cellar.
“We’ve been collecting wine for decades, and we’re very proud of it,” Celeste Borel, co-owner of L’Auberge Provençale, said in a release. “We love showing people our wine cellar, it’s one of the most special parts of who we are.”
Once inside the cellar, the pair allegedly replaced genuine bottles of rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) with counterfeit screw-cap bottles.
L’Auberge Provençale says bottles of DRC are so exclusive that even the most prestigious restaurants must be invited to purchase them. “It’s not just about money,” said Christian Borel, L’Auberge Provençale’s sommelier. “To acquire a bottle like that, you have to have built a relationship over the years. These bottles were the crown jewels of our cellar.”
The Getaway
When the suspects abruptly departed, L’Auberge Provençale says staff quickly realized the bottles were missing. Employees and an onsite guest chased the pair toward their getaway car — a New Jersey rental parked out of view.
One staff member narrowly avoided injury as the male suspect sped off. However, the staff and patron were able to detain the female suspect. Law enforcement — including the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police — responded quickly.
The female suspect was taken into custody and is being held without bond pending a court date. The male suspect remains at-large, and the investigation is ongoing.
Two DRC bottles — a Grand Échézeaux and an Échézeaux — were recovered, but several remain missing. Each bottle has a unique serial number, which may help law enforcement trace them. However, L’Auberge Provençale says DRC wines are known to circulate through black-market and private-collector channels, which could make recovering them a challenge.
“Words cannot express our gratitude for the bravery, composure, and immediate action of our staff,” said Celeste. “Their dedication and courage prevented this situation from becoming far worse. We are a small, family-run business offering extraordinary experiences to our guests, and the loss of these rare wines is heartbreaking. We hope the ongoing investigation leads to the recovery of our bottles and that those responsible face the full consequences of their actions.”
Feature image courtesy L’Auberge Provençale
